Billie Jo Spears

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Billie Jo Spears
Billie Jo Spears publicity photo.
Background information
Birth name	Billie Jean Spears
Also known as	Billie Jo Spears
Born	January 14, 1937
Origin	Beaumont, Texas
Genre(s)	Country
Occupation(s)	Singer
Years active	1964–Present
Label(s)	Abbot Records Capitol Records United Artists Records
Associated acts	Margo Smith, Tanya Tucker

Billie Jo Spears (born Billie Jean Spears January 14, 1937, in Beaumont, Texas) is an American Country Music Singer. In the 1970s, Billie Jo Spears landed a few big Country hits. Her best known hit by far is the 1975 song "Blanket On the Ground". She is known for Bluesy voice.

1 Early Life & Rise to Fame
2 The Height of Her Recording Career
3 Later Career & Life Today
4 Discography
- 4.1 Charted Singles
- 4.2 Albums
5 External links
6 Reference

[edit] Early Life & Rise to Fame

Although Billie Jo Spears had her biggest Country hits in the 1970s, she sounded more Earthly and more grounded on records than other singers trying to pass for Country Music during that time. This was because during the height of Spears' career in the 1970s, Country's sound moved more Pop-sounding. This new type of Country was called Countrypolitan, and the popular singers of this genre at the time were, Crystal Gayle, Lynn Anderson, Kenny Rogers, Ronnie Milsap, and Mac Davis. However, Spears, unlike so many of her contemporaries didn't follow the trends of the day, and proved to Nashville that Country Music can still have a more earthly sound.

Spears was born in 1937 in Texas. She made her professional debut at only age 13, at a Country Music concert in Houston, Texas. She cut her very first single while she was still a teenager called "Too Old For Toys, Too Young For Boys". The single was released by the Indie label named Abbot. She relased her first single under the name "Billie Jean Moore". She also performed on Louisiana Hayride. After graduating high school, she sang in nightclubs and was looking for a record deal. Spears moved from Texas to Nashville in 1964. She got her first recording contract with United Artists Records, and worked with producer Kelso Herston. Her first singles brought her little or no success. Soon her producer moved over to Capitol Records, and Spears did the same. She earned a Capitol Records recording contract in 1968.

She didn't have any success on the charts until the next year.

[edit] The Height of Her Recording Career

Spears finally struck gold in 1969, when her single "Mr. Walker It's All Over" became a big Country hit, reaching the Top 5. It even reached the Pop charts, at #80. The song was not just sassy, but also was full of spark. The song told of a secretary who was fed up of being discriminated while doing her job, and wasn't afraid to say so. She had a Top 20 hit in 1970 called "Marty Gray", however, none of other singles were Country hits. Her success while under Capitol, began to fade away, shortly after 1970. However, for Capitol, Spears recorded some cover versions of popular Country hits, like "Ode to Billie Joe" (originally by Bobbie Gentry) and "Harper Valley PTA" (originally by Jeannie C. Riley). She also recorded novelty songs, like "Get Me Behind Me Satan and Push". According to the book Country Music: The Rough Guide, her vocals in that song sounded similar to that of Loretta Lynn. Soon however, she decided she would have more success it she switched record companies.

In 1975, she left Capitol and returned back to United Artists Records, which was now the home to some of Country Music's Pop-based acts, like Kenny Rogers. In 1975, came the single "Blanket On the Ground", and it hit #1 that year, and her career took off shortly after that. The song hit number one on the country charts in the United States. The song did well in the United Kingdom, as well; the song climbed into the top five in the UK Singles Chart. An album of the same name was released that year, which was also a success. Spears' followed up "Blanket on the Ground" with the Top Ten "What I've Got In Mind." The track did even better across the Atlantic, turning out to be a second top 5 British hit. Spears had successes with "Misty Blue" (a song covered by numerous other artists, including Wilma Burgess in the 60s, who made the song a Top 10 Country hit), "'57 Chevrolet," "Love Ain't Gonna Wait For Us," "If You Want Me," and others. 1981's cover version of Tammy Wynette's 1960s hit, "Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad," was Spear's last voyage into America's country top 20. Her Greatest Hits album was a Top Ten best seller, and furthered her fan base.

[edit] Later Career & Life Today

By the mid 1980s, her success in the United States had tapered off. However, she retained a following in the UK, and remains a popular live performer there. Spears has recorded a number of albums for the British market that had limited, or even no release, in the U.S. This level of fame in the UK was summed up by the magazine, Country Music People, during the 1990s when their article described Spears as "The Queen Mother of country music." She continued releaseing album in the United States throughout much of the 1980s. However, by the late 80s, she didn't record as much. She recovered from triple bypass surgery in 1993, and continues to tour.

In 2005, Spears released the album I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Charted Singles

Year	Single	U.S. Country Singles	U.S. Pop Singles	Album
1969	"He's Got More Love In His Little Finger"	#48	-	Voice Of Billie Jo Spears
1969	"Mr. Walker, It's All Over"	#4	#80	Mr. Walker, It's All Over
1969	"Stepchild"	#43	-	Miss Sincerity
1970	"Daddy, I Love You"	#40	-	With Love
1970	"I Stayed Long Enough"	#30	-	Country Girl
1970	"Marty Gray"	#17	-	Country Girl
1971	"It Could Have Been Me	#23	-	Just Singin'
1972	"Souvenirs and California Mem'ries"	#68	-	Faded Love
1974	"See the Funny Little Clown"	#80	-	Blanket On the Ground
1975	"Blanket On the Ground"	#1	#78	Blanket On the Ground
1975	"Stay Away From the Apple Tree"	#20	-	Blanket On the Ground
1976	"Sliver Wings and Golden Rings"	#20	-	Billie Jo
1976	"Misty Blue"	#5	-	What I've Got In Mind Ain't Mine
1976	"What I've Got In Mind"	#5	-	What I've Got In Mind Ain't Mine
1976	"On The Rebound" (with Del Reeves)	#29	-	By Request
1976	"Teardrops Will Kiss The Morning Dew" (with Del Reeves)	#42	-	By Request
1976	"Never Did Like Whiskey"	#18	-	I'm Not Easy
1977	"I'm Not Easy"	#11	-	I'm Not Easy
1977	"If You Want Me"	#8	-	If You Want Me
1977	"Too Much Is Not Enough"	#18	-	If You Want Me
1978	"'57 Chevrolet"	#16	-	Lonely Hearts Club
1978	"I've Got To Go"	#17	-	Lonely Hearts Club
1978	"Lonely Hearts Club"	#18	-	Lonely Hearts Club
1979	"Love Ain't Gonna Wait For Us"	#24	-	Love Ain't Gonna Wait For Us
1979	"I Will Survive"	#21	-	I Will Survive
1979	"Livin' Our Love Together"	#23	-	I Will Survive
1980	"Rainy Days and Stormy Nights"	#21	-	I Will Survive
1980	"Standing Tall"	#15	-	Standing Tall
1980	"Natural Attraction"	#39	-	Standing Tall
1981	"Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad"	#13	-	Only the Hits
1981	"What the World Needs Now Is Love"	#58	-	Only the Hits
1984	"Midnight Blue"	#39	-	(single only)

[edit] Albums

Year	Album	U.S. Country Albums
1968	The Voice of Billie Jo Spears	-
1969	Mr. Walker, It's All Over	#26
1969	Miss Sincerity	#41
1970	With Love	-
1970	Country Girl	-
1971	Just Singin'	-
1975	Faded Love	-
1975	Blanket On the Ground	#4
1975	Billie Jo	#45
1976	What I've Got In Mind Ain't Mine	#7
1976	By Request (with Del Reeves)	#46
1976	I'm Not Easy	#36
1977	If You Want Me	#39
1978	Lonely Hearts Club	#46
1978	Love Ain't Gonna Wait For Us	-
1979	I Will Survive	-
1979	Singles Album	-
1979	The Best	-
1980	Standing Tall	#70
1981	Only the Hits	-
1981	For the Good Times	-
1982	Fever	-
1983	What Just Came Apart At the Dreams	-
1983	Today	-
1985	It Could Have Been Me	-
1986	Billie Jo Spears	-
1994	The Best	-
1994	Special Songs	-
2005	I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry	-