Jean Shepard

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the American country singer. For the American writer, raconteur, and radio host, see Jean Shepherd.

Jean Shepard
This is a photograph of country music singer Jean Shepard in the year 2006.
Shepard performing at a benefit event, June 2006.
Born
Ollie Imogene Shepard

(1933-11-21)November 21, 1933
Pauls Valley, Oklahoma, U.S.
DiedSeptember 25, 2016(2016-09-25) (aged 82)
OccupationSinger
Years active1952–2015
WorksDiscography
Spouses
  • Freddie
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1951; ann. 1952)​
  • [a]
  • ​
    ​
    (m. 1960; died 1963)​
  • Archie Summers
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1966; div. 1968)​
  • Benny Birchfield
    ​
    (m. 1968)​
Children3
Musical career
Genres
Instrument(s)Vocals
Labels

Jean Shepard (born Ollie Imogene Shepard: November 21, 1933 – September 25, 2016[2]) was an American honky-tonk singer-songwriter who is often acknowledged as a pioneer for women in country music. Shepard released a total of 73 singles to the Hot Country Songs chart, one of which reached the number-one spot. She recorded a total of 24 studio albums between 1956 and 1981, and became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1955.

After Kitty Wells's 1952 breakthrough, Shepard quickly followed, and a national television gig and the Opry helped make her a star when few female country singers had enduring success. Her first hit, "A Dear John Letter", a 1953 duet with Ferlin Husky, was the first post-World War II record by a woman country artist to sell more than a million copies.[3]

Early life[edit]

Ollie Imogene Shepard was born in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. She was one of ten children born to[4] Hoit A. Shepard and Allie Mae Isaac Shepard. Both of her parents were sharecroppers[5] that raised cotton, sugarcane and peanuts.[6] Her father also worked additional jobs, including sewing burlap sacks at the Paul's Valley Alfalfa Mill.[7] When she was three, the family moved to Hugo, Oklahoma to be closer to her paternal grandparents. In Hugo, the Shepard family lived in a four-room house with little furniture[8] while Hoit Shepard received a government loan to sharecrop with another farmer.[9] Along with many Oklahoma farmers during the Dust Bowl, the Shepard family moved out west in search of a better life.[10] In 1943, the family settled in Visalia, California.[11]

In Visalia, Shepard skipped the third grade at Lynnwood Elementary School. In September 1947, she began the ninth grade at Visalia Union High School. In high school, she attended an accredited country music course and participated in the school's glee club.[12] She recalled being teased in her teen years for being an "Okie" who liked country music.[13] In tenth grade, Shepard and some friends formed an all-female country music band named the Melody Ranch Girls. Shepard played the upright bass in the group.[14] Her parents pawned their home's furniture to buy the instrument for Shepard.[15] Along with playing the bass, Shepard also sang, claiming to have sang "90 percent" of the lead vocals in the group.[16] She then began playing alongside the Melody Ranch Girls every weekend during her high school years.[15][17] Shepard recalled being so tired after gigs that her teachers would let her sleep during school hours.[16] Shepard then graduated from Visalia Union High School at age 17 due to her previously skipping third grade.[12]

The Melody Ranch Girls continued performing following high school, finding gigs in northern California, Oregon and Washington state.[15] The group later split after many of the band members got married.[18] Prior to their disbandment, Shepard was heard singing in the group by country performer Hank Thompson.[19][20] Thompson was impressed Shepard and told her that he would secure her a recording contract.[21] It would be several more months before she heard back from Thompson.[22]

Career[edit]

1953–1962: Breakthrough[edit]

Hank Thompson brought an acetate recording of Shepard to Ken Nelson at Capitol Records. Solo female artists were not yet in vogue and Nelson was hesitant about signing her.[21][15] "There's just no place in country music for women. But every band needs a girl singer," Nelson told Thompson.[21][23] Nelson then went to see Shepard perform live and was also impressed. He then offered Shepard a contract, which had to be approved by a court judge because she was only 18 years old. Because the judge did not have background in the music industry, he sent Shepard to find a music business professional to look over the contract. She then brought the contract to a radio executive who gave it his blessing. The contract was then approved[24] and she signed with Capitol Records in 1952.[25][10]

On September 30, 1952, Shepard made her first Capitol recordings in Hollywood, California.[26] In February 1953, Capitol released her debut single "Crying Steel Guitar Waltz".[27] The single was co-billed with steel guitar player Speedy West in belief by that solo female acts could not sell records.[26] The single was not a success.[25] Ferlin Husky then approached Nelson with a record played in the California region called "A Dear John Letter".[28] The song told the story of a Korean War soldier who receives a breakup letter from his female partner.[25] In May 1953,[28] "A Dear John Letter" was recorded with Shepard singing and Husky performing a spoken recitation.[10] "A Dear John Letter" was released as a single in July 1953 and reached the number one spot on the US country songs chart.[29] It also crossed over to the number four position on the US pop chart.[30] The duo then cut a follow-up release "Forgive Me, John",[11] which reached the US country top five[29] and the US pop top 30.[30] Through 1953, the Husky-Shepard duo toured the United States for a series of shows,[11][31] making an estimated $300 per gig.[31] Because the legal age was 21 to cross state lines, Husky was appointed as Shepard's guardian.[32][25]

Between April and August of 1954, Capitol recorded Shepard twice more. This resulted in four singles, including "Two Whoops and a Holler" and "Please Don't Divorce Me".[33] Husky and Shepard also disbanded their duet act in 1954. She briefly located to Beaumont, Texas to work with manager Neva Starnes. During this time, Starnes booked Shepard on several road dates with up-and-coming performer George Jones.[34] Around 1955, she joined the cast of the nationally-broadcasted Ozark Jubilee television show.[34][35] In one broadcast, Shepard performed a song she recently heard called "A Satisfied Mind". Ken Nelson then heard the song and brought her to California to cut it a week later. In 1955, Capitol rush-released "A Satisfied Mind".[34] Despite competing versions by Porter Wagoner and Red Foley,[34] Shepard's version reached number four on the US country chart[29] and ultimately became her first solo commercial success.[11] Its follow-up "Beautiful Lies" also reached the number four spot in 1955. In addition, both of the singles' B-sides ("Take Possession" and "I Thought of You") made the US country chart.[29]

Shepard's success led to her induction into the cast of the Grand Ole Opry. The induction took place on her birthday in November 1955[34] and she would remain a member for 60 consecutive years.[20] In May 1956, Capitol issued her debut studio album Songs of a Love Affair.[36] The disc was considered one of the first country music concept albums[37][25] By this point, Shepard began working steadily at the Grand Ole Opry as the cast was expected to make 26 shows per year.[38] At the Opry, Shepard developed a romantic relationship with Hawkshaw Hawkins and the two later married.[35] The pair then started touring together[38] with an ensemble that included horses and Native Americans.[39]

Capitol also continued releasing new material by Shepard.[38] Shepard stopped recording in California after realizing she was paying out of pocket for travel. Ken Nelson then began flying to Nashville, Tennessee to produce her.[40] Despite a regular output of new single releases, Shepard was unable to have further commercial success. This was in-part due to the influx of rock and roll and the Nashville Sound musical styles that overshadowed Shepard's honky tonk sound.[11][38] One exception was 1958's "I Want to Go Where No One Knows Me", which made the top 20 of the US country chart.[11][29] In December 1958, Capitol issued her second studio LP Lonesome Love, which was a concept album of love songs.[41] Shepard continued playing road shows with Hawkins and the Opry into 1960. That year, she finished sessions on her third studio LP Got You on My Mind, which Capitol issued in 1961.[38] She then spent three consecutive days in 1961 recording her fourth album Heartaches and Tears.[42]

1963–78: Commercial resurgence[edit]

Jean Shepard in 1971

Shepard returned to the top 10 in 1964 with "Second Fiddle (To an Old Guitar)", which began a string of hits and proved a commercial comeback. In 1964 and 1965, she had two top-40 hits with "A Tear Dropped By" and "Someone's Gotta Cry", from the Heart, We Did All That We Could LP released in 1967. In 1966, Shepard recorded a duet with country singer Ray Pillow titled "I'll Take the Dog", which peaked at number 9 on the Billboard country chart. This was followed by two solo hit singles the same year: the top-10 hit "If the Teardrops Were Silver" and the top-15 hit "Many Happy Hangovers to You".[43]

In 1967, Shepard had two top-20 hits with the title track of Heart, We Did All That We Could and the single "Your Forevers Don't Last Very Long". The following year, she had only one top-40 hit, but continued to release albums, which included 1968's A Real Good Woman. In 1969, Shepard's LP, Seven Lonely Days, produced the hit single of the same name that reached the top 20. With the release of 1969's "Then He Touched Me", Shepard had a top-10 hit, followed by three hits in 1970, including the top-15 hit "Another Lonely Night". Shepard had one more top-40 hit with 1971's "With His Hand in Mine".

In the early 1970s, Shepard moved to United Artists Records.[44] Her first single for the label in 1973, the Bill Anderson-penned "Slippin' Away", was her biggest solo hit since the 1950s. The single peaked at number four on the Billboard country chart and charted on the Billboard pop chart, peaking outside the top 40. Shepard's hits continued throughout the 1970s, though as the decade wore on, she hit the top 40 less frequently. She had three top-20 hits in 1974, beginning with the number-13 smash "At the Time" and "I'll Do Anything it Takes (to Stay with You)". In 1975, Shepard recorded an album of songs written by Bill Anderson titled Poor Sweet Baby (and Ten More Bill Anderson Songs). Both singles from the album were top-20 hits on the Billboard country chart between 1974 and 1975, and were her last top-40 singles.[citation needed]

Shepard was known in country music as a "staunch traditionalist" and created some controversy when she served as president of the Association of Country Entertainers, formed in response to Olivia Newton-John's CMA Female Vocalist of the Year win in 1974.[45] The organization was intended to keep country music "pure" and criticized the pop influences at the time.

In 1975 and 1976, Shepard recorded two albums, I'm a Believer and Mercy/Ain't Love Good, and then left the label in 1976. In response, United Artists released a Greatest Hits compilation. Between 1977 and 1978, she recorded for the smaller GRT label, which produced minor hit singles on the Billboard country chart. She had her last charting record in 1978 under the label with "The Real Thing".[46]

1980–2016: Later years[edit]

After leaving GRT at the end of the 1970s, Shepard did not record again until 1981, when she released a final studio album under the label Laserlight titled, Dear John, which included remakes of her hits, including "A Dear John Letter" and "Slippin' Away", and also included a new song, "Too Many Rivers". She continued to perform at the Grand Ole Opry and to tour, both in the US and in the UK, where she had a strong fan base, until 2015. Her work was reissued by Bear Family Records.

In 2005, Shepard celebrated 50 years as a member of the Opry[47] and, at the time of her death, she was the longest-running living member of the Opry.[48] In 2011, Shepard was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame along with songwriter Bobby Braddock and fellow Oklahoma singer Reba McEntire.[49] In 2014, Shepard's autobiography, Down Through the Years, was published.[50] On November 21, 2015, Shepard became the first woman to be a member of the Grand Ole Opry for 60 consecutive years—a feat that only one other person had achieved at the time (founding member Herman Crook of the Crook Brothers), and only one other, Bill Anderson, has reached since.[51] She retired from the stage that night.[52]

On September 25, 2016, Shepard died of Parkinson's disease at the age of 82.[53]

Shepard was posthumously featured in Ken Burns' Country Music in 2019.

Personal life[edit]

In her autobiography, Shepard revealed that her first marriage was at age 18 to a U.S. Navy officer whom she called Freddie. His last name was not given. The pair met through Melody Ranch band member Dixie Gardner. However, the marriage was later annulled after Shepard discovered that Freddie had a tendency to become violent and angry. In 1952, Shepard and her mother went to court and was granted an annulment by a judge.[1] After Hawkshaw Hawkins was killed in a plane crash, Shepard married Nashville police officer Archie Summers in 1966. The couple divorced in 1968, with Shepard citing his alcoholism. In 1968, she married musician Benny Birchfield.[54]

Discography[edit]

Main article: Jean Shepard discography

References[edit]

Footnotes[edit]

  1. ^ a b Shepard 2014, p. 56-58.
  2. ^ Grimes, William (September 27, 2016). "Jean Shepard, a Female Country Voice With Muscle and Ambition, Dies at 82". The New York Times. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  3. ^ Grand Ole Opry.com. Grand Ole Opry members – Jean Shepard retrieved June 20, 2008.Archived May 11, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ "Country singer Jean Shepard dies; was Grand Ole Opry staple". The Washington Post. September 25, 2016. Archived from the original on September 27, 2016. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  5. ^ Shepard 2014, p. 25.
  6. ^ Shepard, p. 31.
  7. ^ Shepard 2014, p. 27.
  8. ^ Shepard 2014, p. 29.
  9. ^ Shepard 2014, p. 31.
  10. ^ a b c Wolff, Kurt (2000). Country Music: The Rough Guide. Rough Guides Ltd. p. 195-196. ISBN 978-1858285344.
  11. ^ a b c d e f Cooper, Dan. "Jean Shepard Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  12. ^ a b Shepard 2014, p. 51.
  13. ^ Shepard, 2014 & p-52.
  14. ^ Shepard 2014, p. 53-54.
  15. ^ a b c d Bufwack & Oermann 2003, p. 158.
  16. ^ a b Shepard 2014, p. 55.
  17. ^ Shepard 2014, p. 54-55.
  18. ^ Wolfe, Allison (November 20, 1998). "Ladies We Like: Jean Shepard". Lady Fest.org.
  19. ^ Thanki, Juli (November 11, 2015). "Opry to celebrate 'grand lady' Jean Shepard". The Tennessean. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  20. ^ a b Burns, Ken. "Jean Shepard Biography". PBS. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  21. ^ a b c Skinker 1995, p. 7.
  22. ^ Shepard 2014, p. 63.
  23. ^ "Jean Shepard Interview". Country Stars Central. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  24. ^ Skinker 1995, p. 7-8.
  25. ^ a b c d e Cooper, Daniel. "Jean Shepard". Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  26. ^ a b Skinker 1995, p. 9.
  27. ^ Shepard, Jean; West, Speedy (February 1953). ""Crying Steel Guitar Waltz"/"Twice the Lovin' (In Half the Time)" (7" vinyl single)". Capitol Records. F-2358.
  28. ^ a b Skinker 1995, p. 10.
  29. ^ a b c d e Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 311.
  30. ^ a b Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories, 1890-1954 The History of American Popular Music: Compiled from America's Popular Music Charts 1890-1954. Record Research Inc. ISBN 978-0898200836.
  31. ^ a b Skinker 1995, p. 11.
  32. ^ Skinker, p. 11.
  33. ^ Skinker 1995, p. 28.
  34. ^ a b c d e Skinker 1995, p. 12.
  35. ^ a b Bufwack & Oermann 2003, p. 159.
  36. ^ Shepard, Jean (May 1956). "Songs of a Love Affair (Liner Notes)". Capitol Records. T-728 (LP).
  37. ^ Bruce, Jennifer; Lee, Tena (2022). Southern Music Icons. The History Press. p. 31. ISBN 978-1467145411.
  38. ^ a b c d e Skinker 1995, p. 17.
  39. ^ Shepard 2014, p. 100.
  40. ^ Shepard 2014, p. 92-93.
  41. ^ Shepard, Jean (December 1958). "Lonesome Love (Liner Notes)". Capitol Records. T-1126 (LP).
  42. ^ Skinker 1995, p. 20.
  43. ^ Country Music. About.com Jean Shepard at Country Music.about.com Archived February 8, 2012, at the Wayback Machine Country music's Legends Corner; retrieved June 19, 2008.
  44. ^ "Re: Strait in the HOF". Newsgroups.derkeiler.com. September 1, 2006. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  45. ^ "Jean Shepard (1933–2016) – CMA World". September 25, 2016. Archived from the original on October 2, 2016. Retrieved September 29, 2016.
  46. ^ "Jean Shepard | Biography & History | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved September 29, 2016.
  47. ^ "Great Ladies of the Opry/Grand Ole Opry Live Classics". Countrymusic.about.com. Archived from the original on January 20, 2012. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  48. ^ "Opry's oldest member is now Ralph Stanley". WIXY.com. March 11, 2011. Retrieved September 25, 2016.[permanent dead link]
  49. ^ "Reba McEntire among Country Hall of Fame inductees". Reuters. March 2011. Retrieved March 1, 2011.
  50. ^ "Jean Shepard Reflects on Her Life 'Down Through The Years'". Billboard. Retrieved September 29, 2016.
  51. ^ Hollabaugh, Lorie (July 6, 2023). "Bill Anderson To Be Honored As Longest-Serving Grand Ole Opry Member". MusicRow.com. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
  52. ^ "Grand Ole Opry Icon Jean Shepard Dead at 82". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on January 29, 2018. Retrieved September 29, 2016.
  53. ^ "Country Music Hall of Famer Jean Shepard dead at 82". Tennessean.com. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  54. ^ Bufwack & Oermann, p. 159.

Books[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ In her autobiography, Shepard stated she was briefly married to a Navy officer, with the given first name Freddie. However, she did not specify his last name.[1]

External links[edit]

Media related to Jean Shepard at Wikimedia Commons

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