David Allan Coe

A life-long renegade, singer/songwriter David Allan Coe is one of the most colorful and unpredictable characters in country music history. One of the pioneering artists of the outlaw country movement of the '70s, he didn't have many big hits -- only three of his singles hit the Top Ten -- but he was among the biggest cult figures in country music throughout his career. Born September 6, 1939 in Akron, Ohio, & brought up as a Mormon, Coe's life is one of the most curious in music, including serious prison time as a young man, multiple simultaneous wives in keeping with his original faith, bankruptcy at least once & massive continuing problems with the IRS as of 2016 if not to date, releasing two of the most obscene records of all time, unnecessary embellishment of his own history courtesy of a notorious compulsion for tall-stories, and possibly the most bizarre collection of wigs seen since the late seventeenth century (yet sported with all seriousness). Coe is still performing live as of 2021, although now seated due to prior injuries sustained in a fracas with bullying casino security guards, succeeded by a serious car accident.

His daughter, Tanya Montana Coe is a performer. His son, Tyler Coe was his guitar player for a time, and in 2017 started the popular country music history podcast Cocaine and Rhinestones.