Legendary musician and songwriter David Allan Coe passes away at 86

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By Adegboyega Adeleye

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David Allan Coe, the outlaw country singer who wrote the working-class anthem ‘Take This Job’ and ‘Shove It’ and was known for hits like ‘You Never Even Called Me By My Name,’ has died at the age of 86.

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The news of his death was confirmed to Rolling Stone by Coe’s wife, Kimberly Hastings Coe, on Wednesday. The cause of death was, however, not disclosed.

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His wife described him as one of the best singers and songwriters of our time.

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“My husband, my friend, my confidant and my life for many years. I’ll never forget him, and I don’t want anyone else to ever forget him either,” she wrote to the publication.

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A statement from a Coe representative to People said he died around 5 pm on Wednesday.

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In a statement, the singer’s wife praised his talent, describing him as the “best singer, songwriter, and performer of our time”.

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Born in Akron, Ohio, Coe began his music career after spending part of his youth in reformatories and serving time in an Ohio prison from 1963 to 1967 for possession of burglary tools.

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He initially performed in the Blues genre before transitioning to country music, where he became a prominent figure in the 1970s outlaw country movement.

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Coe was a prominent figure in the outlaw country music scene and was known for many hit songs like “You Never Even Called Me by My Name,” “The Ride,” “Longhaired Redneck”, and others.

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