Millie Kirkham born 24 June 1923

Millie Kirkham (born Mildred Eakes; June 24, 1923 – December 14, 2014) was an American singer who was featured on many classic hit recordings from the mid 1950s through the 1980s. Millie was known as the "Nashville soprano" on numerous hit records and became affectionately known as the fifth member of the Jordanaires.

Kirkham was born Mildred Eakes in Hermitage, Tennessee and raised in Donelson. She started her career singing in the National Life and Accident Insurance Girls' Glee Club before becoming a regular performer on WSM broadcasts in 1946, including Sunday Down South, working under WSM-AM programming director and Tree Publishing founder Jack Stapp. Not long after she left to focus on recording sessions in 1954 -- just a few years before the rise of the famed "Nashville Sound."

Through her early work with vocal group The Jordanaires (best-known as Presley's background vocalists) she helped shape that sound. She was first invited to sing with the group on Husky's #1 country and #4 cross-over hit recording of "Gone", in which Millie sang the angelic background harmony. Elvis asked the Jordanaires, "Who is that lady that sang on 'Gone'?", to which the Jordanaires replied, "That's Millie, Millie Kirkham." They called her to see if she would sing for Elvis and she accepted.

                             

It was Elvis Presley's 1957 recording of "Blue Christmas" that catapulted Millie to icon status. She was six months pregnant, which was unknown to Elvis, and immediately upon her arrival Elvis said: "someone please get that lady a chair". As she recalled 
during an appearance at the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2012, Presley had been asked to re-record the song, and was less than enthused at the prospect.

"He turned around to us," Mrs. Kirkham said. "The musicians and the singers, and he said, 'OK, let's just get this over with. Just do anything. Have fun, have a good time, do something silly.' So I started going, (sings) 'Woooo,' and he motioned for me to keep doing it, and grinned at me. So I just did it all the way through the whole song. When we got through, we all laughed and said, 'Well, that's one record that the record company will never release.' (laughs). But they did, and if I was getting royalties, I'd be a rich old woman." 

Harold Bradley, Buddy Harman,
 Kelso Herston & Millie

Their relationship, which included a mutual friendship and love of music, continued for a period of fifteen years. Kirkham became a regular session and stage backup vocalist for Elvis. Her soprano was heard on many of Elvis Presley's recordings such as "My Wish Came True", "The Wonder Of You", "Surrender", "How Great Thou Art", "Polk Salad Annie", "Bridge Over Troubled Water", "Don't", "Just Pretend", "(You're The) Devil in Disguise", "C.C. Rider", “Suspicious Minds” and many others. She also sang with Elvis on many of his movie soundtracks and performed with him on stage in the 1970 documentary, Elvis: That's the Way It Is in Las Vegas. When Millie left, she was replaced by Kathy Westmoreland.

Jordanaires, Millie & Jim Reeves

Along with Sonny James vocal group, The Southern Gentlemen, Millie was a staple on his recordings. Sonny had an unprecedented string of 16 #1 singles in a row and Millie was on a good number of them. She particularly stood out on his hit recordings of "Running Bear", "Take Good Care of Her", "Heaven Says Hello" and "It's Just a Matter of Time".

She also sang on classics by many other artists, such as Ferlin Husky's "Gone," Brenda Lee's "I'm Sorry," Patti Page's "These Fools," Bobby Vinton's "Blue Velvet," Roy Orbison's "It's Over" and George Jones' "He Stopped Loving Her Today." Other names on Kirkham's sprawling list of credits include Chet Atkins, Patsy Cline, Porter Wagoner, Bob Dylan, Charley Pride, Kris Kristofferson, Carl Perkins, Loretta Lynn, Hank Snow, Reba McEntire and Bobby Vinton.

A long-time fixture in the music community, her credits include numerous radio and television appearances, collaborations with the Jordanaires and the Anita Kerr Singers along with her countless recording sessions in Los Angeles, New York City, Las Vegas and Nashville.

In February 2008 she appeared in "Nashville celebrates Elvis at the Ryman" alongside George Klein (Emcee), Pat Boone, David Briggs, Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Wanda Jackson, Wynonna Judd, 
Ray Walker of the Jordanaires, Ronnie McDowell, TG Sheppard, BJ Thomas and former members of J.D. Sumner & the Stamps.

She was married to drummer Doug Kirkham, who died in 1986.  Millie died on December 14, 2014, at the age of 91 in Nashville, Tennessee following a stroke earlier in the week. 

(Edited from Wikepedia, Tennessean & Nashville Scene)