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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZSPEARS, Billie Jo(b 14 January 1937, Beaumont TX; d 14 December 2011, Vidor TX) An obituary gave her year of birth as 1938. Country singer witha bluesy voice and a downhome personality, especially popular in UK. Her mother had played guitar with the Light Crust Doughboys. Billie Jo was a child prodigy, appearing on the Louisiana Hayride '51-2; made novelty 'Too Old For Toys, Too Young For Boys' '53 on Abbott. She worked at various jobs after high school, singing in clubs at night; songwriter Jack Rhodes persuaded her to come to Nashville, where she signed with UA, made some singles and became a session singer; signed with Capitol, had first hit 'He's Got More Love In His Little Finger' '68. 'Mr Walker, It's All Over' '69 was a top 5 hit, very much in the 'Harper Valley P.T.A.' mode (see Jeannie C. Riley) and led to a European tour with the Capitol Caravan. She had hits '69-71, then had a throat problem that prevented her from singing for a year. Back on UA she did an update of Bobby Goldsboro's 'See The Funny Little Clown' '74, then 'Blanket On The Ground' was no. 1 country hit USA, also no. 6 in UK pop chart, about a woman who wants her husband to come outside and make love in the moonlight. More USA hits '75-8, 'Sing Me An Old Fashioned Song', 'What I've Got In Mind', a cover of 'I Will Survive' all making the UK pop chart; her albums sold well in the UK at a time when in the USA she could not get a contract with a major label; she came back with a minor hit 'Midnight Blue' '84 on Parliament. Best Of on Razor & Tie CD. |