Jeannie C. Riley Tells Off Harper Valley PTA In Opry Performance Of Monster Hit

Bruce McGuire YouTube Channel

It was Jeannie C. Riley’s debut song “Harper Valley PTA”, openly addressing the common school parent stereotype, that made her an overnight success and brought her to the big leagues of country music! Written by songwriter Tom T. Hall, who admits this hit was essentially based a true story he had heard as a child of a single mother in his town publicly addressing the local PTA’s concerns in regards to her activities and parenting style. 

Riley’s vocals and Hall’s creative writing ability brought them both to the spotlight, ultimately selling over 6 million copies! 

Smiles and all, Riley took this song to the stage of the Grand Ole Opry, where the best of the best are given their once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to shine, and that she did! While her metallic gold boots did a bold amount of shining on their own, Riley casually strolled the Southern-themed stage and gave her eager audience the much-anticipated live performance that they had hoped for! 

While “Harper Valley PTA” would ultimately be her most widely-recognized hit, she continued to make music and enjoy her lively career, later transitioning her musical focus to primarily include gospel elements. 

Check out her opry performance below!