Shelly West

Shelly West (born May 23, 1958 in Cleveland, Ohio) is an American country music singer. Her mother was the country music star Dottie West, whose career spanned three decades. The younger West reached her peak in popularity during the 1980s before mostly retiring in the wake of her mother's death.

Biography

1981 – 1987

West rose to prominence at the same time as her mother Dottie was reinventing herself as a country pop star, and Shelly's style was not significantly different from that of her mother's. West is best known for her hit duets with David Frizzell, especially their No. 1 hit "You're the Reason God Made Oklahoma". She also was a successful solo artist, having her own No. 1 hit, "Jose Cuervo" in 1983.

1987 – 1992: Retirement

West did reunite with Frizzell for a few shows in the late 1980s. West married Gary Hood in 1984 and had twin sons. In 1990, Shelly toured with her mother, Dottie West; together, they were popular on the road. In late August, 1991, Dottie was involved in a major car accident, eventually dying on September 4, 1991 from injuries sustained in the accident. West was a technical adviser for a television biopic about her mother's life, Big Dreams and Broken Hearts: The Dottie West Story, produced by and starring actress Michele Lee. At that point, amidst major changes in the country music industry that impacted the careers of many established country stars, the younger West retired to focus on her family.