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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 476-500 of 503 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca NA 16505 7/19/1971 All I ever give is in Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 16741 4/3/1972 It's four in the morning Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 16742 4/3/1972 My hangup is you Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 16743 4/3/1972 Bedtime story Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 16744 4/3/1972 Love is the answer Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 16745 4/5/1972 Everybody's reaching out for Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 16746 4/5/1972 Just for what I am Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 16747 4/5/1972 All His children Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 16748 4/5/1972 A bridge I just can't burn Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 16872 8/9/1972 I've got yesterday Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 16873 8/9/1972 Full grown man Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 16874 On and on and on Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 16893 8/29/1972 Delta dawn Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 16894 8/29/1972 Funny face Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 16895 8/29/1972 Yesterday's promise Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 16896 8/29/1972 The happiest girl in the whole world Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 16897 8/30/1972 Less than a baby Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 16898 8/30/1972 It was waiting to happen Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 16899 8/30/1972 Don't let our sweet love die Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 16900 8/30/1972 It's gonna take a little bit Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 16901 9/1/1972 I can't stand it Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 16902 9/1/1972 I can't stop loving you Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 16903 9/1/1972 Every step of the way Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 16904 9/1/1972 Here I go again Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca SP 1005 9/29/1954 Make believe Kitty Wells vocalist  
(Results 476-500 of 503 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Wells, Kitty," accessed April 25, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/350416.

Wells, Kitty. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 25, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/350416.

"Wells, Kitty." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 25 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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