An artist’s last song before death is inherently meaningful: it serves as a final farewell to their fans and an audio snapshot of where they were and what they were doing in the final days of their lives.

Some artists know that their last song will be their last, or at least something close to it. In his last studio recording, Johnny Cash reflected on his mortality; Glen Campbell used his last day in the studio to compose a musical message about his Alzheimer’s diagnosis.

Sometimes when an artist enters the recording studio, they have no reason to believe it will be the last time. But somehow, it often seems that the song they record is a fitting final message. For example, when Montgomery Gentry recorded “Better Me,” they had no idea that Troy Gentry would die in a helicopter crash just weeks later. Still, the song serves as a fitting epitaph for the kind of man Gentry was during his life.

Some artists’ final songs are prophetic, others haunting, and still others mark the conclusion of a long, storied career. Scroll through the gallery below to hear 11 final songs recorded by legendary country artists shortly before their deaths.

Carena Liptak is an associate editor and staff writer at Taste of Country. She specializes in breaking country music news, interviews, and lists. She’s particularly partial to sad songs – check out her roundup of the 50 saddest country songs of all time!