Died at age 85, the legendary singer of country music, Jeannie Seely. The massive country star passed away on Friday, August 1st at the Summit Medical Center in Hermitage, Tennessee, from complications of an intestinal infection, as confirmed by her representative to “People.”
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Jeannie Seely dies at 85: legendary country music star passes away
Seely, who had lost her husband Eugene Ward to cancer in December 2024, faced serious health problems throughout 2025. She underwent “multiple spinal surgeries in the spring for vertebrae restoration,” as well as “two emergency abdominal surgeries,” according to the announcement. During her hospitalization, she had spent “11 days in the intensive care unit” and suffered from “pneumonia.”
Jeannie Seely, soulful country singer behind hits like ‘Don’t Touch Me,’ dies at 85 https://t.co/16ASVSnIRQ pic.twitter.com/i3S6VsStsj
— Toronto Sun (@TheTorontoSun) August 2, 2025
Who was Jeannie Seely: The massive success of “Don’t Touch Me”
The singer achieved success in 1966 with the song “Don’t Touch Me,” while she also stood out with hits like “A Wanderin’ Man,” “I’ll Love You More (Than You’ll Need)” and her 1969 duet with Jack Greene “Wish I Didn’t Have to Miss You.” She was also a devoted member of the Grand Ole Opry, with over 5,300 appearances on its stage.
Seely was born in 1940 in Titusville, Pennsylvania and grew up in nearby Townville. She was the youngest of four children. Her love for the Opry was born from her childhood years, when her family listened to the broadcasts on the radio every Saturday night. “At age 8 I knew what I wanted to become,” she told “People” in 2022. “And I knew I wanted to be at the Opry.” She was inspired by artists like Roy Acuff, Minnie Pearl, Ernest Tubb, Kitty Wells, Little Jimmy Dickens and Jean Shepard. “I wanted to meet them. I wanted to be part of this family I heard every week,” she said.
She started singing on a local radio station at age 11. After high school, she worked as a stenographer, until 1961 when she moved to California, seeking warmer weather. She worked at a bank, but soon found a job as a secretary at Imperial Records and began writing songs. She co-wrote “Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand)” with Randy Newman, which became a hit with Irma Thomas. She also wrote songs for Connie Smith, Dottie West and Norma Jean. She signed her own recording contract with Challenge Records and moved fully to Nashville in 1965.
She signed with Monument Records and in 1966 released “Don’t Touch Me,” which reached No. 2 on the Hot Country Songs and earned her two Grammy nominations, winning the award for Best Female Country Performance. She was called “Miss Country Soul” due to her deeply emotional style. The song’s success earned her an invitation to the Grand Ole Opry. “I was side by side with my heroes backstage. I had never seen them even up close,” she said.
In 1967 she became an official member of the Opry. “The Opry is simply a way of life for me,” she declared. During her first appearance, female singers wore long ruffled skirts. She appeared in a mini skirt, causing strong reaction from director Ott Devine. “I explained to him that I had just come from California and that’s what everyone wears there. I told him ‘the trend is coming,'” Seely remembered. Shortly after, other women also stopped wearing ruffles.
