Country music legend Jeannie Seely died Friday, August 1, at Summit Medical Center in Hermitage, Tennessee, at age 85 from complications related to an intestinal infection, according to her publicist Don Murry Grubbs.
Known as “Miss Country Soul” for her distinctive vocal style, Seely had been battling multiple health issues throughout 2025, including two emergency abdominal surgeries, multiple back surgeries for vertebrae repairs, and an 11-day stay in intensive care where she also suffered pneumonia.
Seely’s death came just months after losing her second husband, Eugene Ward, who died in December 2024 following a cancer diagnosis. The couple had been married since 2010, with Ward being a Nashville-based attorney who supported Seely throughout her continued career.
Born July 6, 1940, in Titusville, Pennsylvania, Seely began performing on local radio at age 11 and appeared on television station WICU in Erie, Pennsylvania, by age 16. After high school, she worked as a stenographer before moving to California in 1961, where she initially worked at a bank and later as a secretary at Imperial and Liberty Records in Hollywood while developing her songwriting skills.
In 1965, Seely relocated to Nashville with only $50 and a Ford Falcon to her name. Within a month, Porter Wagoner hired her as the female singer for his road show and syndicated television series. She signed with Monument Records and released her breakthrough hit “Don’t Touch Me” in 1966, written by songwriter Hank Cochran, whom she would later marry in 1969.
“Don’t Touch Me” reached number two on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart and earned Seely a Grammy Award for Best Country and Western Vocal Performance in the female category in 1967. The song also became her only Hot 100 entry, peaking at number 85. She achieved three Top 10 hits on the country charts: “Don’t Touch Me,” “I’ll Love You More (Than You Need)” in 1967, and “Can I Sleep In Your Arms?” in 1973.
Seely was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry on September 16, 1967, and became the first woman to regularly host Opry segments. She made 5,397 appearances at the venue, more than any other artist in the show’s 100-year history. Her final Opry performance occurred on February 22, 2025.
Throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s, Seely collaborated extensively with country star Jack Greene, recording several duets including “Wish I Didn’t Have to Miss You,” which reached number two on Billboard’s Hot Country Singles chart in 1970. Her other notable hits included “It’s Only Love,” “A Wanderin’ Man,” and “Lucky Ladies.”
As a trailblazer for women in country music, Seely challenged traditional expectations by wearing a miniskirt on the Grand Ole Opry stage when it was still taboo. She argued with management for women’s equal representation, noting that a third of the talent pool was women who were being underutilized. Her advocacy contributed to changing the Opry’s policies regarding female hosts.
Beyond performing, Seely was an accomplished songwriter whose compositions were recorded by artists including Merle Haggard, Ray Price, Connie Smith, Willie Nelson, Ernest Tubb, and Dottie West. She co-wrote “Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand)” with Randy Newman, which became a hit for R&B singer Irma Thomas.
Seely continued working until shortly before her death, hosting the weekly “Sundays with Seely” program on SiriusXM’s Willie’s Roadhouse channel since 2018. Her final song release came in July 2024 with a cover of Dottie West’s “Suffertime,” recorded at RCA Studio B.
Following news of her death, Dolly Parton paid tribute to her longtime friend on social media, describing Seely as one of her dearest friends and praising her as one of the greatest singers in Nashville. Parton noted that “We had many wonderful laughs together, cried over certain things together and she will be missed.”
Reba McEntire described Seely as a “little spitfire, opinionated team player,” while Trisha Yearwood called her a talented, smart trailblazer for all women who knew who she was and what she stood for. Bill Anderson, who performed alongside Seely for over six decades, reflected on their friendship spanning more than 60 years and over 10,000 combined Opry performances.
Saturday’s Grand Ole Opry show was dedicated to Seely’s memory, with Dan Rogers, the Opry’s senior vice president and executive producer, leading a moment of silence and dedication. Throughout the evening, various artists paid tribute to Seely from the stage, celebrating her contributions to country music and her role as a mentor to younger generations of performers.
Seely received numerous honors throughout her career, including induction into the Music City Walk of Fame in 2018, the CMA’s Joe Talbot Award in 2023, and an honorary Doctor of Arts from Lincoln Memorial University in 2019. In April 2025, SAG-AFTRA’s Studio Space on Music Row was named in her honor. A memorial service will be announced in the coming days.
