Nashville stars and longtime admirers mourn the passing of the iconic country music champion.
The C&I crew wants to wish happy trails to Bill Cody, legendary announcer for the Grand Ole Opry and genial host of the long-running WSM radio show Coffee, Country & Cody, who passed away Tuesday, June 9, in Nashville at age 67.
A Country Radio Hall of Fame and Music City Walk of Fame honoree, Cody was widely admired and deeply appreciated as an indefatigable advocate of the music he deeply loved. As Kyle “Trigger” Coroneos noted on the Saving Country Music site, Cody was “a champion of traditional country artists, up-and-comers, legends and independent performers who others in radio would sometimes ignore, but Bill would give them a voice on one of the most important radio stations in country music.”
“There might be someone somewhere in the world who loved country music as much,” country superstar Garth Brooks said in a prepared statement, “but nobody loved country music more than Bill Cody.”
Dierks Bentley posted a similarly respectful tribute: “Country music has lost one of its pillars. Bill was just as important to the fabric of our music and city as any artist, songwriter, or musician. No one loved country music, its history and its characters more than Bill Cody. Prayers to his family and Charlie and Kelly [Coffee, Country & Cody cohosts Charlie Mattos and Kelly Sutton] and everyone that knew and loved him at WSM and the Opry.”
Grand Ole Opry member Brad Paisley wrote: “Devastated by this news. We loved you Bill. When the roll is called up yonder, I hope it’s your voice.”
“Like so many of us at the Opry,” said Opry executive producer Dan Rogers, “Opry executive producer Bill Cody lived out his dreams on the Opry stage. More times than I could count he and I would look at each other as if to say, ‘Can you believe we get to do this?’ Even better, he made Opry audiences tuned in from around the world feel like they were here too, themselves a part of country music’s most famous show. Then, he’d get up early the next morning and — with that signature smile in his voice — tell everybody about it on his show. He was the best of friends to country music and to everyone who was a part of it. We’re sure going to miss him.”
“Bill Cody was a wonderful man and a dear friend for over 40 years," said Bill Anderson, the Opry's longest-serving member. “I hope they have meat ’n threes in heaven! Rest in peace, my friend, and we'll have lunch again one of these days!”
Cody sustained a career spanning nearly 50 years on the airwaves, including roles in nationally syndicated radio and television. Born Trent Clutts in Huntsville, Alabama, he changed his name on the advice of a program director when, in 1971 at age 17, he landed his first job as a night DJ at WVLK in Lexington, Kentucky. Yes, you guessed it: He borrowed the name from the Old West legend Buffalo Bill Cody.
After working his way up through various stations in Kentucky and elsewhere, he landed his dream job at Nashville’s WSM in 1994.
“My first day,” Cody recounted to Country Aircheck, “they asked me who I wanted to have as my first-ever guest, and I said, ‘Charlie Daniels,’ who’s been such a hero to me. Because the studio is in the Opryland Hotel, it provided the coffee, which turned out to be chocolate raspberry truffle-flavored. Charlie took one drink and gave me this look. ‘What’s the matter?’ I asked. [Daniels responded:] ‘Cody, you’ve come to Nashville and started drinkin’ hippie coffee.’”
Whatever the type of java he consumed, Cody freely admitted to drinking gallons of the stuff over the years as he divided his time between introducing artists at the Grand Ole Opry, hosting syndicated shows such as Classic Country Weekend With Bill Cody and Pure American Country, emceeing the Country Music DJ and Radio Hall of Fame induction dinners — and, of course, serving as the centerpiece of Coffee, Country & Cody, aptly described by Variety as a show “which few country stars worth their salt had not made appearances on over the last 32 years.”
Here are some of the other tributes paid by friends and admirers of the broadcast legend:
Trisha Yearwood:
“This one hits hard. Bill Cody was the ultimate country gentleman. His knowledge and love for country music is unmatched, and this community will feel his loss deeply. Sending all of my love and strength to Bill’s family. Rest in peace, friend.”.
John Berry: “It is a difficult day here in our music community. Bill Cody, one of the most prominent voices in country radio as well as one of the most sincere advocates for recording artists, has left us too soon. His door was always open, and his conversation encouraging as he brought my music and that of so many others to the Nashville airwaves and online to the world. I am grateful for the time I spent with him at WSM and cherish the memory of him welcoming me to the stage at The Grand Ole Opry, as well as singing for his neighbors and friends in his beloved Cross Plains, TN. I, like many others, will miss Bill, but I know his faith was in Jesus Christ, so my thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends, especially his wife Rebecca, as they navigate the days ahead. See you there, Bill.”
Lacy J. Dalton: “Oh, my heart is on the ground! Bill was a fine, kind, gentle man. Always warm and real. We will all miss having our morning coffee with him. Godspeed, old friend.”
Trace Adkins: “Bill Cody has been an institution in this business for decades. He was a friend and an ally, and he always conducted himself with old-school class. You will be missed, buddy. RIP — Trace.”
Ray Stevens: “I awoke this morning to the sad news of the passing of our dear friend Bill Cody. What a fine man! Bill always had a smile on his face that even people listening to the radio could hear. R.I.P. Bill and our heartfelt sympathy to his family.”
Kelly Lang: “I am still in disbelief and deeply saddened by the passing of my sweet friend, Bill Cody. He is the only person I can honestly say that everyone who met him loved. His voice was truly magical, and watching him effortlessly multitask during interviews was always mind-blowing. Bill had the most infectious smile and a remarkable gift for making everyone around him feel important, valued, and seen. I am so grateful to have had the privilege of calling him my friend. I have countless cherished memories with Bill, but the one that stands out most is the night he graciously introduced me during my Opry debut. I will treasure that video — with his sweet face and beautiful voice — for the rest of my life. His passing leaves an enormous void, not only in country music but in all of our hearts. Please keep his precious family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”
Moe Bandy: “Bill Cody was one of a kind. He was in my hometown, San Antonio, for several years and helped break my first records. I have so much respect for this great man. I will miss him very much. He did so much for country music. RIP my friend.”
Tracy Lawrence: “I’m very saddened to hear about the loss of my friend Bill Cody. We’ve been friends for over 35 years, and I have shared many highlights of my career with him. No. 1 records, platinum parties, weddings, birthdays, and everything in between. In fact, one of those milestones came on Bill’s very first day at WSM on April 25, 1994, when the first song he ever played on the station was ‘If the Good Die Young.’ You will surely be missed, my friend, for your intelligent, cheerful commentary and unwavering support. You were a true lover of all things country music, and I’m honored to have known you.”
Christopher Taylor/The Malpass Brothers: “Taylor and I would like to send our condolences to the family of Bill Cody. We also would like to send our condolences to the Grand Ole Opry family. There have been lots of announcers that graced the waves of WSM through the years but none better than Mr. Bill Cody. He was always kind and welcoming. He was also very knowledgeable about the history of country music. He presented with such class and dignity. When I think of Nashville’s warm Southern hospitality, the Grand ole Opry, and its rich history, I think of Bill Cody. He will forever be missed but never forgotten.”
T.G. Sheppard: “My heart is broken over the passing of Bill Cody. It’s going to take a long time for me to come to terms with his leaving for home. He was not only a dear and cherished friend but also one of the greatest radio voices of all time. Bill always made me feel very special each and every time I was in his presence. I am so grateful for the countless memories we shared over the years. We often laughed about the fact that we had known each other longer than just about anyone in Nashville. Please keep Bill’s family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. Rest in peace, my friend. I will miss you deeply.”
Lee Newton: “Bill Cody had a way of making every person he interviewed feel seen, valued, and welcomed. He wasn’t just a voice on the radio — he was a champion for artists, a storyteller, and a true ambassador for country music. I was honored to have the opportunity to sit down with him over the years, and I’ll always remember his kindness, professionalism, and genuine love for the people behind the songs. His legacy will live on through the countless lives he touched and the doors he opened for so many in our industry. Country music has lost one of its very best, and he will be deeply missed.”
Trey Calloway: “I am devastated to hear about the passing of this legend. A man synonymous with country music, he will be missed greatly. Some of my earliest memories are listening to him on WSM with my mom and dad; it won’t be the same without him. Rest in peace, Bill Cody. Heaven gained a voice for the angels.”
Alex Miller: “What a great man. He will be missed by so many. Prayers for his family.”
John Ford Coley: “I am so beyond sad to hear this news about Bill Cody. He has been a staple in this industry for as long as I can recall. I’m accustomed to hearing of all the musical heroes that have passed away, that are passing before our eyes, but sometimes we forget that our heroes behind the turntable suffer the same fate. What a horrible piece of news to get. Thank you, Bill. You were a hero to so many of us. Thank you for playing our records and keeping us alive all these years. Rest in peace.”
