Minnie Pearl Wiki Biography, Age, Height, Husband, Net Worth, Family

Wiki Biography in: “American National Wiki Biography.” Supplement 1, pp. 476-478. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002.

Profiled in book “Funny Ladies” by Stephen Silverman. [1999]

She was awarded the American National Medal of the Arts in 1992 by the National Endowment of the Arts in Washington, DC.

In 1991 was one of 13 recipients of the National Medal of Art.

Received the American Cancer Society’s Courage Award in 1987.

She was diagnosed with cancer in 1985, and recovered after a double mastectomy.

Appeared weekly on The Nashville Network’s “Nashville Now” from 1984 to 1991 in a Friday night segment called “Let Minnie Steal Your Joke” in which Pearl would read gags submitted by viewers to the studio audience and the most popular by the audience’s response would receive a prize.

Though not a country hitmaker, she did place a song in the top 10 of Billboard magazine’s country singles chart in 1966 — “Giddyup Go Answer,” a recited answer song offering a different perspective to Red Sovine’s No. 1 hit “Giddyup Go.”

Minnie Pearl had two fast food chains in the southern United States during the 1960s and 1970s. They were “Minnie Pearl’s Roast Beef” and “Minnie Pearl’s Chicken.” The slogan for both chains was “Howww-deeee-licious!”

Until his death in 1958, was frequently teamed with actor/comedian Rod Brasfield on the Grand Ole Opry.

First country music performer to be surprised with their life story on the 1950’s series “This Is Your Life”. Though stunned by the surprise, Minnie Pearl knew this was her big chance on network television and milked her appearance for all the comedy she could muster, leading to a highly active career as a guest performer on scores of non-country variety programs and talk shows.

Sarah Colley studied dramatics in Belmont College in Nashville, intending to be a serious actress, but while touring with an Atlanta company, she created the Minnie Pearl character that became her life’s work. Her first Grand Old Opry appearance was on the radio show in 1940, followed by 27 years of touring.