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Kitty Wells

Ellen Muriel Deason (August 30, 1919 – July 16, 2012), known professionally as Kitty Wells, was an American pioneering female country music singer. She broke down a barrier for women in country music with her 1952 hit recording "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels", which also made her the first female country singer to top the U.S. country charts and turned her into the first female country superstar. “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels” would also be her first of several pop crossover hits. Wells is the only artist to be awarded top female vocalist awards for 14 consecutive years. Her chart-topping hits continued until the mid-1960s, paving the way for and inspiring a long list of female country singers who came to prominence in the 1960s.

Wells ranks as the sixth most successful female vocalist in the history of the Billboard country charts, according to historian Joel Whitburn's book The Top 40 Country Hits. In 1976, she was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. In 1991, Wells became the third country music artist, after Roy Acuff and Hank Williams, and the eighth woman to receive the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Wells' success and influence on country music garnered her the title "Queen of Country Music".

Birth and Death Data: Born August 30, 1919 (Nashville), Died July 16, 2012 (Nashville)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1949 - 1972

Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist, leader

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

Recordings (Results 326-350 of 503 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca NA 14222 8/31/1966 Love's enough for me (Kitty Wells) Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 14223 8/31/1966 It wasn't God who made honky tonk angels (Kitty Wells) Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 14409 12/12/1966 There goes my everything Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 14410 12/12/1966 Get your lie the way you want Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 14411 12/12/1966 Once Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 14412 12/12/1966 Stand beside me Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 14413 12/13/1966 The hurtin's all over Kitty Wells ; Ruby Wright vocalist  
Decca NA 14414 12/13/1966 Touch my heart Kitty Wells ; Ruby Wright vocalist  
Decca NA 14415 12/13/1966 I'm just not smart Kitty Wells ; Ruby Wright vocalist  
Decca NA 14416 12/13/1966 I'm living in two worlds Kitty Wells ; Ruby Wright vocalist  
Decca NA 14424 12/19/1966 Baby's coming home Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 14425 12/19/1966 Love makes the world go round Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 14426 12/19/1966 Just a cheap affair Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 14431 12/20/1966 Coming on strong Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 14432 12/20/1966 More love than sense Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 14433 12/20/1966 Wasting my time Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 14524 2/27/1967 Hello number one Red Foley ; Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 14525 2/27/1967 Heartbreak waltz Red Foley ; Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 14526 2/27/1967 We made a mistake Red Foley ; Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 14531 3/8/1967 We'll stick together Red Foley ; Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 14532 3/8/1967 Happiness means you Red Foley ; Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 14533 3/8/1967 Living as strangers Red Foley ; Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 14542 3/13/1967 Loved and wanted Red Foley ; Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 14543 3/13/1967 Looking over our shoulder Red Foley ; Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 14544 3/13/1967 We need one more chance Red Foley ; Kitty Wells vocalist  
(Results 326-350 of 503 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Wells, Kitty," accessed May 2, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/350416.

Wells, Kitty. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 2, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/350416.

"Wells, Kitty." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 2 May 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/350416

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