Donna Fargo
Donna Fargo | |
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Ramco Records |
Donna Fargo (born Yvonne Vaughn; November 10, 1945
Fargo has won major awards since her debut in the late 1960s, including one
Biography
Early life
Fargo was born Yvonne Vaughn on November 10, 1945, in
Career discovery
Vaughn soon started to appear around Los Angeles, California, while teaching. She went to
She recorded for a few small labels in the early 1960s, including Ramco and
Music career
In 1972, one of Fargo's self-written and self-composed songs, "
Though Fargo never made the
Fargo ultimately became the fifth most successful female country artist of the 1970s, according to
Fargo had another successful album with Dot in 1974, releasing Miss Donna Fargo, which spawned three Top 10 hits, including "You Can't Be a Beacon If Your Light Don't Shine". This song peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Chart. In 1975, she released Whatever I Say Means I Love You (ABC/MCA), her fifth and final album for the DOT label, that included "What Will the New Year Bring?"
Dot Records was acquired by
Recognized as one of the leading country songwriters of the era, Fargo's songs have been recorded by Tammy Wynette, Sonny James, Kitty Wells, Tanya Tucker, Jody Miller, Marty Robbins, Dottie West and other artists. Additionally, for years she wrote almost everything that she recorded, although by the latter half of the 1970s she was also recording covers of songs from writers as diverse as Stonewall Jackson, Vaughn Horton, Bill Enis and Lawton Williams, Paul Anka, and Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil; those covers also became successful hits for Fargo.
Fargo had her own musical television show (produced by the
1979: multiple sclerosis
In 1978, Fargo was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. She experienced a brief illness, but with medical treatment and her husband's help, Fargo made it back to full health,[citation needed] returning to a more limited schedule in 1979 and another Top 10 hit. For the next few years, the successes came at a lower level.[6] Although this serious
1980 – present: current music career
Fargo released one more album with Warner Bros. in 1980 before switching to the smaller Songbird label in 1981. She recorded a well-received gospel album in 1981 for MCA/Songbird, and in 1982, she moved to RCA.[6] Fargo singles charted off RCA in 1983 and 1984, and she recorded one album for the label in 1983. She recorded a single for Columbia in 1983, and for Cleveland records in 1984. By now, Fargo's career had begun to decline in terms of album sales and chart placements. After several other label changes, Fargo signed with Mercury, and began another upswing.[6] She recorded an album with the label, Winners, which resulted in three singles spawned from the album, including a Top 30 hit, "Me and You". Fargo also dueted with Billy Joe Royal for her next single, "Members Only". The song became a Top 25 country hit in 1987, peaking at No. 23. In 1991, she released the song "Soldier Boy", a reference to the Gulf War which was going on at the time. The song was Fargo's last charting single. After several years without a full-length recording, in 1992, Fargo began work on her autobiography.[6] In 2008, Fargo released a new single CD, "We Can Do Better in America". On February 4, 2022, PrimaDonna Records announced the release of Donna Fargo's new EP, "ALL BECAUSE OF YOU".
Writing career
Fargo has pursued other ventures outside of the music business, writing eight books and more than 2,000 greeting cards. She has since established a successful line of
Awards
Year | Award Program | Award |
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1969 | Academy of Country Music Awards | Top New Female Vocalist |
1972 | Top Female Vocalist | |
Song of the Year; " The Happiest Girl in the Whole USA "
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Single of the Year; " The Happiest Girl in the Whole USA "
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Album of the Year; The Happiest Girl in the Whole USA | ||
Country Music Association Awards | Single of the Year; "The Happiest Girl in the Whole USA" | |
Music City News Awards
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Most Promising Female Vocalist | |
1973 | Grammy Awards | Best Female Country Vocal Performance ; "The Happiest Girl in the Whole USA"
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Billboard Awards
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Top All-Around Female Vocalist-Songwriter | |
BMI Awards | Song of the Year |
Additional nominations: Country Music Association – 1972 – Female Vocalist of the Year Country Music Association – 1972 – Song of the Year "The Happiest Girl in the Whole USA" Grammy Awards – 1973 – Best Country Song – "The Happiest Girl in the Whole USA" Grammy Awards – 1973 – Best Country Song – "Funny Face" Country Music Association – 1973 – Female Vocalist of the Year Fargo was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 2010.[14]
Discography
References
- ^ ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
- ^ The Zenith. High Point, North Carolina: High Point College. 1959. p. 74.
- ^ a b "Donna Fargo". North Carolina Music Hall of Fame.
- ^ "Donna Fargo". Discography of American Historical Recordings.
- ^ "Donna Fargo Songs (Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography) ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts". Musicvf.com. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g "WBCM - Radio Bristol". Birthplace of Country Music. Archived from the original on July 5, 2015. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
- ISBN 9780823082919.
- ^ Wolff, Kurt (2000). In Country Music: The Rough Guide. Orla Duane, Editor. London: Rough Guides Ltd. p. 435.
- ^ a b "Donna Fargo Awards". Donnafargo.com. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
- ^ a b "Donna Fargo Bio | Donna Fargo Career". CMT. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
- ^ a b Wolff, Kurt (2000). In Country Music: The Rough Guide. Orla Duane, Editor. London: Rough Guides Ltd. p. 436.
- ^ "Best Female Country Singers of All Time – Top Ten List". The-top-tens.com. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
- ^ [Blue Mountain Press/P.O. Box 4549/Boulder/Colorado/80306]
- ^ "2010 Inductees". North Carolina Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved September 10, 2012.