About
Former pop and country music singer who found success throughout the 1960s with her hit songs "Sad Movies (Make Me Cry)," "Norman," "James (Hold the Ladder Steady)," and "Paper Tiger." She was represented by major record labels throughout her decades-long career, including Mercury, Columbia, Hickory, and Decca Records. Between the years of 1961 and 1975, she released over a dozen albums, including "Two of a Kind," "Sweet Memories," and "Big Mable Murphy."
Before Fame
She began singing and playing the guitar for audiences when she was just 7 years old. After she divorced at just 20 years old, she started performing in night clubs to support herself. She earned her first solo contract from Mercury Records in 1950, after she captured the label's attention with her song "If You Want Some Lovin."
Trivia
Her song "Give Myself a Party" appeared on the soundtrack of the Carey Mulligan and Jake Gyllenhaal-starring 2018 drama film Wildlife. Her songs have also been featured in television series like Hollywood a Go Go, Big Love, and Ash vs Evil Dead. During her lifetime, she performed on American Bandstand, The Buddy Deane Show, The Lloyd Thaxton Show, and several other variety programs.
Family Life
She married at the young age of 17 and gave birth to her first child, a daughter, when she was 20. Her marriage ended shortly after, and she married bandleader and radio personality John McSwain, who used the stage name Dude Martin. Less than 1 year later, she divorced Martin and married comedian and singer Hank Penny. The two went on to become the parents of a son named Greg before they divorced in 1963. Greg Penny later became a successful music producer and recording engineer. She passed away at the age of 96 at her daughter's home in Nevada on September 23, 2021.
Associated With
Her first chart-topping singles, "Sad Movies (Make Me Cry)" and "Norman" were both written by John Loudermilk. She worked with country singer Don Gibson on songs like "I Think They Call It Love" and "Oh, How Love Changes."
