Celebrate the Heart of Country, Americana, and Roots Music!

Drop Us A Line, Y'all

Y'all interested in advertising, partnering up, contributing stories, joining our team, or just got a question? Well, don't be shy, drop us a line!

Follow Us

Check Out These Facts About Tammy Wynette, The First Lady of Country Music

Tammy Wynette Facts
by
  • Arden is a Senior Country Music Journalist for Country Thang Daily, specializing in classic hits and contemporary chart-toppers.
  • Prior to joining Country Thang Daily, Arden wrote for Billboard and People magazine, covering country music legends and emerging artists.
  • Arden holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Tennessee, with a minor in Music Studies.

Perhaps there’s no female country star that can convey the emotion of grief and heartache like Tammy Wynette did! During the course of a career that spanned 32 years, she sang about things most country fans could relate to, like divorce, parenting, and being alone. Tammy Wynette songs skyrocketed to the pinnacle of the Billboard Country Charts – playing a very influential role for women in the genre today.

Sadly, Tammy Wynette‘s private life was as tumultuous as most of her tunes. You can check out these facts about the First Lady of Country Music.

1. She’s a native of Tremont, Mississippi. 

Born Virginia Wynette Pugh on May 5, 1942, the country singer was the only child of a father who was a farmer and local musician and a schoolteacher mother. Sadly, Wynette’s father died when she was only nine months old. No longer capable of taking care of her, Wynette’s mother left her with her grandparents – where she grew up picking cotton as a youngster to survive.

2. She was a star basketball player. 

She attended Tremont High School, where she was a leading scorer on the school’s basketball team.

3. She taught herself to play musical instruments that her father had left behind. 

During her teenage years, country music became her escape from her difficult life. Kitty Wells, Jim Reeves, and Patsy Cline are just some of the stars she listened to on the radio. She also learned to play various instruments, like guitar and piano.

4. She married young. 

Only a month before graduating high school, at the age of 17, Wynette married her first husband, a construction worker, Euple Byrd – which led to her automatic expulsion as it was against the school district rules. Unfortunately for Wynette, the marriage was a rocky one.

5. She worked different jobs to support her children. 

Her early jobs included working as a waitress, a doctor’s receptionist, a barmaid, and in a shoe factory.

6. She kept her beautician license up to date. 

Wynette attended beauty school, where she gained her cosmetology license. She would renew it regularly for the rest of her life in the event she would need to go back to a day-to-day job.

7. She married five times. 

This included marriages to fellow country legend George Jones and one of Hollywood’s most popular leading men, Burt Reynolds.

8. She’s close friends with Dolly Parton. 

As country artists who both made their breakthroughs in the ’60s, the two have remained close. In fact, as Wynette was nearing the end of her life, Dolly Parton would visit her in the hospital to do her hair and nails.

9. She had at least 26 major surgeries throughout the span of her life. 

Wynette had several serious physical ailments starting 1970s. This included the removal of some of her small organs, as well as the nodules on her vocal cords, among others. She eventually died on April 6, 1998, at age 55.

Indeed, these facts about Tammy Wynette show there was no shortage of drama in her life.

Latest Stories

Kenny Rogers’ twin sons Justin and Jordan just turned 21 and fans say they look just like the late country music legend now.

Kenny Rogers’ Twin Sons Just Turned 21 and Fans Say They Look Just Like Him Now

A couple of chocolate cakes, two wide grins, and a whole lot of “They look just like their daddy”. That’s how Kenny Rogers’ twin sons rang in their milestone 21st ...

Waylon Jennings once called Garth Brooks the most insincere person he ever saw

Waylon Jennings Once Said Garth Brooks Was the Most Insincere Person He Ever Saw

Sometimes you need an old outlaw to call out what everyone else is too polite to say out loud. Back when Nashville was shape-shifting in the ’80s and ’90s, country ...

Josh Weathers raises over $337000 in a livestream concert fundraiser to help Texas families devastated by catastrophic floods.

Josh Weathers Raises Over $337000 in Livestream to Help Texas Families Hit by Floods

A guitar in hand and a heart the size of Texas. That’s Josh Weathers right now. While storms swallowed up gigs and highways across Central Texas, this Fort Worth native ...

Lauren Alaina fires back at trolls who mom-shame her for bottle-feeding her newborn, pictured holding baby Beni Doll Arnold.

Lauren Alaina Fires Back at Trolls Who Mom-Shame Her for Bottle-Feeding

A bottle in one hand and zero time for strangers’ opinions in the other. That’s how Lauren Alaina’s rolling and some loudmouths just found out the hard way. If you’ve ...

Kelly Clarkson seen emotional in a past photo, echoing fans’ heartbreak after she canceled her Vegas opening night due to illness.

Fans Are Heartbroken After Kelly Clarkson Cancels Vegas Opening Night Due to Illness

Nothing guts a diehard fan like standing in line for hours only to get hit with the words “Show’s off.” Kelly Clarkson found herself in that brutal spot last weekend ...

Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton perform together on stage, teaming up for a new duet that might break country radio charts.

Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton Team Up for a Duet That Might Break Country Radio

Sometimes, country music gives you a pairing that is so perfect that you wonder what the hell took so long. Well, here we are. Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton are ...

Dolly Parton smiles in a sparkling gown, proving she’ll always look glamorous on the outside to match how she feels inside.

Dolly Parton Shares Glamorous Photo Says She’ll Always Look How She Feels Inside

Some folks roll out of bed looking like they just survived a bar fight but not Dolly damn Parton. On July 1, the queen of country herself dropped a glamorous ...

Lee Greenwood performs live in a patriotic shirt, years after nearly shelving “God Bless The USA,” now America’s beloved anthem.

Lee Greenwood Almost Didn’t Release “God Bless The USA” as a Single, Now It’s America’s Anthem

Sometimes, the songs that shape a nation nearly get buried on the B side. Back in 1984, Lee Greenwood was on a solid run of hits and living out every ...

Keith Urban smiles on stage in Akron, Ohio, where he made a heartfelt gesture for a blind fan that moved the audience to tears.

Keith Urban’s Sweet Gesture for Blind Fan Leaves Sister Thanking Him for Truly Seeing Her

Some moments at a concert feel bigger than the music. This was one of them. Keith Urban‘s always been one of the good guys in country, but fans at his ...

Gracie McGraw, seen here at a past event, recently left fans laughing on Instagram comparing herself to Jurassic dinosaurs.

Tim McGraw’s Daughter Gracie Leaves Fans in Stitches Comparing Herself to Dinosaurs

Sometimes, you just need a reminder that not every celebrity kid takes themselves too seriously. Tim McGraw and Faith Hill’s oldest daughter, Gracie McGraw, just gave the internet a masterclass ...