The Real Lives of David Allan Coe’s Daughters – Tanya Montana & Shelli Coe :: Ep 47 Circling the Drain Podcast
On this episode of Circling The Drain, Johnny B, Jay Harper and Jim McCarthy sit down with Tanya Montana and Shelli Coe, daughters of outlaw country legend David Allan Coe. They share what it was really like growing up on the road, clear the air about racist allegations and the infamous X‑rated albums, and explain the truth behind the estate, the will, and why the kids aren’t “silver spoon” heirs.
Tanya and Shelli talk about their own musical journeys, the Goodbye Girls Nashville shop, reconnecting with long‑lost siblings, and how their mom Jody quietly held the whole family together. This is one of the most honest, emotional, and human conversations you’ll hear about fame, family, and faith in country music.
Timed Highlights / Chapters:
02:00 – Growing up as Coe kids and Tyler’s guitar chops on the road with Blackberry Smoke
05:01 – Shelli’s Texas roots, Dripping Springs, Willie Nelson’s grandkids and writing songs from childhood
06:25 – The family album, Heavenly Father, Holy Mother and 3‑year‑old Shelli on tape
07:26 – Tanya’s childhood on the road, faxes with her dad and discovering songwriting
09:57 – From accounting to artist: opening Goodbye Girls and being thrown on stage at GG Happy Hour
12:10 – Todd Snider discovers Tanya at the shop and offers to record her for free
13:20 – Silver Bullet: DIY iPhone video, political talk show bumper music and fan reactions
15:06 – Why radio and “Billy Sherrill rules” don’t define modern independent artists
16:07 – Billy Sherrill, David Allan Coe’s genre‑bending catalog and embracing creative risk
17:10 – John Lennon comparisons, Hydro Emotion and the power of All Effed Up
18:17 – Shelli’s song I Need My Name and writing out of love for her dad
20:33 – Making a low‑budget but powerful video in a closed furniture/consignment store
22:13 – Life as kids on the road: band members as protectors and the “Willie Nelson family” vibe
23:59 – Growing up between strict Christian schools and a rough, all‑male tour bus world
25:05 – How the band quietly protected the kids from danger and bad situations
25:21 – The X‑rated albums, racist accusations and what the family actually believes
27:33 – “I love black culture and music”: Tanya on reconciling her dad’s catalog with her values
28:10 – Shelli: “The children of David Allan Coe are not racist” and why she’s never listened to those albums
29:29 – Context for the X‑rated records, parody, Red Foxx, Mel Brooks and intent vs misuse
30:14 – Never giving up: years of unanswered texts, trying to reconnect and the pain of estrangement
33:26 – Going to the funeral scared, public viewing and being “breadcrumbed” through each event
34:41 – Shelli’s impromptu eulogy and thanking the fans for loving their dad
36:19 – David Allan Coe’s traumatic childhood and the side most fans never saw
38:16 – Early 80s Nashville radio memories and meeting David at Spence Manor
39:01 – Playing deep cuts on air: Compass Point, Spectrum 7 and late‑night spins
40:39 – Shelli joins the road in the early 90s, first show in Austin and deciding to be a performer
42:08 – Buses, vans, “carnival” convoys and how the big road show eventually went broke
43:23 – Re‑configuring the bus so the kids could live on the road with their dad
45:03 – Why the kids had relatively “normal” lives thanks to their mothers
45:35 – Jody’s crucial role in the family, fan club and giving all the kids a home base
46:26 – Welcoming a newly discovered brother, Josh, and his family into the fold
47:35 – How the siblings are building a united family now, even without controlling the estate
48:19 – Growing up in East Nashville, Goodbye Girls as a community and the “little shop that could”
50:39 – Surviving 16+ years in retail, COVID, Lana Del Rey’s support and small‑business hustle
52:09 – What Goodbye Girls actually sells: vintage western, stagewear, boots and boho fashion
53:38 – Explaining East Nashville’s vibe and the meaning behind Goodbye Girls
54:04 – Re‑releasing David’s “This Is David Allan Coe” book and why prices spiked after his death
55:20 – What Tanny Montana Music really is and what Jody actually owns
57:00 – Clearing up rumors: Tanya doesn’t get royalties from Stand By Your Man or other songs
58:23 – “We’ve been excluded from everything”: reading the will and dealing with that heartbreak
1:00:17 – The kids’ perspective on narrative wars, online attacks and trying to stay classy
1:01:04 – First time publicly going this deep on the record about the will and estate
1:01:33 – Shout‑out to Tyler Coe’s Cocaine & Rhinestones podcast and the siblings’ admiration
1:02:30 – Where to find their music: Bandcamp, Facebook pages and respecting each sibling’s privacy
1:03:58 – How they’re grieving together and keeping the family unit strong
1:04:36 – Where to find Circling The Drain: Facebook, YouTube, iHeart, Apple Podcasts, TuneIn and merch
02:00 – Growing up as Coe kids and Tyler’s guitar chops on the road with Blackberry Smoke
05:01 – Shelli’s Texas roots, Dripping Springs, Willie Nelson’s grandkids and writing songs from childhood
06:25 – The family album, Heavenly Father, Holy Mother and 3‑year‑old Shelli on tape
07:26 – Tanya’s childhood on the road, faxes with her dad and discovering songwriting
09:57 – From accounting to artist: opening Goodbye Girls and being thrown on stage at GG Happy Hour
12:10 – Todd Snider discovers Tanya at the shop and offers to record her for free
13:20 – Silver Bullet: DIY iPhone video, political talk show bumper music and fan reactions
15:06 – Why radio and “Billy Sherrill rules” don’t define modern independent artists
16:07 – Billy Sherrill, David Allan Coe’s genre‑bending catalog and embracing creative risk
17:10 – John Lennon comparisons, Hydro Emotion and the power of All Effed Up
18:17 – Shelli’s song I Need My Name and writing out of love for her dad
20:33 – Making a low‑budget but powerful video in a closed furniture/consignment store
22:13 – Life as kids on the road: band members as protectors and the “Willie Nelson family” vibe
23:59 – Growing up between strict Christian schools and a rough, all‑male tour bus world
25:05 – How the band quietly protected the kids from danger and bad situations
25:21 – The X‑rated albums, racist accusations and what the family actually believes
27:33 – “I love black culture and music”: Tanya on reconciling her dad’s catalog with her values
28:10 – Shelli: “The children of David Allan Coe are not racist” and why she’s never listened to those albums
29:29 – Context for the X‑rated records, parody, Red Foxx, Mel Brooks and intent vs misuse
30:14 – Never giving up: years of unanswered texts, trying to reconnect and the pain of estrangement
33:26 – Going to the funeral scared, public viewing and being “breadcrumbed” through each event
34:41 – Shelli’s impromptu eulogy and thanking the fans for loving their dad
36:19 – David Allan Coe’s traumatic childhood and the side most fans never saw
38:16 – Early 80s Nashville radio memories and meeting David at Spence Manor
39:01 – Playing deep cuts on air: Compass Point, Spectrum 7 and late‑night spins
40:39 – Shelli joins the road in the early 90s, first show in Austin and deciding to be a performer
42:08 – Buses, vans, “carnival” convoys and how the big road show eventually went broke
43:23 – Re‑configuring the bus so the kids could live on the road with their dad
45:03 – Why the kids had relatively “normal” lives thanks to their mothers
45:35 – Jody’s crucial role in the family, fan club and giving all the kids a home base
46:26 – Welcoming a newly discovered brother, Josh, and his family into the fold
47:35 – How the siblings are building a united family now, even without controlling the estate
48:19 – Growing up in East Nashville, Goodbye Girls as a community and the “little shop that could”
50:39 – Surviving 16+ years in retail, COVID, Lana Del Rey’s support and small‑business hustle
52:09 – What Goodbye Girls actually sells: vintage western, stagewear, boots and boho fashion
53:38 – Explaining East Nashville’s vibe and the meaning behind Goodbye Girls
54:04 – Re‑releasing David’s “This Is David Allan Coe” book and why prices spiked after his death
55:20 – What Tanny Montana Music really is and what Jody actually owns
57:00 – Clearing up rumors: Tanya doesn’t get royalties from Stand By Your Man or other songs
58:23 – “We’ve been excluded from everything”: reading the will and dealing with that heartbreak
1:00:17 – The kids’ perspective on narrative wars, online attacks and trying to stay classy
1:01:04 – First time publicly going this deep on the record about the will and estate
1:01:33 – Shout‑out to Tyler Coe’s Cocaine & Rhinestones podcast and the siblings’ admiration
1:02:30 – Where to find their music: Bandcamp, Facebook pages and respecting each sibling’s privacy
1:03:58 – How they’re grieving together and keeping the family unit strong
1:04:36 – Where to find Circling The Drain: Facebook, YouTube, iHeart, Apple Podcasts, TuneIn and merch
Socials / Links
Tanya’s shop:
• Goodbye Girls Nashville – goodbyegirlsnashville.com
Music (Bandcamp):
• Tanya Montana – “Silver Bullet” (vinyl) and “Hydro Emotion” (CD) available on Bandcamp
• Shelli Coe – “A Girl Like Me” available on Bandcamp
• Tanya Montana – “Silver Bullet” (vinyl) and “Hydro Emotion” (CD) available on Bandcamp
• Shelli Coe – “A Girl Like Me” available on Bandcamp
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Circling The Drain is produced by It's Your Show dot Co
