Jeannie Seely, the beloved country music icon, has sadly died at the age of 85.
The country music legend's publicist, Don Murry Grubbs, confirmed she passed away on Friday (August 1) due to complications from an intestinal infection.
Seely had faced ongoing health struggles throughout 2025. She underwent “multiple back surgeries this spring for vertebrae repairs,” along with “two emergency abdominal surgeries,” according to PEOPLE.
During that same hospital stay, she also spent “11 days in the intensive care unit” and battled a bout of pneumonia.
Despite it all, Seely remained optimistic in a statement released in May, which read: “Rehab is pretty tough, but each day is looking brighter and last night, I saw a light at the end of the tunnel. And it was neon, so I knew it was mine! The unsinkable Seely is working her way back," per The New York Post.
The Grammy-winning musician grew up in a musical household - her mother sang, and her father played the banjo. By childhood, she was already performing on local radio and television programs.
In her early 20s, Seely moved to Los Angeles, took a job with Liberty and Imperial Records, and began writing and recording music. But it was Nashville where her career truly took flight.
She performed on Porter Wagoner’s TV show and signed with Monument Records, setting the stage for her breakout moment.
That moment came with 'Don’t Touch Me,' a haunting ballad penned by her future husband Hank Cochran. The track became a country music staple and earned Seely a Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance.
She and Cochran married in 1969 and divorced ten years later. Seely later married Nashville attorney Gene Ward, who died in December 2024.
Throughout her career, Seely became known for more than just her stellar voice. She made headlines for being one of the first women to wear a miniskirt on the Grand Ole Opry stage - a bold statement at the time.
Her other hits, including 1967’s 'I’ll Love You More (Than You Need)' and 1973’s 'Can I Sleep in Your Arms?', further solidified her place in music history.
The vocalist's influence extended beyond her own music as her songs have been recorded by country greats like Merle Haggard, Connie Smith, Ray Price, Ernest Tubb, Grandpa Jones, and Little Jimmy Dickens.
Since 2018, the 'A Wanderin' Man' singer had been the voice behind Sundays with Seely on Willie Nelson’s SiriusXM channel, Willie’s Roadhouse. That same year, she was inducted into the Music City Walk of Fame for her lasting impact on the genre.
Her final release, a heartfelt cover of Dottie West’s Suffertime, was released in July 2024 and recorded at the legendary RCA Studio B.
A Grand Ole Opry member since 1967, Seely graced its stage nearly 5,400 times. On Saturday night, the Opry will dedicate its show to her memory.
Our thoughts are with all of Seely's loved ones at this time.