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| Jeannie Seely (1940-2025) |
Jeannie Seely, known as “Miss Country Soul,” passed away Friday, at Summit Medical Center in Hermitage, Tennessee, at the age of 85.
Her death was due to complications from an intestinal infection, following a challenging period of health issues, including multiple back surgeries, two emergency abdominal procedures, an 11-day ICU stay, and a bout of pneumonia earlier in the year. Despite these setbacks, Seely remained optimistic, stating in May that she saw “a light at the end of the tunnel” during her recovery.
Born on July 6, 1940, in Titusville, Pennsylvania, Seely was a trailblazer for women in country music, celebrated for her distinctive vocal style and nonconformist spirit. She broke barriers in an era when female country artists faced expectations of subservience, notably by wearing a miniskirt on the Grand Ole Opry stage, a bold move at the time.
Her signature hit, “Don’t Touch Me,” written by Hank Cochran, earned her a Grammy Award in 1967 for Best Female Country Vocal Performance. Other notable songs include Top 10 hits like “I’ll Love You More (Than You Need)” (1967) and “Can I Sleep In Your Arms?” (1973). Her music was recorded by country legends like Merle Haggard, Ray Price, and Ernest Tubb.
Seely’s career spanned decades, with nearly 5,400 appearances at the Grand Ole Opry, where she became a member in 1967 and the first woman to regularly host segments. She continued performing, recording, and hosting, including her weekly “Sundays with Seely” on Willie Nelson’s SiriusXM channel since 2018. Her final release was a cover of Dottie West’s “Suffertime” in July 2024, recorded at RCA Studio B. The Grand Ole Opry dedicated its Saturday show to her memory.