Margie Singleton
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| Margie Singleton | |
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 Margie Singleton publicity photo.
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Margaret Louis Ebey |
| Also known as | Margie Singleton |
| Born | October 5, 1935 |
| Origin | Coushatta, Louisiana |
| Genre(s) | Country |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, Songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals |
| Years active | 1957–Present |
| Label(s) | Starday Records Mercury Records United Artists Records Monument Records |
| Associated acts | Faron Young, George Jones, Jan Howard |
Margie Singleton, (born Margaret Louis Ebey October 5, 1935 in Coushatta, Louisiana) is an American country music singer. In the 1960s, Margie Singleton was a popular duet and solo recording artist, working with legendary Country stars George Jones and Faron Young. She had her biggest hit with Faron Young called "Keeping up With the Joneses" in 1964. On her own, she managed a successful solo career in the 1960s.
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[edit] Early Life & Rise to Fame
Although Margie Singleton never reached the superstar status her contemporaries reached, like Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette, and Kitty Wells, she achieved a few major hits on the Country charts in the 1960s, both as a duet artist and a solo artist.
She was born Margaret Louise Ebey in 1935 in Louisiana. As a young child, Singleton was influenced by the Blues and Gospel Music. In 1949 she married Shelby Singleton at the age of 13. They both worked at a munitions plant during the Korean War near Shreveport, Louisiana. She began to play guitar and write songs as a teenager after the birth of her first child Stephen Singleton in 1950. She had her second son, Sidney Singleton in 1955. In 1957, she signed with Starday Records, and released her first single that same year called "One Step Near You". The flip side of the single was called "Not What He's Got". Both of these songs were self-penned. In 1958, she made her radio and professional debut on the very popular show Louisiana Hayride. That same year, she released another single called "Nothing But True Love", which was also written by Singleton. This single was more successful, becoming a minor hit on the Country Music charts, reaching the Top 25. She regularly appeared on the Louisiana Hayride, before moving to Jubilee U.S.A. in 1960.
[edit] The Height of Her Career In the 1960s
Singleton released another single in 1960 called "Eyes of Love". The song gave Singleton, her first major hit, when it reached the Top 20 that year. In 1961, Singleton switched over to Mercury Records. This was where her husband Shelby Singleton was a record producer. With the help of her husband, Singleton worked to make a duet recording with George Jones called "Did I Ever Tell You". The song became another hit for Singleton, and was released in 1961. The following year, the duo had equal success together with another Country hit called "Waltz of the Angels". Singleton was continuing to be an avid songwriter. She wrote a Pop music hit for Brook Benton called "Lie to Me". In 1963, he had another Pop hit with another song written by Margie called "My True Confession". The year 1963 was also the year, Singleton made her debut on Country Music's most coveted show the Grand Ole Opry.
In 1963, Singleton had another hit with the song "Old Records". In addition to being a solo and duet star, she also sang as a back up vocalist with The Jordanaires, who recorded with Patsy Cline. Numerous performers recorded many of her songs, like Teresa Brewer, Tammy Wynette, and Charley Pride. In 1964, Singleton teamed up with another singer, Faron Young. Together they recorded the song "Keeping Up With the Joneses". That year, the song went all the way to the Country Top 5, and became Singleton's biggest hit. The flip side of the single "No Thanks, I Just Had One", was a Top 40 Country hit. They continued to release single and record together. By 1965, Singleton was divorced from Shelby Singleton. That same year, she married Leon Ashley, and soon moved over to United Artists Records, a home base later for many of Country Music's Pop-oriented singers in the 70s and 80s. In 1967, she moved over to her husband's label Ashley Records. That year, she recorded a cover version of the Bobbie Gentry hit song "Ode to Billie Joe", which went into the Country's Top 40. She had a Top 60 duet that year with her husband called "Hangin' On" in 1968. That same year, she appeared in a movie with Marty Robbins called Road to Nashville. Her chart success was fading rapidly though, although she continued to record, including recording the first version of the song "Harper Valley PTA", that was later a huge crossover hit by Jeannie C. Riley.
[edit] Later career
Singleton continued to record for her husband's label, but with no further chart entries. She has toured with her husband with the Country Music Spectacular, and with her husband's band Strings of Nashville. She has since dropped out of the Country Music spotlight.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Singles
| Year | Single | U.S. Country Singles | Album |
| 1959 | "Nothing But True Love" | 25 | Margie Singleton |
| 1960 | "Eyes of Love" | 12 | 20 Greatest Hits |
| 1961 | "Did I Ever Tell You" (with George Jones) | 15 | Duets Country Style |
| 1962 | "Waltz Of The Angels" (with George Jones) | 11 | Duets Country Style |
| 1963 | "Magic Star (Tel-Star" b/w "Only Your Shadow Knows" (Mercury 72079) | ?? | (single only) |
| 1964 | "Old Records" | 11 | (single only) |
| 1964 | "Keeping Up With the Joneses" (with Faron Young) | 5 | Golden Hits |
| 1964 | "No Thanks, I Just Had One" (with Faron Young) | 40 | (single only) |
| 1964 | "Another Woman's Man, Another Man's Woman" (with Faron Young) | 38 | (single only) |
| 1967 | "Ode To Billie Joe" | 39 | A New Brand Of Country |
| 1967 | "Hangin' On" (with Leon Ashley) | 54 | A New Brand Of Country |
| 1968 | "Wandering Mind" | 52 | A New Brand Of Country |
| 1968 | "You'll Never Be Lonely Again" (with Leon Ashley) | 55 | A New Brand Of Country |
[edit] Albums
| Year | Album |
| 1962 | Duets Country Style (with George Jones) |
| 1965 | Cryin' Time |
| 1967 | Sings Country Music With Soul |
| 1968 | Harper Valley PTA |
| 1969 | New Brand of Country (with Leon Ashley) |
| 1969 | Ode to Billie Joe |
| 1969 | You Gave Me a Mountain |
