David Allan Coe was 86 years old when he died.
Country musicians Willie Nelson and David Allan Coe performed in Texas, USA in July 2010. ZumaWire / MVPHOTOS
Country star David Allan Coe has died.
The American musician died on Wednesday at the age of 86, reported among other things The New York Times (NOW) and Page Six.
Coe died at the hospital, according to his representative David Wade for NYT. Coe’s cause of death has not been made public.
The country star is remembered for songs, among other things You Never Even Called Me by My Name, Need a Little Time Off for Bad Behavior, Take This Job and Shove It mixed Mona Lisa Lost Her Smile.
Coe is remembered as one of the musicians who brought the Outlaw country genre to the consciousness of a wider audience. The themes of the songs often dealt with prison life, drugs and living on the fringes of society.
The musician had a “bad boy” image. He was sent to a boys’ home at the age of 9, and over the next 20 years he repeatedly ended up in various institutions and prisons.
During one of his prison terms, Coe claimed to have killed a man who had tried to sexually abuse him, but the story was later proven to be a fabrication.
NYT characterizes the forgery as “a typical example of the outlaw aura” that surrounds the musician.
Coe claimed to practice polygamy and boasted that he had more than 300 tattoos. He belonged to the Outlaws Motorcycle Club, which is listed as a criminal organization in several countries around the world.
The country legend released 42 studio albums in his nearly 60-year career. His debut album Penitentiary Blues published in 1970.