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Born on This Day in 1942, the First Lady of Country Music and One of the Genre’s Most Tragic Stars
On this day (May 5) in 1942, Virginia Pugh was born in Tremont, Mississippi. History remembers her as Tammy Wynette, the First Lady of Country Music, who recorded several hits in the 1960s and ’70s, including “Stand by Your Man.” Her marriage to George Jones was one of the most talked-about relationships in the genre’s history. However, their joint recording career was more successful than their marriage. After releasing music that inspired generations of artists, Wynette died in 1998 at the age of 55.
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Pugh married her first husband, Euple Byrd, a month before she finished high school. They had two children, but lived in poverty and moved often. During this time, she went to beauty school, working toward a cosmetology license, and took a job as a barmaid in Memphis, where she sometimes sang for customers. In 1966, she was a divorced mother of three who had toured briefly with Porter Wagoner. With her eyes on the big time, she moved to Nashville.
Tammy Wynette Dominated the Country Music World
Less than a month after she moved to Nashville, Virginia Pugh took the stage name Tammy Wynette and began her recording career with Epic Records. This was also the beginning of her long partnership with producer Billy Sherrill. From there, things began to move quickly.
Wynette released her first single, “Apartment No. 9,” in 1966. It peaked at No. 44 on the country chart. The next year, she reached No. 3 with “Your Good Girl’s Gonna Go Bad.” Her next release, “My Elusive Dreams,” a duet with David Houston, reached the top of the country chart. She followed that with “I Don’t Wanna Play House,” her first solo No. 1. She released six more solo singles before the decade ended. All but one of them topped the country chart. “I’ll See Him Through,” her final single of the 1960s, stalled at No. 2.
Those chart-topping singles included “D-I-V-O-R-C-E” and “Stand by Your Man,” her signature song. She also won Female Vocalist of the Year three years in a row between 1968 and 1970, according to the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Heartache Behind the Scenes
Tammy Wynette’s songs were full of heartbreak. Unfortunately, so was her life. She married Don Chapel in 1967. Their relationship ended in 1968 after she and her children left home with George Jones after an argument in which Jones told Chapel he was in love with Wynette.
Wynette and Jones became Mr. and Mrs. Country Music. At Jones’ side, she was hailed as the First Lady of Country Music. They were the most talked-about couple in Nashville, and their duets and collaborative tours were incredibly successful. However, Jones’ substance abuse issues made their married life rocky, to say the least. They eventually divorced in 1975.
The next year, she married Michael Tomlin, but the marriage was annulled later that year. In 1978, she married George Richey, her final husband. Richey was a songwriter and producer, and the pair had worked together previously. After they married, he became her full-time manager.
After marrying Richey, Wynette gave him full control of her career and finances, allowing her to focus solely on her music. However, some sources say that Richey exerted more control over her life than she publicly admitted.
Wynette’s biographer, Jimmy McDonough, interviewed several artists who worked with Richey for his 2010 book, Tammy Wynette: Tragic Country Queen. George Jones told him, “I believe a lot of things went on that shouldn’t have went on,” about Richey’s treatment of Wynette.
No matter what went on behind the scenes, the couple remained married until the end of Wynette’s life. She died in 1998 from a blood clot in her lung at the age of 55. Richey took control of her estate after her passing.
Tammy Wynette’s Legacy Is Immortal
Despite the difficulties she faced in her private life, Tammy Wynette’s career was legendary. She released 20 No. 1 singles and took home dozens of awards, including a pair of Grammys. More importantly, she inspired and influenced generations of artists. Her legacy as a singer and songwriter will outlive even her youngest fans.
Featured Image by Michael Putland/Getty Images
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