Anita Kerr was the leader of the Anita Kerr Singers, who sang backup for country superstars including Patsy Cline (1932–1963) and Roy Orbison (1936–1988) as well as recording their own music.
- Died: October 10, 2022 (Who else died on October 10?)
- Details of death: Died in Geneva at the age of 94.
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Anita Kerr Singers
Kerr began working in the country music world in the late 1940s, singing on Nashville’s WSM radio. She and her vocal quintet began singing backup for artists including Red Foley (1910–1968) and Burl Ives (1909–1995), as well as backing Cline’s 1957 debut album. She founded the Anita Kerr Singers in 1961, and they began cutting albums as well as backing Nashville’s stars. They won Grammy Awards for their 1965 album “We Dig Mancini” and their 1966 single “A Man and a Woman.” Highly in demand in Nashville, Kerr and her quartet sang backup on singles including Orbison’s “Only the Lonely” and Bobby Helms’s “Jingle Bell Rock.” Their vocal style was a key piece of the Nashville Sound, and Kerr’s arrangements also shaped the country music trends of the 1950s and ‘60s. She produced songs including Skeeter Davis’ (1931–2004) “The End of the World.” Kerr later wrote film scores and was honored with a Governors Award from the Recording Academy.
Tributes to Anita Kerr
Full obituary: The New York Times
