David Allan Coe

David Allan Coe is an influential country singer-songwriter known for his distinctive outlaw country style and prolific career spanning over five decades. After Tanya Tucker’s 1973 number-one hit with his song ‘Would You Lay With Me (In a Field of Stone),’ David Allan Coe established himself as a prominent and prolific songwriter in Nashville. This pivotal success led to his signing with Columbia Records in 1973. Coe had already launched his recording career, releasing his debut album, ‘Penitentiary Blues,’ in 1970 under Plantation Records, which showcased his blues roots before his full transition into country music.

In 1971, he secured an exclusive writing contract with Windows Publishing Company, Inc., further solidifying his position. His 1975 album, ‘Once Upon a Rhyme,’ featured his rendition of ‘You Never Even Called Me by My Name,’ which became his first country top-10 hit, peaking at number eight. Coe further cemented his influence within the outlaw country movement with albums such as ‘Longhaired Redneck’ (1976), where he wrote or co-wrote all tracks, and authored ‘Take This Job and Shove It,’ which became a monumental success for Johnny Paycheck in 1977. He was also prominently featured in the 1975 documentary ‘Heartworn Highways,’ performing his music alongside other notable country artists.

In recent years, Coe continued to engage in high-profile musical partnerships, demonstrating his lasting impact on the industry. This included a collaboration with Moonshine Bandits on their track ‘Take This Job’ in 2017. Most recently, David Allan Coe contributed to the track ‘Live Forever’ in 2024, alongside Hank Williams III and Hardy, further solidifying his legacy as an iconic and cross-generational figure in music.