"Pretty Miss Norma Jean" may be best remembered as Porter Wagoner's stage partner before he was paired with Dolly Parton, but she was also well known for an often-hard-edged group of songs that spoke of poverty, hard work, and the instability of romantic relationships. Although she didn't have the songwriting creativity of Loretta Lynn or Dolly Parton, she was comparable to those stars in her general outlook.
Norma Jean Beasler was born in Wellston, Oklahoma and grew up admiring country singer Kitty Wells, whom she considered her biggest influence. She got her start performing on radio stations in the Oklahoma City area; and by age 12, she had her own radio show on KLPR-AM. She toured Oklahoma with various bands, starting with Merl Lindsay and His Oklahoma Night Riders at age 16, followed by the Bill Gray Band at 18. Norma Jean was the Bill Gray Band's full-time vocalist and made guest appearances with major country stars. Early on, she befriended soon-to-be country star Wanda Jackson.
In 1955, she got a regular spot on the ABC-TV show Ozark Jubilee in Springfield, Missouri, where she stayed for two years and first received national exposure. Host Red Foley suggested calling her simply Norma Jean, and she made it official in 1958; she also became known on the program as Pretty Miss Norma Jean. She met Porter Wagoner on the show, and in 1959, signed a recording contract with Columbia Records. A string of unsuccessful singles followed, and she moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where Wagoner invited her to audition for his syndicated weekly TV program, The Porter Wagoner Show. She became a regular on the show in 1961 and stayed for six years. Norma Jean toured and performed across the country with Porter, and RCA Victor producer Chet Atkins signed her to a recording contract with RCA Victor.
Norma Jean had her first chart single, "Let's Go All the Way," in 1964; the song made the Top 15 and was followed by the Top 25 hit "I'm a Walkin' Advertisement (For the Blues)." That year she had her first Top Ten single, "Go Cat Go," which stayed on the country charts for four months and became a minor pop hit as well. Her chart success continued through the mid-'60s with songs such as "I Wouldn't Buy a Used Car from Him" and the innovative love-triangle trio "The Game of Triangles" (1965), which also featured Bobby Bare and Liz Anderson.
On television, Norma Jean presented a wholesome image at odds with her hurtin' and cheatin' songs, yet in her personal life both those themes were relevant. Around the mid-'60s, she became romantically involved with her mentor Wagoner, who was separated from his wife at the time. The affair led her to leave Wagoner's organization, but she continued to appear on the Grand Ole Opry (between 1965 and 1969) and recorded more singles for RCA. In 1967 she had two Top 30 hits, "Don't Let That Doorknob Hit You" and "Heaven Help the Working Girl," an early feminist song.
Norma Jean left Wagoner's show in 1967 after marrying Jody Taylor (whom she later divorced), and was replaced by newcomer Dolly Parton, who went on to become one of country music's leading female stars. Parton said later she had a hard time replacing Norma Jean, because she was so loved by country fans.
After that, her presence on the country charts and radio stations was minimal. Nevertheless, she continued to release albums regularly through the early ‘70s. She began to release new albums again in the 2000s, including Loneliest Star in Texas (2005), Norma Jean’s Cowboy Church Gospel (2012), and Aged to Perfection (2014).
During her career, Norma Jean had 13 country singles in Billboard's Country Top 40 between 1963 and 1968, recorded twenty albums for RCA Victor between 1964 and 1973, received two Grammy nominations, and was a Grand Ole Opry member.
Norma Jean became a member of the Grand Ole Opry on January 9, 1965 and made her final appearance as a member on August 9, 1969.
Here is the line-up from Saturday January 9, 1965, the night Norma Jean became an Opry member:
7:30: Jimmy C Newman (host); Bill Carlisle; Bobby Lord; Loretta Lynn; Del Wood; Ernie Ashworth
8:00: Porter Wagoner (host); Charlie Louvin; Dottie West; Willie Nelson; Osborne Brothers; Norma Jean; Crook Brothers
8:30: Roy Acuff (host); Wilburn Brothers; Bill Andeson; Archie Campbell; Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper; Margie Bowes
9:00: Leroy Van Dyke (host); Skeeter Davis; Sonny James; Curly Fox; Tompall and The Glaser Brothers
9:30: Hank Snow (host); Bill Monroe; Roy Drusky; Willis Brothers; Marion Worth; The Browns
10:00: Bobby Lord (host); Loretta Lynn; Osborne Brothers; Del Wood
10:15: Jimmy C Newman (host); Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper; Bill Anderson; Bill Carlisle
10:30: Porter Wagoner (host); Norma Jean; Sonny James
10:45: Roy Acuff (host); Margie Bowes; Wilburn Brothers; Crook Brothers
11:00: Hank Snow (host); Bill Monroe; Leroy Van Dyke; Tompall and The Glaser Brothers; Fruit Jar Drinkers; Dottie West; Sam and Kirk McGee
11:30: Roy Drusky (host); Charlie Louvin; Marion Worth; Willis Brothers; The Browns; Willie Nelson; Curly Fox
And the running order from Norma Jean's final night as an Opry member, August 9, 1969:
1st show
6:30: Mrs. Grissoms
Willis Brothers (host)
Willis Brothers (host)
Del Wood
6:45: Rudy's
Wilburn Brothers (host)
Bob Luman
7:00: Luzianne
Hank Locklin (host): Country Hall of Fame
Stringbean: Mountain Dew
Carol Northcutt: (?)
Jimmy C Newman: Jambalaya
Hank Locklin: Cuban Girl
Hank Locklin: Cuban Girl
Stringbean: Hot Corn; Cold Corn
Jimmy C Newman: Cry, Cry Darling
7:30: Standard Candy
Roy Acuff (host): Sunshine Special
Stonewall Jackson: Angry Words
The 4 Guys: The Games People Play
Crook Brothers: Cacklin' Hen
Roy Acuff: The Great Speckled Bird
Stonewall Jackson: Never More Quote the Raven
The 4 Guys: Over on the Other Side
8:00: Martha White
George Hamilton IV (host): Early Morning Rain
Norma Jean: Lonesome Number One
Bill Carlisle: Is Zat You Myrtle
The Homesteaders: Love of the Common People
George Hamilton IV: Break My Mind
Norma Jean: Jackson Ain't a Very Big Town
Bill Carlisle: Rusty Old Halo
The Homesteaders: Johnny B Goode
8:30: Stephens
Billy Walker (host): Smokey Places
Skeeter Davis: Both Sides Now
Ernie Ashworth: Love; I Finally Found It
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Soldier's Joy
Billy Walker: Better Homes & Gardens
Skeeter Davis: Lonesome Road Blues
Ernie Ashworth: Heartbreak Avenue
Billy Walker: Cattle Call
2nd show
9:30: Kellogg's
Wilburn Brothers (host): We Need a Lot More Happiness
Willis Brothers: Buying Popcorn
Del Wood: (?)
Lorene Mann: Tell It All
Wilburn Brothers: Hurt Her Once for Me
Del Wood: Are You from Dixie
Willis Brothers: Give Me 40 Acres
Wilburn Brothers: Orange Blossom Special/Metals for Mothers
10:00: Fender
Bob Luman (host): Johnny B. Goode
The 4 Guys: My Special Angel
The 4 Guys: My Special Angel
Carol Northcutt: San Antonio Rose
Bob Luman: Guitar Man
10:15: Pure
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Bill Carlisle: Too Old to Cut the Mustard
Roy Acuff: You Win Again
Brother Oswald: Tennessee Waltz
10:30: Buckley's
Billy Walker (host): From the Bottle to the Bottom
Norma Jean: Dusty Road
Stringbean: Ruby
Billy Walker: Better Homes & Gardens
10:45: Kent
Hank Locklin (host): Send Me the Pillow You Dream On
Merle Kilgore: Honky-Tonk Man
Crook Brothers: Sally Goodin
Hank Locklin: Release Me/You've Still Got a Place in My Heart
11:00: Coca Cola
George Hamilton IV (host): Canadian Pacific
George Hamilton IV (host): Canadian Pacific
Skeeter Davis: Silver Threads & Golden Needles
Jimmy C Newman: Boo Dan
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Walking in My Sleep
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Walking in My Sleep
George Hamilton IV: Truck Driving Man
Skeeter Davis: Teach Me to Love You
Jimmy C Newman: Louisiana Saturday Night
Sam McGee: Under the Double Eagle
George Hamilton IV: Early Morning Rain
11:30: Lava
Ernie Ashworth (host): Love; I've Finally Found It
The Homesteaders: The Race is On
Charlie Louvin: Little Reasons
Ernie Ashworth: Where Do You Go
The Homesteaders: Only Daddy That'll Walk the Line
Charlie Louvin: The Kind of Man I Am
Ernie Ashworth: Talk Back Trembling Lips
Happy Birthday Norma Jean!!!
Thanks so much Byron for celebrating Norma Jean's birthday. Although not so much a pioneer as Goldie Hill, I think she is overlooked just about as much. Some of that could be the relationship with Porter and the fact she was followed by Dolly(no reflection on Dolly).
ReplyDeleteEven though those Columbia recordings were not very successful there was some good work in them. Her work on RCA in my opinion was top notch with the early recordings having the advantage of Buck's electric banjo sound. Admittedly, she filled out a lot of her albums with covers but in that period between 1964 and 1973 that was common for most artist. She did 20 LP's for RCA in that 9 years including a tribute to Kitty Wells in 66 an ironically a tribute to Porter in her last year with him, 67. That Porter tribute is a nice cover from the set of the TV show with Norma at the mic and Porter setting on the porch rail.
Heaven Help The Working Girl(18 on Billboard) must have been only a single release but was included in a RCA Camden LP of the same title. It was followed by Truck Driving Woman that made it to 53 on Billboard and was part of the LP Body and Mind which had a pretty cover of her setting on the floor in a blue dress with her guitar and of course, that pretty smile. Two singles that I always thought had a great sound to them was Pursuing Happiness (28, written by Harlan Howard) and Conscience Keep An Eye On Me(48). The Shirt, co-written by Bill Anderson and also recorded by him, was a recitation that made 28 on the charts in 66 and showed her versatility.
We met her once back in the late 90's and she put on a good show and was very pleasant to visit with.
One last little note, I'm not sure how many time she has been marred but recall that she was married to George Riddle for a short time!
Happy birthday Norma Jean!
Jim
Knightsville, IN
Words out that Hargus "Pig" Robbins passed this morning at 84. Not directly related to the Opry but I'm sure many, many Opry members enjoyed his accompaniment on their recordings through the years.
ReplyDeleteJim
Knightsville, IN
The 10:00 PM segments were pretty short. Any reason why? Bob
ReplyDeleteThe 10:00 segments were only 15 minutes each. That was how the sponsorship was divided up at that time.
DeleteIf she is willing, it would be nice for the Opry to have her as a guest. And maybe bring back a few others, maybe on Opry Country Classics, for a revival of the old Homecoming Nights.
ReplyDeleteIt's ironic: Porter said that Dolly was unpopular at first because she was replacing Norma Jean.