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| Brenda clownin' for the "cowboys" in Wyoming. 1997. |
Music bio...
Began singing & dancing on the kitchen table at 2.
Filled my dress skirt with money by entertaining Camden County,
Mo. officials in their offices during the early '50's.
Continued playing my guitar and singing in the Camden County Courthouse
in the evenings and would receive requests from the prisoners upstairs, as my voice echoed throughout the empty rooms.
Skipping onto the stage, I played my first gigs with Joe Libby,
my oldest bro, at the Camdenton High School in 1956 & '57.
1963, joined up with the Greenview Opry for the summer. (Dick Childers,
Jerry Cox, Terry Mays and Susie Ginnings).
1964, entered Lee Mace's Ozark Opry talent search and soon became
a member of the cast for 2 years. Performing at the lake show, on KRCG-TV in Jefferson City and traveling around the midwest.
1965-1968, Performed on Slim Wilson Show out of Springfield, Missouri,
on KY3 TV with the Slim Wilson Trio. (Speedy Haworth)
1967-1969, Joined the cast of the Country Music Hall at the Lake
of the Ozarks. (Tony Smith, Bob & Ruth Noland, Denver & Charlie Golden)
1970, Opened Country Shindig, Osage Beach, Mo, on my bday, May
25th to a capacity + crowd! (Steve West, Denver Golden, Gene Barnes, Terry Martin, Buddy Fizer, Jeanne & Joe Libby, &
Denny Hilton was the first year cast) (Later, Dennis McCall, Thom Gumm, Myron Smith, Frank Williams, Rick George, Stan &
Wendell Stidham, Sally Libby & Jeanne Stidham would perform)
During my time associated with Country Shindig, I opened and sang
w/Conway Twitty, Mel Tillis, Dolly Parton, Lynn Anderson, Barbara Mandrell, Louise Mandrell, Irlene Mandrell, David Houston,
Nat Stuckey, Connie Smith, Porter Waggoner & Loretta Lynn.
1973-1975, Was lead singer for the Tan Tar A Suns at Burton Duenke's
Tan Tar a, Osage Beach, Mo.
1975-1982, Performed single and w/bands at Lodge of the Four Seasons,
Lake Ozark, Mo. Also was featured at the Chase Park Plaza Hotel in St. Louis and on KPLR-TV in St. Louis.
1978-1980, Spent several months in Nashville, Tenn. writing with
my mentors.
1980's, continued writing and raising my children.
1983, Give It Back, on Comstock Records, broke into the Top
50's in USA and was a Top 20 hit in Canada for several weeks into 1984. Flipside, We Don't Make Sense Anymore, was also played
in Canada.
1989, Released Texas Rain in Europe on Comstock Records. Became
a #17 in France, England, and most other countries in Europe.
1993, Moved to Wyoming and continued writing.
1998, Had thyroid surgery and lost my singing voice for over 2
years.
1999-2002, manager and on air personality for KPIN, Wyoming. Was part of news
media invited to attend Pres. Geo. Bush's arrival/departure from Jackson, Wyo.
2002, returned to Missouri w/hubby & resumed friendships with musicians
in the area. Picked up my writing pen with a vengeance!
NOW- Writing like a crazed woman. Became member of NSAI and continue
to jam, at home and with old friends. Everyday is a bonus of songs!
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| Met Sonny Throckmorton, 78-80. Hall of Fame Songwriter. |
Sonny Throckmorton, pictured above in Texas recently, listened
intently to my demo I took him during the winter of 1979. His office on the first floor of Tree Publishing/Sony,
in Nashville became a place I visited often. Always friendly, always helpful. He advised me how he had struggled to
get his songs cut for some 16 years, and when they hit, they hit hard. Back in 1980, the songwriter said " when
they find that particular song of yours, they will want everything in your closet....all those songs they have told you were
NOT any good, will become Top Tens....you have the addiction, you have a fine mind, (said with his Texas drawl), I will be
hearing your songs one day on the radio". Writer of Middle Aged Crazy, Last Cheaters Waltz, Wish I Was 18 Again, Cheatin'
Situation, The Way I Am, Smooth Sailin' and many, many more.
My Mother wanted to meet this Texas gentleman, so I drove her to
Nashville in the late summer of 1980. While she was waiting in the lobby, she met Jeanne Pruett, who was there, as well to
speak with Sonny about her upcoming album. Jeanne was gracious and kind to my Mom and told Rita Jo that she (Jeanne)
could come back later and chat with Sonny. She felt "our visit" was very important! My Mother never forgot her generosity
and hospitality. I have never forgotten how beautiful Jeanne looked that day in her sundress and heels. A southern lady
with the bluest eyes~
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