On this day (October 8) in 1944, Susan Raye was born in Eugene, Oregon. After singing with a rock band in high school, Raye transitioned to country music and became a mainstay on her local radio station. Later, she met Buck Owens, who took her under his wing and helped her find country success. She became the first successful female country singer to record outside the Nashville system.
Videos by American Songwriter
According to a biography of Raye, she auditioned to perform on her local radio station, KWAY, in 1961. She landed the gig and performed regularly on the country station. Later, she landed a job as a disc jockey. After gaining popularity as a radio personality, she became the host of a Portland, Oregon-based TV show called Hoedown…