Shepard was made a member of the hallowed Grand Ole Opry in 1955, and after the death of Little Jimmy Dickers, she was the longest-standing member. In November of 2015, Shepard celebrated being a member of the Grand Ole Opry for six consecutive decades, where she became the first woman to accomplish this milestone. The only other person that celebrated 60 years as a Grand Ole Opry member was Little Jimmy Dickens.
She was honored as a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in 2011, where she was inducted with Bobby Braddock and Reba McEntire. Shepard recorded a total of 24 studio albums between the years 1956 and 1981. She was known for her ability to yodel (“Second Fiddle To An Old Guitar”).
In her lengthy career in the country music industry, Shepard charted over 70 singles on country radio, where “A Dear John Letter” went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country charts. This song was the first single by a female country star to sell over one million copies. In 2014, Shepard had released her Down Through The Years autobiography.
Read More: Digital Journal was afforded the privilege to interview Jean Shepard back in February of 2014.
