ARTIST SPOTLIGHT = Kitty Wells (5 songs)
This Nashville TN-native singer-songwriter-guitarist was born Ellen Muriel Deason & became known as “The Queen Of Country Music”. She was a member of the “Louisiana Hayride”, 1948-1951. She died of a stroke 07/16/2012.
#1
This song, her debut release, hit the airwaves 07/19/1952 & spent 18 weeks on the charts, 6 of those at #1. Written as an answer to Hank Thompson’s “The Wild Side Of Life”, the song won a Hall Of Fame Grammy & sparked a streak of 6 straight Top 10s to start her career, the next 2 also answers to popular songs: 1953’s “Praying For That Back Street Affair” (#6; answered Webb Pierce’s “Back Street Affair”) & 1953’s “Hey Joe” (#8; answered Carl Smith’s “Hey Joe!”).
#2
This song became her 5th straight Top 10 to start her career; it debuted 04/03/1954, spent officially 1 week on the charts & peaked at #8. That same year, 2 other versions of this song faired slightly better: the duet of Jimmy Heap & Perk Williams peaked at #5 & Ray Price’s version reached #6. For Wells, this song was preceded by 1954’s “Cheatin’s A Sin” (#9) & followed by 1954’s “1 By 1” (#1), the last in the string of 6 straight Top 10s.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbzMIqjyrBI
#3
After a pair of duets with Red Foley returned her to the Top 10 (1955’s “As Long As I Live”, #3, & 1955’s “Make Believe”, #6), she released this song 03/12/1955; it spent 28 weeks on the charts, 15 of those at its peak of #2. The song that blocked it from the top of the charts was Webb Pierce’s “In The Jailhouse Now”, which spent 21 weeks at #1. For Wells, 2 more Top 10s followed in 1955: “Whose Shoulder Will You Cry On” (#7) & “There’s Poison In Your Heart” (#9).
#4
She had success in 1956 with “Searching” (#3) & in 1957 with “3 Ways” (#7). Then, in 1958, she had Top 5 success with this song, which debuted 03/03/1958 & spent 19 weeks on the charts, 2 of those at #3. That same year, Don Gibson’s version peaked at #7; in 1972, Conway Twitty took the song to #1.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hic-owbMyJA
#5
After late 1950s & early 1960s tunes such as 1959’s “Mommy For A Day” (#5), 1960’s “Left To Right” (#5), 1961’s “Heartbreak USA” (#1, 4 weeks), 1962’s “Unloved Unwanted” (#5) & 1964’s “Password” (#4), she notched her last Top 5 tune with this song; it debuted 04/17/1965, spent 17 weeks on the charts & peaked at #4. Only 1 of her last 24 releases (mid 1965 – late 1979) reached the Top 10: 1965’s “Meanwhile, Down At Joe’s (#9).