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Jeannie Seely, Grammy-winning country music legend and longtime Grand Ole Opry member, has died at 85. She passed away on August 1, 2025, at Summit Medical Center in Hermitage, Tennessee, from complications of an intestinal infection, her representative confirmed.
Seely had faced serious health challenges this year, including multiple back surgeries, two emergency abdominal surgeries, pneumonia, and an extended ICU stay. Her passing comes months after losing her husband, Eugene Ward, to cancer in December 2024.
Born July 6, 1940, in Titusville, Pennsylvania, Seely moved to Nashville in the 1960s, rising to fame with her 1966 hit “Don’t Touch Me,” which won a Grammy for Best Female Country Vocal Performance. Known as “Miss Country Soul,” she broke barriers with her bold stage style and advocacy for women in the industry.
A Grand Ole Opry member since 1967, Seely recorded over 15 albums, penned songs for icons like Merle Haggard, and continued performing into her 80s. Her final album, An American Classic, was released in 2020.
