The country music community is mourning the loss of one of its most beloved voices. Longtime WSM Radio personality and Grand Ole Opry host Bill Cody has died at the age of 67, leaving behind a legacy that spans more than three decades at the heart of country music.
Cody passed away on June 9 after battling serious health complications. Just weeks earlier, his family had revealed that he had been hospitalized with heart and kidney failure and was in need of a double transplant. Despite prayers and support from across the country music world, the beloved broadcaster ultimately lost his fight.
For generations of country music fans, Bill Cody wasn’t simply a radio host.
He was one of the voices that helped define Nashville.
Through WSM Radio’s popular Coffee, Country & Cody program and his countless appearances as a Grand Ole Opry host, Cody became a trusted companion for listeners and a passionate advocate for country music artists at every stage of their careers.
Born Trent Clutts in Huntsville, Alabama, Cody began his broadcasting journey at a young age and eventually built a remarkable career that earned him a place in the Country Music Disc Jockey Hall of Fame in 2008. In 2024, he received a star on Nashville’s Music City Walk of Fame, and he is also expected to be inducted posthumously into the Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame later this year.
As news of his passing spread, tributes poured in from across the industry.
Artists including Carly Pearce, Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, and Randy Travis shared heartfelt messages honoring Cody’s kindness, generosity, and unwavering love for country music. Many described him as a pillar of the genre whose impact extended far beyond radio.
Perhaps the most common theme in the tributes was not Cody’s professional success but the way he made people feel.
Artists and fans alike remembered him as someone who welcomed everyone with warmth, encouraged young talent, and treated country music not just as a career, but as a lifelong calling.
In an industry built on storytelling, Bill Cody spent decades helping tell the stories of others.
Now, country music is telling his.
And judging by the overwhelming response from fans and artists alike, his voice will not soon be forgotten.
