LAMAMIMET

David Allan Coe was born on September 6, 1939, in Akron, Ohio, and spent much of his youth in reform schools and prisons, where he first began writing songs. After his final release in 1967, he moved to Nashville, busking in the streets and living in a hearse parked outside the Ryman Auditorium. His gritty background and rebellious attitude helped shape his distinctive outlaw country style. Coe signed with Plantation Records in the early 1970s and became a prominent figure in the outlaw country movement of that decade. He recorded a string of cult‑favorite albums and wrote songs that became hits for other artists, including “Take This Job and Shove It” and “Would You Lay With Me (In a Field of Stone).” His own recordings such as “You Never Even Called Me by My Name,” “The Ride,” and “Longhaired Redneck” cemented his reputation as a raw, unapologetic voice in country music. Despite legal and financial troubles, Coe continued to tour and record into his later years, maintaining a loyal fan base. He was the father of Tyler Mahan Coe, creator of the “Cocaine & Rhinestones” podcast. David Allan Coe died on April 29, 2026, at the age of 86, after being hospitalized.