Melba Montgomery has died. The country singer, best known for her duets with George Jones and Gene Pitney, passed away after a long battle with dementia, her family revealed in a Jan. 15 Facebook post. She was 86.
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“It is with great sadness that we announce our family has lost our mother, Melba Montgomery Solomon,” the post, which was written by the late singer’s daughter, Melissa Solomon Barrett, read. “She was a wonderful mother, grandmother, sister to my uncle, sister-in-law to my aunts, and aunt to my cousins.”
“She fought a long battle with dementia but is now with her loving husband, Jack Solomon in Heaven,” the post continued. “We know mom has been waiting to hold dad for over 10 years.”
The mourning daughter concluded, “Thank you for loving our mom as much as we have. She was an incredibly talented, kind and generous woman.”
The following day, Barrett announced that her mom’s funeral will be held at Harpeth Hills Memorial Gardens & Funeral Home in Nashville, Tennessee, on Jan. 22.
In lieu of followers, the family asked mourners donate to causes close to Montgomery. Among those are Alive Hospice, Shriners Hospital for Children, and The Dementia Society of America.
Melba Montgomery’s Career Accomplishments
In her online obituary, Montgomery was remembered as “one of the greatest female stylists of country music’s ‘golden age.'”
Montgomery got her start by singing in her local church. Her professional career began when she traveled to Nashville at age 19. While there, she won a talent contest staged by WSM radio, the home of the Grand Ole Opry.
Eventually, in 1962, Montgomery was signed by United Artists Records, kicking off a memorable career. By 1986, Melba Montgomery had placed 30 songs on country’s popularity charts and released 26 albums.
In addition to her notable duets and solo releases, Montgomery was known for her songwriting prowess, having penned tunes for more than 50 artists including Hank Williams Jr. and George Strait.
Montgomery retired in 2015 after her husband, guitarist and songwriter Jack Solomon, died.