Country music legend Kitty Wells has died, her family confirmed Monday. Wells, known as the Queen of Country Music, passed away from complications of a stroke Monday at her home. She was 92.
“She led the way for all of us and I feel very grateful and honored to have known her. She was always the most gracious, kind, and lovely person to be around. I so appreciated her being a part of my life and a mentor to me,” Wells’ friend Barbara Mandrell said in a statement to Us Weekly magazine.
Wells’ career took off in 1952 when she recorded the number 1 hit “It Wasn’t God Who Make Honky Tonk Angels.” The song made Wells the first female country music artist to have a number 1 hit on the country charts. Her other hits include “Paying for That Back Street Affair,” “Hey Joe,” “Release Me" and "I Can't Stop Loving You.”
Twenty-five of Wells’ songs reached became top 10 hits. She recorded 50 albums and won numerous awards, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and the Academy of Country Music's Pioneer Award. Wells was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1976.
Wells is survived by two of her three children.
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