Country Icon Ray Stevens Suffers Neck Injury at 87

Country singer Ray Stevens, an 87-year-old Grammy winner, broke his neck in a fall on March 29. This incident marks his second health setback after a minor heart attack in July 2025, which required surgery.

A press release disclosed that Ray was briefly hospitalized outside Nashville for the recent injury. He is now recovering at home and has been advised to wear a neck brace for about a month. Despite the injury, he is mobile and in good spirits.

Last July, Ray was hospitalized in Nashville due to chest pain, leading to heart surgery through a noninvasive catheterization procedure. It was later revealed that he had a minor heart attack as well.

As a result of his health issues, Ray had to cancel his CabaRay Showroom performances in West Nashville. An Instagram update mentioned his progress post-surgery, expressing gratitude for well-wishes and cards received.

Ray's upcoming album, Favorites Old & New, set for release on April 10, remains on schedule. The collection includes a mix of beloved standards and new songs from various songwriters, as stated in the press release.

In a statement, Ray shared his excitement about the album, highlighting the mix of old and new songs. He expressed hope that his fans would enjoy the album as much as he enjoyed creating it. Ray has a rich musical history, having written songs for Dolly Parton, played trumpet for Elvis, and contributed to Waylon Jennings's classic "Only Daddy That'll Walk the Line."