David Allan Coe: Biography, Convictions, and Marriages

Few figures in country music have cultivated a myth as thick as David Allan Coe’s, who spun tales of prison time, ghostwritten hits for Elvis, and a life that blurred the line between outlaw poet and troubled drifter. This article separates verified facts from the legend — from his birth in Akron, Ohio, in 1939 to his death in 2026, with stops in four marriages, a career that gave country music some of its most enduring songs, and a friendship with Willie Nelson that defined an era.

Born: September 6, 1939 ·
Died: April 29, 2026 ·
Occupation: Singer-songwriter ·
Number of marriages: 4 ·
Notable songs: You Never Even Called Me by My Name, Take This Job and Shove It

Ten key facts about the man behind the rhinestones and the contradictions:

What was David Allan Coe convicted of?

His early life reads like one of his own ballads. At age 9, he was sent to a reform school in Albion, Michigan, according to Sun Records (official label biography). This pattern of confinement continued through his teens and into adulthood.

What were the charges?

• Coe faced multiple convictions, including possession of burglary tools and auto theft (Sun Records).
• He also served time for writing bad checks, part of a criminal record that spanned several years.

How long was his sentence?

Exact sentence lengths are not consistently documented, but he spent much of his youth in reform school and other correctional institutions (Sun Records). After his release in 1967, he moved to Nashville and began his music career.

The implication: Coe’s criminal past wasn’t a youthful mistake — it was a decades-long stripe that he deliberately wove into his outlaw persona. That choice made him unforgettable but also cost him mainstream acceptance.

What Elvis song did David Allan Coe write?

This is one of the most persistent myths in country music lore. Was Coe the ghostwriter behind an Elvis hit?

What song did Elvis refuse to sing?

No documented Elvis song written by David Allan Coe exists. The common myth involves “It’s Only Make Believe,” which was actually written by Conway Twitty (Billy Bob’s Texas (venue biography)). The rumor likely stems from Coe’s reputation as a prolific but uncredited writer.

What are David Allan Coe’s most famous songs?

• “You Never Even Called Me by My Name” — his most well-known hit, released in 1975 (Wikipedia).
• “Take This Job and Shove It” — written for Johnny Paycheck and a smash in 1977.
• “Would You Lay with Me (In a Field of Stone)” — a No. 1 for Tanya Tucker in 1974 (Billy Bob’s Texas).

Why this matters: The Elvis myth feeds Coe’s mystique, but it isn’t true. His real legacy is the songs he definitely wrote — others’ hits that shaped 1970s country radio.

How many times has David Allan Coe been married?

Coe’s personal life was as tangled as his music. He married four times, and his relationships often ended in legal disputes.

Who were David Allan Coe’s wives?

• Sue, Wanda, Brenda, and Jody (married in the 1970s and 1980s) — the first three were brief, but Jody Lynn Benham from Laingsburg, Michigan, was long-term (Review Magazine (interview feature)).
• He later married Kimberly in Las Vegas on April 18, 2010, according to The Official & Legendary Website (artist site biography).

How many children did he have?

He fathered five children (Wikipedia), though details about all of them remain scarce.

Where is David Allan Coe now?

David Allan Coe died on April 29, 2026, at age 86. As of that date, he was living in Florida.

Is David Allan Coe still alive?

No. He died in 2026, as confirmed by Wikipedia (community-edited biography) and other obituary reports. The cause of death has not been publicly released.

How much money was David Allan Coe worth when he died?

Estimates place his net worth between $500,000 and $1 million (Billy Bob’s Texas). For a man who wrote multiple No. 1 hits, that figure is surprisingly low — partly because he sold off his publishing rights in lean years.

What caused David Allan Coe’s death?

The cause of death has not been officially confirmed (Wikipedia). No family statement was released at the time of writing.

What this means: Coe’s death leaves a gap in the outlaw country pantheon — and a swirl of unresolved questions about his finances and the real story behind his last years.

Are Willie Nelson and David Allan Coe friends?

Yes, they were close friends and collaborators, both central to the outlaw country movement of the 1970s.

Did they collaborate on songs?

Coe and Nelson toured together, wrote songs, and appeared on each other’s albums (Billy Bob’s Texas). Their friendship was one of mutual respect — Nelson once said Coe was “the truest outlaw” in Nashville.

What is the history of their friendship?

Both were outsiders in a polished Nashville scene. Coe’s prison background gave him an edge Nelson admired, and Nelson’s success gave Coe a platform. The bond lasted decades, though Coe’s volatility sometimes strained it.

The pattern: Coe’s friendship with Nelson was a career anchor. Without that association, his later years might have been even more isolated. For Nelson, it reinforced his own outlaw image — a symbiotic relationship that benefited both.

What remains after the myths are stripped away is a songwriter who gave country music some of its hardest-hitting songs, a man who used prison as a creative forge and relationships as raw material. For artists chasing authenticity today, Coe’s story is a warning: the line between persona and person is thin, and when it blurs, it can cost you everything — including the truth about your own legacy. For fans, the choice is between treasuring the music he definitely left behind and getting lost in the tales he may have invented.

Frequently asked questions