Wikipedia

Jean Shepard

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

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.

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

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] He then recommended Shepard to his producer at Capitol Records named Ken Nelson.[20] However, Nelson did not believe female artists belonged in the country field. "There's no place in country music for women. But every band needs a girl singer," she remembered Nelson saying.[16] Nelson's hesitation led to a six month delay in Shepard signing with Capitol. Because she was under age 21, Shepard went before a court judge to get signed to the label.[21]

Career edit

1953–56: Breakthrough edit

Hank Thompson discovered Shepard a few years later.[22] With Thompson's help, Shepard signed with Capitol Records in 1952, following the success of Kitty Wells's "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels". Shepard cut four songs at her first session with popular band players Jimmy Bryant, Speedy West, Cliffie Stone, and Billy Strange. She recorded her first single for the label in 1952, "Crying Steel Guitar Waltz", but it failed to chart.[23] Shepard's first chart appearance was 1953's duet with Ferlin Husky, with "A Dear John Letter".[22] It was a number-one smash,[23] and also became a major crossover pop hit, peaking at number four on the Billboard pop chart. The song struck a chord with audiences as it was a half-spoken duet about a soldier in the Korean War. The duo's follow-up, "Forgive Me John", was another crossover hit, peaking in the top 10 on the country chart and the top 25 on the pop chart. Because at 20 she was still a minor, Shepard's parents signed her rights to Husky so she could tour.[24]

In 1955, Shepard joined ABC-TV's nationally telecast Ozark Jubilee for several years,[3] and recorded her first studio album, Songs of a Love Affair, written by Shepard. She also charted her first solo top-10 single, "A Satisfied Mind", that same year, backed by the number-13 hit, "Take Possession".[22] "A Satisfied Mind" peaked at number four on the Billboard country chart. Shepard had another top-five hit the same year with "Beautiful Lies". Its flip side, "I Thought of You", peaked in the country top 10. Her streak of hit singles led to an invitation to join the Grand Ole Opry in 1955 as one of its few female stars; Kitty Wells and Minnie Pearl were the only others.[25]

Because she was a honky-tonk singer when the Nashville sound was popular, Shepard had just two charting country singles between 1956 and 1963. Those two singles, 1958's "I Want to Go Where No One Knows Me" and 1959's "Have Heart Will Love", earned her the title of Cash Box's Top Female Artist of 1959.[22]

In 1960, Shepard married fellow Opry star Hawkshaw Hawkins, whom she had met on Ozark Jubilee. He died three years later in the same plane crash that killed Patsy Cline and Cowboy Copas.[23] Shepard gave birth to their son Hawkshaw Jr. just one month after the crash. She later married country music musician and singer Benny Birchfield;[26] the two remained married until her death.[24] He was injured in a stabbing along with their granddaughter, who died, December 18, 2016, in his home in Tennessee.[27]

1964–78: 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[22] 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".[28]

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".[29] 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".[29]

In the early 1970s, Shepard moved to United Artists Records.[30] Her first single for the label in 1973, the Bill Anderson-penned "Slippin' Away", was her biggest solo hit since the 1950s.[25] The single peaked at number four on the Billboard country chart and charted on the Billboard pop chart, peaking outside the top 40.[31] Shepard's hits continued throughout the 1970s, though as the decade wore on, she hit the top 40 less frequently.[22] 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.[29] The organization was intended to keep country music "pure" and criticized the pop influences at the time.[25]

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".[32]

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,[22] until 2015. Her work was reissued by Bear Family Records.[25]

In 2005, Shepard celebrated 50 years as a member of the Opry[33] and, at the time of her death, she was the longest-running living member of the Opry.[34] In 2011, Shepard was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame along with songwriter Bobby Braddock and fellow Oklahoma singer Reba McEntire.[35] In 2014, Shepard's autobiography, Down Through the Years, was published.[36] 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.[37] She retired from the stage that night.[31]

On September 25, 2016, Shepard died of Parkinson's disease at the age of 82.[38]

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.[39]

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. ^ a b 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. ^ Wolff, Kurt (2000). Country Music: The Rough Guide. Rough Guides Ltd. p. 195-196. ISBN 978-1858285344.
  11. ^ 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 Bufwack & Oermann 2003, p. 158.
  16. ^ a b c 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". Tennessean. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  20. ^ Burns, Ken. "Jean Shepard Biography". PBS. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  21. ^ Shepard 2014, p. 63-66.
  22. ^ a b c d e f g Dan Cooper & Stephen Thomas Erlewine Jean Shepard biography & profile Allmusic.com; retrieved June 19, 2008.
  23. ^ a b c Wolff, Kurt (2000). Country Music: The Rough Guide. Orla Duane, Editor. London: Rough Guides Ltd. p. 195.
  24. ^ a b 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.
  25. ^ a b c d Country Universe.com 100 Greatest Women of Country music – Jean Shepard (ranking – No. 34) retrieved June 19, 2008
  26. ^ retrieved June 19, 2008 Lyrics by Jean Shepard & biography Archived October 4, 2008, at the Wayback Machine Sing365.com
  27. ^ Jean Shepard's Husband Stabbed, Granddaughter Dead in Incident at Late Country Star's Home accessdate January 29, 2018
  28. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944–2006, Second edition. Record Research.
  29. ^ a b c "Jean Shepard (1933–2016) – CMA World". September 25, 2016. Archived from the original on October 2, 2016. Retrieved September 29, 2016.
  30. ^ "Re: Strait in the HOF". Newsgroups.derkeiler.com. September 1, 2006. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  31. ^ a b "Grand Ole Opry Icon Jean Shepard Dead at 82". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on January 29, 2018. Retrieved September 29, 2016.
  32. ^ "Jean Shepard | Biography & History | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved September 29, 2016.
  33. ^ "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.
  34. ^ "Opry's oldest member is now Ralph Stanley". WIXY.com. March 11, 2011. Retrieved September 25, 2016.[permanent dead link]
  35. ^ "Reba McEntire among Country Hall of Fame inductees". Reuters. March 2011. Retrieved March 1, 2011.
  36. ^ "Jean Shepard Reflects on Her Life 'Down Through The Years'". Billboard. Retrieved September 29, 2016.
  37. ^ Hollabaugh, Lorie (July 6, 2023). "Bill Anderson To Be Honored As Longest-Serving Grand Ole Opry Member". MusicRow.com. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
  38. ^ "Country Music Hall of Famer Jean Shepard dead at 82". Tennessean.com. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  39. ^ 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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