Who is the most famous or infamous person you have ever met?
Fame is a fleeting characteristic for those who are able to reach that level of popularity. For every Taylor Swift, there are an infinite number of MC Hammers, those stars that shine bright for a time before becoming supernovas that simply vanish from the public’s consciousness.
In the late 60’s, a country singer with the given name Jeanne Carolyn Stephenson married a man named Mickey Riley, and with their baby daughter moved to Nashville and served as a secretary for a record company while recording demos as a side gig.
A former Mercury Records producer heard one of her demos and saw potential in her voice. Matching her with the Tom T. Hall song “Harper Valley PTA”, the recorded single became one of the biggest country singles of all time. Riley became the first woman to top both the country and pop charts with the same song, a feat not duplicated until Dolly Parton topped both charts with 1981’s “9 to 5”.
It was during this time that my Dad developed what in hindsight I would call a crush on Jeannie C. Riley.
At the height of her “PTA” fame, the singer performed at county fairs throughout the Midwest. One of those appearances was at the Mower County Fair in Austin, Minnesota. My Mom and Dad and I made the trip north from Iowa to take in her show.
Being that I was perhaps 5 years old at the time, this story is mostly told third hand from my parents to me to you, and there is no photographic evidence to back it up.
After the concert finished, my Dad was excited to meet the singer, with the three of us joining a long line to meet and greet the beautiful brunette.
I vaguely recall eventually reaching the front of the line. Ms. Riley broke into a huge smile that lit up the room (as well as my Dad’s face), stood up and lifted me off my feet, returning to her seat with me landing on her lap.
“He’s got the cutest little bangs!” she exclaimed with a deep-south twang, kissing my forehead and then posing with me as my Mom snapped a photo of the two of us, the round flash bulb bubbling after bursting with light that slowly fizzled
It was a momentary experience that I had heard recounted over the years growing up and seemed tailor-made for today’s prompt.
Foreshadowing Shania Twain’s sex appeal by more than 3 decades, Jeannie C. Riley bucked conventional expectations of female country music stars by donning mini-skirts and go- go boots on stage rather than the gingham dresses popular at the time.
Eventually her star began to fade and she recorded gospel songs throughout the mid-70’s after becoming a born again Christian at about that time.
At 78 years of age, Riley is still active in her native Texas, as “Harper Valley PTA” continues to win over new and younger fans. Hopefully some of those younger fans get a glimpse of the singer as I saw her way back when.
MOTEVENTURE 
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