Norma Jean (singer)
| Norma Jean | |
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Norma Jean in 1968
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Norma Jean Beasler |
| Also known as | Pretty Miss Norma Jean |
| Born | January 30, 1938 |
| Origin | Wellston, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Genres | Country |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 1950–present |
| Labels | RCA Victor, Columbia |
| Associated acts | Porter Wagoner, Wanda Jackson, Liz Anderson, Bobby Bare, Kitty Wells |
| Website | Pretty Miss Norma Jean |
Norma Jean Beasler (born January 30, 1938), better known as Norma Jean, is an American country music singer who was a member of The Porter Wagoner Show from 1961–1967. She had 13 country singles in Billboard's Country Top 40 between 1963 and 1968, recorded twenty albums for RCA Victor between 1964 and 1973, received two Grammy nominations, and was a Grand Ole Opry member for a number of years.
Norma Jean Beasler was born January 30, 1938 in Wellston, Oklahoma, and grew up admiring country singer Kitty Wells, whom she considers her biggest influence. She got her start performing on radio stations in the Oklahoma City area; and by age 12, she had her own radio show on KLPR-AM. She toured Oklahoma with various bands, starting with Merl Lindsay and His Oklahoma Night Riders at age 16, followed by the Bill Gray Band at 18. Norma was the Bill Gray Band's full-time vocalist, and made guest appearances with major country stars. Early on, she befriended soon-to-be country star Wanda Jackson.
In 1955, she got a regular spot on the ABC-TV show Ozark Jubilee in Springfield, Missouri, where she stayed for two years and first received national exposure. Host Red Foley suggested calling her simply Norma Jean, and she made it official in 1958; she also became known on the program as Pretty Miss Norma Jean. She met Porter Wagoner on the show, and in 1959, signed a recording contract with Columbia Records. A string of unsuccessful singles followed, and she moved to Nashville, Tennessee where Wagoner invited her to audition for his syndicated weekly TV program, The Porter Wagoner Show. She became a regular on the show in 1961 and stayed for six years Jean toured and performed across the country with Wagoner, and RCA Victor producer Chet Atkins signed her to a recording contract with RCA Victor.
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