Jeannie Seely, the Opry legend who broke barriers for women in the music industry, passed away on August 1 at the age of 85. Since then, the Opry has been focused on giving Seely a proper farewell, after all her years of entertainment and commitment in the country community.
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Appropriately, the Grand Ole Opry hosted Seely's funeral, which was complete with an extensive lineup of country stars and Nashville insiders ready to perform their hearts out for the legend. Even Dolly Parton, who we all know stays busy from 9 to 5, contributed a special video tribute to Seely. In the video, she described Seely as "one of the most beautiful people I've ever known."
Parton talked a lot about Jeannie's capabilities not only as a friend, but also as a songwriter in her speech. "When her hit song 'Don't Touch Me If You Don't Love Me ' came out, I thought it was one of the greatest things I'd ever heard. I thought right then that it was one of the most beautiful voices I've ever heard."
Also at Jeannie's funeral, the Opry band paid a special tribute to her. They sang "Will The Circle Be Unbroken" as a send-off, one of country music's oldest songs.
How Carly Pearce Honored Jeannie Seely at Her Public Celebration of Life
For those who couldn't attend Seely's funeral, a public celebration of life was also held. This included performances by Cody Johnson, Carrie Underwood, and Carly Pearce, who has expressed a special admiration for Jeannie in the past. In a recent Instagram post, Pearce told the story of how Seely went from being her next-door neighbor to the biggest champion in her career.
