David Allan Coe

David Allan Coe
Coe performing in March 2009
Background information
Born	September 6, 1939 (1939-09-06) (age 77) Akron, Ohio, United States
Genres	Country, rock, outlaw country, blues
Occupation(s)	Musician, singer-songwriter, actor
Instruments	Vocals, guitar
Years active	1950s–present
Labels	Columbia, D.A.C., Plantation
Associated acts	The Tennessee Hat Band, Confederate Railroad, Bob Wayne and the Outlaw Carnies, Pantera, Warren Haynes
Website	davidallencoe.net

David Allan Coe (born September 6, 1939) is an American songwriter, outlaw country music singer, and guitarist who achieved popularity in the 1970s and 1980s. As a singer, his biggest hits were "Mona Lisa Lost Her Smile", "The Ride", "You Never Even Called Me by My Name", "She Used to Love Me a Lot", and "Longhaired Redneck". His best-known compositions are the No. 1 successes "Would You Lay With Me (In a Field of Stone)" (which was also recorded by Tanya Tucker) and "Take This Job and Shove It" (which was later recorded by Johnny Paycheck and inspired a hit movie; both Coe and Paycheck had minor parts in the film).

Coe was born in Akron, Ohio, on September 6, 1939. His favorite singer as a child was Johnny Ace. After being sent to the Starr Commonwealth For Boys reform school at the age of 9, he spent much of the next 20 years in correctional facilities, including three years at the Ohio Penitentiary. Coe received encouragement to begin writing songs from Screamin' Jay Hawkins, with whom he had spent time in prison.

After concluding another prison term in 1967, Coe embarked on a music career in Nashville, living in a hearse which he parked in front of the Ryman Auditorium. He caught the attention of the independent record label Plantation Records and signed a contract with the label.

Early in 1970, Coe released his debut album, Penitentiary Blues, followed by a tour with Grand Funk Railroad. In October 1971 he signed as an exclusive writer with Pete and Rose Drake's publishing company Windows Publishing Company, Inc. in Nashville, Tennessee, where he remained until 1977. Although he developed a cult following with his performances, he was not able to develop any mainstream success, but other performers achieved charting success by recording songs Coe had written, including Billie Jo Spears' 1972 recording "Souvenirs & California Mem'rys" and Tanya Tucker's 1973 single "Would You Lay With Me (In a Field of Stone)," which was a number one hit, and responsible for Coe becoming one of Nashville's hottest songwriters and Coe himself being signed by Columbia Records. Coe recorded his own version of the song for his second Columbia album, Once Upon a Rhyme, released in 1975.AllMusic writer Thom Jurek said of the song, "The amazing thing is that both versions are definitive." The album also contained a cover of Steve Goodman's and John Prine's "You Never Even Called Me by My Name," which was a Top Ten Billboard hit, and was followed by a string of moderately successful hits.