HORROR ACCIDENT

Grammy Winning Country Star Suffers Broken Neck in Fall

The Nashville icon had a very lucky escape.

Ray Stevens, the acclaimed singer and comedian, was rushed to a hospital in Nashville after breaking his neck in a fall on Sunday. The 87-year-old is currently in recovery and will have to wear a neck brace for roughly a month. “Despite the injury, he remains fully mobile and in good spirits as he continues his recovery,” a press release said. Stevens, known for his hits “Ahab, the Arab” and “Gitarzan,” was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2019. His injury comes just days before the release of his latest album, Favorites Old & New. This is not Stevens’ first brush with health problems. Last summer, he underwent surgery after a heart attack. In January 2024, he told his fans he was “slowing down,” and that he would stop performing regularly at his Nashville studio, Ray Stevens CabaRay Showroom. However, he still appeared at the showroom to promote his album, Say Whut? Stevens’ career has spanned eight decades. He signed with Capitol Records at the age of just 18 in 1957. He went on to collaborate with giants of the music industry, including Dolly Parton and Elvis Presley. He won his first Grammy in 1971. He would go on to win another Grammy and be nominated for twelve more.