Outlaw Legend David Allan Coe Laid to Rest in Cincinnati
Outlaw country legend David Allan Coe was laid to rest on Saturday, May 23rd at the Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Cincinnati, Ohio. The burial proceeded a funeral ceremony and public visitation from 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM at Spring Grove Funeral Home in Cincinnati on Friday, May 22nd. Coe passed away on Wednesday, April 29th at the age of 86.
At the funeral home, numerous photos and pieces of memorabilia were on display, including the legendary Harley Davidson banana yellow Panhead motorcycle owned by Coe. Numerous people also shared words and remembrances of the colorful, and sometimes controversial country star. Members of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club then helped guide the motorcade to the Gate of Heaven Cemetery, and acted as pall bearers to bring Coe to his final resting place.
Coe was laid to rest in a casket with a black and purple color scheme emblazoned with an image of the country star playing a guitar during his masked “Mysterious Rhinestone Cowboy” era, “1939-2026,” and the phrase “American Bad Ass.” Along the side of the casket read, “Singer, Songwriter, Magician, Actor, Soldier, Legend.”
Unfortunately, there has been a lot of misinformation, and AI-generated fake content about Coe’s funeral, along with the burial. No, Alan Jackson was not at the funeral. Even the often-reliable Find a Grave currently lists Coe as having been cremated as opposed to buried at the Gate of Heaven Cemetery, which Saving Country Music has confirmed with the cemetery. Other reports say he was buried at Spring Grove Funeral Home where the funeral happened.
“There IS a lot of misinformation out there,” a Gate of Heaven spokesperson tells Saving Country Music. “He was buried on Saturday, May the 23rd here at Gate of Heaven in Cincinnati, Ohio. He’s in Section 16, lot #5990, grave #2. It’s basically in the back left corner of the cemetery of the property as you come into the gates.”
Gate of Heaven Cemetery is located at 11000 Montgomery Road, Cincinnati, OH 45249.
What is true is many of Coe’s children were not in attendance after being estranged from the country star after an auto accident in 2013. David Allan Coe’s widow, Kimberly M. Coe, along with members of Coe’s band were in attendance.
Though Coe only served in the military for four months before being discharged for being underage, there was a small contingent of honor guard involved in the funeral, and Coe’s coffin was draped in an American flag. The funeral happened on Memorial Day weekend.
Large portions of the burial can be seen in the video below.
– – – – – – – – – – –
If you found this article valuable, consider leaving Saving Country Music A TIP.
June 1, 2026 @ 10:22 am
When I was a kid, I went to see the National Wrestling Alliance Great American Bash at the old Riverfront Stadium. The opening act was David Allan Coe. While walking around before the show, my friend and I happened to spot him sitting on a golf cart.
He didn’t seem especially thrilled to meet a couple of young fans, but he wasn’t rude or dismissive either. Looking back, that’s probably about what you’d expect from DAC. The concert was great, and I got to hear The Ride performed live—a moment I’ll never forget.
Rest in peace, DAC. At the time, I had no idea I was meeting him in his own backyard. Looking back on it now, that chance encounter makes the memory even more special.
June 1, 2026 @ 12:47 pm
Did any of his celebrity friends/musicians attend?
June 1, 2026 @ 3:00 pm
I hate to be morbid, but how many of his peers are still alive and/or in good enough health to travel? And beyond that, consider DAC couldn’t even keep a cordial relationship with some of his own flesh and blood, who knows if that extended to fellow artists?
I thought the above embedded video had a photo of Kendall Marvel, but I could be totally wrong about that. Considering 60% of the people at this funeral were older white guys with long facial hair and a bald head wearing black biker gear it could be a totally different person.
June 1, 2026 @ 3:12 pm
He didn’t have any friends. Deservedly so.
Great singer and writer, despicable human, like most of his colleagues, dead and alive.
June 1, 2026 @ 2:41 pm
That looks like Tanya Montana Coe (one of his daughters) in the back of the limo. Im hoping it it was her. According to her Facebook, looks like she was there. Very revealing statements from her and Tyler Mahan (her brother) on there as well. Looks like DAC got the biker funeral he wanted.
Really a shame how things ended up with him ostracizing his own kids. Separating the artist that was DAC from the very unpredictable mess he was in real life is quite the task.
June 1, 2026 @ 3:49 pm
“Though Coe only served in the military for four months before being discharged for being underage,…”
So Coe faked his way INTO the military smack-dab during the Vietnam War, when others were doing whatever they could to fake their way out? I never heard that story. I thought that he was a delinquent at that age.
From the video, it looks like it was a very nice funeral. Not too somber, but when a guy has liveds that long, why should it be?
Have to agree with Mike W. Only contempraries of DAC from the music world that I can think of who are still with us are Willie Nelson and Bill Anderson. Sure, it would have been a kick if Whispering Bill showed up, but that’s hardly expected.
Looks like he did have quite a number of friends.Nice, too that–despite his claiming to be from “Dallas, Texas,” as part of his stage persona–Coe kept his Cincinnati roots and that’s were he was laid to rest.
June 1, 2026 @ 4:29 pm
If poor, old Willie showed up, chances are that he would have mistakenly ended up in Coe’s grave.
Bill, on the other hand, will stay around forever, he was embalmed decades ago.
June 1, 2026 @ 5:03 pm
Still writing songs though, isn’t he?
June 2, 2026 @ 6:33 am
Bill and Willie will probably write great songs long after they’re a pile of dusty minerals.
Writers like that, from the Gershwins to Tom Russell, won’t happen again.
June 1, 2026 @ 4:36 pm
Forever out was a shouted at the end. It makes me think of a few cool things about DAC. When he really first came on the scene, he was this frizzy hair weirdo who talked like a black guy from the era who had been in the prison system whose accent was essentially jive. We then saw him going to a dude wearing a mask and sometimes a cape, to a bizarre shirtless dude displaying the unsightly aspects of his upper body with total misplaced flare, but flair nonetheless.
Some variations of rhinestones and country outfits from there and then he landed on biker.
In the late 90’s, he landed on the motorcycle image and even though I imagine men have seen variations of that as extremely affected, it has been pretty amazing to watch the progression of aging we’re one of the most unique creatures that has ever walked to this earth. I apologize if my points are more thinking points than definitive points, but his image and his music essentially stopped in time after a life of migration. I have heard tale of an album that will be released, and I for one would absolutely love to see it be his Magnum opus in a legendary career.
June 2, 2026 @ 7:00 am
Great singer, an erratic performer and maybe not such a nice person. I have a few of his albums I rate but thought his performance when seeing him perform was bizarre.
June 21, 2026 @ 7:08 pm
May he rest in peace.
His contributions are many. From (Would you lay with me) In a field of stone to Wine colored roses. Many more are not widely known. Wonderful talent.