Dottie West biography

Synopsis

Early Career

Singer, songwriter. Born Dorothy Marie Marsh on October 11, 1932, in McMinnville, Tennessee. One of ten children, West grew up to become a country music star. She spent her early years doing chores on her family's small farm. West began performing on the radio as a teenager. She studied music at Tennessee Technological University where she met her future husband, musician and songwriter Bill West. They married in 1953.

The couple landed a recording deal in 1959 with Starday Records and moved to Nashville two years later. West became friends with country music legend Patsy Cline. She got to know other important musicians and songwriters, such as Willie Nelson. She scored her first Top 40 hit with the single "Let Me Off at the Corner" on the country charts in 1963. The next year, her hit song "Here Comes My Baby" won the 1964 Grammy Award for Best Female Country & Western Vocal Performance. West was the first woman to receive this award. She became a member of the Grand Ole Opry at the same time - another sign of her increasingly important role in country music. Only a select group of country music artists are ever asked to join the weekly radio program and perform on its stage.

Further Success

West continued to build on her early successes, releasing fifteen albums in the 1960s. One of her biggest hits from this era was "Would You Hold It Against Me," featured on the 1966 album Suffer Time. Often wearing simple dresses, West stayed close to her country girl roots. She became known for her sincere-sounding vocals and for taking on all kinds of heartache in her lyrics. She also made hits with other country music performers. On Dottie and Don (1969), West teamed up with Don Gibson. Their song "Rings of Gold" reached the number two spot on the country charts. The two were nominated for the 1969 Vocal Group of the Year Award from the Country Music Association (CMA). They were nominated again the next year for the Vocal Duo of the Year Award.

Personal and Professional Changes

The 1970s brought personal and professional changes in West's life. She divorced her husband and married drummer Bryan Metcalf - a much younger man. She also came out with a new image, wearing tight clothes and sexy makeup. She continued making hits, including the 1973 smash "Country Sunshine," which hit the country and pop charts. Starting in the late 1970s, West joined forces with Kenny Rogers on a series of successful duets, including "Every Time Fools Collide" (1978), "All I Ever Need Is You" (1979), and "What Are We Doin' in Love" (1981). West and Rogers won the Best Duo of the Year Award from the CMA for 1978 and 1979.