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Jeannie Seely Biography

Jeannie Seely Biography

 Jeannie Seely is an American country music singer and Grand Ole Opry star. She is best-known for her 1966 Grammy award-winning Country hit, "Don't Touch Me", which peaked at No. 1 on three major Country charts. Seely has produced numerous country hits, from the 60s into the mid-70s, including duets with Jack Greene like 1969's "I Wish I Didn't Have to Miss You". Seely has befriended many country singers, including Jan Howard and Dottie West. She has been placed at No. 11 on the list of the Most Influential Females in Country Music History. Seely began her career working for Four Star Records (a record company Patsy Cline once recorded for), where she began her career as a songwriter. The R&B artist Irma Thomas recorded one of her songs called "Anyone Who Knows What Love Is", that became a big Pop hit for her. Seely also appeared as a regular act on the program Hollywood Jamboree with Glen Campbell, who was a rising Country Music star at the time. Finally, Seely got a recording contract of her own from Challenge Records. Songwriter, Hank Cochran was impressed with Seely's talents and though she should move to Nashville to peruse a career in Country Music, but Seely didn't think she was ready yet. Upon the encouragement of Country singer Dottie West (who also recorded one of her songs), she finally took Cochran's advice in 1965 and moved to Nashville, Tennessee.

 
Upon arriving to Nashville, she was hired to replace Norma Jean on Porter Wagoner's road show and television series. Seely was also looking for a record label to sing with. Seely was initially turned down by every record label in town, however one record label (Monument Records) offered Seely a recording contract in early 1966. She was soon recording in the studio by March. One of the first songs recorded then was her husband's self-penned, "Don't Touch Me". The song was then released and turned Seely into a major Country star, spending over five months on the Country charts. The song peaked at the No. 2 position on the Billboard Country charts and stayed there for three weeks, however on all the other major Country charts (Cashbox, Record World), the song hit No. 1. The song even climbed into the bottom of the Pop charts at No. 85. Because of the success of "Dont Touch Me", Seely was invited to perform on the Grand Ole Opry that June. She also won Billboard's, Cashbox's, and Record World's "Most Promising Female Artist Award". In March of 1967, Seely won the Grammy award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance for "Don't Touch Me", becoming only the third woman to win the award. That year, an album was released titled, The Seely Style, which featured "Don't Touch Me". In September, 1967 Seely joined the Grand Ole Opry, a lifelong dream of hers, where today she still remains a member. Following her breakthrough hit's success, Seely released a follow-up single titled "It's Only Love", from her first album. The song proved a solid follow-up, making the Top 15 on the Country charts at No. 15. The next year, Seely had two other Top 40 Country hits from her next album, Thanks! Hank, one of which hit the Top 20 called "A Wanderin' Man". For the rest of the decade, Seely enjoyed only one other Top 10, titled, "I'll Love You More (Than You'll Ever Need)" in 1968. Another album released in 1968, titled, "Little Things" produced a Top 30 hit, "Welcome Home to Nothing". Seely only stayed under Monument until late 1968, before switching over to Decca records in 1969.

 While moving over to Decca in 1969, Seely teamed up with fellow Country star, Jack Greene. Together they recorded a single ("I Wish I Didn't Have to Miss You") and an album (Jack Greene/Jeannie Seely). Their single hit No. 2 on the Billboard Country charts in 1970 and No. 1 on all the other major Country charts, making the duo one of the most successful duet pairings of the early 1970s. Their road shows were also successful, and gave both singers' careers a boost. In 1972, they released a new album entitled, Two for the Show. Two singles from the album hit the Top 20 on the Country charts, starting with "Much Oblige", followed by "What in the World Has Gone Wrong With Our Love". The duo has been nominated for the CMA Awards' Vocal Duo of the Year as well as various Grammy award nominations. Together they toured for ten years performing everywhere from New York's Madison Square Garden to London's Wembley Arena. A long list of artists – including Dottie West, Norma Jean, Tex Williams, Lorrie Morgan, Jack Greene, Connie Smith, and Doyle Lawson – have recorded compositions written by Jeannie. In 1972, Faron Young took “Leavin’ And Sayin’ Goodbye” to the No. 1 position, earning Jeannie a BMI Songwriter’s Award. 

 
After being successfully paired with Jack Greene, Seely saw the time to take note to revitalizing her career as a solo artist. In 1973, Decca then became MCA records. Under MCA, she recorded a new album, titled Can I Sleep in Your Arms/Lucky Ladies, the name of two singles to be released by Seely between 1973 and 1974. The first single was released in 1973, which was "Can I Sleep in Your Arms". The song was well-liked by Country radio, and peaked in the Top10 at No. 6, just missing the Top 5 spot. "Can I Sleep in Your Arms" was originally derived from an old hobo lament titled, "Can I Sleep in Your Barn Tonight". The follow-up to the Top 10 came with "Lucky Ladies" in 1974, which came close to hitting the Top 10, peaking in the Top 15. "Lucky Ladies" was also derived from another song. Seely transformed an old Appalachian ballad titled "Come All You Fair and Tender Ladies" to "Lucky Ladies". While under MCA, Seely's material got more sexual and riskier like 1975's "First Time" and 1976's "Since I Met You Boy". In early 1977, Seely switched labels again, this time to Columbia records. After just getting started under a new record company, Seely was involved in a serious near-fatal automobile accident in 1977, which almost caused her career to come abruptly to an end. Because of the supoot of friends and family, most notably good friend Dottie West, Seely was able to recover and return to touring and performing. Ironically in August 1991, Dottie West would too be involved in a serious automobile accident, but would not survive. Today, Seely greatly misses West, and she was played by Cathy Worthington in the TV-movie about West's life in 1995, titled Big Dreams and Broken Hearts: The Dottie West Story, starring Michele Lee. By late 1977, Seely's chart success was already fading from the public view. Her last record to hit the national charts came later that year, with the song, "Take Me to Bed".

In the early 1980s, Seely continued to record and perform. She served as an opening act for Willie Nelson's road show, and also appeared in his film Honeysuckle Rose, and also recorded for the soundtrack, which eventually received a "Platinum" rating by the RIAA. Seely also became the first female Country singer to host half-hour segments of the Grand Ole Opry, first starting in 1985, when Country singer Del Reeves was caught in a snowstorm. In the late-80s, Seely played various acting roles. She played "Miss Mona" in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas play as well as playing Jean Shepard's daughter and Lorrie Morgan's mother in the Country music musical Takin' It Home. In 1988, she also published her own book, titled Pieces of a Puzzled Mind. In the early 90s, Seely continued to try new things, including playing Danny Shirley's mother in the music video for Confederate Railroad's 1993 No. 1 hit, "Trashy Woman". Seely has also played at Dolly Parton's "Dollywood" and served as Brad Paisley's date for the 2000 CMA awards show. Lorrie Morgan has also recorded one of Seely's compositions for her 1997 album, Shakin' Things Up. Morgan credits Seely to be one of the biggest inspirations to her career, and even refers to her as a second mother. In Fall 2003, Seely released a new album, which was marketed towards Bluegrass music titled Life's Highway, which received high critical acclaim. Today, Jeannie Seely still remains a member of the Grand Ole Opry and lives close by the Opry in a house by the Cumberland River that was renovated and decorated by Seely herself.

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