Jean Shepard was an American country singer who was considered by many writers and authors to be one of the genre's first significant female artists. Her early successes during the 1950s decade were said to influence the future careers of Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton and Tammy Wynette.
Shepard was born in Oklahoma but raised in California alongside her nine siblings. Having a musical upbringing, she formed an all-female country music band named The Melody Ranch Girls. During this period, she was heard by country artist Hank Thompson, who helped her get her first recording contract at age 18 with Capitol Records. Her second single with Ferlin Husky titled "A Dear John Letter" topped the country charts and reached the pop charts in 1953. In 1955, she had her first solo single top ten successes with "A Satisfied Mind", "I Thought of You" and "Beautiful Lies". During this period she was among the first female performers to headline shows and consistently be played on country music radio.
In 1963, Shepard's husband Hawkshaw Hawkins was killed in a plane crash.