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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 151-175 of 503 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca NA 11217 8/10/1960 I can't tell my heart that Roy Drusky ; Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 11218 8/10/1960 When do you love me Roy Drusky ; Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 11219 8/10/1960 There's only one Roy Drusky ; Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 11399 1/12/1961 Heartaches by the number Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 11400 1/12/1961 Excuse me Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 11401 1/12/1961 I've got a new heartache Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 11402 1/12/1961 This old heart Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 11403 1/12/1961 Open up your heart Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 11404 1/12/1961 Cold, cold heart Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 11405 1/12/1961 Heart to heart talk Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 11406 1/12/1961 The best of all my heartaches Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 11409 1/13/1961 I'll hold you in my heart Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 11410 1/13/1961 My heart echoes Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 11411 1/13/1961 Au revoir (Goodbye) Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 11445 2/13/1961 Ashes of love Roy Drusky ; Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 11446 2/13/1961 My world's losing you Roy Drusky ; Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 11447 2/13/1961 Making believe Roy Drusky ; Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 11614 7/6/1961 Our mansion is a prison now Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 11615 7/6/1961 Well, maybe Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 11616 7/6/1961 Is there something I should know Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 11617 7/7/1961 Day into night Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 11618 7/7/1961 Unloved, unwanted Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 11650 8/16/1961 Your old love letters Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 11651 8/16/1961 Pick me up on your way down Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 11652 8/16/1961 One more time Kitty Wells vocalist  
(Results 151-175 of 503 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Wells, Kitty," accessed April 24, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/350416.

Wells, Kitty. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 24, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/350416.

"Wells, Kitty." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 24 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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