Margo Smith (born Betty Lou Miller; April 9, 1939 – January 23, 2024) was an American

country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...

and

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

music singer–songwriter. She had several years of country success during the 1970s, which included two number one hits on the ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States. This 50-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly by collecting airplay data along with digital sales and streaming. ...

chart. In the 1990s, she transitioned towards the Christian market and issued two successful albums. She is also known for her

yodeling Yodeling (also jodeling) is a form of singing which involves repeated and rapid changes of pitch between the low-pitch chest register (or "chest voice") and the high-pitch head register or falsetto. The English word ''yodel'' is derived from t ...

vocal skills and is often referred to as "The Tennessee Yodeler". Smith was born and raised in Ohio. During her childhood she learned how to sing and yodel. After graduating high school, Smith chose to pursue a career in education. For nearly a decade Smith taught elementary school and started a family with her first husband. In her thirties, she decided to begin a singing career full-time and also started songwriting. In 1971, she released her first album titled '' I'm a Lady'' and developed a following. By 1975, Smith had signed with

20th Century Fox Records 20th Century Fox Records (also known as 20th Fox Records and 20th Century Records, or simply 20th Century Fox Film Scores and Fox Records) was a wholly owned subsidiary of film studio 20th Century Fox. The history of the label covers three distin ...

and had her first major hit on the country charts with the song "

There I Said It "There I Said It" is a song written and recorded by American country artist Margo Smith. It was released as a single in 1975, becoming her first major hit as a musical artist. The song was originally recorded for 20th Century Fox Records in Janua ...

." She had further hits in the 1970s with songs like "

Take My Breath Away "Take My Breath Away" is a song written by Giorgio Moroder and Tom Whitlock for the 1986 film ''Top Guns soundtrack, performed by American new wave band Berlin and included on their album '' Count Three & Pray''. The song won the Academy ...

" and "

Don't Break the Heart That Loves You "Don't Break the Heart That Loves You" is an American song written by Benny Davis and Murray Mencher (using the pseudonym Ted Murry). The song was a success for two artists in two different genres: Connie Francis in the pop field in 1962 and Mar ...

". In 1979, Smith released the single "

Still a Woman "Still a Woman" is a song co-written and released as a single by American country artist Margo Smith. It was one of several top ten country hits Smith would enjoy during the late 1970s. The song was the first single released from her 1979 album ent ...

" and made significant changes to her musical persona. The transition helped to briefly elevate Smith's commercial country music career and she had further hits. By the early 1980s, Smith regretted making stylistic changes to her career and left her recording contract. She released music independently during the 1980s while also issuing albums through major labels. In the 1990s, Smith transitioned towards Christian music and recording two albums with her daughter, Holly. The pair won awards for their collaborative music and performed for several years. In later years, Smith continued performing as a solo act at her residence in Florida.

Early life

Smith was born Betty Lou Miller in

Dayton, Ohio Dayton () is a city in Montgomery County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of cities in Ohio, sixth-most populous city in Ohio, with a population of 137,644 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The Dayton metro ...

, on April 9, 1939. For most of her career, Smith told the press that she was born in 1942, however it was later confirmed she was born in 1939. According to relatives, Smith lied about her age to make herself appear younger. She was raised on a farm outside the Dayton city limits. She had been interested in performing since childhood, especially after watching country singers on the local television show, ''

Midwestern Hayride ''Midwestern Hayride'', sometimes known as ''Midwest Hayride'' and later ''Hayride'', was an American country music show originating in the 1930s from radio station WLW and later from television station WLW-T in Cincinnati, Ohio. During the 1950 ...

.'' At an early age, she learned how to

yodel Yodeling (also jodeling) is a form of singing which involves repeated and rapid changes of pitch between the low-pitch chest register (or "chest voice") and the high-pitch head register or falsetto. The English word ''yodel'' is derived from t ...

, which became a part of her performing style. In high school, she sang as part of a trio called the Apple Sisters. However, Smith chose to pursue teaching professionally. She graduated from

Wittenberg University Wittenberg University (officially Wittenberg College) is a private liberal arts college in Springfield, Ohio. It has 1,326 full-time students drawn from 33 states and 9 foreign countries. Wittenberg University is associated with the Evangelical ...

with a major in

elementary education Primary education is the first stage of formal education, coming after preschool/kindergarten and before secondary education. Primary education takes place in ''primary schools'', ''elementary schools'', or first schools and middle schools, de ...

. After graduating, she taught

kindergarten Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cen ...

for five years and then briefly taught third grade for two years. She then returned to kindergarten by the early 1970s. Although teaching full-time, Smith found ways to incorporate music into her classroom. She often wrote songs that would be embedded into her lessons. Learning to perform the

ukulele The ukulele ( ; ); also called a uke (informally), is a member of the lute (ancient guitar) family of instruments. The ukulele is of Portuguese origin and was popularized in Hawaii. The tone and volume of the instrument vary with size and con ...

, Smith often used it to calm energetic children in her class.

Career

1970–1975: Country beginnings and success at 20th Century Fox

Smith started performing professionally in her mid thirties. Under her married name, Bette Smith, she began singing at PTA meetings and on local radio broadcasts. Her performances developed a local following and she eventually recorded a

demo record A demo (shortened from "demonstration") is a song or group of songs typically recorded for limited circulation or for reference use, rather than for general public release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas in a fixed for ...

. Under the same name she released her debut album in 1971 titled '' I'm a Lady.'' The record was issued on Nashville North Records and contained a total of 12 tracks. Eight of the album's songs were composed by Smith herself and also featured covers of

gospel Gospel originally meant the Christianity, Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the second century Anno domino, AD the term (, from which the English word originated as a calque) came to be used also for the books in which the message w ...

recordings, including " In the Garden." Smith also released four singles on the

Chart A chart (sometimes known as a graph) is a graphics, graphical representation for data visualization, in which "the data is represented by symbols, such as bars in a bar chart, lines in a line chart, or slices in a pie chart". A chart can repres ...

and Sugar Hill labels during this period. At the same time, Smith maintained her full-time teaching career, working at Westlake Elementary School in

New Carlisle, Ohio New Carlisle ( ) is a city in Clark County, Ohio, United States. The population was 5,559 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Springfield, Ohio metropolitan area. History New Carlisle was originally called Monroe, and under the latter name w ...

. She also took several graduate courses and painted landscapes during her free time. In 1975, Smith signed with

and began recording under the name Margo Smith. Her first release for the label was the single "

." The self-composed song became a major hit, reaching number eight on the ''

chart. It also climbed into the top 20 of the ''

RPM Revolutions per minute (abbreviated rpm, RPM, rev/min, r/min, or r⋅min−1) is a unit of rotational speed (or rotational frequency) for rotating machines. One revolution per minute is equivalent to hertz. Standards ISO 80000-3:2019 def ...

'' Country Singles chart in Canada. In September 1975, her eponymous debut album was issued on 20th Century Fox and included ten self-penned tracks. The project was also her first to chart on the ''Billboard'' country albums list. Later that year, Smith's next single, "Paper Lovin'", reached the top 40 of the country songs survey. Following its release, 20th Century Fox announced the closing of its Nashville division. Smith was soon left without a record label by the end of 1975.

1976–1980: Peak success and image metamorphosis

In 1976, Smith signed with

Warner Bros. Records Warner Records Inc. (known as Warner Bros. Records Inc. until 2019) is an American record label. A subsidiary of Warner Music Group, it is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It was founded on March 19, 1958, as the recorded music division ...

and began working under the production of record producer

Norro Wilson Norris Denton "Norro" Wilson (April 4, 1938 – June 8, 2017) was an American country music singer-songwriter, producer, and member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Wilson wrote or co-wrote numerous hit songs during more than 40 yea ...

. Her first hit with the label was a cover of

Brotherhood of Man Brotherhood of Man were a British pop group who achieved success in the 1970s with three number one hits in the UK. They won the 1976 Eurovision Song Contest with " Save Your Kisses for Me". Created in 1969 by songwriter and record producer ...

's "

Save Your Kisses for Me "Save Your Kisses for Me" is a song recorded by British group Brotherhood of Man, written by Tony Hiller with band members Lee Sheriden and Martin Lee. It in the Eurovision Song Contest 1976 held in The Hague, winning the contest. The song be ...

." The song reached the top ten of the ''Billboard'' country singles survey in 1976. Her second studio album was also issued in 1976 titled, ''

Song Bird A songbird is a bird belonging to the suborder Passeri of the perching birds (Passeriformes). Another name that is sometimes seen as the scientific or vernacular name is Oscines, from Latin ''oscen'', "songbird". The Passeriformes contains 5,00 ...

.'' The record featured four songs written by Smith, along with covers of songs by

Ray Price Noble Ray Price (January 12, 1926 – December 16, 2013) was an American country music singer, songwriter, and guitarist. His wide-ranging baritone is regarded as among the best male voices of country music, and his innovations, such as prope ...

and

Dottie West Dottie West (born Dorothy Marie Marsh; October 11, 1932 – September 4, 1991) was an American country singer and songwriter. She also had several credits as an actress. A distinguished figure in the country genre, West was among several people ...

. ''Song Bird'' peaked in the top 40 of the ''Billboard'' country albums survey. In 1977, Smith's self-penned single, "

," reached number seven on the ''Billboard'' chart. The song was included on her third studio album titled ''

Happiness Happiness is a complex and multifaceted emotion that encompasses a range of positive feelings, from contentment to intense joy. It is often associated with positive life experiences, such as achieving goals, spending time with loved ones, ...

.'' Jim Worbois of

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

rated the project at three stars, calling it "a collection of songs that constantly crosses the line between country and pop." Three more singles were spawned from the album, including the top 20 hit, " Love's Explosion," and a duet with producer Norro Wilson. Margo Smith--1977

In 1978, Warner Bros. released two singles by Smith that became number one singles on the ''Billboard'' country songs survey. Both "

" and "

It Only Hurts for a Little While "It Only Hurts for a Little While" is a 1956 popular song with music by Fred Spielman and lyrics by Mack David. The recording by The Ames Brothers was released by RCA Victor Records as catalog number 20-6481. It first reached the Billboard ma ...

" reached the top spot and had previously been

pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop! (British group), a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Album ...

hits a decade prior to Smith's cover. Her next single release was also a pop cover: "

Little Things Mean a Lot "Little Things Mean a Lot" is a popular song, with lyrics by Edith Lindeman and music by Carl Stutz, published in 1953. Lindeman was the leisure editor of the ''Richmond Times-Dispatch,'' and Stutz, a disc jockey from Richmond, Virginia. Stutz ...

." The song reached number three on the country songs chart. All three tracks also reached top ten positions on the ''RPM'' chart in Canada. The songs were issued on Smith's fifth studio album, ''

.'' The album included a mixture of cover tunes and original recordings, including a self-penned track by Smith. The album was her highest-charting record in the United States, reaching number 27 on the ''Billboard'' country albums survey in 1978.

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

gave the project a three-star rating. Others took notice of Smith's singing style with the album's release. Writers Mary A. Bufwack and Robert K. Oermann remarked of her musical image during this period as being "housewifey," while also highlighting the "Jean Arthur purr in her voice." In 1979, Smith felt her music lacked an identity of its own. Together, with songwriter

Mack David Mack David (July 5, 1912 – December 30, 1993) was an American lyricist and songwriter, best known for his work in film and television, with a career spanning the period between the early 1940s and the early 1970s. David was credited with writing ...

and producer Norro Wilson, she wrote a song that would alter her artistic image. Titled "

," the song focused on the marital needs facing middle-aged women, according to an excerpt from ''Billboard'' magazine. Smith also spoke of the song in the same interview: "I wanted to write a song that said 'hey, even though I may have a few children and a few gray hairs, I'm just as good as I ever was'." Released as a single, it reached number seven on the ''Billboard'' country list and the top 20 of the ''RPM'' chart in 1979. The song was released on a similarly themed album called ''

A Woman A woman is an adult female human. Woman, A Woman, or The Woman may also refer to: Film * ''Woman'' (1918 film), an American silent film directed by Maurice Tourneur * ''Woman'' (1948 film), a Japanese film by Keisuke Kinoshita * ''Woman'' (1 ...

.'' The project peaked at number 36 on the country albums chart. Writer Greg Adams described ''A Woman'' as having "a mildly adventurous spirit." Kurt Wolff commented that ''A Woman'' made Smith into "a middle-aged sexpot." The album would also produce a second single in 1979. Smith's cover of "

If I Give My Heart to You "If I Give My Heart to You" is a popular song written by Jimmy Brewster (Milt Gabler), Jimmie Crane, and Al Jacobs. The most popular versions of the song were recorded by Doris Day and by Denise Lor; both charted in 1954. Main versions The re ...

" would reach the top ten of the ''Billboard'' country chart in 1979. Smith's new musical style brought further career changes. She began incorporating a new concert style that included "increasingly flashy" stage shows, according to Kurt Wolff. She also included stage choreography and spoke openly about sex in interviews. "Sex is a part of every woman and if she says it ain't, she's a liar. That's the way I feel," she explained in 1980. Her career persona helped increase her fan club, which began to include a larger female audience. She also received more concert work, opening for larger country acts with her band Night Flight. She continued the same image with her next album release titled '' Just Margo'' (1979). The album's cover featured Smith wearing just a satin robe. Sales in Canada brought the album to the number 14 spot on the ''RPM'' Country Albums survey in 1979. It also produced the top 20 country hit, " The Shuffle Song," which Smith co-wrote. She transitioned into 1980 with the album ''

Diamonds and Chills ''Diamonds and Chills'' is a studio album by American country music artist Margo Smith. It was released in September 1980 via Warner Bros. Records and was produced by David Barnes. It was Smith's eighth studio album released in her music career an ...

,'' whose album cover displayed Smith with a "plunging neckline," according to Wolff. The album received three stars from Allmusic and ''Billboard'' praised its

country pop Country pop (also known as urban cowboy or even urban country) is a fusion genre of country music and pop music that was developed by members of the country genre out of a desire to reach a larger, mainstream audience. Country pop music blends g ...

musical styles. The album's two singles, which included a cover of

Mary Wells Mary Esther Wells (May 13, 1943 – July 26, 1992) was an American singer, who helped to define the emerging sound of Motown in the early 1960s. Along with the Supremes, the Miracles, the Temptations, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, and the F ...

' "

My Guy "My Guy" is a 1964 hit single by American singer Mary Wells for the Motown label. Written and produced by Smokey Robinson of The Miracles, the song is a woman's rejection of a sexual advance and affirmation of her fidelity to her boyfriend, who i ...

" peaked outside the top 40 of the North American country charts. In 1981, she collaborated with country artist Rex Allen Jr. on the duet, "Cup of Tea." Released as a single, the track reached number 12 on the country songs chart.

1982–2024: Return to traditions and new musical directions

Smith returned to a more traditional musical image and went on to call her former "sexy" musical persona a mistake. "I had an image for singing sweet ballads and I should'a stuck with it," she recalled in 2003. Smith was released from her contract with Warner Bros. in 1982 and began recording with Cammeron Records, an independent label founded by her second husband. Through the label, Smith issued her next studio release in 1981 titled '' Ridin' High''. The project featured ten tracks, six of which were self-penned and included co-writing credits from her husband. Four singles were released from the album that peaked outside the top 40 of the ''Billboard'' country chart, including a cover of

Hank Williams Hiram "Hank" Williams (September 17, 1923 – January 1, 1953) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician. An early pioneer of country music, he is regarded as one of the most significant and influential musicians of the 20th century. W ...

' " Wedding Bells". In 1983, she released ''

The Best of the Tennessee Yodeler ''The Best of the Tennessee Yodeler'' is a studio album by American country music artist Margo Smith. It was first released in 1985 via Moon Shine Records and contained 14 tracks and was re-released in 1987 in conjunction with Bermuda Dunes Record ...

,'' a studio record dedicated to her childhood idol,

Bonnie Lou Mary Joan Okum (''née'' Kath; October 27, 1924 – December 8, 2015), known by her performing name Bonnie Lou, was an American musical pioneer, recognized as one of the first female rock and roll singers. She is also one of the first artists to ...

. The album featured Smith's yodeling vocal technique and was sold on television via direct-response marketing advertisements. In 1985,

Dot Records Dot Records was an American record label founded by Randy Wood (record producer), Randy Wood and Gene Nobles that was active between 1950 and 1978. The original headquarters of Dot Records were in Gallatin, Tennessee. In its early years, Dot sp ...

revived its Nashville division and announced it would release music from veteran country performers. Among the artists chosen was Smith, who released her second eponymous studio album with Dot (along with

MCA Records MCA Records was an American record label owned by MCA Inc. established in 1972, though MCA had released recordings under that name in the UK from the 1960s. The label achieved success in the 1970s through the 1980s, often by acquiring other ...

) in 1986. It featured re-recordings of her major hits from the 1970s. In 1987, Smith released her next studio record titled '' The Best Yet''. Issued on Playback Records, the album contained cover versions of

traditional pop Traditional pop (also known as vocal pop or pre-rock and roll pop) is Western culture, Western pop music that generally pre-dates the advent of rock and roll in the mid-1950s. The most popular and enduring songs from this era of music are known ...

standards, such as " You Belong to Me" and " Harbor Lights." The album received a mix review from ''Billboard'' magazine. Writers found Smith's vocals to be "a little strident at times". Yet, they also noted that she "knows how to reach the heart of some of the great pop tunes that commanded the charts before rock 'n' roll rolled in." Spawned from the album was the song "Echo Me," which is her final charting single to date, peaking at number 77 on the ''Billboard'' country survey in 1988. She followed in 1989 with her second Cammeron label release, ''Back in the Swing''. In the early 1990s, Smith collaborated with her daughter Holly on

Christian music Christian music is a genre of music that has been written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christianity, Christian life and faith. Common themes of Christian music include praise, worship, penitence and lament, and its f ...

. Together, the duo signed with Homeland Records and had success on contemporary Christian radio with several duet singles. Their first album release was 1991's '' Just the Beginning.'' It was followed in 1992 by their second collaborative release titled ''Wishes''. In 1994, the duo was nominated for Vocal Duo of the Year at the second annual Christian Country Music Awards. The duo remained a popular touring act on the Christian music circuit as late as 1995 where they performed at a charity to raise money for disaster relief. In later years, Smith continued performing while also venturing into other projects. She started selling a tape on her official website that taught singers how to yodel. She also mentored performers who wanted to learn the skill, including

Taylor Ware Taylor Marie Ware (born September 17, 1994) is an American singer and yodeler from Franklin, Tennessee. Before Ware knew how to yodel, she performed at a county fair at age four. Her talent was singing and playing a fiddle. When she was six she ...

, who appeared on a season of ''

America's Got Talent ''America's Got Talent'' (often abbreviated as ''AGT'') is an American talent show competition, and is part of the global ''Got Talent'' franchise created by Simon Cowell. The program is produced by Fremantle (as well as distributed by) and ...

.'' Smith also continued releasing music of her own. In 2005 she issued her most recent studio effort to date, titled '' Nothing to Lose''. The album was released on

Lamon Records Lamon Records is an indie record label that was established in North Carolina before moving to Nashville, Tennessee. Lamon Records concentrates its efforts in country music, country, bluegrass music, bluegrass, alternative rock, alternative and ...

. She also continued to perform in

The Villages, Florida The Villages is a census-designated place (CDP) in Sumter, Marion, and Lake counties in the U.S. state of Florida. It forms the core of a broader master-planned, age-restricted community of the same name. Located in central Florida, approxi ...

, where Smith lived year-round. In 2015, she helped raise $11,000 for The Ukulele Kids Club, a Florida organization that provides musical instruments to children in hospitals.

Musical styles and image

Smith's musical style embeds the genres of Country, Christian and Country pop. Many of her Warner Bros. albums embedded country pop arrangements. Jim Worbois found that Smith's 1977 album, ''Happiness'' included songs that "would have sounded equally at home at pop radio" while finding a place with "pure country". Author Kurt Wolff noted a similar theme in her Warner Bros. albums, finding that their production often incorporated heavy elements country pop. Smith's yodeling vocal style has also been observed by journalists and writers. Writers Mary A. Bufwack and Robert K. Oermann found that she often incorporated "quasi-yodel vocal breaks" into her singing performances. Tony Violanti of ''The Villages-News'' also found Smith's yodeling to display emotion: "Smith may have tiny physical stature but her voice can crackle with emotion." In a 2006 interview, Smith explained that her yodeling style is created from a vocal break in her voice known as a "glottal catch". "Not just anybody can yodel. You have to have the ability to have that flip in your voice," she commented. Smith's image has also been a subject of discussion among writers. Authors of music publications have pointed out that Smith's music helped provide an outlet for middle-aged women attempting to rekindle romantic relationships. Kurt Wolff of ''Country Music: The Rough Guide'' explained that "few singers spoke so unabashedly of attempting to reinvigorate love's fading fires, especially from a woman's perspective." Wolff further commented that Smith's songwriting contained "lyrical boldness" that helped provide voice to "middle-aged couples who'd been together for years." Mary A. Bufwack and Robert K. Oermann remarked that her concerts of the late 1970s were among "the era's flashiest show queen stage routines."

Personal life and death

Smith was married twice. Her first marriage was to

bank A bank is a financial institution that accepts Deposit account, deposits from the public and creates a demand deposit while simultaneously making loans. Lending activities can be directly performed by the bank or indirectly through capital m ...

er Ken Smith. Together the couple had two children: Jeff (born 1964) and Holly (born 1968). For many years, the couple lived in New Carlisle, Ohio, before moving to Nashville to further her career. After she had several years of commercial success, the couple separated. Claims were later made by her former manager, Bob Fry, that she had been engaging in a romantic relationship with him. She fired Fry in 1981 and he later filed a lawsuit claiming that he was let go because she refused to have a continued sexual affair with him. In 1982, Smith wed business professional Richard Cammeron, who would become her career manager. The pair also established the record label, Cammeron Records, where Smith released several singles and albums. In 1985, the Cammeron's Nashville home was destroyed in a house fire where they lost many material possessions. A fundraiser was later created to help the couple rebuild. In August 2014, Smith was involved in a near fatal head-on car collision near her home in The Villages, Florida. She suffered a shattered wrist, broken ankle, and multiple bruises. She spent three months at a local rehabilitation center and made a full recovery and was expected to return to performing in December 2014. Law enforcement officials later stated that Smith would not have survived the accident if she had not been wearing a seat belt or left her car's convertible top down. In June 2016, Smith was hospitalized with double pneumonia, among other health concerns. She was sent to the intensive care unit where she remained until her health improved. Smith later made a full-recovery and began performing in the fall of 2016. "I feel as well as I can be and I feel great singing in front of all these people," she commented. Smith died on January 23, 2024, in Franklin, Tennessee, at the age of 84, from complications of a stroke she suffered two days earlier.

Discography

;Studio albums * 1971: '' I'm a Lady'' * 1975: ''

Margo Smith Margo Smith (born Betty Lou Miller; April 9, 1939 – January 23, 2024) was an American Country music, country and Christian music, Christian music singer–songwriter. She had several years of country success during the 1970s, which included two ...

'' * 1976: ''

'' * 1977: ''

'' * 1978: ''

'' * 1979: ''

'' * 1979: '' Just Margo'' * 1980: ''

'' * 1981: '' Ridin' High'' * 1985: ''

'' * 1986: ''

'' * 1987: '' The Best Yet'' * 1989: ''Back in the Swing'' * 1991: '' Just the Beginning'' * 1992: ''

Wishes A wish is a hope or desire for something. In fiction, wishes can be used as plot devices. In folklore, opportunities for "making a wish" or for wishes to "come true" or "be granted" are themes that are sometimes used. Sociology Several cu ...

'' * 1992: ''God's Bigger Than Wall Street'' * 1993: ''Swiss, Cowboy and Country'' * 2005: '' Nothing to Lose''

Awards and nominations

! , - , 1975 , ''

Record World ''Record World'' magazine was one of three major weekly music industry trade magazines in the United States, with ''Billboard'' and '' Cashbox''. It was founded in 1946 as ''Music Vendor''. In 1964, it was changed to ''Record World'' under the ...

'' , Top New Female Vocalist , , align="center", , - , 1976 ,

Academy of Country Music Awards The Academy of Country Music Awards, also known as the ACM Awards, were first held in 1966, honoring the industry's accomplishments during the previous year. It was the first country music awards program held by a major organization. The academy ...

, Most Promising Female Vocalist , , , - , 1977 , rowspan="2", ''Record World'' , rowspan="2", Top Female Vocalist , , align="center", , - , rowspan="2", 1979 , , align="center", , - , ASACP Awards , Country Artist of the Year , , , - , 1980 , ''Record World'' , Top Female Vocalist , , align="center", , - , 1994 , rowspan="2", CCMA Awards , Vocal Duo of the Year , , , - , 2001 , Living Legend Award , , , -

References

Footnotes

Books

* *

External links

Margo Smith news and updates
at Villages-News * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Margo 1939 births 2024 deaths American performers of Christian music American women country singers American country singer-songwriters Country musicians from Florida Country musicians from Ohio Musicians from Dayton, Ohio People from The Villages, Florida Singer-songwriters from Ohio Sugar Hill Records artists Warner Records artists Wittenberg University alumni American yodelers 21st-century American women Singer-songwriters from Florida