Born 88 Years Ago Today in Tennessee, the George Jones Duet Partner Who Toured With Roy Acuff and Penned a Major George Strait Hit

On this day (October 14) in 1938, Melba Montgomery was born in Iron City, Tennessee. She started her career as a member of Roy Acuff’s touring band. Then, she recorded a series of duets with George Jones and Gene Pitney, which overshadowed her solo work. Later in her career, she finally found success as a solo recording artist. Montgomery also wrote songs that were recorded by a long list of country greats, including George Strait and Randy Travis.

Montgomery grew up in a large musical family. She and her six siblings learned to sing and play multiple instruments as children. In her teens, Montgomery entered and won several talent contests. One of the prizes she earned was an appearance on the Grand Ole Opry in 1958. The 19-year-old singer made an impression on Roy Acuff. Soon, she moved to Nashville and became the “girl singer” in Acuff’s road band.

Montgomery spent four years with Acuff, according to Hillbilly Music. During that time, she honed her skills as a singer and performer and gained a following among country music fans. Unfortunately, her popularity didn’t translate to record sales. Her 1962 debut single, “Shoe Old Ranger,” failed to chart. She released two more singles that missed the chart.

While those singles weren’t commercially successful, they caught George Jones’ ear. He eventually convinced producer Pappy Daily to sign Montgomery to United Artists in 1963.

That year, she landed two top 40 country singles with “Hall of Shame” and “The Greatest One of All.” The next year, she released her debut album, America’s Number One Country and Western Girl Singer. However, it would be more than a decade before she found success as a solo act.

Melba Montgomery Sang Hit Duets

Melba Montgomery’s work as a duet singer quickly overshadowed her solo releases. She and George Jones released “We Must Have Been Out of Our Minds” in 1963. It peaked at No. 3. Their debut album, Singing What’s in Our Hearts, also reached No. 3 on the country chart. It was the first of four top 40 singles for the duo.

Montgomery also recorded with Gene Pitney, Charlie Louvin, Lee Dillard, and Judy Lynn. None of those partnerships were as successful as her work with Jones, though.

Solo Career and Songwriting

Melba Montgomery’s solo career started to gain traction in the early 1970s. While she didn’t launch a string of hits, her singles were consistently landing on the chart. In 1974, she notched her sole No. 1 with “No Charge,” a song about motherhood. The next year, she broke into the top 20 again with “Don’t Let the Good Times Fool You.” Montgomery scored her final hit as a recording artist in 1977 with “Angel of the Morning.”

Several artists have recorded Montgomery’s songs over the years. For instance, George Strait had a top 10 hit with “What Do You Say to That” in 1999. She also co-wrote “Out of Control Raging Fire.” Travis Tritt and Patty Loveless recorded it as a duet. Randy Travis made “You and You Alone” the title track from his 1998 album.

[RELATED: Long Before Tammy, George Jones Perfected the Country Duet With a Different Singer Who Was “Nervous As a Cat” During Their First Meeting]

Melba Montgomery retired in 2015 after Jack Solomon, her husband and musical collaborator of 46 years, died. Ten years later, she died after a long battle with dementia.

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