Country Chatter

Cleveland Native Shelly West Turns 60

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Shelly West was born on May 23, 1958 in Cleveland, Ohio and is the daughter of the legendary Dottie West. She got her start as a backup singer for her mother when she was 17.

While touring with her mother West fell in love with her guitar player, Allen Frizzell. He was the little brother of country singers Lefty and David Frizzell. West and Frizzell married and left the band in 1977.

The two went on to join David Frizzell’s band where she recorded a duet with him called “You’re The Reason God Made Oklahoma.” The song went to #1 in 1981 and was such a favorite of Clint Eastwood that he added to the soundtrack of his film Any Which Way You Can.”

The song was named the Song of the Year at the ACM Awards in 1981. West and Frizzell also won the ACM’s Duo of the year, twice, and were named the CMA Awards Duo of the Year in 1982.

West also had a successful solo career and hit the #1 spot on the charts again in 1983 with “Jose Cuervo.”

In 1990, West again toured with her mother. Dottie was involved in a major car accident in late August of 1991 and passed away in September of the same year.  After her mother’s death, West left the music business to raise her family.

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