Leona Williams

Leona Williams was born Leona Belle Helton on January 7, 1943, in Vienna, MO. She sang in her family band as a child and by 1958 had landed her own radio show on Jefferson City's KWOS called Leona Sings. This outlet brought her to the attention of Loretta Lynn, who asked Williams to join her touring band as a bassist and backup vocalist. Williams signed as a solo artist with Hickory in 1968 and cut a few minor hits for the label, including "Once More" and "Country Girl with Hot Pants On." She bounced from Hickory to MCA, where she recorded the landmark San Quentin's First Lady...