Born: 25 October 1912, United States
Died: 4 March 1996
Country most active: United States
Also known as: Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon
The following is excerpted from Infinite Women creator Allison Tyra’s book Uncredited: Women’s Overlooked, Misattributed, and Stolen Work.
Comedian Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon, better known as Minnie Pearl, was part of the Grand Ole Opry for half a century. From the inception of the Country Music Hall of Fame, she was nominated every single year—14 times—before she was finally inducted in 1975. While she was admittedly known more for comedy than singing, her many nominations were an indicator of her contributions to the culture the Hall represents. At the ceremony, singer Tennessee Ernie Ford observed, “no one exemplifies the endearing values of pure country comedy more,” calling her “the first country music humourist to be known and loved worldwide.” She got a standing ovation.