Jeannie Seely and "Opry Backstage" producer Janet Tyson await their cue to begin the live Saturday evening show.
Four -year -old Jeannie Seely was barely tall Opry member Jack Greene. The popular duet enough to turn the knob and not really able to team performed everywhere from New York's see the numbers on her family's big console radio. Madison Square Garden to London's Interna- But when she found 650 (WSM) on the dial, that's tional Country Music Festival. The two also en- where the indicator stayed, her mother recalls. joyed consistent Top 10 duet hits, including the Jeannie, who was born in Titusville and raised No. 1 "Wish I Didn't Have To Miss You," "What in Townville, Penn., even remembers sitting in In The World Has Gone Wrong With Our Love," the family's Ford, eating popcorn and drinking "Much Oblige" and "You And Me Against The soda pop and listening to the Grand Ole Opry World." on Saturday nights while her parents played cards When she wasn't writing hit songs for herself, at friends' houses. Jeannie was penning hits for other artists such By age 11, she was performing on a weekly as Dottie West, Connie Smith, Faron Young, Wil- show on a radio station in Meadville, Penn. Years lie Nelson and Ray Price. of playing auditoriums, small clubs and country A near fatal automobile accident in 1977 did music parks; a two-year stint as a disc jockey on not slow her down. In recent years the singer, her own Armed Forces Network show; and execu- songwriter and record producer has added stage tive secretarial positions with Liberty and Impe- actress and author to her list of accomplishments. rial Records in Hollywood followed before she In 1988 Jeannie released her self -published book moved to Nashville in 1965. Pieces of a Puzzled Mind which now is in its second A recording contract with Monument Records printing. led to her first hit record entitled "Don't Touch That same year she starred as Miss Mona in Me" in 1966. The single went to No. 1, won her the Circle Players' production of "The Best Little the 1966 Grammy Award for the Best Female Whorehouse in Texas" at the Tennessee Per- Vocal Performance, Country and led to Opry forming Arts Center in Nashville. In 1990, al- membership in 1967. though she cracked two ribs in rehearsal, she Other hits-including "Can I Sleep In Your performed her first straight comedy role in a Arms," "Lucky Ladies," "Little Things," "Tell Me Nashville area dinner theater's production of Again," "I'll Love You More" and "Please Be My "Everybody Loves Opal." New Love"-enabled her to tour throughout the When she isn't touring around the world, fans world and appear on several television shows and will find her performing regularly on the Grand earned her the nickname of "Miss Country Soul." Ole Opry on WSM Radio-still at 650, Jeannie's For 11 years she toured and sang with fellow favorite spot on the dial.
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