Skeeter was raised on a
farm and as a child knew that she wanted to be a country singer. She acquired
the nickname of Skeeter (a local term for a mosquito) from her grandfather
because he considered that she was always as active and buzzing around just like
the insect. In her mid-teens, she formed a duo with school friend Betty Jack
Davis (b. 3 March 1932, Corbin Kentucky, USA, d. August 1953) and together they
began to sing in the Lexington area. In 1949, they appeared on local radio WLAX
and later were featured on radio and television in Detroit, Cincinnati and
eventually on the WWVA WHEELING JAMBOREE in West Virginia. They first recorded
for Fortune in 1952 but the following year they successfully auditioned for RCA
and their recording of I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know quickly became a
number 1 US country and number 18 US pop hit.
On August 23, 1953, the
singers’ car was involved in a collision with another vehicle, resulting in the
death of Betty Jack and leaving Skeeter critically injured. It was over a year
before Skeeter recovered physically and mentally from the crash and it was only
with great difficulty that she was persuaded to resume her career.
Eventually she briefly
teamed up with Betty Jack's sister, Georgia Davis and returned to singing. In
1955, she went solo and for a time worked with RCA's touring Caravan Of Stars as
well as with Eddy Arnold and Elvis Presley. Her recording career, under the
guidance of Chet Atkins, progressed and she gained her first solo US country
chart hit in 1958 with Lost To A Geisha Girl, the female answer to the Hank
Locklin hit, Geisha Girl. The following year, her co-written song Set Him Free
became her first country Top 10 hit. She fulfilled one of her greatest ambitions
in 1959, when she moved to Nashville and became a regular member of the GRAND
OLE OPRY. During the '60s, she became one of RCA's most successful country
artists, registering 26 US country hits, 12 of them achieving crossover US pop
chart success. The most popular included another ‘answer’ song in I Can't Help
You, I'm Falling Too, (the reply to Hank Locklin's Please Help Me I'm Falling)
and My Last Date. She co-wrote the latter with Boudleaux Bryant and pianist
Floyd Cramer, whose instrumental version had been a million-seller in 1960.
In 1963, she achieved a
million-selling record herself with The End Of The World, which peaked at number
2 in both the US country and pop charts. It also gave her her only UK pop chart
entry, reaching number 18 in a 13 week chart life in 1963. (The song also became
a UK pop hit for Sonia in 1990). Davis also had successful recordings with Bobby
Bare (A Dear John Letter) and Don Bowman (a novelty number, For Loving You).
Davis toured extensively in the '60s and '70s, not only throughout the USA and
Canada but also to Europe and the Far East, where she is very popular. She
played all the major US television network shows, including regular appearances
with Duke Ellington and also appeared on a The Rolling Stones tour.
Her recording career
slowed down in the '70s but her hits included I'm A Lover (Not A Fighter), Bus
Fare To Kentucky and One Tin Soldier. She also made the charts with Bobby Bare
on Your Husband, My Wife and with George Hamilton, IV on Let's Get Together (a
US pop hit for the Youngbloods in 1969). In 1973, she had a minor hit with the
Bee Gees’ Don't Forget To Remember and a Top 20 country and minor pop hit with I
Can't Believe That It's All Over. It was to prove a slightly prophetic title,
since only two more chart hits followed, the last being I Love Us on Mercury in
1976—she having left RCA two years earlier.
She has recorded several
tribute albums, including one to Buddy Holly, which featured Waylon Jennings on
guitar and also one to her friend Dolly Parton. She also re-recorded May You
Never Be Alone, a Davis’ Sisters success, with NRBQ in 1985. From 1960-64, she
was married to well-known WSM radio and television personality Ralph Emery, but
she subsequently received heavy criticism in Emery's autobiography. She later
married Joey Spampanito of NRBQ.
She became something of
a rebel after the break-up of her second marriage. She settled in a
colonial-style mansion set in several hundred acres in Brentwood, Tennessee, and
surrounded herself with dogs, Siamese cats, a dove in a gilded cage and even an
ocelot named Fred. Her extreme religious beliefs saw her refusing to appear in
places that sold intoxicating drinks. She even stopped growing tobacco on her
farm, giving the reason for both actions: ‘As a Christian, I think it's harmful
to my body’.
In 1973, her strong
criticisms of the Nashville Police Department during her act at the OPRY caused
her to be dropped from the roster. She was later reinstated and still usually
sings religious or gospel songs on her regular appearances.
Information
from Microsoft Music Central
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