Molly Bee
Molly Bee (born August 18, 1939 in Oklahoma City , Oklahoma , † February 7, 2009 in Oceanside , California ; real name Mollie Gene Beachboard ) was an American country singer.
When she was ten, she sang country singer Rex Allen at a concert in Tucson , Arizona and won him over so much that she was allowed to appear on his radio show. A little later, her family moved to Los Angeles , where she was part of the country television show KXLA Hometown Jamboree . For three years she also appeared regularly on the children's program Pinky Lee Show .
In 1952, at the age of 13, she received her first recording contract with Capitol Records and released her debut single Tennessee Tango . In the same year her first hit and her most famous single I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus was released . Numerous other successes followed, and she was on the Tennessee television show Ernie Ford , with whom she had also recorded a duet and played together in a film. Molly Bee had her most successful period in the late 1950s.
In the late 1950s and early 1960s she appeared in theatrical musicals and in several films and had her own shows in Las Vegas . Her singles success waned, however, and in 1967 she had her last success in the country charts with the album Swingin 'Country . She also struggled with drug problems in the late 1960s. In the 1970s and early 1980s she toured again and made other recordings. In 1986 she settled in Oceanside and opened her own restaurant and nightclub, in which she also performed.
Molly Bee has been married five times, including ten years to country singer Ira Allen, and has a son and two daughters. On February 7, 2009, she died after a stroke at the age of 69.
Discography
Singles
- Tennessee Tango (1952)
- I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (1952)
- Don't Start Courtin 'in a Hot Rod Ford (with Tennessee Ernie Ford , 1953)
- Young Romance
- Don't look back
- 5 Points of a Star
Albums
- Young Romance (1958)
- It's Great, It's Molly Bee (1965)
- Swingin 'Country (1967)
- Sounds Fine to Me (1982)
- Good Golly Ms. Molly (1975)
Web links
- Obituary at hillbilly-music.com (engl.)
- Obituary at KansasCity.com (Engl.)
- Molly Bee at Allmusic (English)
- Molly Bee in the Internet Movie Database (English)
personal data | |
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SURNAME | Bee, Molly |
ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Beachboard, Mollie Gene (real name); Muncy, Molly |
BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American country singer |
DATE OF BIRTH | August 18, 1939 |
PLACE OF BIRTH | Oklahoma City , Oklahoma |
DATE OF DEATH | February 7, 2009 |
Place of death | Oceanside , California |