Renowned country music artist Jeannie Seely, best known for her soulful voice and hit song “Don’t Touch Me,” has passed away at the age of 85. Her publicist, Don Murry Grubbs, confirmed that she died on Friday due to complications from an intestinal infection.
Seely, often referred to as “Miss Country Soul,” was a pioneering figure for women in the country music industry. She was recognized for her unique vocal style, her nonconformist spirit, and a series of successful hits during the 1960s and 1970s. Her second husband, Gene Ward, passed away in December. Earlier this year, Seely had disclosed that she was recovering from multiple back surgeries and a bout of pneumonia.
Born in July 1940, in Titusville, Pennsylvania, Seely’s passion for country music was evident from an early age. Her parents, both musicians, fostered her love for the genre. As a child, she performed on local radio and television programs. In her early twenties, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue her career, working at Liberty and Imperial Records in Hollywood while continuing to write and record her music.
Seely’s career took off when she moved to Nashville, where she performed on Porter Wagoner’s show and signed a deal with Monument Records. Her biggest hit, “Don’t Touch Me,” written by Hank Cochran, earned her a Grammy Award for best country & western vocal performance in the female category. Seely and Cochran were married for a decade, from 1969 to 1979.
Throughout her career, Seely challenged the expectations of women in country music. She was known for her rebellious spirit, even wearing a miniskirt on the Grand Ole Opry stage when it was considered taboo. She had several country hits in the 1960s and 1970s, including three Top 10 hits on Billboard’s hot country songs chart.
In the following years, Seely continued to release albums, perform, and host, regularly appearing on country music programming. Her songs, considered classics, have been covered by artists such as Merle Haggard, Ray Price, and Connie Smith. Since 2018, she hosted the weekly “Sunday’s with Seely” on Willie Nelson’s Willie’s Roadhouse SiriusXM channel.
Seely’s contributions to country music were recognized when she was inducted into the Music City Walk of Fame in 2018. She made nearly 5,400 appearances at the Grand Ole Opry, where she had been a member since 1967. Her latest song, a cover of Dottie West’s “Suffertime,” was released in July 2024.