Jean shepard country singer autobiography meaning

American country singer (1933–2016)

This article attempt about the American country singer. Take the American writer, raconteur, and tranny host, see Jean Shepherd.

Ollie Imogene "Jean" Shepard (November 21, 1933 – Sept 25, 2016), was an American sovereign state singer who was considered by patronize writers and authors to be way of being of the genre's first significant human artists. Her early successes during rectitude 1950s decade were said to capacity the future careers of Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton and Tammy Wynette.

Shepard was born in Oklahoma but arched in California alongside her nine siblings. Having a musical upbringing, she chary an all-female country music band given name The Melody Ranch Girls. During that period, she was heard by state artist Hank Thompson, who helped overcome get her first recording contract rest age 18 with Capitol Records. Stifle second single with Ferlin Husky called "A Dear John Letter" topped honesty country charts and reached the bang charts in 1953. In 1955, she had her first solo single mark ten successes with "A Satisfied Mind", "I Thought of You" and "Beautiful Lies". During this period she was among the first female performers give somebody no option but to headline shows and consistently be moved on country music radio.

In 1963, Shepard's husband Hawkshaw Hawkins was attach in a plane crash. Considering happening her career, Shepard ultimately returned obtain in 1964 had her first acme ten single in nine years relieve "Second Fiddle (To an Old Guitar)". She had 15 more top 40 US country singles during the declination, including the top ten recordings "If Teardrops Were Silver", "I'll Take glory Dog" and "Then He Touched Me". With a dip in commercial happiness, Shepard became frustrated with Capitol's dearth of promotion to her material sit moved to United Artists Records. Shaggy dog story 1973, she had a comeback make certain age 40 with the top wan song "Slippin' Away". Four more penalty her singles reached the US nation top 20 during the 1970s.

Shepard became part of the Association quite a few Country Entertainers (ACE) in the Decennary, which advocated for traditional country song. Her criticism of the genre's stop trends ultimately cost Shepard her taperecord contract from United Artists and she filed for bankruptcy during this purpose as well. Despite this, Shepard elongated touring and became a popular approval in European countries such as representation UK and Germany. She continued now and then recording as well, releasing her at the end studio album in 2000. Shepard as well continued performing as a member deduction the Grand Ole Opry, whose ominous she joined in 1955. In 2011, she was inducted into the Native land Music Hall of Fame and Museum and continued performing through 2015.

Early life

Ollie Imogene Shepard was born boardwalk Pauls Valley, Oklahoma on November 21, 1933.^[2] She was one of spread out children^[3] born to Hoit A. Spaceman and Allie Mae Isaac Shepard. Both of her parents were sharecroppers saunter raised cotton, sugarcane and peanuts. Squeeze up father also worked additional jobs, inclusive of sewing burlap sacks at the Paul's Valley Alfalfa Mill. When she was three, the family moved to Novelist, Oklahoma to be closer to move backward paternal grandparents. In Hugo, the Cosmonaut family lived in a four-room studio with little furniture while Hoit Astronaut received a government loan to sharecrop with another farmer. Along with haunt Oklahoma farmers during the Dust Bewilder, the Shepard family moved out western in search of a better life.^[8] In 1943, the family settled donation Visalia, California.^[9]

In Visalia, Shepard skipped birth third grade at Lynnwood Elementary Primary. In September 1947, she began nobleness ninth grade at Visalia Union Revitalization School. In high school, she dishonest an accredited country music course move participated in the school's glee mace. She recalled being teased in disclose teen years for being an "Okie" who liked country music. In ordinal grade, Shepard and some friends try an all-female country music band baptized the Melody Ranch Girls. Shepard seized the upright bass in the alliance. Her parents pawned their home's chattels to buy the instrument for Dramatist. Along with playing the bass, Spaceman also sang, claiming to have dynasty "90 percent" of the lead vocals in the group. She then began playing alongside the Melody Ranch Girls every weekend during her high secondary years. Shepard recalled being so spent after gigs that her teachers would let her sleep during school noon. Shepard then graduated from Visalia Singleness High School at age 17 freedom to her previously skipping third grade.

The Melody Ranch Girls continued performing pursuing high school, finding gigs in yankee California, Oregon and Washington state. Say publicly group later split after many be paid the band members got married.^[16] Old to their disbandment, Shepard was heard singing in the group by nation performer Hank Thompson.^[17][18] Thompson was specious Shepard and told her that without fear would secure her a recording agreement. It would be several more months before she heard back from Thompson.

Hank Thompson brought an acetate recording extent Shepard to Ken Nelson at Washington Records. Female country artists were yet in vogue, therefore Nelson was hesitant to sign her to shipshape and bristol fashion contract. "There's just no place up-to-date country music for women. But each one band needs a girl singer," Admiral told Thompson.^[21] Nelson then went prank see Shepard perform live and was impressed. He succumb to offering her walking papers a contract, which had to acceptably approved by a court judge considering she was only 18 years beat up. Because the judge did not keep background in the music industry, good taste sent Shepard to find a penalization business professional to look over honourableness contract. She then brought the perform to a radio executive who gave it his blessing. The contract was then approved and she officially organized with Capitol Records in 1952.^[23][8]

Career

1952–1962: Tiptoe of the first female country artists to find success

On September 30, 1952, Shepard made her first Capitol recordings in Hollywood, California. In February 1953, Capitol released her debut single "Crying Steel Guitar Waltz".^[25] The single was co-billed with steel guitar player Lasting West in belief that female sovereign state acts could not sell records a cappella. The single was not a success.^[23]Ferlin Husky then approached Nelson with smart song previously recorded and played mud the California region called "A Angel John Letter". The song told leadership story of a Korean War boxer who receives a breakup letter stranger his female partner.^[23] In May 1953, "A Dear John Letter" was canned with Shepard singing and Husky enforcement a spoken recitation.^[8] In July 1953, it was issued as a individual and reached the number one member on the US country songs chart.^[27] It also crossed over to high-mindedness number four position on the Obstinate pop chart.^[28] The duo then knock down a follow-up release "Forgive Me, John",^[9] which reached the US country ultra five^[27] and the US pop answer 30.^[28] Through 1953, the Husky-Shepard matched set toured the United States for ingenious series of shows,^[9] making an putative $300 per gig. Because the statutory age was 21 to cross repair lines, Husky was appointed as Shepard's guardian.^[23]

In 1954, Capitol recorded Shepard show reluctance more. This resulted in four singles, including "Two Whoops and a Holler" and "Please Don't Divorce Me". Brawny and Shepard also disbanded their dance act the same year. She fleetingly located to Beaumont, Texas to duct with manager Neva Starnes. Throughout honourableness southwestern US, Starnes booked Shepard arrangement road dates with up-and-coming performer Martyr Jones. Around 1955, she joined goodness cast of the nationally broadcast Ozark Jubilee television show. On one telecast, she performed a song she new heard called "A Satisfied Mind". Brighten up Nelson was then informed of decency performance and brought her to Calif. to cut it one week consequent. In 1955, Capitol rush-released "A Down Mind" as a single. Despite competing versions by Porter Wagoner and Muffled Foley, Shepard's version reached the calculate four position on the US power chart^[27] and ultimately became her leading solo commercial success.^[9] Its follow-up "I Thought of You" reached the give out ten spot in 1955. In increase, both of the singles' B-sides ("Take Possession" and "Beautiful Lies") made interpretation US country chart. Along with Capital Wells, her back-to-back hits made Cosmonaut one of the first solo feminine country artists to make the Most recent country top ten.^[27]

Shepard's success led get tangled her induction into the cast clench the Grand Ole Opry. The causing took place on her birthday bill November 1955 and she would be there a member for 60 consecutive years.^[18] With her induction, Shepard was hold up of only four women in picture cast: Minnie Pearl, Kitty Wells predominant pianist Del Wood. In addition, Shepard's commercial success made her one disbursement the first solo female artists rerouteing country music to headline shows.^[18] Shepard's fame prompted Capitol to issue veto first studio album. In May 1956, Songs of a Love Affair was released.^[33] Considered one of the twig country music concept albums,^[34][23]Songs of graceful Love Affair was a collection mock songs that told the point look up to view of woman whose spouse has been cheating on her.^[35] By that point, Shepard began working steadily affluence the Grand Ole Opry as goodness cast was expected to make 26 shows per year. At the Opry, Shepard developed a romantic relationship anti Hawkshaw Hawkins and the two after married. The pair then started fraternize together with an ensemble that makebelieve horses and Native American performers.

Capitol further continued releasing new material by Astronaut. She stopped recording in California tail realizing she was paying out line of attack pocket for travel. Ken Nelson afterward began flying to Nashville, Tennessee discover produce her beginning in 1957. Neglect a regular output of new unwed releases, Shepard was unable to own commercial success for several years. That was in-part due to the inflow of rock and roll and excellence pop-influenced Nashville Sound that overshadowed Shepard's honky tonk sound.^[9] One exception was 1958's "I Want to Go Annulus No One Knows Me", which plain the top 20 of the Absolute country chart.^[9][27] In December 1958, Washington issued her second studio LP Lonesome Love, which was a concept wedding album of love songs.^[39] Shepard continued deportment road shows with Hawkins and authority Opry into 1960. That year, she finished sessions on her third mill LP Got You on My Mind, which Capitol issued in 1961. Turn thumbs down on fourth album Heartaches and Tears was released in 1962. Critics noticed shipshape and bristol fashion slight incorporation of the Nashville Language into these albums, along with Shepard's trademark honky tonk.^[8][41]

1963–1972: Death of Note Hawkins, comeback and leaving Capitol Records

In 1963, Hawkshaw Hawkins was killed revere a plane crash, which also took the lives of Patsy Cline, Cack-handed Copas and the pilot Randy Hughes.^[42][23] Shepard was eight months pregnant careful had a newborn child at integrity time of Hawkins' death.^[42] After exploit a settlement from the Piper Shoshonean company (whose airplane was involved swindle the crash), she debated ending go backward career. Ultimately, she resumed it abaft being persuaded by Opry president Diddly DeWitt.^[42] Shepard then returned to illustriousness Opry stage several months after probity crash. She returned to the vinyl studio in August 1963. One strip off the songs recorded following the mischance was "Two Little Boys". The Marty Robbins-penned tune (written especially for Shepard) described how her children would drag on their father's legacy.^[46] "Two Mini Boys" was the B-side to break through 1964 single "Second Fiddle (To young adult Old Guitar)". The latter was accounted her comeback recording^[46] reaching number fivesome on the US country songs map, becoming her first charting single because 1959.^[27] It was nominated for uncut Grammy award in 1965.^[47]

Now under magnanimity production of Marvin Hughes, Shepard's abide by studio album was 1964's Lighthearted be first Blue. The collection of cover tunes was her first to make rank US Top Country Albums chart, heroic to the number 17 position.^[48] Closest her comeback, Shepard had a heap of US charting country songs, containing 15 that reached the top 40.^[9][27] In 1965, both "A Tear Forsaken By" and "Someone's Gotta Cry" prefabricated top 40 appearances. Her 1966 one and only "Many Happy Hangovers to You", be aware a woman telling off an heady husband, reached number 13 on ethics country chart. In 1966, both diagram her singles reached the country silence ten: "If Teardrops Were Silver" captain a duet with Ray Pillow dubbed "I'll Take the Dog".^[2] In 1967, both "Heart, We Did All Guarantee We Could" and "Your Forevers (Don't Last Very Long)" reached the heraldic sign 20.^[27] All seven singles were categorized on corresponding studio LPs that forced the US country survey. Her highest-peaking LPs were Many Happy Hangovers (1966) and Heart, We Did All Zigzag We Could (1967), which both reached number six on the survey.^[48] Critics from Billboard and Record World legend Shepard's vocal delivery and highlighted nobleness emotional depth found in her albums of this era.^[49][50]

In 1968, Shepard become man and wife musician Benny Birchfield and started action with new record producers. This star Billy Graves (who recorded her 1968 LP Heart to Heart)^[53] and Kelso Herston (who produced "Your Forevers Don't Last Very Long").^[54] Shepard disliked acquire Herston often came into scheduled session drinking and wanted a change herbaceous border collaborators. She then chose Larry Help, a songwriter and aspiring record producer.^[56] Butler met with Herston and was given permission to work with Shepard.^[57] Her first Butler-made recordings were on the rampage on the 1969 album Seven Isolated Days.^[56] After two years of lower-charting singles, its title track reached back number 18 on the US country graph in 1969.^[27] It was followed fail to notice the number eight hit "Then Sharptasting Touched Me", whose main character avalanche in love after giving up jolt of finding it.^[23] The Grammy-nominated song^[47] was included on her 1970 book A Woman's Hand.^[58] Her subsequent singles through 1971 made the US homeland top 30: "A Woman's Hand", "I Want You Free" and "With Wreath Hand in Mine". The highest-climbing was the number 12 "Another Lonely Night",^[27] whose main character reluctantly chooses know stay with her partner.^[23] It was featured on her 1971 studio textbook Here & Now.^[59]

In the early Decennium, Shepard became frustrated with the acceleratory lack of attention Capitol Records was giving to her music. "I exposure I was kinda lost in rectitude shuffle," she later commented. None confess her Capitol singles following 1971 gules into the country top 40. Songs like "Safe in These Lovin' Clash of arms of Mine" and "Virginia" only carmine into the US country top 70.^[27] Furthermore, her studio albums Just on account of Soon as I Get Over Tender You (1971)^[62] and Just Like Walkin' in the Sunshine (1972)^[63] failed used to make the US country albums survey.^[48] In 1972, Ken Nelson gave bond a release from her Capitol tape measure contract. "It was very hard agreeable me. I cried like a baby," she remembered.

1973–1979: Second comeback in restlessness forties, ACE and traditional country penalty advocacy

In February 1973, Shepard signed be equivalent United Artists Records^[64] and was secure a large amount of money open to sign with the label. Neglect many Nashville executives believing she was past her prime,^[56] Shepard was pleased by Larry Butler (who was hear running the company's country music division) to sign with the label.^[56] Yield first United Artists single was 1973's "Slippin' Away". Written by Bill Anderson,^[23] "Slippin' Away" rose to number duo on the US Billboard country chart,^[27] number three on Canada's RPM kingdom chart^[65] and made a brief presentation on the US Hot 100.^[66] "Slippin' Away" became Shepard's highest-charting country one and only in nine years.^[27] It appeared be of the opinion an album of the same term that went to number 15 listen to the US country albums survey.^[48] Representation disc's second single "Come on Phone" reached the US and Canadian community top 40.^[27][65]

Shepard's restored commercial success within reach age 40 was due in-part find time for new production that featured upbeat tempos and hand-clapping background effects. Her music's lyrical content also shifted away cause the collapse of honky tonk themes towards subjects love devotion and romance.^[23][68] Such themes were noticed in her follow-up studio recording I'll Do Anything It Takes (1974). AllMusic's Greg Adams compared Shepard's womanly themes favorably to that of be different songs by Tammy Wynette.^[68] The recording reached number 21 on the Alike country survey.^[48] Both of her singles from the album reached the Motivation country top 20 in 1974: "I'll Do Anything It Takes (To Pause with You)" and "At the Time".^[27] The latter was also penned vulgar Bill Anderson, who also wrote uncultivated next two singles in 1975: "Poor Sweet Baby" and "The Tip reproach My Fingers". Both songs again reached the US country songs top 20^[27] and Shepard dedicated her next bungalow album to Anderson^[70] titled Poor Saccharine Baby...And Ten More Bill Anderson Songs. The disc featured the latter singles^[71] and reached the top 50 end the US country chart.^[48]

In 1974, Inhabitant pop singer Olivia Newton-John won description Female Vocalist of the Year bestowal on the televised Country Music Business Awards. In response, a group dying country artists founded the Association a variety of Country Entertainers (ACE), which advocated espousal the Country Music Association to sell the genre's traditional formats rather elude appealing to crossover styles.^[72] Known be grateful for the industry for promoting traditional federation music,^[8][9] Shepard was encouraged to reaction the cause and was named dignity group's president in the 1970s.^[8][2] Look her 2014 autobiography, Shepard claimed think it over she "wasn't ever president", but by way of alternative given all of the responsibility watch over run it. According to the Dictionary of Country Music, the ACE ineffective to have "adequate funding" and in step disbanded as a result.^[72] According register Shepard, the ACE disbanded because she loaned money from a bank space run a local office. Members unsuccessful to keep up with payments contemporary she took collateral on her countryside, but ultimately she filed for defeat, which led to the ACE ending.

To regain footing following her bankruptcy, Playwright and Benny Birchfield bought a sedentary Toyota and worked the touring circumference. Now her manager, Birchfield helped arrangement her first full-time touring group forename the Second Fiddles.^[76] The Second Fiddles received equal billing on Shepard's 1975 live album On the Road.^[77] At hand this period, Shepard criticized crossover territory on tour and at the Great Ole Opry, which led to federation music disc jockeys to stop discharge her songs. Singles like "I'm smart Believer (In a Whole Lot corporeal Lovin')" and "Mercy" only reached representation US country top 50, while "I'm Giving You Denver" and "Hardly dialect trig Day Goes By" only reached honesty top 90.^[27] Her final United Artists album was Mercy, Ain't Love Good which reached the US country fastest 40 in 1976.^[48] Shepard claimed Merged Artists "could not keep the spin rolling" and she attempted to exert yourself with a new producer, George Richey. Despite the change, radio backlash give orders to media publicity continued, resulting in In partnership Artists dropping Shepard from their inventory. She then signed with the Scorpion label,^[80] who released her final-charting only "The Real Thing" in 1978.^[27] She remained with Scorpion through 1979, indication a contract the same year cop a new booking agency called Tower of strength Artist Bureau, Inc.^[81]

1980–2015: Continued touring, irregular recordings and the Grand Ole Opry

Finished with commercial country radio, Shepard continuing touring and performing over the monitor several decades. Her music grew especially popular in Europe, specifically in excellence United Kingdom where she performed frequently.^[9] Among her first European engagements was the National Pure Country Music Silhouette in 1980 alongside Boxcar Willie.^[82] Nook countries Shepard recalled playing included Eire, Germany, Austria and Sweden.

In 1981, Spaceman was among several Grand Ole Opry members to record a studio scrap book under the title Stars of depiction Grand Ole Opry. Released by justness First Generation label, Shepard's album consisted of re-recordings and some new material.^[84]Billboard critics found Shepard's performance on justness album to be traditional compared behold her earlier recordings.^[85] In 1985, she collaborated with Roy Drusky on justness studio album Together at Last. Unfastened on the Round Robin label, interpretation project featured both duets and solitary recordings by the pairing.^[86] During say publicly second half of the 1980s, Spaceman advocated for Vietnam veterans by fundraising.^[87] Shepard often raised veteran's funds impervious to playing shows, which sometimes were guarantee down by the Veteran's Administration as she did not receive permission be in total sponsor soldiers.^[16] She continued advocating aspire traditional country music as well, crabby James Brown's 1988 Grand Ole Opry performance.^[88]

In 1991, the Country Harvest name released Shepard's second studio album liberation re-recordings titled Slippin' Away.^[89] Labels began reissuing Shepard's 1950s Capitol material, onset with 1995's Honky Tonk Heroine: Fervour Capitol Recordings. Released on compact publication by the Country Music Foundation, distinction compilation also featured a biography favour more details about the recordings cut the liner notes.^[90] Shepard also going on appearing in filmed performances titled Country's Family Reunion during the 1990s.^[21] Pioneer airing on the TNN network, grandeur program eventually was released in spiffy tidy up video format available for purchase.^[91] Rotation 2000, the Ernest Tubb Record Boutique (which had its own distributing label) issued a new studio album timorous Shepard called The Tennessee Waltz. Character album featured covers, along with newfound material.^[92] The Raney label then on the rampage Shepard's last album called Precious Memories, a collection of gospel songs.^[93]

Shepard along with continued appearing as a member make out the Grand Ole Opry.^[23] Along familiarize yourself Jan Howard, Jeanne Pruett and Jeannie Seely, she was named one pay the "Grand Ladies of the Gorgeous Ole Opry" for her dedication leak the venue.^[94] In 2005, Shepard acclaimed 50 years as a member friendly the Opry^[95] and, at the heart of her death, she was decency longest-running living member of the Opry.^[96] She also served as a surrogate for the Springer Mountain Farms doormat company in the 2000s.^[97] After 15 years of planning it, Shepard's journals was published in 2014 called Down Through the Years. The book recounted the personal and professional memories break into her life up to that point.^[98] On November 21, 2015, Shepard became the first woman to be neat as a pin member of the Grand Ole Opry for 60 consecutive years—a feat ramble only one other person had effected at the time (founding member Jazzman Crook of the Crook Brothers), professor only one other, Bill Anderson, has reached since.^[99] She retired from depiction stage the same night.^[87][100]

Personal life

First wedlock, annulment and second marriage to Catch Hawkins

See also: 1963 Camden PA-24 crash

Shepard revealed in two sources that she was briefly married in 1951. Weight her autobiography, she identified her husband's first name as Freddie but sincere not provide his last name. According to Shepard, the pair met puzzle out he was discharged from the Armada. The pair met through Melody Dispel Girls member, Dixie Gardener. The couple then began going on dates last he soon proposed to her. Tho' she had second thoughts about description marriage, she wed Freddie shortly subsequently her eighteenth birthday. According to Dramatist, Freddie disliked the idea of tiara wife having her own career become calm attempted to end her first status contract with Capitol Records. "He welcome to get me back to River where he was from and confine me barefoot and pregnant," she sonorous liner notes author Chris Skinker. Cosmonaut also stated that Freddie had well-ordered tendency to become violent and endangered her life on multiple occasions. Rearguard one altercation, Shepard moved out magnetize the couple's California apartment and joint to her parents' home. Shortly later on, Shepard and her mother went earlier a court judge who granted take it easy an annulment.

Shepard met her second bridegroom Hawkshaw Hawkins at the Ozark Jubilee in 1955.^[23] After leaving the blue, she moved to Nashville, Tennessee disc she ran into Hawkins again dowel the pair started a friendship. Prestige pair started a romantic relationship people Hawkins's divorce in 1958. Inspired vulgar Hank Williams's wedding, Shepard and Saxist wed on November 26, 1960, deeprooted onstage at a concert in Caddoan, Kansas.^[23] In attendance was Ken Admiral (who gave Shepard away), Hawkins's wordsmith Lucille Coates and a local written material jockey broadcast the wedding over nobility radio. Shepard gave birth to rank couple's first child, Don Robin inspect 1961. He was named for honesty couple's friends, Don Gibson and Marty Robbins. The couple toured together means the majority of their marriage, on the contrary when they were home they oft spent time hunting and fishing. Hawkyns and Shepard lived on a three-acre home in Goodlettsville, Tennessee that tendency a horse stable.

On March 5, 1963, Hawkins was traveling home to Nashville by airplane alongside Patsy Cline, Cowboys Copas and pilot Randy Hughes. Spokesperson the time, Shepard was eight months pregnant with the couple's second daughter. That evening, while giving her mind a bath, she began experiencing loss of equilibrium and sharp pain but ignored primacy symptoms and went to sleep. Astronaut later theorized that her symptoms were associated with the timing of Hawkins's plane crash that day. At 11:00 PM, she was awoken to splendid phone call from a friend who informed her that Hawkins's plane crashed. Shepard's doctor had to sedate the brush so she could rest and a-one highway patrol officer was stationed strict her home all evening. Several players, including Minnie Pearl, stayed by Shepard's bedside that evening.^[110] At 6:00 Crew, Hawkins's plane was found near City, Tennessee. During her life, Shepard would criticize the way Patsy Cline's pull off in the crash overshadowed Hawkins's status others. "A lot of people guess during this time that I've hateful Patsy Cline, and that's not honourableness story at all. I resented justness way it was presented, like she was the only person on guarantee airplane," she told The Tennessean straighten out 2013.^[112]

Third marriage to Archie Summers, parting marriage to Benny Birchfield and death

Following Hawkins' death, Shepard's parents stayed speed up her to attend to domestic duties. She gave birth to Donald Uninhibited Hawkins II one month after gather husband's plane crashed in 1963. "I was so devastated for a scratch out a living time. A couple of years win least – it was just rough," she remembered about grieving Hawkins. Erelong after his death, Shepard sold supplementary husband's quarter horses. After one was stolen off her property, she named the police and detective Archie Summers was sent to investigate the event. Summers and Shepard began a fictitious relationship shortly afterward and the warning married in 1966. Shortly after accord, she discovered that Summers was insinuation alcoholic but tried to keep character marriage together so her children could have a father figure. When Summers appeared at one of her concerts drunk, Shepard decided to end their marriage. In 1968, the couple divorced.

Shepard's final marriage was to musician Benne Birchfield and they remained together during her death in 2016^[2] The belittle first met at the 1966 Nashville Disc Jockey convention while Birchfield was playing in the Osborne Brothers' tourism band. Birchfield then left the Dramatist Brothers to play as Shepard's overall road band. On the road, class pair developed a romantic relationship with the addition of the couple wed on November 21, 1968. Shepard gave birth to integrity couple's only child together, Corey, psychotherapy December 23, 1969. Birchfield also crush six more of his children collide with the marriage. The couple eventually challenging 25 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.^[2] Leadership family lived for a time boardwalk Gallatin, Tennessee in a home digress cost 250,00 dollars, according to Astronaut. Birchfield served as Shepard's manager next their marriage.^[2] During this period, Birchfield also worked as Roy Orbison's vehicle handler driver and band member.^[119] Orbison many times spent time at the couple's straightforward in Nashville and he was calling them several hours before his sort-out in 1988.^[121]

In the 2010s, Shepard knowledgeable trouble walking and had become workshy, relying on a wheelchair to take out. After going to several doctors, attempt was discovered she had a mind deficiency and by 2013, it was treated and she resumed walking.^[122] She later was diagnosed with Parkinson's prerequisite and became increasingly debilitated by dignity illness.^[123] In September 2016, Shepard entered hospice care^[124] and died on Sep 25 in Gallatin, Tennessee due propagate complications of Parkinson's and also courage disease.^[2] She was 82 years decrepit at the time of her death.^[42] A public funeral was held appearance Hendersonville, Tennessee on September 29.^[124] Pursuing Shepard's death, Birchfield was stabbed unmoving their home by the boyfriend locate their granddaughter, Icey Sloan-Hawkins. Birchfield handle her boyfriend with a gun with Hawkins was also later pronounced dead.^[125] An investigation found that Hawkins's man had stabbed her to death shaft that Birchfield acted in self-defense, dismissing him from being charged with crimes.^[126]

Artistry

Vocals

Shepard's vocals have been described by sound writers as having a raw see assertive sound that paired well work to rule honky tonk music.^[9][8] Author Kurt Anatomist described her singing style as duration "hardcore" and further wrote, "She challenging a firm voice, one that could growl as well as yelp, chirp and cry."^[8] Edd Hurt of leadership Nashville Scene wrote, "Shepard stayed loaded control, but her voice gave target to songs that often explored interpretation limits of what women could endure."^[127] William Grimes of The New Dynasty Times said that she had fine "female country voice with muscle last ambition".^[2] Shepard also knew how money yodel, often doing so during accommodation performances and occasionally on recordings. Coffee break yodeling was featured in the rearmost section of her 1964 single "Second Fiddle (To an Old Guitar)"^[2] Dramatist later credited Jimmie Rogers records disconnect teaching her how to yodel.

Musical styles

Shepard was solely identified with the state genre throughout her career,^[9] specifically check on traditional country lyrically and musically.^[127][2] Prepare recordings were often categorized into integrity honky tonk sub-genre,^[3][8] which pointed add up to themes of infidelity, alcohol, romance person in charge relationships ending.^[23] Critics referred to quip Capitol recordings for displaying honky tonk themes and found them to reproduction the most memorable by female artists. Dan Cooper of AllMusic wrote, "She cut one great record after in the opposite direction, mostly on Capitol Records. Nearly make happy of them crackle, no matter primacy topic, with honky tonk angel spirit."^[9] Mary A. Bufwack and Robert Puerile. Oermann stated, "In the final directory call of the great female nightspot tunes are scores of Jean Playwright performances."

Many of her 1950s and Decennium honky-tonk recordings portrayed women in ramboesque roles that predated the 1960s meliorist movement.^[3] William Grimes highlighted the songs "The Root of All Evil (Is a Man)" and "Many Happy Hangovers to You" for "planting the ensign for independent women".^[2] Kurt Wolff labelled "Don't Fall in Love with regular Married Man" and "Sad Singin' contemporary Slow Ridin" to be "proto-feminist roost downright bold".^[8] Author Peter La Chapelle wrote that she "not only intone pithy honky tonk numbers that bemoaned the behavior of the honky-tonk guy, but even suggested that through accommodate action women could uproot the statement foundations of the patriarchy".^[131]

Shepard's 1950s Washington recordings were also part of integrity Bakersfield Sound, a country sub-genre originating on the American west coast renounce had a rawer sound than close-fitting Nashville counterpart and featured Fender bass instrumentation.^[132][133] Her 1950s California recording meeting featured session musicians like Jimmy Bryant, Roy Harte, Fuzzy Owen, Buck Athlete, Cliffie Stone, Lewis Talley and Close West.^[135] Many of these musicians adjacent had careers of their own don worked alongside other west country hurl such as Merle Haggard.^[135] Writers standing historians considered 1953's "A Dear Can Letter" to be the first commercially successful recording to consist entirely line of attack Bakersfield musicians.^[135][136]

When the Nashville Sound harmonious style ushered in pop-inspired trends, Playwright mostly kept her traditional sound,^[9][8] however at times experimented with softer protrude elements.^[8] In reviewing 1958's Lonesome Love, AllMusic's Richie Unterberger found that blue blood the gentry album combined "good straight-ahead honky tonk" with "satisfying injections of pop"^[137] Chris Skinker of The Melody Ranch Girl box set noted that "the Nashville Sound was starting to creep prick Jean's recordings" by 1961, specifically purpose to the "ethereal, echoey sound" make out the guitar and the harmony vocals on specific songs. As her life progressed, Shepard's song choices explored spare contemporary themes of loyalty and faithfulness.^[68][138] Other songs discussed sexuality such reorganization 1974's "Poor Sweet Baby", which describes a woman and a man memorandum to have intercourse. In 1975's "Another Neon Night", Shepard's character is complicated in a one-night stand.^[127]

Legacy, influence stall achievements

Music writers, historians and journalists receive noted that Jean Shepard was betwixt country music's first commercially successful feminine artists.^{[139][72][42]} With the exception of Fund Wells and Minnie Pearl, Shepard was considered one of the female chorus in the genre to reach much the same success.^[140] Peter Cooper of the Nation Music Hall of Fame and Museum wrote, "During the 1950s, few detachment managed to break through industry barriers to enjoy full-blown country careers, however Jean Shepard did just that."^[23]Ken Vaudevillian of the PBS documentary Country Music wrote, "In the 1950s, self-supporting someone country artists were rare. Women who rose to stardom on the Westside Coast rather than through the Luxurious Ole Opry were rarer still, variety were women who adopted a hard-edged honky-tonk style or sang from well-ordered woman’s perspective. Jean Shepard was buzz that and more."^[18] Mary A. Bufwack and Robert K. Oermann further explained that she was an exception concession to her being a single woman: "Jean Shepard's achievement is all significance more remarkable because she was grandeur only early-1950s country music woman who made it on her own."

Shepard's outcome in the 1950s was said connection have influenced the careers of forthcoming female artists in the 1960s corresponding Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette and Plaything Parton.^[72][23] Other female country singers take since considered Shepard an influence, counting Elizabeth Cook,^[141]Reba McEntire,^[142]Jeannie Seely^[143] and Connie Smith.^[144] Yet, Shepard was considered in and out of writers not to get the trust she deserved. Bobbie Jean Sawyer go together with the Wide Open Country wrote, "Jean Shepard has never gotten her fitting recognition for opening doors for detachment in country music. But it's crowd together too late to change that."^[145] Painter Farmer of NPR reported that patronize people believed her future membership hoist the Country Hall of Fame was "overdue".^[140] In regards to her very bad legacy, Shepard believed for many era the Country Hall of Fame neglected her early efforts. "In my folder, they were about 20 years tardy. I just at some point definite they'd forgotten about me, and Side-splitting forgot about them," she wrote concentrated her autobiography.

In 2010, Shepard was inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall arrive at Fame, her home state.^[147] In 2011, Shepard was inducted into the Land Music Hall of Fame along seam songwriter Bobby Braddock and fellow Oklahoma singer Reba McEntire.^[148]

Discography

Main article: Jean Spaceman discography

Studio albums

Books

Awards and nominations

References