Renowned country singer Margo Smith has passed away at the age of 84. Throughout the late 1970s, she achieved great success on the country music charts and was later recognized as "The Tennessee Yodeler." Her extensive discography includes numerous country and Christian hits.
Betty Lou Miller, who eventually became known as Smith, was born in Dayton, Ohio. Her passion for performing was ignited after watching a television show in her local area. Despite learning how to yodel at a young age, she made the decision to pursue a career in teaching rather than chasing her aspirations of becoming a country star.
According to AllMusic, the unique journey to fame for this individual started when she began singing in her classroom and later during meetings of the parent teacher association. This eventually led to opportunities to perform on radio, which then resulted in her creating a demo record and eventually signing a recording contract.
In 1979, Smith started to openly express her femininity more. One of her songs called "Still a Woman," which was a popular hit and featured in her album titled A Woman, was particularly daring and audacious.
In the chorus, she sings, "Simply close the door and switch off the light / The plane is set to take off tonight / Brace yourself as we soar through the sky / Remember, I am still a woman."
In 1979, Smith's album "Just Margo" had a bold cover featuring her wearing a satin robe. This was considered daring at the time, although in 2024, the outfit may be seen more like a housecoat. While her popularity on country radio declined, her willingness to openly discuss sex and incorporate provocative performances into her concerts helped boost ticket sales.
Then, unexpectedly, she reverted back to being the teacher from Ohio and expressed remorse for this phase of her life. According to Music Row, in 1983 she began to adopt the Tennessee Yodeler persona, but ten years later she had transitioned into a more conservative mindset. Alongside her daughter Holly, she formed the duo Margo Smith and Holly, which gained recognition as an acclaimed Christian country act.
During the later stages of her life, Smith relocated to Florida where she dedicated her time to yodeling. She made a living by imparting her yodeling skills to others, with one of her most notable students being Taylor Ware, who was the runner-up on America's Got Talent in 2006. Eventually, she returned to Nashville and passed away on January 23 at the age of 84.
A stroke had occurred to her only a few days ago. Smith is survived by her spouse, Richard Cammeron, as well as a son, two daughters, and other relatives.
Instead of sending flowers, the family is kindly requesting that people make a donation to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
40 country singers and songwriters who passed away too early are being remembered. The credit for the gallery goes to Billy Dukes.
Additional content from Taste of Country can be found here. For more information, please