Billie Jo Spears
| Billie Jo Spears | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Billie Jean Spears |
| Also known as | Billie Jean Moore |
| Born |
January 14, 1938 Beaumont, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | December 14, 2011 (aged 73) Vidor, Texas, U.S. |
| Genres | Country |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Years active | 1950–2011 |
| Labels |
Abbot Records Capitol United Artists |
| Associated acts | Margo Smith, Tanya Tucker, Philomena Begley |
Billie Jean Spears (January 14, 1937 – December 14, 2011), known professionally as Billie Jo Spears, was an American country music singer. She reached the top 10 of the country music chart five times between 1969 and 1977, her biggest being "Blanket on the Ground", a 1975 number-one hit. She also had a large following in the United Kingdom with two of her singles reaching the pop top five.
Spears was born in Beaumont, Texas, United States. She made her professional debut at age 13 at a country music concert in Houston, Texas. She cut her first single, "Too Old For Toys, Too Young For Boys", while still a teenager. It was released by independent record label Abbot Records, under the name Billie Jean Moore. She also performed on the Louisiana Hayride at 13. After graduating from high school, she sang in nightclubs and sought a record deal. Her early career was orchestrated by country/rockabilly songwriter Jack Rhodes. Working out of his makeshift recording studio, Rhodes took it upon himself to provide Spears with material and clout in her early years. Spears moved from Texas to Nashville, Tennessee, in 1964. She gained her first recording contract with United Artists Records and worked with producer Kelso Herston. Her first singles brought her little success. Soon, her producer moved over to Capitol Records and Spears followed. She was placed under contract by the label in 1968.
One of Spears's first singles for the label was "Harper Valley PTA", but her single release was beaten off the presses by Jeannie C. Riley's version which became a monster crossover hit, while Spears's failed to chart.
Spears' first hit came in 1969, when her Capitol Records release "Mr. Walker It's All Over" reached number four on the country chart. It also reached the pop charts at number 80. The song told of a secretary who resigned a job where she was unappreciated for her skills and encountered sexual harassment. She gained four more top-40 country hits during the next two years, but by late 1972, was off Capitol and had two years without a charting release.
...
Wikipedia