Leslie Jordan, beloved entertainer and Tennessee native, dies at 67

Without Leslie Jordan, the neon lights in Nashville don't seem to glow quite as bright.

Jordan, a small-sized entertainer with a mighty appetite for making a room laugh, died Monday after a car wreck in Los Angeles, his agent David Shaul confirmed. He was 67.

"The world is definitely a much darker place today without the love and light of Leslie Jordan," Shaul said in a statement. "Not only was he a mega talent and joy to work with, but he provided an emotional sanctuary to the nation at one of it's most difficult times. What he lacked in height he made up for in generosity and greatness as a son, brother, artist, comedian, partner and human being. Knowing that he has left the world at the height of both his professional and personal life is the only solace one can have today."

A Chattanooga native, Jordan spent his final years tearin' up Nashville red carpets in bedazzled suits and praising his favorite singer-songwriters from on stage at the Ryman Auditorium.

Leslie Jordan:After viral fame, Leslie Jordan made a gospel album: 'God knows my heart'

And while he may be best known for his Emmy-winning "Will & Grace" performance or time on-screen in "American Horror Story," Jordan chased another kind of entertainment in Music City — gospel singing. He released his debut solo album "Company's Comin'" last year with help from a handful of Nashville friends.

"When I would hear those old hymns, I used to have an ax to grind, (thinking), 'Well, I didn't feel accepted in organized religion, and so I walked away…’," he told The Tennessean in 2021. "But you know what? That's all been put to rest. I know what my beliefs are. God knows my heart. And I'm good, and I do well.”

Born and raised in Chattanooga, Jordan left Tennessee in 1982 to start a career in show business. But he wouldn't be gone forever.

Known for his unique humor and charm, Jordan became a surprise viral sensation two years ago while quarantining in Tennessee with his mom, Peggy Ann Jordan. Many of his Instagram videos featured her and chronicled life in the East Tennessee city.

Flamboyant and openly gay, Leslie said his mom always supported and accepted him while growing up in the late '50s and '60s. She always made their home in the south a safe space for him.

“When I got on the bus in 1982 to come to Hollywood, my mother told me, 'Always know that if it doesn't work out, you can come back to a standing ovation,'” he previously said.

Jordan’s mother Peggy Ann Jordan died earlier this year, and he shared with fans funny stories about their time together in Chattanooga.

One time when he was home visiting from Hollywood, Jordan told his mom that he was going to “catch up on my sleep” while he was there.

Peggy asked, “How did that happen?” Leslie repeated that he needed more sleep and his mom said, “No, how’d you get ketchup on your sleeve?”

With a newfound Internet fame, Jordan doubled down on his roots by cutting a gospel album. He enlisted a who's who of Nashville favorites to join him for the ride. Dolly Parton, Tanya Tucker, Chris and Morgane Stapleton, Brandi Carlile, Ashley McBryde, T.J. Osborne and Charlie Worsham helped make "Company's Comin'" a reality.

He made his Grand Ole Opry debut in May 2021.

"I wanted it to have a sound of everybody just sitting in the living room and saying, 'Oh, you remember this old hymn,’ the way my family did,” Jordan said in 2021. “My dad would pull out an old baritone ukulele, and my uncle would pull out his banjo, and as kids we’d sit there and sing along. It was wonderful to be able to revisit all those songs that I loved growing up."

One of his last public appearances in Nashville came earlier this month, when he helped emcee "You Got Gold," a weeklong tribute to late folk hero John Prine. Prior to that, Jordan served as Grand Marshal in the city's 2020 Pride parade.

A cohort of Nashville artists from Jason Isbell to Osborne, the Brothers Osborne frontman, songwriter Joy Oladokun and country hitmaker Sara Evans paid tribute Monday to his boisterous friendship and enduring career.

"Leslie Jordan radiated joy in a way that was so unique and pure," singer-songwriter Margo Price shared Monday. "He was a light in a dark world and will be so missed."

During his stay in Music City this month, he filmed a video for "Let It Slide," a pop-country duet with Blanco Brown and LOCASH with a Tik Tok-ready dance associated with it.

The quartet spoke at length with the Tennessean.

LOCASH's Preston Brust offered that Jordan's "fun, non-jaded" perspective was a "refreshing" addition to Music City's scene. His duo partner Chris Lucas said Jordan's blend of "Hollywood and humility" made him an honored part of country music's community. Blanco Brown added that Jordan's "magical" energy was "contagious."

Jordan said he was fascinated by the way he was embraced by country music and Nashville, since he initially left Tennessee due to stereotypes associated with his homosexuality. However, his recent performances at the Grand Ole Opry was heartening, he said.

"People wanted me to go out there and say 'oh wow, the Opry's just getting queerer and queerer," he joked. "I didn't want to do that. I just want people to appreciate us."

USA TODAY and Devarrick Turner of the Knoxville News Sentinel contributed.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Leslie Jordan, Will & Grace actor and Tennessee native, dies at 67