Exhibit 23 Consent of Independent Accountants Board of Directors Greene County Bancshares, Inc. We consent to the incorporation by reference in the registration statement of Greene County Bancshares, Inc. on Form S-8 (File No. 333-08609) of our report dated January 28, 2000, on our audits of the consolidated financial statements of Greene County Bancshares, Inc. as of December 31, 1999 and 1998, and for each of the years in the three year period ended December 31, 1999, which report is included in this Form 10-K. /s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP Knoxville, Tennessee March 24, 2000