June Webb

June Webb (born on September 22, 1934) was an American country music singer-songwriter notable for the song "Looking Glass" and dear friends with Chet Atkins. She rose to fame in the early 1950s, and led a brief 11 year career in the country music industry.

Webb particularly experimented in the honky-tonk side of country music, but varied to gospel. She played the violin and the guitar,[1] and was a talented instrumentalist. Webb was an inspiration for Loretta Lynn who later used Webb's main line of her song in her song Before I'm Over You.

Childhood

June Webb was born on 22 September 1934 in L'Anse, a village in the northern County of Baraga in Michigan, USA. She had one sister Shirley and one brother Ford. Her family were working class, and musically inclined. The family moved to the Brownsville suburb of Miami, Florida in early 1937.[2]

She took private dancing and singing lessons, and her father taught her how to play various instruments. Webb attended Earlington Heights Elementary School. Webb started performing at age 6 (in 1940) with sister Shirley as "The Harmony Sweethearts". They did well, and performed at many venues and hotels throughout Miami.[3]

Career

Growing up in the music industry, she begin performing from the age of 6 with sister Shirley as the "Harmony Sweethearts". They did very well, becoming popular in hotels and various small venues throughout Miami. The sisters used to sing Carter Family songs, and Patsy Montana's million seller smash hit.

In early 1950, her family decided to go all in show business but as a family band. The family group toured the country, and performed with several Grand Ole Opry acts like Hank Williams. The family were scheduled to perform with Hank the night he died (1 January 1953). The family moved to Nashville in 1951, due to their big success. Webb was the lead singer, despite being the youngest of three children.

Webb's soprano voice became noticeable, and she went solo performing on her own in stints at the Grand Ole Opry. In 1954, she signed with RCA Records on a $200 a week contract, but this ended in 1956 after having no success. She signed with Roy Acuff Show as the group's female singer in 1957. One magazine article called her "The Prettiest Smokey Mountain Boy", and was honored to have received Billboard Magazine’s prestigious 'Most Promising Female Artist' award as voted on by country & western disc jockeys.[4]

Webb auditioned for Hickory Records in 1959 after Roy Acuff urged them to sign her, and she found herself signing with them a month later but before the first recording session she fell of a horse and suffered a broken/fractured leg.[5] This delayed the recording session for three months as she had a 2-month hospital stay and one month recuperation at home.

She recorded for Hickory from 1959 until 1964, with three successful songs and five singles released. Her appearances with Acuff's show took her all over the world, to Europe and to the Caribbean etc. She was a happy singer, leading a very private life. She became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in April 1961, performing regularly on their radio show broadcast from several places, near to where she was at the time.

Retirement and Private Life

Webb performed her biggest hit, "Looking Glass" at the Opry on July 30, 1964 when she announced that she was s leaving the Roy Acuff Show. To the disappointment of the public, Webb left the Roy Acuff Show in September 1964, and on the verge of retirement according to a local Nashville newspaper. She left Hickory Records in November 1964, but despite plenty of papers saying Webb had retired she continued to perform within the USA for three months more. She officially retired in February 1964, and continued to live a private life in South Nashville. She is still alive at age 80 years old, enjoying her life.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.junewebbmusic.com/June_Webb_Opry_1992_Date.jpeg
  2. ↑ http://www.junewebbmusic.com/index.html
  3. ↑ http://www.hillbilly-music.com/artists/story/index.php?id=11027
  4. ↑ http://www.junewebbmusic.com/index.html
  5. ↑ http://www.junewebbmusic.com/index.html