Born Eva Alaine Overstake in Decatur, Illinois, on this day (July 23) in 1917, the country music singer known as Judy Martin got her start as part of a singing trio with older sisters Evelyn and Lucille. A regular performer on the seminal country music radio program National Barn Dance from the late 1930s to early ’40s, she became the second wife of Country Music Hall of Fame singer Clyde Julian “Red” Foley on August 9, 1933. They had three children together before Martin died by suicide at age 34. Today, we’re celebrating her life and career.
The Overstake Sisters began performing three-part harmonies for The Salvation Army on street corners in their home town of Decatur when Martin was just 12 years old.
That led to appearances on local radio stations, and in 1931, Herschel Overstake took his three daughters to Chicago to audition for the radio station WLS.
The girls impressed the program director so thoroughly that he immediately scheduled their guest appearance on the National Barn Dance program for the following Saturday. Listeners loved that performance so much that the trio landed regular Saturday night roles on the show.
Beginning in January 1932, Judy Martin was performing and recording with her siblings as the Three Little Maids.
By 1933, the three sisters were performing during their own daily radio show on WLS in addition to regular performances on the National Barn Dance.
In October of that year, they performed for 10,000 fans at the Chicago World’s Fair.
How Did Judy Martin and Red Foley Meet?
The sisters’ role on the National Barn Dance brought them into contact with some larger country music acts, including Gene Autry, the Hoosier Hot Shots, and Red Foley.
Foley took a romantic interest in Judy Martin, and on August 9, 1933, they married six months after his first wife, Pauline, died in childbirth.
Shortly after her marriage to Foley, the Three Little Maids went their separate ways. Evelyn continued as a solo artist on WLS, while Lucille—under the name Jenny Lou Carson—became the first woman to write a No. 1 country music hit with 1945’s “You Two-Timed Me One Time Too Often”, recorded by Tex Ritter.
Martin occasionally joined her sister and husband for public performances, remaining a regular on the National Barn Dance until 1947.
On November 17, 1951, Judy Martin took her own life by overdosing on sleeping pills. She was 34 years old.
Featured image courtesy of Discogs.com
The post Born 109 Years Ago Today in Illinois, the “Straight Shootin’ Cowgirl” and Second Wife of “Mr. Country Music” appeared first on American Songwriter.
Author: Erinn Callahan
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