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Ruby(e) Blevins (she added the "e" herself later in life) aka Patsy Montana (October 30, 1908 – May 3, 1996) was an American country music singer-songwriter and the first female music performer to sell one million records.
Biography
Rubye Rose Blevins was born in Beaudry, Arkansas and grew up near Hope, Arkansas. Blevins had ten siblings, all of them boys, However, two died before puberty, from a fire accident.
In 1929, Blevins went to California to study violin at the University of the West. She won a local talent contest with her singing, yodelling, and playing the guitar and first prize was an opportunity to play on the "Hollywood Breakfast Club" radio program.
In the summer of 1933, Blevins went with two of her brothers to the Chicago World's Fair. The trip's mission was to enter a large prize watermelon the Blevins' had raised, and Rubye was invited to go, mainly to meet up with two pen pals, Millie and Dolly Good aka The Girls of the Golden West. While in Chicago, Rubye auditioned for a crooner's role. However, she began laughing hysterically halfway through the song. The producer on hand fell in love with her "giggle" and set her up for a different role. Blevins instead auditioned at WLS radio for a group called the Prairie Ramblers. Blevins and the Ramblers became regulars on WLS's "National Barn Dance" program. The Prairie Ramblers would also back Blevins on most of her hits with ARC Records, Decca Records, and RCA Records. Blevins performed on the National Barn Dance until the 1950s and worked with the likes of Gene Autry, Pat Buttram, Red Foley, the Girls of the Golden West, and George Gobel.
The Barn Dance also introduced her to her future husband, Paul Rose. Rose was a stage manager for Gene Autry at the time, and was always around when Autry was performing, which just so happened to be when Patsy was performing. According to Patsy (as she was by this time called by everyone who knew her), they were the "only two single people involved with the show and kinda got thrown together." Though Rose was around five years her junior, they married on July 3, "honeymooned", and July 4 went their separate ways on different tours. Two weeks later they were again united, but throughout their married life they seemed to follow this pattern.
After semi retiring in the late 50's to spend more time with her family, she attempted a comeback in 1964. She released an album on the Sims label in Arizona, which was especially notable for having Waylon Jennings as lead guitar player before he made his national debut. This album was later re-released by Starday Records.
The couple had two daughters, Beverly and Judy. Blevins and her two daughters later appeared as the Patsy Montana Trio.
Blevins took her nickname from silent film star and world-champion roper, Monte Montana, with whom she had an opportunity to work early in her career. She made one feature-length movie called Colorado Sunset with Buttram and Autry.
She became the first female recording artist ever to have a million seller with her song "I Want to Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart," released in 1935.
Rubye Blevins died on May 3, 1996 at her home in San Jacinto, California. She is buried at Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California. She was inducted into the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in 1987 and the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1996.
See also
External links
- Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
- http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:yys9kebt7q7c~T1
- http://www.talentondisplay.com/PatsyMontana.html
- http://www.patsymontana.net/pages.php?page=02/12/09/4637411
- http://www.westernmusic.org/HallOfFamefiles/PatsyMontana.html