Melba Montgomery
Melba Joyce Montgomery (born October 14, 1938) is an American country music singer and songwriter. She is known for a series of duet recordings made with George Jones, Gene Pitney and Charlie Louvin. She is also a solo artist, having reached the top of the country charts in 1974 with the song, "No Charge". Born in Tennessee but raised in Alabama, Montgomery had a musical upbringing. Along with her two brothers (songwriters Carl and Earl Montgomery), she placed in a talent contest which brought her to the attention of Roy Acuff. For several years she toured the country as part of his band until she signed with United Artists Records in 1963. At United Artists, Montgomery collaborated with George Jones on a series of duets. Their first was 1963's "We Must Have Been Out of Our Minds", which became a top five single on the country charts. For several years, Jones and Montgomery toured and recorded together. Among their other singles was "What's in Our Heart", "Let's Invite Them Over" and "Party Pickin'". Montgomery became more identified as a duet artist as the decade progressed. She recorded with both Gene Pitney and Charlie Louvin on several charting country singles. However, her solo career was overshadowed until she moved to Elektra Records in 1973. Her 1974 song about motherhood called "No Charge" became a commercial success in several genres. It was followed by a series of charting singles, including the top 20 "Don't Let the Good Times Fool You" (1975). Montgomery continued her solo career. In 1977, she reached the top 40 of the country charts again with a cover of the song, "Angel of the Morning". In the eighties, she released several recordings including the album I Still Care and the charting single "Straight Talkin'". In the nineties, Montgomery began working as a songwriter in the country music community. She wrote songs that were recorded by a series of artists. Among them was George Strait, who recorded "What Do You Say to That", which became a top ten country single. Montgomery has also continued sporadically releasing music as a country artist. Her most recent album was 2010's Things That Keep You Going, issued on RPM Music. Early life Melba Joyce Montgomery was born into a musical family in Iron City, Tennessee, United States. Siblings, Carl and Earl Montgomery, later became songwriters in the country music field. She was raised in Florence, Alabama where her father taught vocal lessons in the local Methodist church. Montgomery first began singing in the Methodist church and was later given a guitar at age ten. Montgomery and her two brothers formed a trio in their late teens. When she was age 20, the sibling trio won an amateur talent contest held at Nashville radio station WSM's Studio C, which at that time housed the Grand Ole Opry. Impressed by her singing, talent content judge, Roy Acuff, invited Montgomery to tour with him in replace of singer, June Webb. Montgomery toured with Acuff from 1958 until