David Allan Coe, the outlaw country icon known for Take This Job and Shove It, passed away Wednesday at age 86. His booking agent confirmed the death in a hospital, though the cause remains undisclosed.

Coe burst onto the Nashville scene in the mid‑1970s with singles like “You Never Even Called Me by My Name,” a sharp satire that cracked the Top 10. His blend of gritty storytelling and baritone swagger set him apart from peers such as Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings.

Beyond his own recordings, Coe penned chart‑topping hits for artists including Tanya Tucker and Johnny Paycheck. The latter’s Take This Job and Shove It not only topped the country charts in 1977 but also inspired a 1981 film featuring Coe in a cameo.

Later albums, notably Nothing Sacred and the controversial 18 X-Rated Hits compilation, cemented his reputation for provocative lyricism. While critics condemned the material as “racist, misogynist, homophobic,” Coe maintained he was misunderstood, a stance that both fueled his legend and complicated his legacy for future generations.