Biography

Leona Belle Helton was born January 7, 1943 in Vienna, Missouri. Active in her family's band since childhood, she had a radio program on KWOS in Jefferson City, Missouri when she was fifteen. Later on, she worked as a bass guitarist and backing vocalist in Loretta Lynn's road band. By 1968, Williams signed to the Hickory record label and released two singles: "Once More" and "Country Girl with Hot Pants On." In 1976, she recorded the album San Quentin's First Lady for MCA Records, which was the first country album recorded by a female artist inside a prison. She also joined Merle Haggard's road band in the mid-1970s, supplanting his estranged wife, Bonnie Owens. Leona wrote two of Merle's No. 1 hits, "Someday When Things Are Good", and "You Take Me For Granted". She also wrote songs for Connie Smith--"Dallas", Loretta Lynn--"Get Whatcha Got And Go", and others. Between 1978 and 1983, she was married to Haggard, and in 1978, the two charted in the country Top Ten with the song "The Bull and the Beaver." She recorded two singles for Elektra Records in 1981, and charted another duet with Haggard titled "We're Strangers Again." She later married singer-songwriter Dave Kirby in 1985, and remained married to him until his 2004 death. Williams continues to tour with her son, Ron.

Discography

Albums

Year	Album information	Chart Positions
1976	San Quentin's First Lady	—
1983	Heart to Heart	44
2001	Old Love Never Dies	—
2002	This is Leona Williams Country	—
2004	Honorary Texan	—
2005	I Love You Because	—
2008	Sings Merle Haggard	—
2008	New Patches	—
2011	Grass Roots	—
2011	Duets	—
2011	Melted Down Memories	—
2012	By George This is...Leona Williams	—
2013	Yes Ma'm, He Found Me in a Honky Tonk	—

Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions

Title	Year	Peak chart positions	Album
"A Woman's Man"	1968	—	That Williams Girl
"Papa's Medicine Show"		—
"They'll Never Take His Love from Me"	1969	—
"Once More"		66
"Baby, We're Really in Love"		—
"When I Stop Dreaming"	1970	—
"Yes Ma'am, He Found Me in a Honky Tonk"		—	N/A
"Watch Her Go"		—	N/A
"Somewhere Inside"	1971	—	N/A
"Country Girl with Hot Pants On"		52	N/A
"Country Music in My Soul"		—	N/A
"Happy Anniversary, Baby"	1972	—	N/A
"Out of Hand"		—	N/A
"I'd Rather Die"	1973	—	N/A
"I Can't Tell My Heart That"		—	N/A
"Your Shoeshine Girl"		93	N/A
"Anything Goes ('Til Everything's Gone)"		—	N/A
"I'm Not Supposed to Love You Anymore"	1974	—	N/A
"Just Like a Prayer"		—	N/A
"Shape Up or Ship Out"	1975	—	N/A
"I Wonder Where I'll Find You at Tonight"	1976	—	San Quentin's First Lady
"San Quentin"		—
"Mama, I've Got to Go to Memphis"	1978	—	N/A
"Bright Morning Light"		—	N/A
"The Baby Song"	1979	92	N/A
"Good Nights Make Good Mornings"		—	N/A
"Any Port in a Storm"	1980	—	N/A
"I'm Almost Ready"	1981	54	N/A
"You Can't Find Many Kisses"		—	N/A
"Always Late with Your Kisses"		84	N/A
"Rock Me to Sleep"	1986	—	A Taste of Life
"No Love Line"		—
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Collaborative singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions

Title	Year	Peak chart positions		Album
		US	CAN
"The Bull and the Beaver"	1978	8	25	N/A
"We're Strangers Again"	1983	42	—	Heart to Heart
"Waitin' for the Good Life to Come"		—	—
"It's Cold in California"	1984	—	—
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

[ Source: Wikipedia ]