Jeannie Seely, the iconic country singer behind hits such as “Don't Touch Me,” has died at the age of 85.
Her spokesman, Dawn Merry Grubbs, said she died Friday from complications from an intestinal infection.
Known as “Miss Country Soul” for her distinctive vocals, Seely became a pioneering female country music performer, renowned for her energetic nonconformity and a string of undeniable hits in the 1960s and 1970s.
Her second husband, Gene Ward, died in December.
In May, Seeley said she was recovering from multiple back surgeries, two emergency procedures and 11 days in intensive care. She also suffered from pneumonia.
“Rehab is pretty tough, but it gets brighter every day, and last night I saw the light at the end of the tunnel. And it was neon, so I knew this was it,” she said in a statement.
“The unsinkable Sealy is back.”
Dolly Parton was one of several country music stars who paid tribute to her on Friday, saying she met Seely when they were both young and starting their careers in Nashville.
“She was one of my closest friends,” Parton wrote on her social media.
“I think she was one of the greatest singers to come out of Nashville, and she had a great sense of humor. We laughed a lot together, we cried about some things together, and we will miss her.”
Seeley was born in July 1940 in Titusville, Pennsylvania, about two hours north of Pittsburgh, and raised in nearby Townville.
Her love for country music was immediate: her mother sang and her father played the banjo. As a child, she performed on local radio and television shows.
She had several country hits in the 1960s and 1970s, including three Top 10 songs on what is now known as the Billboard country songs chart: 1967's “Don't Touch Me”; 1967's “I'll Love You More (Than You Need)”; and 1973's “Can I Sleep In Your Arms?”, adapted from the folk song “Can I Sleep In Your Barn Tonight Mister?”
Since then, Seeley has continued to record, perform and host, appearing regularly on country music shows. Her songs are considered classics and have been covered by artists ranging from Merle Haggard, Ray Price and Connie Smith to Er
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
