Jeannie Seely was an East Coast native (from Pennsylvania) who got the country bug as a young girl, and set out to make her fortune in the music business, at first writing songs for others to sing, and then eventually moving to Nashville, where she was the "girl" singer in Porter Wagoner's road show, after Norma Jean left in 1965. The next year, she broke out as a solo artist, scoring a national hit with her first single, Hank Cochran's "Don't Touch Me," and later became a lifelong member of the Grand Ole Opry. Seely later hit the road as Jack Greene's duet partner, and was married to Cochran for several years. Her career was sidelined in 1977 when she was in a near-fatal car crash; Seely has recorded off and on over the years, and also did a lot of stage and film acting, often country biopics and other music-related roles. Here's a quick look at her career...
Jeannie Seely "Greatest Hits: Original Country Recordings" (Sony Special Products/Point Productions, 1992)
Jeannie Seely "Greatest Hits On Monument" (Sony, 1993)
A straight reissue of a 1973 best-of, all of it quite good. This has two more songs on it than the Original Country Recordings disc above.
Jeannie Seely & Jack Greene "20 All-Time Greatest Hits" (Tee Vee, 2003)
Apparently these are re-recorded versions of their old hits, duets and songs from each singer's career from the 1970s... Not sure when these recordings were made, but it's marginal material, at best.
Jeannie Seely & Jack Greene "Greatest Hits" (Hollywood, 1994)
Not sure about these either... These might be the real deal.
Jeannie Seely "The Seely Feeling" (Monument, 1966)
(Produced by Fred Foster)
Jeannie Seely "Thanks Hank" (Monument, 1967) (LP)
(Produced by Fred Foster)
A mellow, easygoing tribute to songwriter Hank Cochran who, not coincidentally, was Seely's husband at the time. This is a nice album -- much like his records, this is not dazzling, but it gets the point across. Also, much like his records, there was no chart action, though country fans can take comfort in the fine, low-key performances. (Reissued as Make The World Go Away, on Columbia's Harmony imprint; the Harmony reissue is missing three songs: "These Memories," "I Want To Go With You," and "Someone's Waiting.")
Jeannie Seely "I'll Love You More" (Monument, 1967)
(Produced by Fred Foster)
Jeannie Seely "Little Things" (Monument, 1968)
(Produced by Fred Foster & Jim Malloy)
Jeannie Seely "Jeannie Seely" (Decca, 1969)
(Produced by Owen Bradley)
Jeannie Seely & Jack Greene "Jeannie Seely & Jack Greene" (Decca, 1969)
(Produced by Owen Bradley & Harry Silverstein)
Jeannie Seely "Please Be My New Love" (Decca, 1970)
Jeannie Seely "Can I Sleep In Your Arms/Lucky Ladies" (MCA, 1973)
(Produced by Walter Haynes)
Jeannie Seely & Jack Greene "Two For The Show" (MCA, 1973)
Jeannie Seely & Jack Greene "Live At The Grand Ole Opry" (Pinnacle, 1977)
(Produced by Jack Greene & Hank Cochran)
Jeannie Seely "Number One Christmas" (1994)
Jeannie Seely "Personal" (1997)
Jeannie Seely "Been There, Sung That" (1999)
Jeannie Seely "Life's Highway" (OMS, 2003)
It's interesting to hear one-time chart-topper Jeannie Seely adopting a bluegrass-based backing (courtesy of 'grass pickers Glenn Duncan, Rob Ickes, Buck White and others...)Ê Honestly, though, her voice ain't what it used to be, and while this disc will be a welcome addition for her devoted fans, it's not nearly as strong as her best old stuff.
Links
Hick Music Index
