Jeannie Hardy Biography
Released in 1968, “Harper Valley PTA” is inarguably one of the most successful country songs sung by a female artist. Jeannie C. Riley was relatively unknown at that time and her single catapulted her into national and international fame. After all, she is the first woman in history to top the country and pop charts.
Born on October 19, 1945, in Texas, Jeannie Riley’s earliest memory was living in a house with no foundation. As a child, she already had dreams of becoming big in Nashville so she could give her parents a better life. While other young girls were learning how to do household chores, Jeannie spent her time teaching herself about country music and singing. Her uncle, Johnny Moore, was a part of a country singing band and he helped …show more content…
Johnson. One day, the daughter went home with a letter for her mother from Harper Valley School. The note said that the school disapproved of Mrs. Johnson’s habit of wearing short skirts, her practice of casual sex and of her alcohol-drinking. Later that afternoon, during the Harper Valley PTA meeting, Mrs. Johnson appeared in her miniskirt. Instead of being ridiculed, she turned the tables on them and exposed the people of their hypocrisy. What was notable and quotable in that song was the last line, “the day my momma socked it to the Harper Valley PTA.”
After its release in 1968, the single sold almost six million copies and Jeannie became famous overnight. “Harper Valley PTA” topped both the Pop Charts and the Country Charts that year, a feat that no woman has ever achieved in the history of music. It was also more than a decade for someone else to defeat this record. The record was also awarded by the R.I.A.A. with a gold disc four weeks after it was released.
Jeannie won the Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance. She was one of the very few in her genre to have been nominated in the Grammy Awards for “Best New Artist” as well as “Record of the Year.” The Country Music Association also named it the “Single of the
Born on October 19, 1945, in Texas, Jeannie Riley’s earliest memory was living in a house with no foundation. As a child, she already had dreams of becoming big in Nashville so she could give her parents a better life. While other young girls were learning how to do household chores, Jeannie spent her time teaching herself about country music and singing. Her uncle, Johnny Moore, was a part of a country singing band and he helped …show more content…
Johnson. One day, the daughter went home with a letter for her mother from Harper Valley School. The note said that the school disapproved of Mrs. Johnson’s habit of wearing short skirts, her practice of casual sex and of her alcohol-drinking. Later that afternoon, during the Harper Valley PTA meeting, Mrs. Johnson appeared in her miniskirt. Instead of being ridiculed, she turned the tables on them and exposed the people of their hypocrisy. What was notable and quotable in that song was the last line, “the day my momma socked it to the Harper Valley PTA.”
After its release in 1968, the single sold almost six million copies and Jeannie became famous overnight. “Harper Valley PTA” topped both the Pop Charts and the Country Charts that year, a feat that no woman has ever achieved in the history of music. It was also more than a decade for someone else to defeat this record. The record was also awarded by the R.I.A.A. with a gold disc four weeks after it was released.
Jeannie won the Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance. She was one of the very few in her genre to have been nominated in the Grammy Awards for “Best New Artist” as well as “Record of the Year.” The Country Music Association also named it the “Single of the