On This Day in 1952, Kitty Wells Became the First Woman To Top the Country Chart and Blazed a Trail for Generations To Come

On this day (August 23) in 1952, Kitty Wells went to No. 1 on the country chart with “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels.” This made Wells the first solo woman to reach the top of the chart. It also solidified her place as the first woman to become a country star. More importantly, she showed the world that it was possible for a woman to stand in the spotlight.

“It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels” was written as an answer to “The Wild Side of Life.” Hank Thompson’s rendition of the single spent 15 weeks at No. 1. The song is from the perspective of a man who is left heartbroken and more than a little bitter after his lover left him to spend time in bars. In the chorus, he sings, I didn’t know God made honky tonk angels. / I might have known you’d never make a wife. / You gave up the only one that ever loved you / And went back to the wild side of life.

[RELATED: On This Day in 1952, Hank Thompson Was at No. 1 With the Song That Inspired a History-Making Hit by Kitty Wells]

J.D. “Jay” Miller heard the song and wrote “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels.” The song is from the perspective of a woman who hears “Wild Side of Life” on a jukebox in a bar. The lyrics blame unfaithful men for driving women away. The chorus is a direct rebuttal. It wasn’t God who made honky tonk angels / As you said in the words of your song. / Too many times married men think they’re still single / That has caused many a good girl to go wrong.

Kitty Wells Makes Country Music History

Kitty Wells released “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels” on June 23, 1952. By then, Hank Thompson was already enjoying a long run at the top of the chart with “Wild Side of Life.” Fittingly, Wells replaced Thompson at No. 1.

At the time, Billboard ran three charts for country singles. The Best-Selling Retail Folk (Country & Western) ranked songs based on sales. The Most-Played Juke Box (Country & Western) chart tracked juke box plays. The Country & Western Records Most Played by Folk Disk Jockeys chart tracked airplay.

Wells topped the best-sellers chart for six consecutive weeks and the juke box chart for five. The song didn’t reach the top of the other chart, though. Most radio stations refused to play the song that called out unfaithful men because it was too “suggestive.” She was also banned from performing it on the Grand Ole Opry’s “Prince Albert” segment. Across the pond, the BBC banned it from the airwaves as well.

The bans didn’t stop Kitty Wells from becoming an inspiration for generations of women in country music.

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