American country music singer-songwriter (1932–1991)
Dottie West
West in a promotional photograph, 1977
Born
(1932-10-11)October 11, 1932
Frog Pond, Tennessee, U.S.
Died
September 4, 1991(1991-09-04) (aged 58)
Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Alma mater
Tennessee Polytechnic Institute
Occupations
Singer
songwriter
actress
Years active
1956–1991
Spouses
Bill West
(m. 1953; div. 1972)
Byron Metcalf
(m. 1973; div. 1981)
Al Winters
(m. 1983; div. 1990)
Children
4, including Shelly
Awards
Awards and nominations
Musical career
Origin
McMinnville, Tennessee, U.S.
Genres
Country
Nashville Sound
country pop
Instrument(s)
Vocals
guitar
Labels
Starday
Atlantic
RCA Victor
United Artists–Liberty
Permian
Musical artist
Dottie West (born Dorothy Marie Marsh; October 11, 1932 – September 4, 1991[1]) was an American country singer and songwriter. She also had several credits as an actress. A distinguished figure in the country genre, West was among several people who helped to elevate the platform of female country artists. She was also known for mentoring up-and-coming artists and being the first woman to win a country music accolade from the Grammy Awards.
West's exposure to country music in childhood influenced her continued music education at Tennessee Polytechnic Institute. After marrying, the family moved to Ohio where West made her first appearances singing on regional television. Her aspirations to write and record country led to West getting a Starday Records recording contract in 1959. West and her family then moved to Nashville, Tennessee where she continued recording and releasing unsuccessful singles for Starday. In 1963, West signed with RCA Victor, where she had first success. Her self-penned "Here Comes My Baby" (1964) became a top ten US country song and won her a Grammy. Writing and co-writing her own material, West had more top ten Nashville Sound-influenced singles like "Would You Hold It Against Me", "Paper Mansions" and "Rings of Gold".
West continued recording for RCA through 1976, having a crossover pop single with 1973's "Country Sunshine". The latter was also a Coca-Cola commercial jingle that was played routinely on television. Moving to United Artists Records (which later bought Liberty Records, West had her peak success in her middle age. In the late 1970s, she recorded two albums with Kenny Rogers. Their first duet "Every Time Two Fools Collide" (1978) became her first chart-topping single and was followed by four more top ten songs. The newfound success led to her own solo career reigniting. In 1980, West had her first chart-topping solo single with "A Lesson in Leavin'" and was followed by several more top 20 songs.
In the early 1980s, West began an acting career, appearing on television shows such as The Love Boat and films like The Aurora Encounter. She signed a new recording contract with Permian Records and her last album was released there in 1984. West continued appearing on television and touring. However, her increased spending habits would lead to her filing for bankruptcy in 1990. Her personal possessions were sold in a public auction by the Internal Revenue Service and she was forced to sell her home. While in the midst of planning a career comeback, West was killed in a car accident in 1991. Following her death, her life was made into a television movie and she was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
^Larkin, Colin, ed. (1993). The Guinness Who's Who of Country Music (First ed.). New York City: Guinness Publishing. pp. 439/440. ISBN 0-85112-726-6.
DottieWest (born Dorothy Marie Marsh; October 11, 1932 – September 4, 1991) was an American country singer and songwriter. She also had several credits...
Shelly West (born May 23, 1958) is an American country music singer. Her mother was the country music star DottieWest, whose career spanned three decades...
included several successful collaborations, including duets with singers DottieWest, Dolly Parton, and Sheena Easton, and a songwriting partnership with...
Look up Dottie or Dotty in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Dottie or Dotty is a feminine given name or nickname (most often a short form of Dorothy) which...
The singles discography of American country artist DottieWest contains 59 singles released as a solo artist, 12 singles released as a collaborative artist...
friend DottieWest debuted on CBS titled, Big Dreams and Broken Hearts: The DottieWest Story. It included several scenes that showcased West's friendship...
Dottie Rambo (March 2, 1934 – May 11, 2008) was an American gospel singer and songwriter. She was a Grammy winning solo artist and multiple Dove award-winning...
The albums discography of American country artist DottieWest contains 28 studio albums as a solo artist, five studio albums as a collaborative artist...
other artists. 2006: Kenny Rogers – The Journey with the First Edition DottieWest, Willie Nelson, and Dolly Parton 2007: Flashbacks: Pop Parade (includes...
Release date: 1970 Label: RCA Victor — Country Boy and Country Girl (with DottieWest) Release date: December 1970 Label: RCA Victor 42 Everybody Knows Release...
(with DottieWest) "Love or Something Like It" "Anyone Who Isn't Me Tonight" (with DottieWest) "The Gambler" "All I Ever Need Is You" (with DottieWest) "She...
soon thereafter, including Tammy Wynette, Loretta Lynn, Glen Campbell, DottieWest, Joan Baez, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, Tony Roletti, Mariah Carey...
"Tonight You Belong to Me" was recorded by American country music artist DottieWest. It was released as a single, peaking at number 30 on the Billboard Hot...
Gatlin caught country singer DottieWest's attention, who thought that he resembled Mickey Newbury.[citation needed] West was impressed with Gatlin's songwriting...
vocalists to record a composition was DottieWest who cut the song "It Just Take Practice" for her 1965 album DottieWest Sings. The same year, Connie Smith...
starring Jack Elam, Mickey Hays, Peter Brown, Carol Bagdasarian, and DottieWest. Its plot follows the residents of a small Texas town at the turn of...
Best Female Country Vocal Performance was first awarded in 1965, to DottieWest. The award has had several minor name changes: From 1965 to 1967, the...
Cash) The Apostle – Robert Duvall (w/ Wynonna & Gary Chapman) Red Rocks West – Nicolas Cage (w/ Johnny Cash) Apple Logic Pro demo sounds American Automobile...
movies, including a biopic of late country star DottieWest (Big Dreams and Broken Hearts: The DottieWest Story) and she became the first woman to star...
American country singer and songwriter DottieWest has been awarded during her lifetime and posthumously. Among her first accolades was from the Grammy...
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