Randy Travis, Dierks Bentley, and the Rest of Country Music Mourn the Heartbreaking Death of a Nashville Music Legend

Nashville’s country music community mourns Bill Cody, a longtime host of Coffee, Country & Cody who died at 67 after ICU treatment while awaiting a heart and kidney transplant. Cody joined WSM in 1994 and welcomed Charlie Daniels as his first in-studio guest, building a gathering place around country music at the Grand Ole Opry and on WSM Radio. tributes from industry figures — including Randy Travis and Dierks Bentley — celebrate Cody’s influence and kindness. WSM plans an honoring marathon, and colleagues recall his role in shaping the genre’s culture and community for decades.