The Kendalls
Royce Kendall (b. 25 September 1934, St. Louis, Missouri, USA) and Jeannie Kendall (b. 30 November 1954, St. Louis, Missouri, USA). Royce learned guitar from the age of five and formed a duo, the Austin Brothers, with his brother, Floyce. After serving in the US Army, Royce and his wife Melba started a hairdressing business in St. Louis. Their only child, Jeannie, began harmonizing with her father on old-time country songs, and they were soon entertaining family and friends. Their first record, for a small local label, was Round Round Round, and their talents were recognized in Nashville by Pete Drake, although they simply recorded country versions of pop hits such as Leavin' On A Jet Plane, Proud Mary and You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'. Jeannie Kendall was among the backing singers on Ringo Starr's Nashville album, BEAUCOUPS OF BLUES. The family moved to Hendersonville, just outside Nashville, and the Kendalls had success with Dot Records, notably Two Divided By Love and Everything I Own. In the mid-70s, Ovation Records started a country division and the Kendalls, who had a contemporary sound with traditional overtones, were to test the market. When a single of Live And Let Live was released, Ovation found that country disc jockeys preferred the b-side, Heaven's Just A Sin Away. It topped the US country charts and became the Country Single of the Year. The father and daughter followed the record with other ‘cheating’ songs, notably It Don't Feel Like Sinnin' To Me and Pittsburg Stealers. They had a further US country number l with the double-sided, Sweet Desire/Old Fashioned Love, plus further Top 10 hits with I'm Already Blue and Dolly Parton's Put It Off Until Tomorrow. In 1981, they moved to Mercury and continued their success with Teach Me How To Cheat and If You're Waiting On Me (You're Backing Up). They had their third chart-topper in 1984 with Thank God For The Radio. Jeannie, who takes most of the lead vocals, married band member, Mack Watkins. The Kendalls' success has faltered of late and the most likely scenario is that Jeannie Kendall will go solo.