Kitty Wells facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kitty Wells
1974 publicity shot of Kitty Wells
Born	Ellen Muriel Deason (1919-08-30)August 30, 1919 Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Died	July 16, 2012(2012-07-16) (aged 92) Madison, Tennessee
Spouse(s)	Johnnie Wright ​ ​ (m. 1937; died 2011)​
Children	3, including Ruby and Bobby
Musical career
Genres	Country honky tonk Nashville sound gospel
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocals guitar
Years active	1936–2000
Labels	RCA Victor Decca MCA Capricorn Rubocca Southern Tracks

Ellen Muriel Deason (born August 30, 1919 – died July 16, 2012), known as Kitty Wells, was an American country music singer. She was a true pioneer for women in country music. In 1952, her hit song "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" made her the first female country singer to reach number one on the U.S. country charts. This song also made her the first female country superstar!

Kitty Wells was named the "Queen of Country Music" because of her huge success and influence. She was the only artist to win top female vocalist awards for 14 years in a row. Her chart-topping songs continued until the mid-1960s, opening the door for many other female country singers. In 1976, she joined the Country Music Hall of Fame. She also received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1991.

Who Was Kitty Wells?

Her Early Life and Musical Start

Kitty Wells was born Ellen Muriel Deason on August 30, 1919, in Nashville, Tennessee. She was one of six children. Her father taught her to play the guitar when she was young. Her parents and uncle were also musicians.

As a teenager, Kitty sang with her sisters in a group called the Deason Sisters. They performed on a local radio station starting in 1936. At 18, she married Johnnie Wright, who also wanted to be a country music star. He later became famous as half of the duo Johnnie & Jack.

Becoming a Music Star

Kitty first sang with Johnnie and his sister Louise. Later, Johnnie teamed up with Jack Anglin to form Johnnie & Jack. Kitty toured with them and sometimes sang backup. She chose "Kitty Wells" as her stage name from an old folk song.

At first, record companies didn't think women could sell many country music records. So, Kitty didn't sing on her husband's albums for a while. She signed with RCA Victor in 1949 but her early songs didn't become hits. She was even dropped by the label in 1950.

Breaking Barriers with "Honky Tonk Angels"

In 1952, a record executive named Paul Cohen asked Kitty to record "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels". Kitty was thinking about quitting music, but she agreed to record the song for the payment. She didn't expect it to be a hit.

This song was an "answer song" to Hank Thompson's "The Wild Side of Life". His song blamed women for relationship problems. Kitty's song bravely replied, "It's a shame that all the blame is on us women."

The song's message was controversial. Many radio stations banned it. Even the famous Grand Ole Opry temporarily banned it. But audiences loved the song! It sold over 800,000 copies and became the first song by a female singer to reach number one on the country music chart. It stayed there for six weeks! "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" also became a pop hit, reaching number 27. Because of this success, Kitty Wells became a member of the Grand Ole Opry.

Ad featuring Kitty Wells and husband Johnnie Wright's first joint album, We'll Stick Together

Continued Success in the 1950s and 1960s

After her big hit, Kitty released "Paying For That Back Street Affair," which also did well. Between 1953 and 1955, she was the only female solo artist to consistently have hit songs. In 1954, she teamed up with country star Red Foley for the duet "One By One," which also hit number one.

Kitty Wells was the first female country singer to release a full album. Her 1956 album, Kitty Wells' Country Hit Parade, showed that women could indeed sell records. This opened the door for other female singers to release their own albums.

Wells' 1956 LP album, Country Hit Parade: She was the first female country singer to release a full album.

Kitty continued to have many top hits. Songs like "Making Believe" and "I Can't Stop Loving You" became very popular. In 1959, she had two top-five hits: "Amigo's Guitar" and "Mommy For A Day." She even won an award for writing "Amigo's Guitar." Kitty wrote over 60 songs during her career.

Her songs often explored themes that inspired other female country singers. Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton later recorded songs that questioned unfair standards for women, just like Kitty did with "Honky Tonk Angels."

In the 1960s, Kitty continued her success. Her song "Heartbreak U.S.A." reached number one in 1961. She had many more top-10 hits, including "Will Your Lawyer Talk to God" and "Password." Her albums also started appearing on the Top Country Albums chart. Her last top-10 hit was "Meanwhile, Down At Joe's" in 1965.

The Lonesome, Sad and Blue album (Decca, 1965)

Kitty Wells also became the first female country star to have her own TV show with her husband in 1969. It was called The Kitty Wells/Johnnie Wright Family Show and featured their children.

Later Career and Retirement

Kitty Wells continued to record music into the 1970s. In 1974, she recorded a blues-influenced album called Forever Young. This album introduced her to a younger audience.

In the late 1970s, Kitty and Johnnie started their own record label called Rubocca. They released several albums on it. In 1979, at age 60, Kitty had another song on the Billboard charts called "I Thank You for the Roses."

Kitty Wells remained a popular performer for many years. In 1987, she sang with other famous Opry legends like Brenda Lee and Loretta Lynn on a song that was nominated for a Grammy. In 1991, she received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. She also appeared on a collaboration album with Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, and Tammy Wynette in 1993.

Kitty and her husband opened the Family Country Junction Museum and Studio in 1983. They performed their last show together on December 31, 2000. Kitty Wells was ranked No. 15 on CMT's 40 Greatest Women of Country Music in 2002. In 2008, "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" was added to the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress, recognizing its importance.

Her Family Life

Kitty Wells married Johnnie Wright in 1937. They were married for 74 years before Johnnie passed away in 2011. They had three children: Ruby, Bobby, and Carol Sue. They also had many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Their daughter Carol Sue even had a hit song with Kitty in the 1950s called "How Far Is Heaven."

Her Passing

Kitty Wells passed away on July 16, 2012, in Madison, Tennessee, at the age of 92. She is buried next to her husband in Nashville.

Achievements and Honors

• First solo female country artist to have a number 1 record.
• First female country artist to sell one million records.
• First woman to lead a major music tour.
• First woman to have her own TV show.
• Voted top country female artist for 14 years in a row.
• Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame (1976).
• Received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (1991).
• Her song "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" was added to the National Recording Registry (2008).

Discography

Top Ten Singles

See also

In Spanish: Kitty Wells para niños