Whatever Happened To Country Music Star Margo Smith?
When we talk about the great ladies in country music history, names like Kitty, Tammy, Loretta, and Dolly invariably come up. Well, in the 1970's, when I first began a career in radio broadcasting, there was another name.
The single featured above was a #1 Country Music smash in 1977, 'Don't Break The Heart That Loves You'. She had a couple Top Ten hits prior to that, but 'Don't Break The Heart That Loves You' made many of us really sit up and take notice.
Who was this lady with the beautiful voice?
Well, she began as Betty Lou Miller, Ohio born and wanting to be a kindergarten teacher, something she accomplished. But since singing as a child, she found the pull of music too strong to deny. So it was, eventually, off to Nashville!
20th Century Records heard that voice, like what they heard, and signed Margo to a record contract in 1975.
But as happens in the recording industry, 20th century shuttered their Nashville doors and Margo signed with Warner Brothers. It turned out to be a great career move. Working with famed Nashville producer Norro Wilson, Margo recorded a couple Top Ten hits, followed by that first #1 in 1977, which by the way was a 1962 Pop hit for Connie Francis.
But for me, it was her follow up, the 1978 smash 'It Only Hurts For A Little While', that made me a life long Margo Smith fan.
By the way, I didn't realize that 'It Only Hurts For A Little While' had been an Ames Brothers hit in 1956!
Margo's last Top 10 hit came in 1979.
So whatever happened to the great Margo Smith?
Well, this world class yodeler (one of the people she taught was runner-up on 'America's Got Talent' in 2006) still occasionally tours and lives outside of Leesburg, Florida. Margo is 72 years old.
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