Country music legend Jeannie Seely died Friday at age 85 at Summit Medical Center in Hermitage, Tennessee, due to complications from an intestinal infection. The Grammy-winning singer, known as “Miss Country Soul,” had been battling health issues throughout 2025, including multiple back surgeries and two emergency abdominal procedures.
Seely’s publicist, Don Murry Grubbs, confirmed she passed away at 5:00 p.m. Central Time on August 1. Her second husband, Gene Ward, had died in December from cancer, leaving the singer to face her recent health struggles alone.
The Pennsylvania-born performer held the record for most Grand Ole Opry appearances in the venue’s 100-year history, with 5,397 performances. Her final Opry show took place on February 22, 2025. Saturday night’s Grand Ole Opry show was dedicated to her memory, with Dan Rogers, the venue’s senior vice president and executive producer, noting that her performance record will never be broken.
Born July 6, 1940, in Titusville, Pennsylvania, Seely began performing on local radio at age 11. 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 Records. Her songwriting career began there, collaborating with future stars including Randy Newman on “Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand),” which became a hit for R&B singer Irma Thomas.
In 1965, Seely moved to Nashville with only $50 and a Ford Falcon. Within a month, Porter Wagoner hired her 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 Hank Cochran, whom she later married in 1969. The song reached number two on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart and earned her a Grammy Award for Best Country & Western Vocal Performance in the female category.
Seely was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry on September 16, 1967, becoming the first woman to regularly host Opry segments. She broke boundaries by wearing a miniskirt on the Opry stage when it was considered taboo, challenging the traditional dress code that required women performers to wear gingham and long ruffled skirts.
Throughout her career, Seely 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. She also recorded successful duets with Jack Greene, including “Wish I Didn’t Have to Miss You,” which reached number two in 1969.
Country music stars paid tribute to Seely following news of her death. Dolly Parton described her as one of her dearest friends, praising both her vocal talents and sense of humor. Parton indicated they shared many laughs and tears together throughout their friendship that began when both were starting their Nashville careers.
Reba McEntire emphasized Seely’s spirited personality, calling her a “little spitfire” and “opinionated team player.” Trisha Yearwood described her as a talented trailblazer who knew who she was and what she stood for, serving as a friend to everyone who stepped onto the Opry stage.
Bill Anderson, who performed alongside Seely for over six decades, reflected on their professional partnership, particularly their 23 years co-hosting “Country’s Family Reunion” on television. He noted that between them, they performed over 10,000 times on the Grand Ole Opry.
In May 2025, Seely had revealed her health struggles, spending 11 days in intensive care and battling pneumonia. Despite her challenges, she maintained her characteristic optimism, stating at the time: “Rehab is pretty tough, but each day is looking brighter and last night, I saw a light at the end of the tunnel. And it was neon, so I knew it was mine!”
Seely continued working until recently, hosting the weekly “Sundays with Seely” show 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 the renowned RCA Studio B.
Beyond performing, Seely worked as a songwriter throughout her career, with her compositions recorded by artists including Merle Haggard, Ray Price, Connie Smith, Ernest Tubb, and Willie Nelson. She also appeared in stage productions and Willie Nelson’s film “Honeysuckle Rose.”
Seely received numerous honors during her career, including induction into the Music City Walk of Fame in 2018 and the CMA’s Joe Talbot Award in 2023. 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. Seely is survived by many friends and family members, including her cat, Corrie.
