West Virginia Music Hall of Fame – Class of 2007

Molly O’Day-Country Music Pioneer and Singer Extraordinaire

Country singer and guitarist Molly O’Day holds the distinction of being the first female inducted into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame,(WVMHOF) when it was established in 2007. 

She began as a pioneering female “hillbilly” and country artist at a time (the mid-1940s) when few women were taking the lead, and even fewer were doing so fronting an acoustic string band playing southern folk and gospel ballads.  When she died in 1987 at her home in Huntington, WV, her New York Times obituary quoted renowned Times popular-music critic Robert Shelton as writing “Molly O’Day was one of the greatest, if not the greatest women singers in country music.”

In the mid-1940’s she began a productive friendship with a songwriter who was a skinny kid from Alabama that drank too much, but wrote amazing songs when he was sober.  That’s how Molly O’Day happened to become the first artist to record the songs of Hank Williams.  She would eventually record six of Williams’ songs for Columbia records, among the thirty-six sides she recorded for the label through 1951.

In the male dominated world of early country music, it was Molly O’Day’s name, personality, and voice that stood out front and center when her group played or recorded.  Her voice was one of a kind.  It was uniquely untrained but powerful, ringing loud and clear, sometimes raw, always beautiful.  The New York Times called it “rough-hewn”, and that is a fitting complement. 

It wasn’t until the arrival of Kitty Wells a decade later that female country singers would finally begin breaking down country music’s sexist stereotypes, and another several years before the arrival of such bold personalities as Wanda Jackson and Patsy Cline.  

This author sees a musical and spiritual connection between Molly O’Day and other strong female West Virginia musical artists, from her day to the present.  Beginning with artists who are members of the WVMHOF, such as Hazel Dickens, Connie Smith, Kathy Matea, and including current national music sensation, and West Virginia born and bred singer/songwriter Sierra Ferrell, one can see a group of determined and talented individuals persevering under tough conditions to make an impact on American music.

Though Molly O’Day lived much of her adult life in West Virginia, she was born on July 9, 1923, as Lois Laverne Williamson, in Pike County, Kentucky, where according to her own description “They had to break daylight with a sledgehammer and the groundhogs carried the mail.” Her father was a coal miner, so life was rugged, but she and her two brothers enjoyed playing and singing music as small children.  She idolized singer Patsy Montana.  Soon her two brothers, fiddle playing Cecil, now going as “Skeets”, and banjo playing Joe, now known as “Duke”, started learning tunes from the radio.

Young Laverne was a standout right away.  “Her expressive voice had a penetrating quality particularly when she performed sentimental or sacred songs.”  * According to the Encyclopedia of Country Music.

She first worked on radio with her brother Skeets and Johnnie Bailes at WCHS-Charleston, WV, in 1939, under the stage name of “Mountain Fern”.  The next year they worked at WJLS-Beckley, WV and then WHIS-Bluefield. WV, where she took the name “Dixie Lee” and in 1941 married guitarist Lynn Davis.  Thereafter, she and Lynn worked as a team, and in 1942 she became known as Molly O’Day.  They worked for several months each in Louisville, Birmingham and Dallas.

In 1945 the couple came to WNOX in Knoxville, TN and became stars on the “Midday Merry-Go-Round”.   That show was also syndicated to other radio stations in smaller southern towns.  At the time WNOX had seven “affiliates” in Alabama running the midday show.  From time to time Molly and Lynn would go to Alabama and perform live for their listeners.  It was during  one of these tours they crossed paths with a young, unknown, Hank Williams.

Arriving in Montgomery, AL one day early for a radio show, Molly and Lynn were encouraged to go see a young Hank Williams perform in town.  Song publisher Fred Rose wanted them to hear a particular song, “Tramp on the Street”, as he thought the song would be perfect for Molly.  Hank Williams didn’t write the song, but Rose had seen Williams deliver this song and knew it would be impressive.  And it was.   From I See the LIght: The Story of Hank Williams:

“When Molly O’Day heard Williams sing “Tramp on the Street”, a gospel parable which likened Jesus Christ to a homeless tramp, she had to have that song.  Williams did four encores just re-singing “Tramp”.  Backstage Molly asked Williams for a copy of the lyrics, Hank reached in his guitar case and gave them to her.

Also from I See the LIght: “Hank and Molly’s paths crossed several times after that.  Lynn Davis recalls another show in Montgomery where Hank appeared at the box office, drunk, and offered to sell Davis a folder of his songs for 25$.  Davis bought them and asked Hank to come to the hotel the following morning to complete the paperwork.  When Hank appeared the following day, Davis gave Hank his songs back and told him he was sitting on a gold mine. Hank said he didn’t have the 25$ anymore, and Davis said it didn’t matter.”

O’Day recorded “Tramp on the Street” in 1946 and was immediately signed by Fred Rose, of Acuff-Rose record publishing, to Columbia Records.  

By now the outfit was officially called Molly O’Day and the Cumberland Mountain Folks.  The band worked on a regular basis doing shows all over the country.  It was during this rise in popularity that Molly began questioning her life’s choices.  She had constant health problems and in 1951 she made her last recordings for Columbia Records.

According to the New York Times, “O’Days recordings for Columbia Records between 1946 and 1951 document a purer, more roughly rural country style than the urbanized, smoothed-over Nashville sound that has since come to dominate country music.   Other famous recordings by her include “Don’t Sell Daddy Any More Whiskey”, “Teardrops Falling in the Snow”, and Hank Williams’ “Singing Waterfall”.  

Molly O’Day retired in 1952, when she was only 29 years old.  For such a short career, she had a big influence on country music.

Molly’s final years were spent in full service to God as ministers in the Church of God.  Molly rarely sang but loved to preach the gospel.

In the 1980’s, she fought a battle with cancer that ended in December of 1987, she was 64 years old.

Molly O’Brien added another Hall of Fame designation when became a member of the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame in 2011.  

RECOMMENDED LISTENING – by the author

1. “Tramp on the Street” – 1946.  This is the song Molly O’Day recorded after seeing a young, undiscovered Hank Williams perform it in Montgomery AL.  Williams didn’t write it, but he delivered it in a way that Molly could relate to.  He later wrote songs specifically for O’Day and she recorded a number of his compositions. Molly O’Day -The Tramp On The Street (1946). – YouTube
2. “Singing Waterfall” – 1947.  Written by Hank Williams especially for O’Day, you can hear the winning combination of O’Day’s let it rip style and Williams’ smart and sensitive lyrics.   Molly O’Day – Singing Waterfall (1947). (youtube.com)

3. “Don’t Sell Daddy Anymore Whiskey” – 1950.  This song’s title says it all, but for added effect, after it was recorded, the producer decided to add the sound of a crying baby wailing throughout the song in the background.  Creepy, but effective.  Don’t Sell Daddy Any More Whiskey – Molly O’Day & The Cumberland Mountain Folk (youtube.com)

4. “Living the Right Life Now” – 1950.  This song features Molly O’Days tremendous skills on the claw hammer banjo.  No less than Earl Scruggs called O’Day one of the best players he ever heard.    Living The Right Life Now (youtube.com)

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Steve Goff is a past President of West Virginia Writers, Inc.; and his record reviews have appeared in national music publications such as Goldmine, Stereo Review, and Hit Parader. An avid music collector, he is still hanging onto over 8,000 pieces of recorded music, 6,200 of which are on poly-vinyl.