Goldie Hill

Infobox musical artist
Name = Goldie Hill


Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Argolda Voncile Hill
Alias = Goldie Hill
Born = birth date|1933|1|11|mf=y
Died = death date and age|2005|2|24|1933|1|11|mf=y
Origin = Karnes City, Texas
Instrument = Vocals, Guitar
Genre = Country
Occupation = Singer, Songwriter
Years_active = 1953–2005
Label = Decca Records
Epic Records
Associated_acts = Justin Tubb, Kitty Wells, Carl Smith
URL =

Goldie Hill (b. Argolda Voncile Hill January 11, 1933- February 24, 2005) was an American Country Music Singer. She was one of the first women in Country Music, becoming one of the first women to reach the #1 spot on the Country Music Charts, with her 1953 hit "I Let the Stars Get In My Eyes". Along with Kitty Wells, Goldie Hill set the standard for future women in Country Music, like Patsy Cline, Skeeter Davis, Loretta Lynn, and Dolly Parton.

Early life & rise to fame

The Texas-born singer Goldie Hill might have very well had a long and lengthy career in Country Music if she stuck with it long enough. This was quite a shame to some people, because according to some music critics Goldie Hill had a strong and twangy voice that can be heard in some other Country singers of the 1960s, like Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette. With the success of the Kitty Wells and her massive 1952 hit "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels", Goldie Hill was able to pursue her own career in Country Music after record companies realized from the success of Wells' hit that women can indeed sell records. Goldie Hill also helped them realize this.

Goldie Hill was born Argolda Voncile Hill in Karnes City, Texas in 1933, which was a small town southeast of San Antonio, Texas. She was the sister of singer Tommy Hill. Goldie played a big role in the Hill family. During her early years, she would pick cotton in the fields by her house, along with her family. Soon Goldie's older brothers, Ken and Tommy left cotton-picking to become Country singers. Within only a couple years, the two were backing up such Country singers as Johnny Horton, Webb Pierce, and Hank Williams. Goldie was determined to also make it as a Country singer, after seeing the success her brothers had. At age 19, in 1952, Goldie got her big chance performing on the show "Louisiana Hayride".

Recording career in the 50s & 60s

Goldie Hill was soon performing on "Louisiana Hayride" as part of her brother, Tommie's band. On the show, she was dubbed as "The Golden Hillbilly", and the name stuck with Hill for the rest of her career in the music business. "Louisiana Hayride" opened even more doors for Hill. Being part of the show led to a once-in-a-lifetime chance to sign with Decca Records, the future home of Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn. Her first single she released "Why To Talk to My Heart", released in 1952, brought no success for Hill at all.

Hill soon recorded the song "I Let the Stars Get In My Eyes" that same year. The song was an answer song to the Perry Como Pop Music hit "Don't Let the Stars Get In Your Eyes". "Don't Let the Stars Get In Your Eyes" was also a hit for two Country singers, Slim Willet and Skeets McDonald. Slim Willett helped with Goldie's brother, Tommie write the song, as well as writing "I Let the Stars Get In My Eyes". The song song was originally intended for Kitty Wells, but Hill picked it up first. The song was a big hit in 1953, making it to #1 on the Country charts, proving that women could indeed sell a number of records and achieve a #1 hit. Goldie Hill was one of the few women in Country Music at the time, which helped open many doors for other female singers. Overnight, Hill was one of Country Music's most popular singers. In 1954, she followed her big hit up with a couple of hit duets with singer Justin Tubb, who was the son of Ernest Tubb. Among their hits together are "Looking Back to See" and "Sure Fire Kisses". As a solo artist, she continued to record on her own as well, like the song "I'm Beginning to Feel Mistreated".

In the early 1960s, she recorded a couple of albums for Decca Records, but her singles failed to chart.

Later career & death

Her musical career had plenty of life in it, when she turned it all down in 1957, when she married Country singer Carl Smith. Carl Smith had previously been married to June Carter. She then retired to living life on their horse farm south of Nashville, raising her children. She did make a short-lived comeback in the late 1960s, on the label Epic Records under the name "Goldie Hill Smith". However, her songs and albums failed to make any major impact in Country Music. Only one of the songs, "Lovable Fool", released in 1968, barely charted the Country Music charts. Under Epic, she released two albums, which failed gaining any success; "Goldie Sings Again" and "Country Gentleman's Lady". She then returned to home life on their farm. In the 1970s, following her husband's retirement, Smith and Hill showed their horses professionally.

On February 11, 2005, Goldie Hill died from complications of a cancer. She was 72 years old.

Discography

Charted singles

Albums

Further reading

* "Country Music:The Rough Guide, Author: Kurt Wolff"

External links

* [http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/hill_goldie/artist.jhtml CMT.com: Goldie Hill]
* [http://www.nucountry.com.au/articles/diary/february2005/260205_goldiehill_obit.htm Goldie Hill Dies at Age 72 at Nucountry.com]