Page 69 - ION Indie Magazine MayJune 2020 Issue

Leona Williams (born Leona Belle Helton, January 7, 1943, Vienna, Missouri) was
destined to become a country music entertainer. Leona worked with the family
group as a child. In 1958, she had her own radio show on KWOS Jefferson City.
She married drummer Ron Williams in 1959, and with Leona playing bass, both
worked with Loretta Lynn. That journey would take her all over the world and allow
her to sing before thousands and thousands of country music fans all over the
world.

Leona moved to Nashville from a small town in Missouri called Vienna in the 1960s.
With a lot of hard work, she was soon recording for several major record labels
including Hickory Records, RCA, Polygram, and MCA, with such hits as “Once
More,” “Yes Ma'am, He Found Me In A Honky Tonk,” “Country Girl With Hot Pants
On,” and “Broadminded.” Leona was also traveling worldwide and opening shows
for some of country music's top entertainers and making personal appearances at
The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.

In 1975, Leona joined Merle Haggard’s show, initially as a backing vocalist. Leona's
album "San Quentin's First Lady" was recorded live at San Quentin State Prison
on January 1, 1976, and features Leona performing ten songs with Merle Haggard's
Strangers live before a prison audience.

It was the very first album ever recorded by a woman inside a prison. However,
when Haggard divorced Bonnie Owens, she not only became the featured vocalist,
but on October 7, 1978, she also became the third Mrs. Haggard. Leona later
teamed up with Haggard for a top ten duet called “The Bull and the Beaver” and a
duet album followed called "Heart To Heart.” During this time, she would write some
of Merle’s biggest hits including “You Take Me For Granted” and “Someday When
Things Are Good.” You can hear her harmony vocals on some of Merle's hits such
as “The Way I Am,” “The Roots Of My Raising,” and “Big City.” Merle and Leona
were divorced in 1983.

Leona married songwriter Dave Kirby and moved back to Vienna, Missouri. She
continued to work the road and released three successful independent projects on
her own Loveshine label. Leona made frequent guest appearances on Nashville
Now and various other syndicated country music programs. She also headlined a
daily country music show at the Texas Troubadour Theater in Nashville with Johnny
Russell.

In 1999, country music legend Jean Shepard persuaded Leona to become part of
the “Grand Ladies of Country Music” show at the 76 Music Mall Theater in Branson.
Leona worked three years on this show and then moved to the Jim Stafford Theater
as part of “Us Girls.” She then headlined the “Fall Creek Opry Show” in Branson,
while still being a constant draw in concerts across the nation. She even worked
with "The Rajun Cajun" Doug Kershaw in Branson in the 2004 season.

Leona also headlined a very successful tour of Ireland, playing to some of the most
receptive audiences of her career in October of 2004. She received six encores on
her last night in Ireland with fans lining up for over an hour to meet and get her
autograph.