According to Roy's notes, Skeeter Davis is
one of the artists whose
releases he worked on while
at RCA, though he did not have his
producer credits nor song titles listed
in his notes. It could have
been one cut from
an album or several.
As of this date I don't have the
titles he specifically worked on.
I remember this artist well. She
was one of my favorites, and
this picture does not do
her justice, but is the only one I could find.
Born: 12/30
Birthplace: Dry Ridge, KY
Year of Grand Ole Opry
Membership: 1959
Skeeter's professional career began when
she and her best friend,
Betty Jack Davis, started
singing as the Davis Sisters on a local
television program while in their last
year of high school. Soon after
they graduated,
they took their first airplane trip
to New York City,
where they recorded
the song, "I Forgot More Than You'll
Ever Know."
The song sold a million copies. Their immediate
success was
overshadowed by a tragic accident on
August 2, 1953. A soldier had
fallen asleep
at the wheel, and his car struck the car
carrying the Davis
Sisters. Betty Jack lost
her life and Skeeter was left critically hurt,
physically and emotionally. After
some time, she was persuaded to sing
and record
with Betty Jack's sister, Georgia. They
had some successful
records and toured
with Grand Ole Opry stars Carl Smith, Hank Snow,
Mother Maybelle and The Carter Sisters,
and they even toured with
Elvis Presley before Georgia retired to
raise her family.
Skeeter started her solo career in 1958
with Chet Atkins producing her records.
He had always been there from the start,
playing guitar. Now
she was one of the first
he was to produce. She was named Most
Promising Female Vocalist of the Year
and had her first top 10 record, "Set Him
Free" in 1959. She
also got her first Grammy nomination for
that record
and her dreams came true
when she was asked to join the Grand Ole
Opry in August 1959. Skeeter had several
top 10 records in the C&W
charts before she
crossed over into the pop charts with "My
Last Date
With You." She collaborated
with Boudeleaux Bryant on the
lyrics to
Floyd Cramer's beautiful
melody and this opened new doors for her.
Skeeter and Chet found a song called
"The End Of The World,"
which went No.
1 on the pop charts and became a top
10 record in
almost every country. This
one was my favorite. Her
autobiography
"Bus Fare to Kentucky"
is now a best seller. She also has co-written
a wonderful Christmas story relating to
a time in her life. You can read
all about the story HERE.
You can even email SKEETER DAVIS HERE.
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