- Shelly West
Infobox musical artist
Name = Shelly West
Img_capt =
Img_size = (220)
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Shelly West
Born = Birth date and age|1958|5|23|mf=y
Origin =Cleveland, Ohio , U.S
Instrument = Vocals
Genre =Country pop
Occupation = Singer
Years_active = 1981–1992
Label =Warner Bros. Records
Viva Records
Associated_acts =David Frizzell ,Dottie West Shelly West (born
May 23 1958 , inCleveland, Ohio ) is an Americancountry music singer . Her mother was the country music starDottie West , whose career spanned three decades. Shelly West is best-known for having hitduets withDavid Frizzell , and for their #1 hit "You're the Reason God Made Oklahoma." She also was a successful solo artist, having her own #1 hit, "José Cuervo", in 1983.Biography
Early life
With Shelly West's mother,
Dottie West being one of Country Music's most well-recognized female performers, Shelly West had a lot to live up to. However, during the 1980s, Shelly West was a Country singer on her own, proving she could have the success her mother had as an artist.Shelly West was born in
Cleveland, Ohio in 1958 to Dottie and Bill West. She was named after her mother's favorite actress,Shelley Winters . During the time West was born, her mother was trying to make it big as a Country artist inNashville, Tennessee . By the time Shelly was five years old, West finally made it big in Country Music, with a big hit the previous year called "Here Comes My Baby Back Again ." She lived on her parents' estate, where Shelly was exposed to Country Music.Shelly got her start at age 17 touring with her mother's show; she started out singing backup, but was soon given lead vocal chores. While touring, she fell in love with her mother's lead guitarist Allen Frizzell; they married and left the band in 1977 to move to California. Allen was the little brother of Lefty and
David Frizzell , the latter of whom had a regular gig in a neighboring town. The newlyweds soon joined his band and played with him for a few months. [ [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:azfrxqygldje~T1 Shelly WEst biography] at All Music Guide; retrieved March 27, 2008 ] They toured the Southwest, and upon their return, David began looking for a record label. A demo of the duet "Lovin' on Borrowed Time" featuring West and her brother-in-law impressed record producerSnuff Garrett , who signed them both to Casablanca West. Unfortunately, Polygram took over the label and dumped the duo, who unsuccessfully tried their luck in Nashville. [ [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:azfrxqygldje~T1 Shelly WEst biography] at All Music Guide; retrieved March 27, 2008 ]1980 – 1982: Success with David Frizzell
Garrett still believed the two had potential and eventually played their song and its follow-up "You're the Reason God Made Oklahoma" to actor
Clint Eastwood , who had just founded his own record label, Viva. Eastwood liked the latter song and added it to his film "Any Which Way You Can ", and the song hit number one on the country charts in early 1981. [ [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:azfrxqygldje~T1 Shelly West biography at All Music Guide] ] The duo became a popular duet group in the early part of the decades and released a big-selling album in 1981, "Carrying on the Family Names". Between 1980 and 1982, they won theCountry Music Association 's "Vocal Duo of the Year" three times.Their next four songs, beginning with the Top Ten hit "A Texas State of Mind," were also successful, and the duo's considerable success continued through 1985, when they split up. (They cited a lack of good duet songs as their main reason; the fact that West and her husband had just divorced may also have been a factor). [ [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:azfrxqygldje~T1 Shelly West biography at All Music Guide] ] Their popularity started to drain following 1982 after the artists wanted to focus on solo carers. Their last studio album was released in 1983, "In Session". However, they did record singles up until 1986.
1983 – 1986: Solo career
West made her solo debut in 1983 with "Jose Cuervo," which hit #1 and provided a sales boost for the tequila company. Her solo follow-up "Flight 309 to Tennessee" made the Top Five. [ [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:azfrxqygldje~T1 Shelly West biography] at All Music Guide ] West's first solo album was released in 1983, "West by West" which was a big seller that year. West continued to notch a number of solo hits over the next three years under her record label.
In 1984, West notched another Top 10 smash, "Another Motel Memory" off her second solo album, "Red Hot". Following "Jose Cuervo"'s success, West's hits began to become less and less as big as they had been before. However, West still was able to stay within Country's Top 40 up until 1985, including, "Somebody Buy This Cowgirl a Beer" and "Don't Make Me Wait on the Moon." She released a final studio album before departing with her record label in 1985 called, "Don't Make Me Wait on the Moon". Later that year she had one more mid-range hit, "Love Don't Come Any Better Than This," and then faded from the charts. [ [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:azfrxqygldje~T1 Shelly West biography] at All Music Guide ] West didn't record almost at all following 1986 after marrying for a second time.
1987 – present: Career today
West did reunite with
David Frizzell for a few shows in the late '80s. [ [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:azfrxqygldje~T1 allmusic ((( Shelly West > Biography ))) ] ] In 1990, Shellytoured with her mother,Dottie West ; together, they were popular on the road. The following year, Shelly's mother was involved in a major car accident (in late August). Dottie West eventually died from injuries suffered in the accident (date of death: September 4). To honor her mother, West was atechnical adviser for the TV movie biography about her mother's life titled, "", produced by and starringMichele Lee . Since then, however, West left the music business, preferring to raise her young family.In 2005, CMT honored Shelly and her duet partner, David Frizzell, when they were voted No. 6 on their "100 Greatest Duets Special". Though they did not perform any songs, Shelly West and David Frizzell appeared on the CMT special in June 2005, and West was interviewed on CMT.
Discography
ingles
ee also
*
Dottie West (1932–1991) (West's mother)
*David Frizzell (West's duet partner)References
External links
* [http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/west_shelly/artist.jhtml CMT.com: Shelly West]
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