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BroadwayWorld is saddened to report that GRAMMY® Award-winning singer, songwriter, and Grand Ole Opry legend Jeannie Seely passed away on Friday, August 1, at the age of 85.
Born July 6, 1940, in Titusville, Pennsylvania, Seely became a vital voice in country music’s evolution from the 1960s onward. With her 1966 breakthrough single “Don’t Touch Me”—penned by Hank Cochran—Seely earned a GRAMMY Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance.
Affectionately nicknamed “Miss Country Soul,” she became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1967, later making history as the first woman to regularly host and emcee Opry segments. Seely found additional chart and touring success in the late 1960s and early 1970s with Jack Greene, forming a duet partnership. Their hits, including “Wish I Didn’t Have to Miss You,” earned CMA nominations and solidified their place as one of country music’s most cherished vocal pairings.
Over the course of her solo career, Seely placed more than two dozen singles on the Billboard country charts, including enduring favorites like “Can I Sleep in Your Arms” (later famously recorded by Willie Nelson) and “Lucky Ladies.” She also enjoyed success as a songwriter—most notably penning “Leavin’ and Sayin’ Goodbye,” a Top 10 hit for Faron Young.
Seely was also an outspoken advocate for artists' rights and women’s equity in country music. Her bold fashion choices, including being the first woman to wear a mini-skirt on the Opry stage, were emblematic of her unapologetic individuality and progressive spirit.
In her later years, Seely experienced a career renaissance. She launched her own SiriusXM show, “Sundays with Seely,” and released several critically acclaimed albums, including Written in Song and An American Classic, which featured duets with Willie Nelson, Ray Stevens, Steve Wariner, and Lorrie Morgan. Her recording “We’re Still Hangin’ In There Ain’t We Jessi”—featuring Jessi Colter and the late Jan Howard—was a testament to the enduring camaraderie and resilience of the women who helped shape country music.
She is survived by many close friends, family members, her beloved cat, Corrie and the countless peers and protégés she inspired throughout her six-decade career. She was preceded in death by her husband Gene Ward, parents Leo and Irene Seely, and siblings Donald, Bernard, and Mary Lou.
