Opry Grand Dame Jeannie Seely has passed away at the age of 85.
Music Row reports:
Jeannie Seely, the beloved Grand Ole Opry member whose voice, wit and longevity made her one of country music’s most enduring figures, has died at age 85. She passed peacefully Friday (Aug. 1) at 5:00 p.m. CT at Summit Medical Center in Hermitage, Tennessee, following complications from an intestinal infection.
Known affectionately as “Miss Country Soul,” Seely was a force across seven decades of country music—an artist, songwriter, host, producer, and fearless innovator who broke ground for generations to follow. She was the first woman to regularly host segments on the Grand Ole Opry, the first artist to wear a miniskirt on its stage, and—at the time of her death—the artist with the most Opry performances in history, having stepped into that iconic circle 5,397 times.
Her final Opry appearance came on Feb. 22, 2025. She remained active in her later years, continuing to host Sundays with Seely on SiriusXM’s Willie’s Roadhouse and releasing new music well into her 80s, including her 2024 single “Suffertime” and an accompanying short documentary. The release made her the vocalist with the longest recording span—60 years—at Nashville’s historic RCA Studio B.
Jeannie Seely ranked #59 in our most recent 100 Greatest Women feature.
Our condolences to Seely’s family, friends, and fans.
I had the good fortune of meeting Jeannie a few times while I was living in Nashville. She was always so polite and she always put on a good show. Very sad indeed.