Kitty Wells

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Kitty Wells

Kitty Wells, born Ellen Muriel Deason on August 30, 1919, in Nashville, Tennessee, was a trailblazing American country music singer and songwriter. Known as the "Queen of Country Music," she became the first female star of the genre. Wells began her music career singing gospel in church and later made her radio debut in the 1930s. She adopted the stage name Kitty Wells from a Carter Family song.

In 1937, Wells married Johnny Wright, and the couple performed together for many years, eventually touring with their children as the Kitty Wells–Johnnie Wright Family Show. Her breakthrough came with the 1952 hit "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels," a response to Hank Thompson's "Wild Side of Life." This song made Wells the first female country singer to top the U.S. country charts, establishing her as a major star.

Wells' career was marked by a series of hits, including "Release Me" (1954), "Making Believe" (1955), and "I Can’t Stop Loving You" (1958). Her success challenged the notion that women could not headline in country music, paving the way for future stars like Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn. Wells was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1976 and received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1991.

Kitty Wells passed away on July 16, 2012, in Madison, Tennessee, leaving behind a legacy as a pioneering figure in country music.