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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 51-75 of 503 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca NA 9512 9/11/1956 Beside you Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 9513 9/11/1956 I'm counting on you Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 9514 9/11/1956 They can't take your love Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 9515 9/11/1956 I'm tired of pretending Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 9516 9/12/1956 Oh! so many years Webb Pierce ; Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 9517 9/12/1956 One week later Webb Pierce ; Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 9518 9/12/1956 When I'm with you Webb Pierce ; Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 9519 9/12/1956 Can you find it in your heart Webb Pierce ; Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 9520 9/13/1956 Repenting Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 9521 9/13/1956 I guess I'll go on dreaming Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 9522 9/13/1956 Each day Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 9523 9/13/1956 The pace that kills Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 9646 2/1/1957 A change of heart Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 9647 2/1/1957 Stubborn heart Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 9648 2/1/1957 Standing room only Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 9713 2/28/1957 A mansion on the hill Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 9714 2/28/1957 Your wild life's gonna get you down Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 9715 2/28/1957 Right or wrong Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 9716 2/28/1957 The winner of your heart Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 9717 2/28/1957 Dancing with a stranger Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 9718 2/28/1957 Three ways (To love you) Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 9719 2/28/1957 She's no angel Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 9720 2/28/1957 Broken marriage vows-1 Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 9763 4/10/1957 What about you-1 Kitty Wells vocalist  
Decca NA 9764 4/10/1957 Sweeter than the flowers Kitty Wells vocalist  
(Results 51-75 of 503 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Wells, Kitty," accessed November 22, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/350416.

Wells, Kitty. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 22, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/350416.

"Wells, Kitty." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 22 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/350416

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