Kitty Wells 'Queen of Country Music" Dies at 92

 

Kitty Wells, the "Queen of Country Music" known as the first female superstar of her genre, died on Monday at the age of 92.

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The Associated Press reported that she passed away peacefully at home Monday following complications from a stroke.

Her "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" in 1952 was the first No. 1 hit by a woman soloist on the country music charts and dashed the notion that women couldn't be headliners. Billboard magazine had been charting country singles for about eight years at that time.

Kitty Wells made 25 Top 10 country hits, recorded approximately 50 albums, won a slew of awards and was known to be controversial for her time.

"They get away with a lot more today," Wells told the Associated Press in 1986. "They're more [sexually] suggestive today."

Wells continued to have an active role at the Grand Ole Opry long after country radio stopped playing her music. Well's was married to Johnnie Wright who died last year at age 97. Wells was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1976.

A full obituary will appear in Tuesday's Los Angeles Times.

Wells is survived by a son, Bobby; a daughter, Sue Wright Sturdivant; eight grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren.

Watch: Kitty Wells - It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels Below: