Cocaine & Rhinestones: The History of Country Music

CR007 - Harper Valley PTA, Part 1: Shelby S. Singleton

Cocaine & Rhinestones: The History of Country Music

Show Notes

You think all it takes to make a hit record is to find a good song and get a good performance of it? That's cute. Have a seat and let an old-school record man show you how it's done. This is Shelby Singleton. When it took driving a trunk full of records around the country to make them into hits, that's what he did. Then he became a producer. Then he became a VP at Mercury Records. Then he founded an independent musical empire in Nashville and really got to work making new enemies. This episode is recommended for fans of: marketing, publicity, controversy, rockabilly, Supermensch (the documentary on Shep Gordon), George Jones, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, David Allan Coe, Jeannie C. Riley, Margie Singleton and Roger Miller. Find a list of songs excerpted in this episode, as well as pictures and information/links to all sources at: https://cocaineandrhinestones.com/shelby-singleton-harper-valley-pta

More from Cocaine & Rhinestones: The History of Country Music

Aug 18, 2024

Please select "BOOK" from the main menu on the C&R website for more info on any of these things.

Feb 19, 2024

Season 2 has been adapted into a book from Simon & Schuster, available now

Feb 15, 2022

The end of one story is just the beginning of another.

Feb 1, 2022

At least this whole story has a happy ending, right? Of course, whether or not that's true depends a lot on your personal definitions of both "happy ending" and "whole story" but, either way, today we reach the final chapter of George Jones' life. Don't worry, it'll all be over soon.

Jan 18, 2022

Oh, you thought Jones had a hard time dealing with George Richey? Imagine being married to the guy. Today we say one of the saddest and most infuriating goodbyes we'll ever have to say, the one we say to Tammy Wynette.

See all episodes →