Country singer Melba Montgomery has died. Known for her duets with George Jones, Gene Pitney, and Charlie Louvin — as well as her No. 1 hit “No Charge” — Montgomery passed away at a memory care facility, in Nashville, Tennessee on Wednesday, Jan. 15. Her daughter, Jackie Chancey confirmed the news to The New York Times. Montgomery was 86.
“It is with great sadness that we announce our family has lost our mother, Melba Montgomery Solomon,” Montgomery’s other daughter, Melissa Solomon Barrett, announced her mother’s passing in a Jan. 15 Facebook post. “She was a wonderful mother, grandmother, sister to my uncle, sister-in-law to my aunts and aunt to my cousins.”
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Solomon Barrett added that her mother “fought a long battle with dementia but is now with her loving husband, Jack Solomon in Heaven. We know mom has been waiting to hold dad for over 10 years. We will provide visitation and funeral arrangements as we learn more in the coming days. Thank you for loving our mom as much as we have. She was an incredibly talented, kind and generous woman.”
Born in Iron City, Tennessee in 1938, Montgomery was raised primarily in Florence, Alabama, where she got her start singing in church before forming a trio with her two brothers. She went on to launch her career in 1958 at the age of 20 when the trio entered a Nashville-based talent contest. After the group won the contest, Roy Acuff, who judged, offered Montgomery a job signing in his touring band. Montgomery sang for the band from 1958 to 1962, and during that time recorded singles for a small label.
Montgomery got her big break in 1963 when signed with United Artists Records and was introduced to George Jones. They went on to record six Top 40 country hits together, including 1963’s “We Must Have Been Out of Our Minds,” which soared to No. 3 on the charts. That same year, the pair earned hits with “Let’s Invite Them Over” and “What’s in Our Heart,” and also released their first studio album, What’s In Our Hearts, which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Country LP’s list.
Outside of her work with Jones, Montgomery also worked with numerous other artists, including Charlie Louvin, with whom she scored hits with songs like 1970’s “Something to Brag About” and “Did You Ever.” She later recorded with Gene Pitney, the pair finding success with “Being Together.”
Throughout her decades-long career, the singer also earned recognition as a solo artist. Her 1974 song “No Charge” was her biggest solo hit. She also found success with titles like 1975’s “Don’t Let the Good Times Fool You,” which reached No. 15, and “Angel of the Morning,” which climbed to No. 2. After her string of successful songs, Montgomery in the ‘90s focused on songwriting, with her songs being recorded by the likes of Sara Evans, Patty Loveless, Travis Tritt, Terri Clark, George Straight, and more.
Remembering Montgomery in a Facebook tribute, Jones’ daughter, Georgette, said the country star was “an incredible singer and songwriter as well as a very sweet and wonderful person. Please join me in praying for her family and friends.”
Montgomery is survived by her brother Earl and her daughters Jackie Solomon Chancey, Tara Solomon Capps, Diana Lynn Cirigliano and Melissa Solomon Barrett; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
