Dubbed as the "First Lady of Country Music," Tammy Wynette was married five times in her life, and one of her husbands was country giant George Jones. She recorded many hit songs in her lengthy music career, sixteen of which topped the Billboard Country Charts.
Along with Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn, Wynette was one of the genre's most beloved singers. Country Music Television (CMT) ranked Wynette as the second most influential woman in its 2002 "40 Greatest Women of Country" show.
The following five tunes stand out as the country legend's most remarkable: "Stand By Your Man," "'Til I Can Make It On My Own," "D-I-V-O-R-C-E," "Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad" and "I Don't Wanna Play House."
"Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad"
This song was the title track of Wynette's debut album, as well as her first major radio hit. It went on to peak at #3 on the Billboard Country Charts.
"I Don't Wanna Play House"
This was her first #1 song on the Country Charts, which stayed in that position for three weeks. This song received the "Best Female Country Vocal" Grammy in 1968 and earned Wynette her first of three consecutive CMA "Female Vocalist of the Year" awards. In this song, Wynette makes a bold statement in that she her younger daughter does not want to follow into her footsteps.
"D-I-V-O-R-C-E"
Yet another sad tune by Wynette, which reached the top of the country charts in the summer of 1968. In the song's melancholic lyrics, she talks about the new word that she and her former husband will be hiding from their four-year old child.
"'Til I Can Make It On My Own"
This heartbreaking song was about Wynette trying her overcome her divorces. It is one of the most emotional vocals of her career, sung with much honesty and conviction. It is a tune that the songstress has considered as one of her all-time favorite recordings. In the modern country scene, this song has been covered by Faith Hill and Martina McBride, both of which were heavily inspired by Wynette and her music.
"Stand By Your Man"
This tune was Wynette's signature song, as well as one of the best-selling country singles in history by a female artist, up until Dolly Parton released "9 to 5" in the early 1980s. Co-written by Wynette herself, it peaked at #1 on the country charts for three weeks, and earned her a Grammy award for "Best Female Country Vocal."
In CMT's 2003 list of "100 Greatest Songs," this song ranked as the #1 song in the genre. During that telecast, it was performed by country vocalist Martina McBride, who delivered a spellbinding rendition of the Wynette classic that received a standing ovation from the audience.
The Verdict
Wynette was a fearless woman and a powerhouse vocalist who was not afraid to sung about controversial issues such as divorce, which were considered unusual at the time. She truly helped pave the way for many females in country, as well as the topics they could sing about. Although Wynette passed away at the age of 55, her country songs will live on forever.
Markos Papadatos - Markos Papadatos holds over six years journalism experience, authoring over 700 articles, many of which are feature profile interviews.
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