Beloved country singer and Grand Ole Opry icon Jeannie Seely has passed away at the age of 85. She died on Friday in Nashville due to complications from an intestinal infection, according to ‘The Hollywood Reporter’.
Jeannie Seely was a big name in country music for decades. Her 1966 hit song “Don’t Touch Me”, written by Hank Cochran, brought her national fame. The powerful song earned her a Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance and launched a long, successful career. She went on to receive two more Grammy nominations over the years.
In 1967, Seely made history by becoming a member of the Grand Ole Opry. She was the first woman to regularly host and emcee shows at the Opry, something unheard of at the time. In total, she appeared on the Opry stage more than 5,000 times, making her one of the most frequent performers in its history.
Jeannie Seely was born on July 6, 1940, in Titusville, Pennsylvania. From a young age, she showed interest in music, performing on local radio and television. Before her music career took off, she worked briefly in a bank. But her love for country music soon led her to Nashville after she signed with Challenge Records.
Her debut with Monument Records, “Don’t Touch Me”, quickly climbed the charts. It hit No. 2 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and even crossed over to the pop charts, landing at No. 85 on the Hot 100. Over her career, she had more than 25 songs on the country charts. Hits like “Can I Sleep in Your Arms” and “Lucky Ladies” became fan favorites.
Seely was also a talented songwriter. She wrote songs for other country stars, including “Leavin’ and Sayin’ Goodbye” for Faron Young. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, she often performed with fellow artist Jack Greene. Their duet “Wish I Didn’t Have to Miss You” became a huge hit, reaching No. 2 on the country charts.
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Over the years, Seely released 17 studio albums. Her final album, ‘An American Classic’, came out in 2020. It featured duets with country legends like Willie Nelson, Ray Stevens, and Lorrie Morgan. In 2018, she even launched her own radio show, ‘Sundays With Seely’, on SiriusXM. Her last Opry performance was in February 2024.
Following her death, tributes began pouring in. Musician Tim Atwood said, “It doesn’t seem possible to know a world without Seely in it. And as good as the Opry show is, the Opry spotlight will never shine as brightly without Jeannie in the center circle.”
Country legend Dolly Parton also shared a heartfelt message. “I have known Jeannie Seely since we were early on in Nashville. She was one of my dearest friends. I think she was one of the greatest singers in Nashville, and she had a wonderful sense of humour,” Parton wrote on Instagram. “We had many wonderful laughs together, cried over certain things together, and she will be missed.”
Jeannie’s husband, Gene Ward, passed away in December 2023 after battling cancer.