Norma Jean

Norma Jean Beasler (born January 30, 1938), known professionally as Norma Jean, is an American singer who found popularity in the country music genre. She was also known for her collaboration with Porter Wagoner (preceding Dolly Parton) on his television program and touring shows during the 1960s. Her solo recordings also became commercially successful and discussed themes about the working class and women's independence.

Raised in Oklahoma, Norma Jean got her start performing on local radio. With the help of childhood friend and future singer, Wanda Jackson, she became a cast member of the Ozark Jubilee television show in 1955. She also met Wagoner on the show, who made her a cast member of his newly-created television program in 1960. Her popularity with Wagoner's show led to a recording contract with RCA Victor. The label issued a series of singles during the 1960s that made the US country songs chart, including the top-20 "Let's Go All the Way" and the top-10 single "Go Cat Go". RCA also released a series of studio albums of Norma Jean's material during the 1960s, most of which made the US country albums chart. She also became a regular member of the Grand Ole Opry during the decade.

Norma Jean left Wagoner's show in 1967 but continued recording for RCA through 1973, releasing about a dozen more albums with the label. She later left the cast of the Grand Ole Opry and went into a period of semi-retirement in Oklahoma during the second half of the 1970s. She married and divorced three times during this period as well. In 1983, she returned to country music industry where she released an album that was sold on television. Norma Jean also became more religious and began performing gospel music later in life. In 2005, her first album of new material in several decades was released called The Loneliest Star in Texas. Her most recent album was issued in 2014 and titled Aged to Perfection. She was later inducted into Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame in 2013.

Early life Norma Jean Beasler was born on January 30, 1938 in a farmhouse located near Wellston, Oklahoma. Beasler grew up in a rural environment with limited money or resources. "We never had many treats or toys, but I was never without love," she remembered. Beasler became interested in country music from a young age. She often listened to the Grand Ole Opry and traded in a bicycle to buy a guitar from Sears and Roebuck. Her family moved to Oklahoma City in the mid-1940s where Beasler later landed her own radio show. she got a regular spot on the ABC-TV show in 1955 called the Ozark Jubilee, in Springfield, Missouri. Beasler stayed with the program for two years and it was her first performing exposure to a national audience.

Career 1959–1966: Rise to fame, The Porter Wagoner Show and breakthrough In 1959, Marty Robbins helped get her a recording contract with Columbia Records, however none of her recordings became successful. Her first Columbia release was 1959's "Honolulu Queen", which featured a Hawaiian-styled arrangement and was given a B+ rating by Cash Box magazine.

While on the Ozark Jubilee, she had met Porter Wagoner Norma Jean then appeared on Wagoner's 1963 live album (also called The Porter Wagoner Show) and the 1964 live album (Porter Wagoner in Person Recorded Live). Her popularity on the program led to producer Chet Atkins taking notice and signing her to a contract with RCA Victor. Released in 1963, "Let's Go All the Way" became her first commercial success, reaching number 11 on the US country songs chart. Its follow-up, "I'm a Walkin' Advertisement (For the Blues)", made the US country top-40 in 1964. Both singles were then included on Norma Jean's debut album, also called Let's Go All the Way (1964). The same year, the song "Go Cat Go" became her first top-10 country single, reaching number eight. She also joined the cast of the Grand Ole Opry in 1965.

Norma Jean continued having commercial success in the country genre as the decade progressed. In the book Finding Her Voice: The History of Women in Country Music, she recounted that telling Wagoner about her departure "was not real cordial" due to their romantic affair. "Jackson Ain't a Very Big Town" was also included on album of the same name that made it to number 11 on the country LP's survey. Despite the single release only reaching number 53 on the country chart It was included on the 1968 LP, Body and Mind, which consisted of tracks with lyrical content focused on infidelity. Both of her 1968 album offerings made the top-40 of the US country albums survey. The disc was her final to make the country albums chart, rising into the top-40 in 1969. Among her later RCA LP's was Another Man Loved Me Last Night (1970), whose songs centered on "heartbreak and regret", according to AllMusic's Greg Adams. She eventually left RCA in 1973.

Discography

Studio albums Let's Go All the Way (1964) Pretty Miss Norma Jean (1965) Please Don't Hurt Me (1966) Norma Jean Sings a Tribute to Kitty Wells (1966) The Game of Triangles (1967) Norma Jean Sings Porter Wagoner (1967) Jackson Ain't a Very Big Town (1967) Heaven's Just a Prayer Away (1968) Heaven Help the Working Girl (1968) Body and Mind (1968) Love's a Woman's Job (1968) Country Giants (1969) Another Man Loved Me Last Night (1970) It's Time for Norma Jean (1970) Norma Jean (1971) Norma Jean Sings Hank Cochran Songs (1971) Thank You for Loving Me (1972) I Guess That Comes from Being Poor (1972) The Only Way to Hold Your Man (1973) The Loneliest Star in Texas (2005) Aged to Perfection (2014)