Margo Smith, a chart-topping country musician who dominated the Billboard Hot Country Songs list during her active career years, has died. She was 84.
Multiple media outlets confirmed that the late Christian music singer and songwriter, whose real name was Betty Lou Miller, died on January 23. Some websites, however, reported that she passed away on January 22.
What Was Margo Smith's Cause of Death?
According to the Music Row's story shared by the Academy of Country Music Awards' X page, Smith died in Franklin, Tenn., two days after suffering from a stroke.
"Please join the Academy in mourning the passing of Country star Margo Smith," ACM Awards. "Nominated for ACM Most Promising Female Vocalist in 1976, she had two #1 hits in the 1970s: 'Don't Break the Heart That Loves You' and 'It Only Hurts for a Little While.' Boasting a show-stopping talent for yodeling, she was known as 'The Tennessee Yodeler.'"
The page continued, "We send our love and healing to her family, friends, and fans."
Her family asked everyone to, in lieu of flowers, make a memorial donation instead to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or Music City Christian Fellowship. Meanwhile, the Woodlawn-Roesch-Patton Funeral Home is handling the funeral arrangements.
Smith is survived by her husband, Richard Cammeron; their children Jeffrey, Holly, Tonja and Lisa; siblings Jimmy Miller, Linda Crofut and Kathy Kelly; and her eight grandchildren.
The bereaved loved ones have also scheduled a celebration of life on February 2, 2 p.m., at the Harpeth Christian Church in Tennessee.
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Margo Smith's Legacy
Smith established her career as a country musician starting in the 1970s. She immediately rose to fame after releasing her debut album, "I'm a Lady," in 1971.
By 1975, she struck a deal with 20th Century Fox Records and dropped her first single with the record, "There I Said It." The track secured the No. 8 spot on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and No. 20 on the RPM Country Singles.
Smith released more albums in the years thereafter, including "Song Bird," "Happiness," "Don't Break the Heart That Loves You," "Just Margo," "The Best of the Tennessee Yodeler," "The Best Yet" and "God's Bigger Than Wall Street."
One of her last projects came out in 2005, an album titled "Nothing to Lose."
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