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Of all the country music notables to pass ever so fleetingly through the 1950's, none were more influential on the current music scene as two young women from Kentucky, The Davis Sisters. With Just one hit record;"I Forgot More Than you'll Ever Know", The Davis Sisters inspired the likes of The Everly Brothers, (who inspired The Beatles) , Bob Dylan, and a young musician named Bud Issacs who created the twin necked pedal steele guitar to imitate the harmony of the sisters. This instrument is now the standard for the music industry. These Kentucky gals deserve a little more recognition. And Skeeter Davis, alone, should be in The Country Music Hall of Fame for her outstanding solo contributions!
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| Rock-a-Bye Boogie: The Davis Sisters Story... and a labor of love Back in 2000, I began research for a one act musical stage play about the Davis Sisters. Half the people I talked to about the project didn't even know who they were, and the other half didn't know I could write. I guess you could say that the odds were stacked against me. My first break for information came when Skeeter Davis' assistant found out about my project. She sent me an email to let me know she thought it was a good idea, and said she would try to get Skeeter to contact me. She went on to say that Skeeter had cancer, and thought this project would lift her spirits a bit. I, in turn, sent Skeeter a letter and waited for a response. In Feruary of 2001 the phone rang at my house one evening; the perky female voice on the other end of the line said: "Is this Gil Nelson? I said: "Yes". And she said: "Well, this is Skeeter Davis." We talked for an hour and a half that night, and we spoke three or four more times that year. She told me some wonderful stories, I took notes, then I completed my first draft and mailed a copy to her. She called me several weeks later and approved what I had written. She said I was on the right track. I have since produced the show twice as a reader's play. I have made small improvements here and there. It's a process, but with each draft, it gets a little smoother. I am sorry that Skeeter did not live to see it's completion, but it is nice to know that she was happy with the direction that I was going, so I press on in memory of a sweet, talented lady, and her gifted sister/friend, Betty Jack. |
They said we were rebels But we had a cause We had to sing our songs and we'd die for that applause
Skeeter Davis "One of a Kind"
"I felt like a wild daisy in the governor's rose garden..." Skeeter Davis, her first day at Dixie Heights High School in Covington, Ky.
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Seeking The Davis Sisters Story... I am very interested in locating pictures, film, and unreleased audio. I would also entertain "oral history". There is nothing better than to hear it from someone who was there. If you know of anything concerning The Davis Sisters history, please feel free to contact me by clicking the link below, I will respond to you. Contact The Author Purchase music by The Davis Sisters or Skeeter Davis below: You won't believe what you'll find at Gemm. One of the Internet's oldest and most reliable music dealers. Gemm is a world wide fleamarket of rare vinyl, tape, and CD merchants. If you can't find it at Gemm...you won't find it anywhere! |
Betty Jack and Skeeter in 1953. Contact The Author |
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