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Goldie HillAmerican country singer
Date of Birth: 11.01.1933
Country:  USA |
Content:
Biography of Goldie Hill
Early Life and CareerGoldie Hill, an American country singer, was one of the first female country artists to top the charts and prove that women's records could sell successfully. In 1953, her single "I Let the Stars Get In My Eyes" became a huge hit. Alongside Kitty Wells, Goldie Hill set standards for future country singers such as Patsy Cline, Skeeter Davis, Loretta Lynn, and Dolly Parton. Despite having all the chances for a long and successful music career, it did not happen for Goldie Hill. Some music critics noted that Goldie Hill had a strong and ringing voice and a performing style that could be heard in other artists of the 1960s, particularly Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette.
Breakthrough and Success
After the success of Kitty Wells' hit "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" in 1952, Goldie was given a chance to make a career. Prior to this, it was believed that female country artists could not sell records as well as male artists. Goldie's real name was Argolda Voncile Hill. She was born on January 11, 1933, in the small town of Karnes City, southwest of San Antonio, Texas. Music played an important role in the Hill family, as the radio was the only way to escape from the hard work of cotton pickers. In her childhood, Goldie would pick cotton in the fields around her home with her entire family. Soon, her older brothers Ken and Tommy left home to become country singers. Within a few years, they became as popular as Johnny Horton, Webb Pierce, and Hank Williams. Goldie also decided to try her hand at a singing career, and at the age of 19, she got her big break on the radio show "Louisiana Hayride". She soon performed on the show with her brother Tommy's band and earned the nickname "Golden Hillbilly," which stuck with her throughout her career. Her performance on the radio show led Goldie to sign a contract with Decca Records. Her first single, released in 1952, was called "Why To Talk to My Heart" and did not gain much popularity. In the same year, Goldie recorded the song "I Let the Stars Get In My Eyes", which was a musical response to Perry Como's hit "Don't Let the Stars Get In Your Eyes", which was also successfully covered by Slim Willet and Skeets McDonald. Slim Willet helped Tommy Hill write "I Let the Stars Get In My Eyes", but the song was intended for another singer, and Goldie seized it. In 1953, the song became a real hit and reached the top of the country music charts. The following year, Goldie released several more hits, performing duets with singer Justin Tubb. Their joint songs "Looking Back To See" and "Sure Fire Kisses" were particularly popular. As a solo artist, Goldie Hill continued to record her own songs.
Later Years and Legacy
In the early 1960s, Goldie released a couple of albums on Decca Records, but they did not come close to the charts. Her music career was at its peak when she married country singer Carl Smith in 1957, who was previously married to June Carter. Goldie moved to their horse farm south of Nashville and focused on raising their four children - two girls and two boys. The singer briefly returned to the music scene in the late 1960s, releasing two albums, "Goldie Sings Again" and "Country Gentleman's Lady," under the name Goldie Hill-Smith. However, they were not successful. Only the song "Lovable Fool" released in 1968 made it onto the charts. Goldie returned to her life on the farm, and after her husband retired in the 1970s, they professionally bred horses. Goldie Hill passed away on February 24, 2005, at the age of 72, due to complications from cancer. Her husband Carl Smith survived her by 5 years.
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