JEANNIE SEELY

A native of Townville, Pennsylvania, Jeannie Seely’s love for the Grand Ole Opry dates back to her early childhood. At age of four, she was listening to the Opry on Saturday night radio shows, and by age eleven, she was performing on a weekly radio show in Meadville, Pennsylvania. In 1962, after years of playing auditoriums, small clubs and country music parks, Jeannie moved to Los Angeles at the age of 21, and found work as a secretary at Liberty Records in Hollywood. Soon she was writing for Four Star Music, where her songs were recorded by artists like Dottie West, Tex Williams and Ray Price.

In 1962, she met a successful young songwriter named Hank Cochran, who was impressed with her writing and called her "the first I’ve heard sing with the feeling of Patsy Cline without trying to sound like her". In 1965, at Cochran’s urging, she moved to Nashville and signed with Monument Records. Her first release, Don’t Touch Me, quickly rose to #1 on the charts and earned her a 1966 Grammy Award for the Best Female Country Vocal Performance. Jeannie soon became the country’s hottest new female artist. She was a featured act on the Ernest Tubb television show, toured with Porter Waggoner, and did military tours for US troops in Europe and Asia. In 1967, Jeannie’s lifelong dream was fulfilled when she was awarded membership into the Grand Ole Opry.

In 1969, Jeannie Seely signed with Decca Records and recorded a duet with fellow Opry member, Jack Greene. Their song, Wish I Didn’t Have to Miss You, became a #1hit. Jeannie and Jack were one of the most successful road shows in the business, receiving numerous Grammy nominations and being listed as one of the tops five duets in the nation by the Country Music Association. Jeannie and Jack enjoyed consistent Top 10 hits, including What in the World Has Gone Wrong With Our Love, Much Obliged and You and Me Against the World. As a duet they worked to bring country music to a wider audience, by appearing at Madison Square Garden, hosting the International Country Music Festival in London, and acting as Music City’s Goodwill Ambassadors to the Eleventh Annual United Nations Banquet and Concert in Washington, DC.

Throughout her career, Jeannie Seely recorded 27 country hits, including Its Only Love, A Wanderin Man, I’ll Love You More Than You Need, How Is He? and Welcome Home to Nothing for Monument, and Can I Sleep In Your Arms? and Lucky Ladies for Decca Records. She also received a song writing award from BMI for Leaving and Saying Goodbye, which became a number one hit when recorded by Faron Young.

Jeannie has appeared on the television shows Hee Haw, The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, Crock and Chase, Nashville Alive, Nashville Now, The Grand Ole Opry and
Backstage at the Grand Ole Opry. Her acting talents have also been featured in the film Honeysuckle Rose and in 1998, she portrayed Miss Mona in the sold-out production if The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center. In 1990, she performed the straight comedy title role in a production of Everybody Loves Opal. During the holiday season, she adds her Country Christmas Breakfast Show to the festivities at the Opryland Hotel.

This multi-talented entertainer is celebrating 33 years as a member of the Grand Ole Opry and she still creates a stir every tine she walks on stage!