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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 426-450 of 503 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca NA 16072 5/4/1970 Country girl Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 16073 5/4/1970 If God is dead (who's that living in my soul) Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 16074 5/4/1970 When the grass grows over me Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 16075 5/4/1970 One minute past eternity Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 16076 5/4/1970 I don't care Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 16077 5/4/1970 Don't take all your loving Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 16078 5/4/1970 Tomorrow never comes Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 16079 5/4/1970 Rise and shine Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 16089 5/14/1970 That ain't a woman's way Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 16090 5/14/1970 Your love is on the way Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 16091 5/14/1970 Don't forget to say I love you Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 16126 7/1/1970 There's a big wheel Kitty Wells ; Johnnie (Johnny) Wright vocalist  
Decca NA 16127 7/1/1970 Try a little kindness Kitty Wells ; Johnnie (Johnny) Wright vocalist  
Decca NA 16128 7/1/1970 Jesus take a hold Kitty Wells ; Johnnie (Johnny) Wright vocalist  
Decca NA 16129 7/1/1970 Heaven will be my home Kitty Wells ; Johnnie (Johnny) Wright vocalist  
Decca NA 16130 7/1/1970 We owe God for everything Kitty Wells ; Johnnie (Johnny) Wright vocalist  
Decca NA 16131 7/2/1970 Singing His praise Kitty Wells ; Johnnie (Johnny) Wright vocalist  
Decca NA 16132 7/2/1970 Did you let your light shine Kitty Wells ; Johnnie (Johnny) Wright vocalist  
Decca NA 16133 7/2/1970 How great Thou art Kitty Wells ; Johnnie (Johnny) Wright vocalist  
Decca NA 16134 7/2/1970 My Bible Kitty Wells ; Johnnie (Johnny) Wright vocalist  
Decca NA 16161 7/28/1970 I can't seem to say goodbye Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 16162 7/28/1970 Heart over mind Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 16163 7/28/1970 Heavenly sunshine Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 16164 7/28/1970 I wish I had a Mommy like you Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 16165 7/29/1970 I never once stopped loving you Kitty Wells vocalist  
(Results 426-450 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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