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Dottie West
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Dottie West (born October 11, 1932 – September 4, 1991) was an American country music singer, and was one of Country music's most influential and groundbreaking female artists. Dottie West's career started in the early-60s, with her Top 10 hit, "Here Comes My Baby Back Again", which won her the first Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance in 1965. In the 1960s, West was one of the few female Country singers working in what was then a male-dominated industry, influencing other female Country singers to come to fame around that time, like Lynn Anderson, Crystal Gayle, Barbara Mandrell, Dolly Parton, and Tammy Wynette.
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Dottie West (born October 11, 1932 – September 4, 1991) was an American country music singer, and was one of Country music's most influential and groundbreaking female artists. Dottie West's career started in the early-60s, with her Top 10 hit, "Here Comes My Baby Back Again", which won her the first Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance in 1965. In the 1960s, West was one of the few female Country singers working in what was then a male-dominated industry, influencing other female Country singers to come to fame around that time, like Lynn Anderson, Crystal Gayle, Barbara Mandrell, Dolly Parton, and Tammy Wynette. Throughout the 60s, West had major Country hits within the Top 10 and 20.
In the early 1970s, West wrote a popular commercial for the Coca-Cola company, titled "Country Sunshine", which she nearly brought to the top of the charts in 1973. In the late-70s, she teamed up with Country-Pop superstar, Kenny Rogers for a series of duets, which brought her career in directions it had never gone before, earning Platinum selling albums and No. 1 records for the very first time. Her duet records with Rogers have now become Country music standards, like "Every Time Two Fools Collide", "All I Ever Need Is You", and "What Are We Doin' In Love". In the early-80s, West's image and music underwent a major metamorphosis, bringing West to the very peak of her popularity as a solo act, and even reaching No. 1 for the very first time on her own in 1980 with, "A Lesson in Leavin'".
Early life
Childhood and teen years
Born Dorothy Marie Marsh outside McMinnville, Tennessee, she was the oldest of 10 children of Hollis and Pelina Marsh.
The family soon moved to a bigger, better house. The family at the time was so poor, they made their own soap out of hog grease and lye. Like many rural families at the time, they also lacked electricity and indoor plumbing. Pelina eventually opened up her own restaurant.
West's childhood was marred by a dysfunctional relationship with her father, an alcoholic who abused her both physically and sexually. The abuse continued until she was 17, when she finally reported him to the local sheriff. She testified against her father in court, and he was sentenced to 40 years in prison. After a brief stint living with the sheriff, she moved to McMinnville with her mother and siblings.
West also joined her high school band, "The Cookskins", where she sang and played guitar. With the help of her mother's business and a local entrepreneur, West attained a scholarship to attend college at Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville, Tennessee in 1951. She majored in music. Her cousins were Tim and Danny West.
Career discovery
After graduation, the Wests and their two children moved to Cleveland, Ohio; there, Dottie began appearing on the television program Landmark Jamboree as one half of a country pop vocal duo called the "Kay-Dots" alongside partner Kathy Dee. At the same time, West made numerous trips to Nashville in the hopes of landing a recording deal; in 1959, she and Bill auditioned for Starday's Don Pierce and were immediately offered a contract. Although the resulting singles West cut for the label proved unsuccessful, she nonetheless moved to Nashville in 1961. There, she and her husband fell in with a group of aspiring songwriters like Willie Nelson, Roger Miller, Hank Cochran, and Harlan Howard; they also became close friends with Patsy Cline and her husband Charlie Dick.
Patsy Cline would become one of West's biggest inspirations to her career. The two met backstage at the Grand Ole Opry and became friends. West and her family would often not have enough to pay the rent, so Cline would hire West's husband in her band, and West to help with Cline's wardrobe. When Cline got into a car accident in June 1961, West was one of the first people to arrive on the scene, picking out a piece of glass from Cline's hair. On March 5, 1963, Cline died in a plane crash, on her way home from a benefit in Kansas City, Kansas, at Memorial Hall, a benefit West also attended. West later said in Cline's 1980 biography that she was one of the biggest inspirations to her career.
In 1963, Jim Reeves recorded one of West's compositions, "Is This Me", which became a #3 hit that year. Reeves helped West secure a recording contract with RCA Records the same year.
Country music career
1963 – 1975: Country success
West earned her first Top 40 hit in 1963 with "Let Me Off at the Corner," followed a year later by the Top Ten "Love Is No Excuse," a duet with Jim Reeves. Also in 1964, she auditioned for producer Chet Atkins, the architect of the Nashville sound, who agreed to produce her composition "Here Comes My Baby"; the single made West the first female country artist to win a Grammy Award (Best Female Country Vocal Performance), leading to an invitation to join the Grand Ole Opry.
"Here Comes My Baby" reached #10 on Billboard magazines Country charts in 1964.
In Atkins, West found the perfect producer for her plaintive vocals and heart-wrenching songs; after releasing the Here Comes My Baby LP in 1965, they reunited for the following year's Suffer Time, which generated her biggest hit yet in "Would You Hold It Against Me." In 1967, the West/Atkins pairing issued three separate albums — With All My Heart and Soul (featuring the #8 smash "Paper Mansions"), Dottie West Sings Sacred Ballads, and I'll Help You Forget Her; she also appeared in a pair of films, Second Fiddle to a Steel Guitar and There's a Still on the Hill.
West continued to have success as a solo artist during the late 1960s with such songs as "What's Come Over My Baby," and "Country Girl." "Country Girl" garnered West an offer to write a commercial based on it for Coca-Cola in 1970; the soft drink company liked the result so much that it signed her to a lifetime contract as a jingle writer.
West was one of the most successful female Country artists at the time in the 1960s.
After the 1968 LP Country Girl, West teamed with Don Gibson for a record of duets, 1969's Dottie and Don, featuring the number two hit "Rings of Gold." The album was her last with Atkins, and she followed it with two 1970 releases, Forever Yours and Country Boy and Country Girl, a collection of pairings with Jimmy Dean. Around the time of 1971's Have You Heard Dottie West, she left her husband and, in 1972, married drummer Bryan Metcalf, who was 12 years her junior.
Between 1969 and 1972, West's solo career suffered. Most of her singles released at the time didn't even peak in the Top 40 and album sales were declining.
In 1973 West provided Coca-Cola with another ad featuring a song called "Country Sunshine." The popularity of the commercial prompted West to release the song as a single, and it became one of her biggest hits, reaching #2 on the Country charts and #49 on the Pop charts. The ad itself also netted West a prestigious Clio Award for commercial of the year; she was the first country artist ever to win that particular honor.
"Country Sunshine" proved to be a solid comeback for West. In 1974, West was nominated for two Grammys for the song, Best Country Song and Best Female Country Vocal Performance.
After the release of House of Love in 1974, West notched a number of Top 40 hits including the Top 10 "Last Time I Saw Him,"
"House of Love", and "Lay Back Lover". West released a final album under RCA in 1975 titled, Carolina Cousins before switching to United Artists Records in 1976.
1976 – 1985: Country-pop
As the late 70s began, West's image underwent a huge metamorphosis; the woman who once performed dressed in conservative gingham dresses and refused to record Kris Kristofferson's "Help Me Make It Through the Night" because it was "too sexy" began appearing in skin-tight stage attire. As the sexual revolution peaked, so did West's career.
Under United Artists, West material changed from traditional Country to up-tempo and slow-tempo Pop-Adult Contemporary-styled music. In 1977, West released her first album under United Artists, When It's Just You and Me. The title track peaked at #19 on the Country charts.
In 1977, she was recording the song "Every Time Two Fools Collide" when, according to legend, Kenny Rogers suddenly entered the studio and began singing along. Released as a duet, the single hit number one, West's first; the duo's 1979 "All I Ever Need Is You" and 1981 "What Are We Doin' In Love" topped the charts as well, and a 1979 duets album titled Classics also proved successful.
The duo proved so popular that they were booked in some of the biggest venues in the U.S and other countries.
In 1978 and 1979 the duo won the Country Music Association's "Vocal Duo of the Year" award, one of West's few major awards.
During the 1980s, West continued to generate solo hits, most notably "A Lesson in Leavin'." Her popularity as a featured performer on the Grand Ole Opry endured as well.
"A Lesson in Leavin'" was West's first #1 solo hit. It also peaked at #73 on the Pop charts. A week before "A Lesson in Leavin'" reached the No. 1 spot, it was part of a historic Top 5 in Country music, when all women held the Top 5 spots. The album that included this song, Special Delivery included two other Top 15 Country hits from 1980, "You Pick Me Up (And Put Me Down)" and "Leavin's for Unbelievers". In 1981, West had a pair of back-to-back #1 hits, "Are You Happy Baby" and "What Are We Doin' in Love" with Kenny Rogers. "What Are We Doin' in Love" was West's only Top 40 hit on the Pop charts, reaching #14, becoming a major crossover hit in mid-1981. Her 1981 album, Wild West, was one of West's most successful and biggest-sellers.
As the 1980s progressed, West's popularity began to slip. However, she did expose herself to younger audiences as she lent her voice to Melissa Raccoon in the film The Raccoons and the Lost Star in 1983, a precursor to the later series produced by Kevin Gillis, The Raccoons
West's 1982 album, High Time spawned West's last Top 20 hit, "It's High Time", which reached #16. The album's other single, "You're Not Easy to Forget" only peaked at #26. West's next two albums under Liberty records (the United Artists name was changed to Liberty in 1980) were commercial failures, Full Circle and New Horizons. West's last Top 40 hit came in 1983 with "Tulsa Ballroom". In 1984, West departed from her label and switched to the independent, Permian label.
In 1981, West's daughter Shelly also made a career in country music; she is best known for her hit duet with David Frizzell called "You're the Reason God Made Oklahoma", which hit No. 1 that year. As a solo artist, Shelly notched her own No. 1 in 1983 entitled "Jose Cuervo". During the early and mid '80s, Shelly notched several more hits, including Top 10 solo hits "Flight 309 to Tennessee" and "Another Motel Memory". After getting married in the late '80s, Shelly left the music business.
In 1980, West filed for divorce against Byron Metcalf, citing his drinking and infidelity.
In 1984, West released her final studio album, Just Dottie. The album was not very successful. It contained three singles that didn't hit the Top 40. Her last chart hit, "We Know Better Now," reached only number 53 in 1985.
In 1982, Dottie West was asked to play the lead role in the stage production of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. That summer, she toured for four weeks in the stage production, performing across the country. She also had her own float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade that year. She also posed for a revealing photo in the men's magazine Oui. In 1983, she married her soundman, Al Winters, who was 22 years her junior. In 1984, she appeared in the play Bring it on Home. In 1986, she made her screen debut in the science fiction film The Aurora Encounter. The movie received mixed reviews, but West's performance was praised.
Personal problems
1989 – 1990: Financial problems
Although she remained a popular touring act, West's financial problems mounted, and in 1990, after divorcing Winters, she declared bankruptcy, culminating in the foreclosure of her Nashville mansion.
West and Winters filed for divorce in 1990, and he sued her for $7,500. By this time, extravagant spending and a string of bad investments had left her nearly broke. In March, her Los Angeles manager sued her for $130,000. Her former manager sued her for $110,295. Her bank foreclosed her mansion outside of Nashville, and sent West an eviction notice on August 1, 1990. At this time, West owed the IRS $1.3 million dollars and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy (she later switched to Chapter 7, which allowed her to liquidate her assets).
Easter of 1991 brought West to church to see her son, Kerry, portray Jesus Christ in a church production called One Touch. At the end of the service, the pastor opened up the altar for anyone to come and pray, who needed "one touch." Dottie responded. Kerry, dressed as Jesus, escorted his mother to the altar and heard her prayer.
1991: Before her death
After a car accident and a public auction of her possessions, she began making plans for a comeback, including an album of duets and autobiography.
West planned to record and release an album with friends like Kenny Rogers and Roger Miller. Tanya Tucker and Tammy Wynette were planning on recording a single with her. She recorded her last song in July 1991 called "As For Me", a duet with Norwegian country singer Arne Benoni.
Death & legacy
September 1991: Death
On September 4, 1991, West died as a result of a car accident several days earlier on her way to a performance at the Grand Ole Opry. Due to problems with her own car, West had asked an 81-year-old neighbor to drive her to the Opry for her scheduled appearance. Frantic about getting to the Opry on time, she had urged the man to speed. He lost control of his vehicle while driving an hour over the posted speed limit. The car left the ramp to the Opry car park, vaulted in the air and hit the central division. West didn't believe she was injured as badly as her neighbor and insisted he be treated first. West suffered a ruptured spleen and a lacerated liver. Her spleen was removed that Friday and, the following Monday, she underwent two more surgeries to stop her liver from bleeding. On September 4, 1991, during her third operation, West died in surgery at 9:43 a.m.
West's funeral was held at Christ Church on Old Hickory Boulevard. There were 600 friends and family attendees, including Emmylou Harris, Connie Smith, Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash and Larry Gatlin. A couple of weeks later, President George H.W. Bush, a longtime fan for whom she had performed at the White House, expressed his condolences at the CMA Awards. Her hometown of McMinnville, Tennessee dedicated Highway 56 to her memory, naming it the Dottie West Memorial Highway.
1992 – present: Legacy
In 1995, actress Michele Lee produced and starred in the made-for-TV biopic Big Dreams and Broken Hearts: The Dottie West Story that premiered on CBS. Although it received mixed reviews, it was one of the most successful TV movies in CBS history. That same year, a biography book called Country Sunshine: The Dottie West Story was released, and was written by Judy Berryhill and Francis Meeker.
In 1999, country music singer Jo Dee Messina covered West's biggest solo hit, "A Lesson in Leavin'" for her album, I'm Alright. The song stayed at No. 2 for seven weeks on the Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart that year, and was one of the year's biggest songs.
In 2000, West was also honored with the BMI Golden Voice Awards with the "Female Golden Legacy Award". She was the second woman to win this type of BMI award, the first being her friend and mentor Patsy Cline. Today, her hometown of McMinnville, Tennessee holds a "Dottie West Music Festival" each year in October. West was ranked #23 in Country Music Television's 40 Greatest Women of Country Music in 2002.
Fashion style
Throughout her career West changed her image. From her initial stardom in 1963 up to dueting with Kenny Rogers in 1978 on two major hits, West wore checkered-gingham dresses, on the covers of her albums, promotional photos, and in concert. The most popular female Country singers at the time, wore similar gingham dresses, like Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette, Kitty Wells, and Connie Smith. After re-entering country music in the early 1980s, West completely updated her image, as her friend Patsy Cline did in the 1960s. At this time she went from being known as "Little Miss Fireball" to "Lady Airbrush" virtually overnight. She started wearing tighter pants, particularly known for her famous spandex jumpsuits. She also started wearing more-revealing tops, on the covers of her albums on stage. Her outfits were designed by Hollywood fashion designer Bob Mackie, who also designed outfits for Carol Burnett, Cher and Oprah Winfrey. At the time, West was the only country singer wearing Bob Mackie outfits, which cost West millions.
In November 2003, CMT television voted West on their special countdown of the 40 Greatest Fashion Statements in Country Music at #32 for her tight spandex outfits from the 1980s. They called her outfit, "the weapon of mass reduction".
Discography
Awards & honors
| Year | Award | Category |
|---|
| 1963 | BMI Awards | Songwriters Award - "Is This Me" (w/ Bill West) | | 1964 | BMI Awards | Songwriter's Award - "Here Comes My Baby" (w/ Bill West) | | 1965 | Grammy Awards | Best Female Country Vocal Performance - "Here Comes My Baby" | | 1966 | BMI Awards Awards | Songwriter's Award - "What's Come Over My Baby" (w/ Bill West) | | 1973 | BMI Awards | Songwriter's Award - "Country Sunshine" | | 1974 | Billboard Magazine | #1 Female Songwriter in the USA | | 1974 | British Country Music Awards | #1 Female Performer | | 1974 | CLIO Awards | Excellence In Advertising - Country Sunshine Coca-Cola Commercial | | 1978 | Country Music Association Awards | Vocal Duo of the Year - (w/ Kenny Rogers) | | 1979 | Country Music Association Awards | Vocal Duo of the Year - (w/ Kenny Rogers) | | 1979 | Music City News Country Awards | Duet of the Year - (w/ Kenny Rogers) | | 2000 | BMI Golden Voice Awards | Golden Legacy Award | | 2000 | Billboard Magazine's 200 Most Played Artists | Ranking - #44 | | 2002 | CMT's 40 Greatest Women of Country Music | Ranking- #23 |
Duet partners
External links
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