LEONA WILLIAMS - DOCUMENT SIGNED 05/24/1976 - HFSID 66107

LEONA WILLIAMS
Leona Williams signs a document for an advance on her contract from Harrah's Reno and Lake Tahoe for $1000.
Partly Printed Document Signed: "Leona Williams", 1p, 6x4. Nevada, 1976 May 24. Advance on Contract from Harrah's Reno and Lake Tahoe for $1000. Born Leona Belle Helton in 1943, Leona sang with her family band as a child and had her own radio show, Leona Sings, on Kansas City's KWOS by 1958. There, she attracted the attention of Loretta Lynn, who asked her to join her touring band as a bassist and back up vocalist. In 1968, Leona became a solo artist, signing on the Hickory label, on which she recorded the minor hits "Once More" and "Country Girl With Hot Pants On." Moving to MCA, Leona recorded San Quentin's First Lady, the first country album recorded by a female singer inside a prison (1976). The previous year, she had joined Merle Haggard's backing band and she soon replaced Haggard's estranged wife, Bonnie Owens, as featured vocalist. Leona married Haggard in 1978, and, although the relationship was stormy, the couple proved to be a successful songwriting team, penning such hits as "The Bull and the Beaver" (1978), which they performed as a duet, and "We're Strangers Again" (1983, the year both their personal and professional relationship began to dissolve). Leona later contributed vocals to albums by Vince Gill and Johnny Bush and produced a solo album, Melted Down Memories (1999). That year, she was asked to appear in the Grand Ladies of Country Music show in Branson, Missouri. Leona remained with the show for three years before moving to the Jim Stafford Theater to become part of Us Girls. Although the show was later cancelled, Leona continued to appear in a number of other country variety shows, including Down Home Country and Ernest Tubb's Midnight Jamboree. Lightly creased. Staple holes in 2 places at left margin. Fine condition.