Skeeter Davis
Skeeter Davis (* 30th December 1931 as Mary Frances Penick in Dry Ridge , Kentucky ; † 19th September 2004 in Nashville , Tennessee ) was an American country- and pop music singer.
Life
Mary Frances Penick was the eldest of seven children born to the married couple William and Sarah Penick. She got her nickname Skeeter ( mosquito ) in childhood because she was very lively.
At the beginning of her career she sang in a duet with her friend Betty Jack Davis. Although they weren't related, they called themselves Davis Sisters , and Penick called themselves Skeeter Davis. They came under the label RCA Records and had a very successful producer with Chet Atkins . After her first great success, Betty Jack Davis died on August 23, 1953 in a car accident; Skeeter Davis was seriously injured. She then continued the duo for some time with sister Georgie Davis, but then began a solo career.
She moved to Nashville and continued working with RCA and Chet Atkins and also with Anita Kerr . In 1955 she went on tour with the label's "Caravan of Stars" (with Elvis Presley and Eddy Arnold, among others ) and began recording her own. In the beginning she was particularly successful in the country area and also in the charts. Her first solo hit was the song Lost to a Geisha Girl in 1958, which was conceived as a counter to the hit Geisha Girl by Hank Locklin . With Set Him Free and Homebreaker , two songs followed that she had co-written, but that remained the exception. In 1959 she became a member of the Grand Ole Opry . In 1960 she married the television presenter of Nashville Now , Ralph Emery . The marriage lasted four years.
In the year of her wedding, she had her first crossover hit in the country and pop charts with (I Can't Help You) I'm Falling Too . The song was again a response to a Hank Locklin song, the top 10 hit Please Help Me, I'm Falling from the same year. Her second pop hit was My Last Date (With You) , that a version of the instrumentals Last Date of Floyd Cramer was with added text. This was followed by several pure country hits again.
Skeeter Davis had her greatest success in 1963 with the Millionseller The End of the World, written by Arthur Kent and Sylvia Dee . It reached number 2 in both the country and pop charts, number 1 in the adult contemporary charts and number 4 in the R&B charts. This made it the most successful "crossover" song in the four most important US single charts. It was also the only song that made her place in the UK charts.
In the same year she had two more hits with I'm Saving My Love and I Can't Stay Mad at You . The latter was written by the successful duo Gerry Goffin and Carole King and was more of a rock and roll than a pop country song. It was her second top 10 hit and the only song that was better placed on the pop than the country charts. With He Says the Same Things to Me and Gonna Get Along Without You Now , a cover version of a Teresa Brewer hit, she had two more top 50 hits in the pop charts.
In the mid-1960s, taste in music changed with the British Invasion , and Skeeter Davis found it increasingly difficult to get into the pop charts, even though it was not musically fixed and, for example, recorded a Buddy Holly cover album in 1967 . Most of all, however, she appeared in the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville and made recordings with country musicians such as Bobby Bare , Porter Wagoner , Don Bowman and George Hamilton IV. In addition, Felton Jarvis became her regular producers from 1966 and Ronny Light from 1969. Until the mid-1970s, her songs were regularly on the country charts, where she achieved a total of 41 chart positions. Starting in 1973, she was banned from appearing in the Grand Ole Opry for some time after publicly criticizing the Nashville police. A year later, the collaboration with the RCA label ended. Her last chart single, I Love Us , was released in 1976 on Mercury Records .
Then she retired from the music business for a long time. In 1983 she married Joey Spampinato, the bass player for the rock band NRBQ . She then released two albums of her own and in 1985, together with her husband's band, the album She Sings, They Play . Her last album, You Were Made for Me , with Norwegian country singer Teddy Nelson was released in 1990. Three years later she published her autobiography Bus Fare to Kentucky and later contributed to a Christmas book for children. After the end of their second marriage in the mid-1990s, she turned to religion and campaigned against alcohol and tobacco consumption. She also performed with religious songs and gospel songs , including again in the Grand Ole Opry. Skeeter Davis died on September 19, 2004 of complications from breast cancer .
Discography
Albums
| year | title |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 US
|
Country
|
|||
| 1963 | The End of the World | - | - | |
| 1964 | Cloudy, with Occasional Tears | - |
Country11 (1 week) Country |
|
| 1965 | Tunes for Two | - |
Country8 (9 weeks) Country |
with Bobby Bare
|
| 1967 | My Heart's in the Country | - |
Country14 (10 weeks) Country |
|
| 1968 | What Does It Take (To Keep a Man Like You Satisfied) | - |
Country17 (12 weeks) Country |
|
| Why So Lonely? | - |
Country33 (6 weeks) Country |
||
| I love Flatt & Scruggs | - |
Country39 (5 weeks) Country |
Tribute album with songs by Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs
|
|
| 1972 | Skeeter Sings Dolly | - |
Country45 (2 weeks) Country |
Tribute album with songs by Dolly Parton
|
| 1973 | The Best of Skeeter Davis, Vol. 2 | - |
Country48 (4 weeks) Country |
|
| I Can't Believe That It's All Over | - |
Country25 (8 weeks) Country |
||
gray hatching : no chart data available for this year
More albums
- 1959: I'll Sing You a Song and Harmonize, Too
- 1961: Here's the Answer
- 1962: Sing Duets (with Porter Wagoner )
- 1964: I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know
- 1964: Let Me Get Close to You
- 1965: The Best of Skeeter Davis
- 1965: Written by the Stars
- 1965: Blueberry Hill
- 1965: Skeeter Sings Standards
- 1966: Singin 'in the Summer Sun
- 1967: Hand in Hand with Jesus
- 1967: Skeeter Davis Sings Buddy Holly
- 1969: The Closest Thing to Love
- 1969: Mary Frances
- 1970: Easy to Love
- 1970: A Place in the Country
- 1970: Your Husband, My Wife (with Bobby Bare)
- 1970: It's Hard to Be a Woman
- 1971: Skeeter Skeeter Skeeter
- 1971: Love Takes a Lot of My Time
- 1971: Foggy Mountain Top
- 1972: Bring It On Home
- 1973: The Hillbilly Singer
- 1974: He Wakes Me with a Kiss
- 1975: The Versatile Skeeter Davis
- 1984: Live Wire
- 1984: Heart Strings
- 1985: She Sings, They Play (with NRBQ )
- 1990: You Were Made for Me (with Teddy Nelson)
Singles
| year | Title album |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 UK
|
US
|
Country
|
|||
| 1953 | I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know | - | - | - | |
| 1958 | Lost to a Geisha Girl | - | - | - |
Author: Lawton Williams; Producers: Chet Atkins, Anita Kerr
Answer song to Geisha Girl by Hank Locklin |
| 1959 | Set Him Free I'll Sing You a Song and Harmonize, Too |
- | - |
Country5 (24 weeks) Country |
Authors: L. Marie Wilson, Skeeter Davis, Penny Jay Moyers; Producer: Chet Atkins
|
| Homebreaker | - | - |
Country15 (13 weeks) Country |
Authors: L. Marie Wilson, Skeeter Davis; Producers: Chet Atkins, Anita Kerr
|
|
| 1960 | Am I That Easy to Forget I'll Sing You a Song and Harmonize, Too |
- | - |
Country11 (12 weeks) Country |
Authors: Carl R. Belew, WS Stevenson; Original: Carl Belew; Producer: Chet Atkins
|
| (I Can't Help You) I'm Fallin 'Too Here’s the Answer |
- |
US39 (7 weeks) US |
Country2 (16 weeks) Country |
Authors: Don Robertson , Hal Blair ; Producer: Chet Atkins
answer to Please Help Me, I'm Falling by Hank Locklin |
|
| 1961 | My Last Date (With You) Here's the answer |
- |
US26 (8 weeks) US |
Country5 (13 weeks) Country |
Original / Music: Floyd Cramer ; Text: Boudleaux Bryant , Skeeter Davis; Producer: Chet Atkins
|
| The Hand You're Holding Now | - | - |
Country11 (11 weeks) Country |
Original / author: Marty Robbins ; Producer: Chet Atkins
|
|
| Optimistic | - | - |
Country10 (11 weeks) Country |
Author: Aubrey C. Freeman; Producer: Chet Atkins
|
|
| 1962 | Where I Ought to Be | - | - |
Country9 (9 weeks) Country |
Author: Harlan Howard ; Producer: Chet Atkins
|
| The Little Music Box | - | - |
Country22 (1 week) Country |
Author: Rudy Thacker; Producers: Anita Kerr, Chet Atkins
|
|
| Something Precious Skeeter Davis Sings 'The End of the World' |
- | - |
Country23 (3 weeks) Country |
Author: Lorene Mann; Producers: Anita Kerr, Chet Atkins
|
|
| 1963 | The End of the World Skeeter Davis Sings 'The End of the World' |
UK18 (13 weeks) UK |
US2 (17 weeks) US |
Country2 (24 weeks) Country |
Music: Arthur Kent; Text: Sylvia Dee; Producer: Chet Atkins
|
| I'm Saving My Love Cloudy with Occasional Tears |
- |
US41 (7 weeks) US |
Country9 (14 weeks) Country |
Author: Alex Zanetis; Producers: Anita Kerr, Chet Atkins
|
|
| I Can't Stay Mad at You Let Me Get Close to You |
- |
US7 (13 weeks) US |
Country14 (10 weeks) Country |
Authors: Gerry Goffin , Carole King ; Producer: Chet Atkins
|
|
| 1964 | Gonna Get Along Without Ya Now Let Me Get Close to You |
- |
US48 (7 weeks) US |
Country8 (14 weeks) Country |
Original: Roy Hogsed; Author: Milton Kellem; Producer: Chet Atkins
|
| He Says the Same Things to Me Let Me Get Close to You |
- |
US47 (7 weeks) US |
Country17 (15 weeks) Country |
Authors: Peter Udell , Gary Geld ; Producer: Chet Atkins
|
|
| How Much Can a Lonely Heart Stand Let Me Get Close to You |
- |
US92 (1 week) US |
- |
Author: Sandra Rhodes; Producer: Chet Atkins
|
|
| Let Me Get Close to You Let Me Get Close to You |
- | - |
Country45 (4 weeks) Country |
Authors: Gerry Goffin, Carole King; Producer: Chet Atkins
|
|
| What Am I Gonna Do With You | - | - |
Country38 (5 weeks) Country |
||
| 1965 | A Dear John Letter Tunes for Two |
- | - |
Country11 (12 weeks) Country |
with Bobby Bare
Authors: Fuzzy Owen, Lewis A Talley; Producer: Chet Atkins |
| Sun Glasses Singin 'in the Summer Sun |
- | - |
Country30 (7 weeks) Country |
Author: John D. Loudermilk ; Producer: Chet Atkins
|
|
| 1966 | Goin 'Down the Road (Feelin' Bad) My Heart's in the Country |
- | - |
Country36 (9 weeks) Country |
Traditional; Producer: Felton Jarvis
|
| 1967 | Fuel to the Flame What Does It Take |
- | - |
Country11 (16 weeks) Country |
Authors: Bill Earl Owens, Dolly Parton ; Producer: Felton Jarvis
|
| What Does It Take (To Keep a Man Like You Satisfied) What Does It Take |
- | - |
Country5 (18 weeks) Country |
Writer: Jim Glaser , Producer: Felton Jarvis
|
|
| Set Him Free What Does It Take |
- | - | - |
New inclusion
Authors: L. Marie Wilson, Skeeter Davis, Penny Jay Moyers; Producer: Felton Jarvis |
|
| 1968 | For loving you | - | - |
Country72 (2 weeks) Country |
with Don Bowman
Author: Steve J. Karliski; Producers: Felton Jarvis, Chet Atkins |
| Instinct for Survival Skeeter Skeeter Skeeter |
- | - |
Country54 (7 weeks) Country |
Author: Jim Glaser; Producer: Felton Jarvis
|
|
| There's a Fool Born Every Minute Skeeter Skeeter Skeeter |
- | - |
Country16 (10 weeks) Country |
Authors: Paul Evans, Paul Parnes; Producer: Felton Jarvis
|
|
| 1969 | The Closest Thing to Love (I've Ever Seen) The Closest Thing to Love |
- | - |
Country66 (7 weeks) Country |
Author: Ronny Light; Producer: Felton Jarvis
|
| I'm a Lover (Not a Fighter) A Place in the Country |
- | - |
Country9 (15 weeks) Country |
Writer and producer: Ronny Light
|
|
| 1970 | Let's Get Together A Place in the Country |
- | - |
Country65 (2 weeks) Country |
with George Hamilton IV.
Author: Chet Powers; Producer: Ronny Light |
| Your Husband, My Wife Your Husband, My Wife |
- | - |
Country22 (7 weeks) Country |
(with Bobby Bare)
Authors: Irwin Levine, Toni Wine; Producer: Ronny Light |
|
| It's Hard to Be a Woman It's hard to Be a Woman |
- | - |
Country65 (5 weeks) Country |
Authors: Robert West , Richard Mainegra, Johnny Christopher; Producer: Ronny Light
|
|
| We Need a Lot More of Jesus It's Hard to Be a Woman |
- | - |
Country69 (3 weeks) Country |
Author: Wayne Raney; Producer: Ronny Light
|
|
| 1971 | Love Takes Up a Lot of My Time Love Takes Up a Lot of My Time |
- | - |
Country58 (8 weeks) Country |
Writer and producer: Ronny Light
|
| Bus Fare to Kentucky Skeeter Skeeter Skeeter |
- | - |
Country21 (13 weeks) Country |
Writer and producer: Ronny Light
|
|
| 1972 | Sad situation Skeeter Skeeter Skeeter |
- | - |
Country46 (8 weeks) Country |
Authors: Billy Deaton, Clyde Pitts; Producer: Ronny Light
|
| One Tin Soldier Bring It On Home |
- | - |
Country54 (7 weeks) Country |
Authors: Dennis E. Lambert, Brian Potter; Producer: Ronny Light
|
|
| 1973 | I Can't Believe That It's All Over I Can't Believe That It's All Over |
- | - |
Country12 (17 weeks) Country |
Author: Ben Peters; Producer: Ronny Light
|
| Don't Forget to Remember The Versatile Skeeter Davis |
- | - |
Country44 (10 weeks) Country |
||
| 1974 | One More Time The Versatile Skeeter Davis |
- | - |
Country65 (8 weeks) Country |
Author: Ronny Light; Producers: Ronny Light, Roy Dea
|
| 1976 | I love us | - | - |
Country60 (7 weeks) Country |
Author: Jeff Tweel
only Mercury single on the charts |
More singles
- 1957: He Left His Heart with Me (first solo single)
- 1958: I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know (solo version of the Davis Sisters hit)
- 1965: I Can't Help It
- 1972: A Hillbilly Song
swell
- ↑ a b c d Skeeter Davis , Steve Walker, This Is My Story, copy at Rockabilly.nl, accessed on May 11, 2016
- ↑ a b Top Pop Singles 1955-2006 by Joel Whitburn , Record Research 2007, ISBN 978-0-89820-172-7
- ↑ a b c Chart sources: UK US
- ↑ a b c biography in the Allmusic Guide, accessed on May 11, 2016
Web links
- Skeeter Davis at Allmusic (English)
- Single discography at 45cat
- Album discography on LP Discography
- Skeeter Davis at Discogs (English)
- Sound carrier by Skeeter Davis in the catalog of the German National Library
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Davis, Skeeter |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Penick, Mary Frances (real name); Penick, Skeeter (nickname) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American singer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | December 30, 1931 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Dry Ridge , Kentucky, USA |
| DATE OF DEATH | September 19, 2004 |
| Place of death | Nashville , Tennessee, USA |