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Jeannie Seely was born Marilyn Jeanne Seely, on 6th July 1940, in Titusville, Pennsylvania, and grew up in the nearby town of Townville. Her father, Leo Seely, worked as a farmer and carpenter, while her mother, Irene, took care of the home and encouraged her daughter's early interest in music.
Jeannie displayed a clear gift for singing and performing from a young age and took part in school talent shows and community events. After graduating from high school, she attended Titusville Commercial College, where she trained in business and secretarial work, a skill set that later helped her navigate the practical demands of the music industry.
Jeannie moved to California in her early twenties and found work as a secretary at Liberty and Imperial Records in Hollywood. While there, she wrote songs in her spare time, performed in local clubs, and gradually made industry connections. Her songwriting began to gain notice when artists such as Dottie West recorded her compositions, including Its Only Love, which became a Top Ten country hit in 1966. That same year, she released her own version of the song, marking the beginning of her career as a recording artist.
Her breakthrough as a performer came with the release of Dont Touch Me, a Hank Cochran-penned ballad that showcased her distinctive emotional delivery and became a major country hit, earning her a Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance.
Although she was not the writer of that particular song, her own songwriting voice remained strong, and she continued to contribute original material throughout her career. Among the songs she wrote or co-wrote were Leavin and Sayin Goodbye, recorded by Faron Young, and Senses, which she co-wrote with Hank Cochran (whom she would go on to marry), and which became a hit for Glen Campbell and Connie Smith.
Jeannie Seely became known not only for her evocative voice and songwriting but also for her trailblazing presence as a woman in country music. She joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1967 and became one of its most enduring members, known for her candor, wit, and strong advocacy for female artists. She also notched up the highest number of Opry appearances of any performer - male or female - a total of 5497 shows, the final one just months before her death. She was also the first woman to host an Opry show,
Over the decades, she recorded 17 studio albums and 36 singles, collaborated with artists such as Willie Nelson, Jack Greene, and Ray Price, and remained active in the Nashville music scene. Her songwriting catalogue continued to expand into the later years of her career, with newer compositions reflecting both contemporary sensibilities and her deep connection to classic country themes. Amongst those who recorded her songs were such stars as Irma Thomas, Dottie West, Willie Nelson, Ray Price, Jack Greene, Merle Haggard, Connie Smith, Little Jimmy Dickens, Norma Jean, Ernest Tubb, Boyz II Men and Seal.
Jeannie Seely died at the age of 85, on the 1st August 2025, in Hermitage, Tennessee, USA, of an intestinal infection.
The above is just one of the many profiles of leading songwriters, singers, musicians and music industry personnel, published by the International Songwriters Association and "Songwriter Magazine". Please click HERE for more.
© Jim Liddane
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