David Allan Coe (born September 6, 1939 in Akron, Ohio; died April 29, 2026) was an American outlaw country musician and songwriter.

Coe spent most of his youth in prison. Unlike other country and rock musicians, Coe's outlaw image wasn't just for show. His primary musical role model was Hank Williams. His first album, Penitentiary Blues, was released in 1968. That same year, he toured with Grand Funk Railroad. His concerts were known for being wild and unpredictable. He wouldn't appear on stage "normally" on foot, but on a motorcycle. He wore a country-style rhinestone costume and a mask. At that time, he also called himself the Mysterious Rhinestone Cowboy.

Coe's greatest successes weren't so much as a singer, but as a songwriter. Here, he showcased his more sensitive side. He wrote songs for Tanya Tucker, Billie Jo Spears, George Jones, and many more. One of his biggest hits was "Take This Job and Shove It" for Johnny Paycheck.

Another major hit was "You Never Even Called Me By My Name"—originally by Steve Goodman. The song explains that a country song absolutely must include mothers, trains, trucks, prisons, or alcohol, otherwise it's not a real country song. In this vein, the final verse goes:

"Well, I was drunk the day my mom got out of prison,
And I went to pick her up in the rain,
But before I could get to the station in my pickup truck,
She got run over by a damned old train."

David Allan Coe, like Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, and Merle Haggard, belonged to the outlaw country scene. He emphasized this affiliation with the song "Willie, Waylon and Me."
This image is further reinforced by some of his X-rated albums, which are aimed at adults. These albums deal with sex and racism, which he presents directly and subjectively. The most famous song is "Nigger Fucker," a song that plays on racist stereotypes. It describes how the narrator is dumped by his girlfriend because she's attracted to the large penis of a "nigger." Coe himself says that it shouldn't all be taken too seriously.

Coe's concerts brought together a diverse range of marginalized groups: bikers, cowboys, and hippies. Over the course of his career, Coe wrote and performed more than 280 songs. He achieved his greatest success in the 1970s.

Later, he collaborated with Steve Popovich. He is the founder of the music label Cleveland International Records, which has worked with stars like Meat Loaf. Coe and Popovich founded their own record label, COEPOP Records, which released albums such as Songwriter of the Tear and Biketoberfest '01.

Source: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Allan_Coe

David Allen Coe Castles - In The Sand

David Allen Coe Castles - The Ride

 

R.I.P. DAC! One of Country Music's Greats.