Kitty Wells

USA, 1936–2000

The first woman to top the country chart. 'It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels' (1952) answered Hank Thompson from the woman's side, was banned by the Grand Ole Opry and NBC, and sold anyway — disproving the industry's settled belief that women could not headline. Every female country singer after her works in the room she opened.

MusicRoots documents 1 artist who influenced Kitty Wells and 3 artists Kitty Wells influenced in turn. Every connection cites a published source.

Who influenced Kitty Wells?

• The Carter Family — She took her stage name from one of their songs, and the melody of the record that made her — 'It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels' — is theirs too.

Which artists did Kitty Wells influence?

• Tammy Wynette — Kitty Wells is among the singers Wynette grew up hearing on the radio, and the precedent for a woman answering back in a country song.
• Loretta Lynn — Wells had already made a country song that answered men back, and that is the ground Lynn's own writing stands on.
• Dolly Parton — The model, and not only musically: Wells had already proved a woman could headline, which is the precondition for Parton's whole career. The honky-tonk phrasing on Parton's earliest recordings is Wells's.