David Allan Coe, the unconventional country musician whose writings produced the working-class anthem “Take This Job and Shove It” and whose shows brought “The Ride” into country music history, died on April 29, 2026, at 86.
Coe died in the intensive care unit at roughly 5:08 p.m. The exact reason for his death has not been revealed. His wife, Kimberly Hastings Coe, stated, “My husband, my friend, my confidant and my life for many years,” she wrote. “I’ll never forget him and I don’t want anyone else to ever forget him either.”
A spokesperson noted Coe was “a musical gem” who “valued all of his fans” despite his declining health in later years. Coe is survived by his wife and five children: Tyler Mahan Coe, Tanya Montana Coe, Shelli Coe, Shyanne Coe, and Carla Coe. His wife disclosed in September 2021 that he received medical care for COVID-19, after which his tour schedule became much less frequent.
From Reform School to Nashville
Coe was born Sept. 6, 1939, in Akron, Ohio, to parents Donald Coe, who worked at Goodyear’s factory, and Lucille Coe, who worked at Sears and as J.J. Buchholzer’s secretary. During his education at Betty Jane Elementary, Ellet High School, and Coventry High School, he had frequent absences because of reform school stays, starting when he was only nine.
Coe’s early life was unstable and unpredictable. A brief military service was terminated when authorities discovered his age. He then experienced three separate sentences at the Ohio Reformatory for crimes including auto theft and possession of burglary tools. From 1963 to 1967, he served time in an Ohio jail, and he later described an event where he reportedly hit an inmate with a mop bucket in 1963 following threats in the showers — one of several stories from his past that grew murkier as they were retold over time.
Writing music kept him going. “I’d have never made it through prison without my music,” Coe told The Associated Press in 1983. “No one could take it (music) away from me. They could put me in the hole with nothing to do, but I could still make up a song in my head.”
After his 1967 release, Coe moved to Nashville with little money, playing guitar in bars to survive. Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, someone he knew from his time in prison, helped introduce him to the music business. His first record, “Penitentiary Blues,” came out in 1970 on SSS International Records — a small independent label run by Shelby Singleton with the connected Plantation brand — containing songs he wrote while locked up.
The Mysterious Rhinestone Cowboy
Coe, who was 6-foot-4 with long hair and had 365 tattoos by the mid-1970s, created the image “Mysterious Rhinestone Cowboy,” drawing from his fancy rhinestone outfits and the mask he wore during his live sets. He released over 60 hit singles and developed a loyal following from different backgrounds — bikers, doctors, lawyers, and business owners regularly came to see him perform.
His songwriting output was huge. Johnny Paycheck made “Take This Job and Shove It” into a 1977 country #1 hit that earned Coe his only Grammy nomination. Tanya Tucker took “Would You Lay With Me (in a Field of Stone)” to #1 on the country charts in 1974. Coe recorded “Tennessee Whiskey,” written by Dean Dillon and Linda Hargrove, a song that would later become famous through George Jones and Chris Stapleton.
Key recordings included “You Never Even Called Me by My Name,” written by Steve Goodman with uncredited input from John Prine; “Longhaired Redneck” from his 1976 self-titled LP; “The Ride” from 1983; and “Mona Lisa Lost Her Smile” from 1984. He also cut “Rides Again” in 1977 and appeared in the film “Heartworn Highways,” which featured a performance he gave at a Tennessee prison.
A Career Built on Edges
After moving to Key West, Florida, Coe self-released two explicit albums: “Nothing Sacred” in 1978 and the “Underground Album” in 1982. Both recordings contained music that Coe described as “meant to be sung around the campfire for bikers.” Offensive and culturally insensitive material from these records — which Coe said were intended as satire — drew ongoing criticism over the years, along with his use of the Confederate flag in his shows.
His work with other artists broadened country music’s boundaries. He performed with Willie Nelson, Kid Rock, and Neil Young. His final studio release, which came out in 2006, was “Rebel Meets Rebel,” combining country and metal with Pantera members Dimebag Darrell, Vinnie Paul, and Rex Brown. He also appeared in the films “Stagecoach” and “Take This Job and Shove It.”
Performing was fundamental to who he was. From 2008 to 2013, Coe averaged about 100 shows yearly. In 2016, he received a three-year suspended sentence for tax evasion and had to pay about $980,000 in back taxes. His father, Donald, died Aug. 9, 1986, in Richmond, Indiana, while on the road with his son; Coe honored him by dedicating the album “A Matter of Life … and Death” to his memory.
“Penitentiary Blues” was a reflection of his past. “My song ‘Penitentiary Blues’ is all about Akron,” Coe told the Beacon Journal. I wrote it because I kept going to prison, where guys naturally talk about their hometowns.”
Country artist Tanya Tucker, whose #1 version of Coe’s “Would You Lay With Me (in a Field of Stone)” was a high point in both their careers, expressed her sadness at his death. “Losing my buddy is hard,” Tucker said, noting that he died peacefully in his wife Kim’s arms. “He was a part of my success in this business. A big part.