Is Harper Valley

P.T.A. a True Story?

In 1968, Harper Valley P.T.A.’ launched a virtually unknown songwriter and an unknown songstress into the country music spotlight. It was the first single recorded by a woman to hit  #1 on Billboard’s country and pop charts. It also won both a Grammy and a CMA award and sold over six million copies. Who wrote this record-breaking song? Who had the vocal talent to give this song life? Let’s find out!

Who Originally Wrote Harper Valley P.T.A.?

Who Originally Wrote Harper Valley P.T.A.?

Thomas Hill was born outside Olive Hill, Kentucky, in 1936. He received his first guitar as a gift from his dad at age eight and wrote his first song one year later. He performed in a bluegrass band called the Kentucky Travelers as a teen. After a stint in the Army, he returned home, finding work as a radio DJ in West Virginia. It was during this time Tom married his first wife in 1961.

Becoming The Storyteller

Becoming The Storyteller

At the suggestion of Jimmy Key, Tom added the middle initial T to his name. Key thought it would help Tom stand out from other country singers that used the same name. It was during this time Tom was dubbed “The Storyteller.”

What Was Hall’s Creative Process for the Hit Song?

What Was Hall’s Creative Process for the Hit Song?

As one of ten children, Tom and his siblings would spend their days hanging around town. Once when Tom was downtown, he heard about a local woman ostracized by the local P.T.A. He was fascinated by this “socially disenfranchised lady” standing up to the local P.T.A. members.

Who First Recorded Harper Valley P.T.A.?

Who First Recorded Harper Valley P.T.A.?

Jeannie C. Riley was born in a small town called Anson, Texas, in 1945. She fell in love with country music as a young woman and dreamed of becoming a big star someday. She took shorthand in high school so she could quickly write down lyrics she heard on the radio and practice them.

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