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Jeannie Seely

Marilyn Jeanne Seely (July 6, 1940 – August 1, 2025) was an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and author. Primarily identified with country music, Seely found success with the Grammy Award-winning song "Don't Touch Me" (1966). Her soul-inspired vocal delivery gave her the nickname of "Miss Country Soul". Seely was a member of and performer on the Grand Ole Opry, having appeared more times on the program than any other performer (5,397 appearances dating back to May 1966 and including 57 years as member of the Grand Ole Opry). She was credited with breaking the "Gingham Curtain," the Opry's conservative dress code for performers.

Born and raised in northwestern Pennsylvania, Seely had an early interest in country music, regularly appearing on local radio and television stations. After high school, she began a career in the banking industry and moved to California. Switching careers, she began writing songs that would be recorded by other artists. After being briefly signed with Challenge Records, she moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to further elevate her country music recording career. In Nashville, Seely's "Don't Touch Me" was released on Monument Records and reached the US country top five. She followed it with several more top-10 and -20 songs, including "A Wanderin' Man" (1967) and "I'll Love You More (Than You'll Need)" (1968).

Seely then formed a duet musical partnership with Jack Greene, and they began collaborating together in the late 1960s. Their highest-charting single was 1969's "Wish I Didn't Have to Miss You", and they subsequently toured over the next decade. Her solo career continued with the popular singles "Can I Sleep in Your Arms" (1973) and "Lucky Ladies" (1974). After a car accident in 1977, Seely's career went on a brief hiatus and then resumed new projects. This included her appearances in the Willie Nelson film Honeysuckle Rose and acting in several stage plays, opening a Nashville bar, and becoming the first woman to host the Grand Ole Opry.

In the 1990s, Seely returned to recording albums with a 1990 eponymous release, followed by her first album of Christmas music in 1994 called Number One Christmas. Her other releases included the critically acclaimed 2003 album Life's Highway. Her last studio release was 2020's An American Classic, issued on Curb Records. Seely thereafter continued to work the Grand Ole Opry and became a regular host of a weekly radio program on Sirius XM's Willie's Roadhouse broadcast.

Birth and Death Data: Born July 6, 1940 (Titusville (city of Pennsylvania)), Died August 1, 2025 (Hermitage (section of Metropolitan Nashville, Tennessee) )

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1969 - 1972

Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 26-50 of 58 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca NA 15686 7/28/1969 Wish I didn't have to miss you Jeannie Seely vocalist  
Decca NA 15687 7/28/1969 Love is no excuse-1 Jack Greene ; Jeannie Seely vocalist  
Decca NA 15688 7/28/1969 The first day-1 Jack Greene ; Jeannie Seely vocalist  
Decca NA 15747 9/16/1969 Everybody knows but you and me Jack Greene vocalist  
Decca NA 15748 9/16/1969 Yearning Jack Greene vocalist  
Decca NA 15749 9/16/1969 My tears don't show Jack Greene vocalist  
Decca NA 15827 11/13/1969 I will always Jack Greene ; Jeannie Seely vocalist  
Decca NA 15828 11/13/1969 Someone I used to know Jack Greene ; Jeannie Seely vocalist  
Decca NA 15829 11/13/1969 You're mine Jack Greene ; Jeannie Seely vocalist  
Decca NA 15858 12/9/1969 Another heart for you to break Jeannie Seely vocalist  
Decca NA 15859 12/9/1969 Please be my new love Jeannie Seely vocalist  
Decca NA 16042 4/21/1970 Heart over mind Jeannie Seely vocalist  
Decca NA 16043 4/21/1970 You wouldn't know love Jeannie Seely vocalist  
Decca NA 16044 4/21/1970 The fightin' side of me Jeannie Seely vocalist  
Decca NA 16045 4/21/1970 Is anybody goin' to San Antone Jeannie Seely vocalist  
Decca NA 16119 6/18/1970 Just call me lonesome Jeannie Seely vocalist  
Decca NA 16120 6/18/1970 Tell me again Jeannie Seely vocalist  
Decca NA 16423 4/27/1971 How could you be anything but Jeannie Seely vocalist  
Decca NA 16424 4/27/1971 You don't understand him like I do Jeannie Seely vocalist  
Decca NA 16425 4/27/1971 Alright I'll sign the papers Jeannie Seely vocalist  
Decca NA 16556 9/21/1971 Much obliged Jack Greene ; Jeannie Seely vocalist  
Decca NA 16557 9/21/1971 Whiskey dirt Jack Greene ; Jeannie Seely vocalist  
Decca NA 16558 9/21/1971 What in the world has gone wrong with our love Jack Greene ; Jeannie Seely vocalist  
Decca NA 16645 12/30/1971 Pride Jeannie Seely vocalist  
Decca NA 16646 12/30/1971 Farm in Pennsyltucky Jeannie Seely vocalist  
(Results 26-50 of 58 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Seely, Jeannie," accessed January 6, 2026, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/342955.

Seely, Jeannie. (2026). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved January 6, 2026, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/342955.

"Seely, Jeannie." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2026. Web. 6 January 2026.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/342955

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