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Born 87 Years Ago Today in Nashville, the Daughter of Kitty Wells and Johnnie Wright Who Went From Singing With Her Parents to Making Her Own Mark on Country Music
Ruby Wright, daughter of country stars Kitty Wells and Johnnie Wright, began singing with her parents as a child before building a career of her own. Her story highlights the paths taken by performers who grew up in musical families and helped shape country music.
Born in Nashville on 27 October 1939, Wright signed with RCA Records at 13 and initially released music as Ruby Wells. In the 1950s she joined ‘Nita, Rita and Ruby, then performed with her sister as The Wright Sisters; her 1964 song “Dern Ya” reached No. 13 on the US country chart and No. 4 in Canada. She released one solo album in 1966 and stopped releasing solo music by the end of the decade; she died in 2009, aged 69.
In short
- Ruby Wright started singing with her famous parents as a child.
- She joined the 1950s trio ‘Nita, Rita and Ruby.
- “Dern Ya” reached No. 13 in the US and No. 4 in Canada.
Explained simply
Ruby Wright grew up in a family closely connected to country music. Her parents, Kitty Wells and Johnnie Wright, were established performers, and she began singing alongside them as a child before pursuing her own work.
Wright recorded under the name Ruby Wells and later performed in several groups, including a duo with her sister. Her song “Dern Ya” charted in the United States and Canada in 1964. Her career offers an example of how performers from musical families could move between family acts and solo recording.
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