Born on This Day in 1939, the “Tennessee Yodeler” and Kindergarten Teacher Turned Country Music Hitmaker

Known for her distinct vocals and notable yodeling skills, Margo Smith got a late start to her country music career. Born Betty Lou Miller on this day (April 9) in 1939 in Dayton, Ohio, Smith was in her thirties by the time she scored her first No. 1 hit, 1977’s “Don’t Break the Heart That Loves You”.

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Raised on a farm outside Dayton city limits, Margo Smith learned to sing and yodel as a child. However, she never dreamed of seeing her name in bright lights, instead pursuing a degree in elementary education at Wittenberg University in Springfield. For nearly a decade, she taught full-time while starting a family with her first husband.

Smith started out singing folk and country songs—many of which she wrote herself—to her students, often accompanying herself on the ukulele. Eventually, she began performing at PTA meetings, developing a local following that soon led to her recording a demo

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Signing with 20th Century Fox Records in 1975, Smith scored her first major hit with the self-penned “There I Said It”, which reached No. 8 on the Hot Country Songs chart. Her self-titled debut record was also a hit on the album charts, and her next single,  “Paper Lovin’”, cracked the top 40.

Unfortunately, 20th Century Fox shuttered its Nashville division shortly after, leaving Smith without a musical home.

[RELATED: 3 Country Songs From 1976 That Deserved To Hit No. 1]

The Many Faces of Margo Smith

Fortunately, Margo Smith landed a record deal with Warner Bros., where she worked with producer Norro Wilson. Smith landed three Top Ten singles through 1977, including “Take My Breath Away” and her first No. 1 hit, “Don’t Break the Heart That Loves You.” 

A second No. 1 followed in 1978 with “It Only Hurts for a Little While,” and the follow-up, “Little Things Mean a Lot”, reached No. 3.

Not long after, Smith decided to pivot from her “housewife” image, remaking her public persona into what writer Kurt Wolff called “a middle-aged sexpot.” This career transition brought the hits “Still a Woman” and “He Gives Me Diamonds, You Give Me Chills.”

Reverting to her previous wholesome image in the early 1980s, Smith would score a few more minor hits during that decade before linking up with her daughter, Holly, to form the gospel duo Margo Smith & Holly. The mother-daughter pairing earned a nod for Vocal Duo of the Year at the second annual Christian Country Music Awards in 1994 and remained popular on the Christian music touring circuit.

Margo Smith died on January 23, 2024, in Franklin, Tennessee, from complications of a stroke she suffered two days earlier. She was 84.

Featured image by David Redfern/Redferns