Wilma Burgess
| Wilma Burgess | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Wilma Charlene Burgess |
| Born | June 11, 1939 |
| Origin | Orlando, Florida, United States |
| Died | August 26, 2003 (aged 64) |
| Genres | Country |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1962–2003 |
| Labels |
United Artists Decca RCA Shannon |
| Associated acts | Jody Miller, Eddy Arnold |
| Website | Wilma Burgess Home Page |
Wilma Burgess (born Wilma Charlene Burgess; June 11, 1939 – August 26, 2003) was an American country music singer. She rose to fame in the mid-1960s and charted fifteen singles on the Billboard C&W charts between 1965 and 1975.
Wilma Burgess was born and raised in Orlando, Florida. Following high school graduation she proceeded to Stetson University in DeLand, Florida studying physical education. She had no interest in a musical career - although she had displayed her natural talent performing as a Pop singer on local television - until hearing Eddy Arnold in concert awakened her passion for C&W music.
In 1960 a songwriter friend of Burgess persuaded her to go to Nashville to record some demos of his compositions. One of the publishers Burgess sang for asked to manage her singing career and Burgess cut her first single in the fall of 1962 for the United Artists label.
Eventually Burgess came to the attention of Owen Bradley who heard in Burgess' voice the potential for a successor to the recently deceased Patsy Cline who Bradley had produced.
Bradley arranged for Burgess' signing with Decca where she had her first session in June 1964.
After three unsuccessful single releases Bradley had Burgess record the Ray Griff song "Baby" on 24 September 1965: the track proved to be Burgess' breakout hit reaching No. 7 C&W.
Burgess' expertise with teary ballads was further exemplified with the follow-ups "Don't Touch Me" (#12 C&W) and "Misty Blue" (#4) and logically her successful versions of these C&W classic tunes would have consolidated Burgess' position as a major player on the Nashville scene.
However Burgess' versions of both "Don't Touch Me" and "Misty Blue" were both overshadowed, the first by the concurrent release of a more successful version of "Don't Touch Me" by Jeannie Seely - for whom Hank Cochran (then Seely's husband) had written the song.
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