Claim: Sami Jo’s first hit was “Tell Me A Lie” which was followed-up by “It Could Have Been Me”—a 1974 song which became a pop hit in US and Canada and a bigger hit on the Adult Contemporary charts—(which also did well) before her first album was released.
Evidence: Sonny then got her a deal with MGM South, which led to Sami Jo's first hit, "Tell Me A Lie". Her follow-up single, "It Could Have Been Me", also did well, reaching #46 pop and #31 easy listening. It became a pop hit in both the U.S. (#46) and Canada (#45). It was a bigger hit on the Adult Contemporary charts, reaching #31 and #12 in those nations, respectively. It was the follow-up to her debut hit, "Tell Me a Lie," and both songs were released in advance of her first LP. "It Could Have Been Me" is a 1974 song by Sami Jo Cole. Her first album, also entitled It Could Have Been Me, peaked at #33 on the U.S.