Norma Nicole "Skeeter" Davis (December 30, 1931 - September 19, 2004) was an American country music singer and a member of the Grand Ole Opry radio show for more than 40 years. She was best known for her hit song "The End of the World" (1963).

Biography

Davis was born Mary Frances Penick on a farm in Dry Ridge, Kentucky. She took the surname Davis when she became half of the "Davis Sisters" duet in the 1950s and the first name Skeeter because her grandfather said she was so active, she buzzed around like a mosquito.

Davis attended Dixie Heights High School near Covington, Kentucky, where she met Betty Jack Davis and the two formed The Davis Sisters. They signed a recording contract with RCA Victor and had a number one hit with the song "I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know." Shortly thereafter, Betty was killed in a car wreck. Skeeter Davis was critically injured in the same accident. She recuperated and launched a solo career. By 1957, Davis was one of the top rated singers in country music. She was particularly known for doing her own harmony vocals through overdubbing, a rarity in those days, and was a friend and associate of Chet Atkins.

She became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1959, the same year she was nominated for a Grammy award for the song "Set Him Free". During the 1960s, Skeeter was one of RCA's most successful country artists. She charted 41 country hits, 13 of which crossed over to the pop charts. The best-known of these was "The End Of The World", which peaked at number two in both the U.S. country and pop charts in 1963. Other major hits included "My Last Date With You", "Am I That Easy to Forget", "I Can't Stay Mad At You", "Gonna Get Along Without You Now", "What Does it Take", and "I Can't Believe That it's All Over". She received five Grammy nominations.

In 1973, the Opry suspended Davis for dedicating a song to recently arrested Christians witnessing at a public mall during an Opry performance, deeming her remarks "politicial", but was reinstated in 1975 and continued to perform until 2004. In the 1970's, she began regularly touring foreign countries such as Barbados, Singapore, and Sweden where she was among the most popular entertainers of any field.

Davis was married four times, the first being to Kenneth Depew. She married Ralph Emery in 1960 and divorced in 1964. Then, she married NRBQ bass player Joey Spampinato , with whom she collaborated on an acclaimed 1985 album "She Sings, They Play". Davis and Spampinato were divorced in 1996.

Her autobiography, Bus Fare to Kentucky, was published in 1993. Davis was a devout Christian. Davis battled breast cancer since 1988, and died of it in a Nashville, Tennessee hospice. She had lived in Franklin, Tennessee until her death.

Selected Discography

• I'll Sing You A Song (And Harmonize Too) (1960)
• Sing Duets (1962) with Porter Wagoner
• The End of The World (1963)
• Let Me Get Close to You (1964)
• Written By The Stars (1965)
• My Heart's In The Country (1966)
• Hand In Hand With Jesus (1967)
• The Closest Thing To Love (1969)
• A Place In The Country (1970)
• Love Takes A Lot Of Time (1971)
• The Hillbilly Singer (1973)
• She Sings, They Play (1985) with NRBQ
• The Side of the Devil (1993)

Resources

• "Skeeter Davis".Skeeter Davis Unofficial Site. Retrieved Sep. 20, 2004.
• Annotated Discography

References

• The Associated Press. "Skeeter Davis, Country Singer, 72". The New York Times. September 22, 2004. A28.
• William A. Weathers. "Skeeter Davis a star on the Grand Ole Opry: Dry Ridge native had hit with 'End of the World'". The Cincinnati Enquirer. September 20, 2004. B4.