# Shelly West

Shelly West (born May 23, 1956) is an American country music singer. Her mother was the country music star Dottie West, whose career spanned three decades. The younger West reached her peak in popularity during the 1980s before mostly retiring in the wake of her mother's death.

## Biography
### Early life

West was born in Cleveland, Ohio on May 23, 1956.

### 1981–1987

West's career coincided with her mother Dottie's reinvention of herself as a country pop star. Shelly West is best known for her hit duets with David Frizzell, especially their number-one hit "You're the Reason God Made Oklahoma". She also was a successful solo artist, having her own number-one hit, "José Cuervo" in 1983. West was married to Gary Hood 1983-2000.

### 1987–1992: Retirement

West did reunite with Frizzell for a few shows in the late 1980s. West married Garry Hood in 1983 and had twin sons. In 1990, Shelly toured with her mother, Dottie; together, they were popular on the road. On August 30, 1991, Dottie was involved in a major car accident, eventually dying five days later, on September 4, from injuries sustained in the accident. West was a technical adviser for a television biopic about her mother's life, Big Dreams and Broken Hearts: The Dottie West Story, produced by and starring actress Michele Lee. At that point, amid major changes in the country music industry that impacted the careers of many established country stars, the younger West retired to focus on her family.

### Post-retirement

In June 2005, CMT honored Shelly and her duet partner, David Frizzell, when they were voted number six on its 100 Greatest Duets Special. Although they did not perform any songs, Shelly West and David Frizzell appeared on the special, for which West was interviewed. West appeared on numerous episodes of Country Family Reunion on RFD-TV.
West has returned to performing occasionally since 2012. She reunited with David Frizzell for two shows on October 13, 2012, at the God and Country Theater in Branson, Missouri. The duo played another show on November 2, 2013 at the Americana Theater in Branson.

## Discography
### Studio albums

| Title | Album details | Peak positions |
| Title | Album details | US Country |
| Carryin' On the Family Names (with David Frizzell) | Release date: April 1981 Label: Warner Bros. Records | 6 |
| The David Frizzell & Shelly West Album (with David Frizzell) | Release date: January 1982 Label: Viva Records | 8 |
| Our Best to You (with David Frizzell) | Release date: November 1982 Label: Viva Records | 24 |
| West by West | Release date: March 1983 Label: Viva Records | 6 |
| Red Hot | Release date: November 1983 Label: Viva Records | 26 |
| In Session (with David Frizzell) | Release date: December 1983 Label: Viva Records | 33 |
| Don't Make Me Wait on the Moon | Release date: December 1984 Label: Viva Records | 28 |

### Compilations

| Title | Album details | Peak positions |
| Title | Album details | US Country |
| Golden Duets (The Best of Frizzell & West) (with David Frizzell) | Release date: August 1984 Label: Viva Records | 45 |
| Greatest Hits: Alone & Together (with David Frizzell) | Release date: November 17, 1994 Label: K-tel | — |
| The Very Best of David Frizzell & Shelly West (with David Frizzell) | Release date: June 23, 2009 Label: Varèse Sarabande | — |
| The Very Best of Shelly West | Release date: November 10, 2009 Label: Varèse Sarabande | — |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart |||

### Singles

| Year | Title | Peak positions | Peak positions | Album |
| Year | Title | US Country | CAN Country | Album |
| 1983 | "José Cuervo" | 1 | 1 | West by West |
| 1983 | "Flight 309 to Tennessee" | 4 | 8 | West by West |
| 1983 | "Another Motel Memory" | 10 | 20 | Red Hot |
| 1984 | "Now I Lay Me Down to Cheat" | 56 | — | Red Hot |
| 1984 | "Somebody Buy This Cowgirl a Beer" | 34 | — | Red Hot |
| 1984 | "Now There's You" | 21 | 22 | Don't Make Me Wait on the Moon |
| 1985 | "Don't Make Me Wait on the Moon" | 46 | — | Don't Make Me Wait on the Moon |
| 1985 | "I'll Dance the Two Step" | 64 | — | Don't Make Me Wait on the Moon |
| 1985 | "If I Could Sing Something in Spanish" | — | — | Don't Make Me Wait on the Moon |
| 1986 | "What Would You Do" | 54 | — | — |
| 1986 | "Love Don't Come Any Better Than This" | 55 | — | — |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart |||||

### Singles with David Frizzell

| Year | Title | Peak positions | Peak positions | Album |
| Year | Title | US Country | CAN Country | Album |
| 1981 | "You're the Reason God Made Oklahoma" | 1 | 13 | Carryin' on the Family Names |
| 1981 | "A Texas State of Mind" | 9 | — | Carryin' on the Family Names |
| 1981 | "Husbands and Wives" | 16 | 38 | Carryin' on the Family Names |
| 1982 | "Another Honky-Tonk Night on Broadway" | 8 | 20 | The David Frizzell & Shelly West Album |
| 1982 | "I Just Came Here to Dance" | 4 | 9 | The David Frizzell & Shelly West Album |
| 1982 | "Please Surrender" | 43 | — | Our Best to You |
| 1983 | "Cajun Invitation" | 52 | — | Our Best to You |
| 1983 | "Pleasure Island" | 71 | — | In Session |
| 1984 | "Silent Partners" | 20 | 20 | In Session |
| 1984 | "It's a Be Together Night" | 13 | 40 | Golden Duets (The Best of Frizzell & West) |
| 1985 | "Do Me Right" | 60 | — | Golden Duets (The Best of Frizzell & West) |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart |||||

## Awards

| Year | Award | Award Program |
| 1980 | Academy of Country Music Awards | Top Vocal Duo of the Year; (w/ David Frizzell) |
| 1981 | Academy of Country Music Awards | Song of the Year; "You're the Reason God Made Oklahoma" |
| 1982 | Academy of Country Music Awards | Top Vocal Duo of the Year; (w/ David Frizzell) |
| 1982 | Country Music Association Awards | Vocal Duo of the Year; (w/ David Frizzell) |
| 1982 | Music City News Country | Vocal Duet of the Year; (w/ David Frizzell) |
| 1983 | Music City News Country | Most Promising Female Artist of the Year |
| 1983 | Music City News Country | Vocal Duet of the Year; (w/ David Frizzell) |