It Wasn’T God Who Made Kitty Wells
Kitty Wells was a trailblazing country music singer who helped pave the way for female artists in the genre. But her success was not handed to her – it came through years of hard work and determination in an industry dominated by men.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: Kitty Wells achieved her legendary status in country music not through divine intervention, but through her own talent, charisma, and perseverance in overcoming gender barriers.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at Wells’ career, the obstacles she faced as a female country performer in the 1940s-1960s, and how through her musical gifts and strength of character, she broke new ground for women in country music.
Wells’ Early Life and Career Beginnings
Growing up in rural Tennessee
Kitty Wells, born Ellen Muriel Deason, spent her early years on a farm in Nashville, Tennessee. The bright-eyed girl grew up poor but happy, helping with chores and singing along to the Grand Ole Opry radio show every Saturday night.
Music was Kitty’s passion from a young age – she would clap and sing whenever the adults played fiddle or guitar at community events. Church hymns were also an early musical influence.
Early radio appearances
Kitty began performing on local radio stations WSIX and WSM while still a teenager, gaining attention for her warm, supple vocals. She soon met fellow country musician Johnnie Wright and they began dating.
Though initially shy on stage, Kitty’s singing talent led to increased radio appearances over the 1940s. She performed the heartfelt ballad “Walking the Dog” on Louisiana Hayride in 1948, showcasing her authentic emotional style.
Joining husband Johnnie Wright’s band
After their marriage in 1937, Kitty toured the United States and Canada with Johnnie’s band, Johnnie Wright and the Tennessee Mountain Boys. Though a supporting role at first, Kitty contributed backing vocals and occasionally sang lead.
Her 1952 recording “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels” would bring Kitty fame in her own right as country music’s first female solo star – the start of an acclaimed career spanning decades.
Kitty Wells overcame poverty and gender barriers to achieve groundbreaking success in country music. Her wholesome, heartfelt performances on classics like “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels” paved the way for female artists in Nashville and beyond.
Becoming a Star with “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels”
Controversial lyrics challenging female stereotypes
In 1952, Kitty Wells released her groundbreaking song “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels”, which challenged the stereotype that women were solely to blame for broken relationships. The lyrics declare that too often men try to make women “the fall guy” and pin all the blame on them.
This was very controversial for the time and was banned by some radio stations.
Wells was one of the first female country artists to take a stand on women’s equality and to directly call out sexist double standards. Her bold lyrics paved the way for more women in country music to speak their minds without fear of backlash.
According to the Country Music Hall of Fame, the song “torpedoed the stereotype of the repentant, redeemable ‘honky-tonk angel'”.
Crossover pop and country success
Not only was “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels” a hit on the country charts, staying at #1 for six weeks, it also crossed over to pop radio and the mainstream music charts. This was very rare for country songs at the time, especially by female vocalists.
According to Billboard, it peaked at #14 on the Hot 100 pop charts.
The song’s popularity opened the doors for more country songs to get airplay on pop stations. Wells proved that traditional country music had appeal beyond rural audiences. She helped make country music more mainstream and paved the way for future crossover superstars like Dolly Parton and Shania Twain.
Helped open doors for female country artists
In the wake of Kitty Wells’ breakthrough, record labels realized the commercial potential of female country vocalists. Many music historians credit Wells with making it possible for women to have successful careers in country music.
She proved that songs from a woman’s perspective could resonate widely.
According to a 2017 article, in the two years after “It Wasn’t God…” was released, the number of female country acts signed to labels nearly doubled. Stars like Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette likely would not have gotten record deals if Wells hadn’t opened the industry’s eyes.
Dominating the 1950s Country Scene
String of hit songs
Kitty Wells absolutely dominated the country music scene in the 1950s with an incredible string of top ten hits. Her 1952 song “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels” launched her to stardom and is considered the first major hit for a solo female country artist.
Over the next decade, Kitty scored chart-topping songs like “Paying for That Back Street Affair,” “Hey Joe,” and “Mommy for a Day.” Her ability to select amazing material and deliver it with emotional power and technical excellence made her a force to be reckoned with.
First female country Grammy winner
In 1965, Kitty Wells made history as the first female country artist to ever win a Grammy award. She took home Best Country & Western Vocal Performance for her 1964 album The Kitty Wells Country Hit Parade.
Amazingly, it took the Recording Academy 13 years to finally recognize the massive talents of the “Queen of Country Music.” But Kitty wasn’t fazed, later joking “I didn’t know whether to say ‘At last’ or ‘Well it’s about time!
‘” Winning that Grammy was a seminal moment, paving the way for the amazing female country vocalists that would follow like Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, and Patsy Cline.
Became a Grand Ole Opry member
With her string of hits and millions of records sold, Kitty Wells was more than qualified to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry. But they repeatedly rejected her requests due to their rule prohibiting female performers at the time.
Kitty didn’t let that stop her, joining the rival television program Louisiana Hayride instead. Finally in 1976, nearly 25 years after her first #1 hit song, the Opry invited Kitty to join. As she stood on that hallowed stage for the first time, Kitty grinned from ear to ear.
At long last, she was receiving the recognition she deserved as one of the true trailblazers and greatest voices in country music history.
Fading From the Spotlight but Leaving a Legacy
Rock and pop influences decreased prominence
In the 1970s, Kitty Wells’ traditional country sound started to lose prominence as rock, pop and slick country influences took over country music. While she continued having hits through the early 1970s, including 1971’s “How Far Is Heaven” which reached #11 on the charts, her singles stopped reaching the top 10 after 1972.
Country radio stations began playing more contemporary artists like Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn and Tanya Tucker. Wells wasn’t able to adapt her sound to compete with the changing times. However, her influence on early country music, especially for female performers, was undeniable.
Continued recording and performing selectively
While Kitty Wells faded from the spotlight in the 1970s, she didn’t retire from music entirely. She continued recording albums periodically, including 1974’s Forever Young on Decca Records. In 1976, she released her first gospel album, Wings of a Dove, on her own label.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Wells would emerge to release new albums sporadically, while also performing selective concerts. In 1985, at age 66, she joined fellow legends Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton and Tammy Wynette on their landmark Honky Tonk Angels tour.
Wells proved she still had star power by earning a standing ovation during the tour’s Kennedy Center performance.
Inspired generations of female country singers
As Kitty Wells stepped back from the limelight, her influence on aspiring female country singers was undeniable. She had opened the door for women to sing about adult topics and themes. Singers like Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette and Patsy Cline all credited Wells for paving the way in country music.
Wells’ legacy grew even stronger in the 1990s as female artists like Shania Twain, Faith Hill and the Dixie Chicks dominated country radio. Those artists likely never would have found success without Wells breaking down barriers decades earlier.
Even modern country stars like Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert look back on Wells as the original honky-tonk heroine who made their careers possible.
Conclusion
Kitty Wells was a true pioneer for women in country music, rising to the top of a male-dominated industry through her prodigious talent and strength of character. While she gave credit to God for her abilities, Wells earned her Queen of Country Music title through hard work.
By breaking barriers and standing up to stereotypes, Wells paved the way for the many great female country artists who followed in her footsteps.
Though her hitmaking days wound down with changing musical tastes, Wells’ legacy lives on. Her gutsy music and generational influence remind us that with perseverance and a little help from providence, one person truly can make a difference – regardless of race or gender.
