Grand Ole Opry Announcer Bill Cody Dies at 67
7 verified5 unconfirmed1 contested
Bill Cody, the longtime Grand Ole Opry announcer and WSM radio personality, died Tuesday in Nashville at age 67. His death followed a period of critical illness involving heart and kidney failure, which his family had publicly shared in late May. Cody had hosted the popular WSM morning show “Coffee, Country & Cody” since joining the station in 1994 and was a regular voice on live Opry broadcasts. He was inducted into the Country Music Disc Jockey Hall of Fame in 2008. Tributes from country artists and Opry leadership praised his deep love for country music and his role as a trusted voice for listeners. WSM and the Grand Ole Opry have announced plans to honor his legacy with special programming.
What’s verified
Bill Cody died Tuesday at age 67.
He was a longtime announcer for the Grand Ole Opry and a host on WSM-AM.
He joined WSM in 1994 and hosted the morning show “Coffee, Country & Cody.”
He had been in critical condition with heart and kidney failure; his family requested prayers in late May.
He was inducted into the Country Music Disc Jockey Hall of Fame in 2008.
His birth name was Trent Clutts; he adopted the name Bill Cody from his childhood hero Buffalo Bill Cody.
His father was a Southern Baptist preacher; Cody grew up in Lebanon, Kentucky.
Where accounts differ
There is disagreement between sources on the age at which Cody began his radio career. One source reports he started at age 17 when he answered a help-wanted ad for a Kentucky station. Another source reports he began at age 12 in 1971, playing records at a local station.
Not yet confirmed
The identity of the family member who announced his death: one source states a person named David posted on Facebook, while another attributes the initial health update to his daughter Hannah.
Statements from artists such as Garth Brooks, Carly Pearce, and Opry CEO Patrick Moore were reported by only one source.
Additional honors mentioned by a single source include a star on the Music City Walk of Fame (2024) and a posthumous induction into the Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame.
Details about his wife Rebecca, his honeymoon at the Opry, and interviews with Robert Duvall and two former presidents come from a single source.
The specific plans for WSM’s tribute marathon are not fully detailed across both sources.
Key figures
Bill Cody (born Trent Clutts)
Hannah Cody (daughter, mentioned in one source regarding health update)
David Cody (son, mentioned in one source regarding death announcement)
Rebecca Cody (wife)
Dierks Bentley (tribute)
Patrick Moore (CEO, Opry Entertainment; statement in one source)
Sources: Variety, Rolling Stone
