11 country stars and their last songs before their death
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!
11 country stars and their last songs before their death
These deceased country stars all have one thing in common: they left their fans a musical farewell gift before they died.
Scroll through this gallery to listen to 11 artists’ very last songs and read the stories of their final moments in the studio. Some are haunting, others come full circle – but each of these songs is special because it caps off an incredible career.
Gallery Credit: Carena Liptak
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Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes