David Allan Coe, the legendary and controversial country singer known for hits like ‘The Ride’ and ‘Willie, Waylon and Me’, died on Wednesday at the age of 86. Beyond his music, Coe also wrote Tanya Tucker’s 1973 single ‘Would You Lay With Me (In a Field of Stone)’ and Johnny Paycheck’s 1977 single ‘Take This Job and Shove It’, both of which reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. His death has prompted his daughter, Tanya Montana Coe, to speak candidly about the family’s long and painful estrangement from the singer in his final years.Tanya revealed that none of Coe’s eight children had been in regular contact with their father before his death, and had not been told of his death or given a chance to see him one last time.
Tanya Montana Coe about losing contact with her father
“The last time I talked to him was when I was texting him in the hospital after the car accident,” Tanya told Entertainment Weekly, referring to an incident in 2013. “But I don’t know if I was actually talking to him or if someone else was pretending to be him on the phone.”He explained that the distance was not the only limitation. “I don’t know if I should speak for them, but none of the eight kids had access to him,” she said.In an earlier Facebook post, Tanya tried to clarify the nature of their estrangement. “I would have to say that my father stopped reaching out, stopped seeing me when I came to the shows and it became impossible for me all these years despite my best efforts,” she wrote. “I know why he chose that path, and it really has nothing to do with me or our love for each other.”
Tanya Montana Coe on her father’s legacy and love for her children
Despite the years of distance, Tanya was clear that her feelings for her father remained rooted in love and pride. “All of us children loved our father and will continue to love him more than this dimension can hold,” he said. “I know he loved us and was proud of us. I know he was suffering emotionally inside, always. He had a very traumatic childhood and early adult life, and I’m very proud of what he did for himself as an artist.“He added: “All we really wanted for the child was to feel free in his soul and spirit and to be happy, and we hope that now he can be.”
What those close to David Allan Coe have said
Coe’s former manager, Ken Madson, also shared his perspective with the publication. “She became distant from her children when I started working with her, and I never knew why,” she said. “Any feeling his children have about their father’s death is valid, and it goes out to my heart,” added Madson, who also eventually lost touch with the singer.His booking agent, David Wade, confirmed the news, saying Coe passed away at around 5.08pm on Wednesday at a hospital. “He was a complicated man, an outlaw and a great songwriter, singer and showman,” Wade said. “He had fans from all over the world and he appreciated them all.”As the family continues to process the loss of their father, Tanya’s words paint a picture of a complicated relationship between a legendary artist and the children who loved him, despite the years of silence that separated them.
