Area women who had No. 1 country hits dies at 84

Jan. 27—A former Clark County woman who graduated from Wittenberg University and worked as a school teacher before launching a country music career that included No. 1 hits has died.

Margo Smith, who was nicknamed the Tennessee Yodeler and who sang Christian music later in her life, died in Nashville on Monday at the age of 84. She had been hospitalized after suffering a stroke, according to friends who spoke with Smith's family.

She toured with country greats Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Tammy Wynette, Kenny Rogers, Conway Twitty and Crystal Gayle.

Smith was born Betty Lou Miller on April 9, 1939, in Mutual in Champaign County. Most online sites report her place of birth as Dayton and in 1942, but she told others later she made that up because no one knew the small area she came from and because she wanted to seem younger.

In the 1970s, she sang the No. 1 songs "Don't Break the Heart That Loves You" (1977) and "It Only Hurts for a Little While" (1978). She performed regularly at Dollywood and Grand Ole Opry shows.

She married producer Richard Cammeron, who survives, and she sang with her daughter Holly as a gospel duo.

In her childhood, Smith was raised by her a grandmother who was killed in a housefire that Smith survived, according to area historian Stan Oliver. She went to live with an aunt, uncle and cousins near Catawba, Oliver said in a post about Smith's life.

She graduated high school and went to Wittenberg University, deciding to be a kindergarten teacher after graduating.

Smith moved to New Carlisle, where she taught and was married to her first husband.

According to Oliver, she sang to her students, then picked up singing at events and clubs. She was discovered and went to Nashville, where she signed with a record label, launching her country career.