Renowned country singer, Margo Smith, has passed away at the age of 84. Smith, who gained popularity in the late 1970s and was famously nicknamed "The Tennessee Yodeler," leaves behind an impressive collection of country and Christian music hits.
Smith, originally named Betty Lou Miller, was born in Dayton, Ohio. She developed a passion for performing after being influenced by a television program and even acquired the skill of yodeling at a tender age. However, she opted to pursue a career in teaching rather than pursuing her aspirations of becoming a country music sensation.
According to AllMusic, her unique journey towards fame started when she first started singing in her classroom and later during parent-teacher association gatherings. This eventually led to opportunities for radio performances, which then resulted in her making a demo record and eventually signing a recording contract.
Starting in 1979, Smith started to express her femininity more openly. One of the tracks from her album A Woman, titled "Still a Woman," became a successful Top 10 hit and was notably daring in its message.
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 high / Remember, I am still a woman."
In 1979, Smith's album Just Margo had a daring cover that depicted her wearing only a satin robe. Although it may resemble a housecoat in 2024, back then it was considered bold. While her popularity on country radio was declining, her willingness to openly discuss sex and incorporate provocative concert performances helped boost ticket sales.
Suddenly, she reverted back to her role as a teacher from Ohio and expressed feelings of remorse for this particular phase in her life. According to Music Row, in 1983 she began embracing the persona of the Tennessee Yodeler, but as time went on, she transitioned into a more conservative mindset. Alongside her daughter Holly, she adopted the stage names Margo Smith and Holly, and together they achieved success as an award-winning Christian country duo.
During the later stages of her life, Smith relocated to Florida and dedicated her time to yodeling. She generated income by imparting her yodeling skills to others, with one of her notable students being Taylor Ware, the runner-up of America's Got Talent in 2006. Eventually, she moved back to Nashville and passed away at the age of 84 on January 23rd.
A stroke had occurred to her a few days ago. Smith's husband, Richard Cammeron, and her extended family are the ones who are left behind after her passing, along with their son and two daughters.
The family is kindly requesting that instead of sending flowers, they would greatly appreciate if you could make a donation to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
In loving memory: 40 talented country singers and songwriters who were taken from us too early. Credit for the gallery goes to Billy Dukes.
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