Country Radio Hall of Fame announcer Bill Cody is currently fighting for his life in a hospital intensive care unit following acute organ failure. His family announced the critical condition Sunday.
Cody, a mainstay of the Grand Ole Opry and a longtime voice in country music broadcasting for nearly 50 years, is intubated and on life support while awaiting a decision regarding a double-organ transplant.
Cody’s medical crisis escalated rapidly over the weekend after initial signs of progress. His daughter Hannah detailed the emergency in a statement shared on WSM’s Instagram account, where Cody has hosted his flagship morning show “Coffee, Country & Cody” for more than 30 years.
“Last night, his strength and ability to pump blood took a downward spiral,” Hannah stated. “We got a call from his doctor early this morning that they were having to intubate him to put him on ECMO — a machine that performs the heart’s function.”
The medical team placed Cody on life support to stabilize him, prompting his family to ask for prayers and support.
“This is what we need prayers for,” Hannah wrote. “1) Pray that he will not experience any of the risks associated with ECMO — stroke, blood clots, infection. 2) Pray that the next 48 hours on ECMO gives his body time to rest and regain strength. This is critical for transplant qualification. He must gain strength. 3) Pray that the transplant team meeting on Tuesdays finds him a candidate and places him on the list.”
The family said the coming days are crucial in determining Cody’s eligibility for transplantation.
The setback occurred just as Cody appeared to be on track to qualify for transplants. He was first hospitalized more than three weeks ago with heart and kidney failure, undergoing dialysis, medication treatments, and extensive testing.
Hannah described his initial admission: “Friends. Prayer warrior. I believe in the power of prayer and my daddy needs prayers.”
She explained that Cody had been admitted to the ICU more than three weeks ago with heart and kidney failure. After weeks of what she called a roller coaster of tests, dialysis, medications, and setbacks, doctors determined a double transplant was his only option for survival.
“Many prayers have been prayed this week that he would pass all necessary tests to qualify for the transplant list,” Hannah continued. “And those prayers were answered.”
Outside the hospital, Cody remains a well-known figure in Tennessee broadcasting. According to Main Street Media of Tennessee, his work has included nationally syndicated radio, television, and film, such as hosting PBS’s “Tennessee’s Wildside,” “Ray Stevens’ Nashville” on RFD, and GAC TV’s “Master Series.” He also appeared in the special episode of “American Saturday Night: Live from the Grand Ole Opry.”
A 2008 Country Music Disc Jockey Hall of Fame inductee, Cody lives near Cross Plains, Tennessee, with his wife. He remains closely connected to his local community, frequently broadcasting his morning show from the porch of Thomas Drugs during the annual “Trash and Treasures” event on Highway 25.
His broadcasting career earned him multiple nominations from Billboard, the Academy of Country Music, and the Country Music Association, culminating in a star on the Music City Walk of Fame in 2024.
