RIP

Country Music Icon Dead at 85

Jeannie Seely was a pioneer for women in country music.

Country star Jeannie Seely has passed away at 85 in Hermitage, Tennessee. Seely transformed the country music genre in the 1960s and pushed the boundaries of what was expected for women by donning bold outfits and becoming the first woman to host a segment on the Grand Ole Opry. Seely, who died of an intestinal infection, was a key part of the Opry for more than five decades and had more than a dozen Top 40 country hits between 1966 and 1974. Her legendary songs, like “Don’t Touch Me” and “I’ll Love You More (Than You Need),” earned her the nickname “Miss Country Soul.” Seely’s songs celebrated true emotional connection over sexual gratification. She opted to wear miniskirts and go-go boots on the Opry stage rather than the typical long gingham dresses worn by her predecessors. “I was the main woman that kept kicking on that door to get to host the Opry segments,” she said in 2005.