Country music legend Jeannie Seely has died at 85.
Seely passed away Friday, August 1, at Summit Medical Center in Tennessee from complications related to an intestinal infection, her representative confirmed.
She had faced serious health problems throughout 2025, including multiple back and emergency abdominal surgeries, an 11-day ICU stay, and pneumonia. Her death came only months after her husband, Eugene Ward, died from cancer.
Born in Pennsylvania in 1940, Seely moved to Nashville in the 1960s and found major success with her 1966 hit “Don’t Touch Me,” which earned her a Grammy Award.
Known as “Miss Country Soul,” Seely became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1967 and performed there for more than five decades.
She recorded more than 15 albums and over two dozen Billboard country singles, while also writing songs recorded by artists including Merle Haggard, Dottie West, and Willie Nelson.
Seely remained active into her 80s and continued performing until health problems slowed her down.
Her voice, spirit, and six-decade legacy will remain part of country music history. Rest in peace, Jeannie Seely.