Dec. 30: Skeeter Davis, "The End of the World," was born on this date in 1931...

... she was 72 when she died from breast cancer on September 19 2004...
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Born Mary Frances Penick, Skeeter was a member of the Grand Ole Opry radio show for more than 40 years. She started out as part of The Davis Sisters, but received her greatest success with her dolo, "crossover" hit song "The End of the World" in 1963, one of the most popular American records of the 1960's, which sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. The song soon became Davis' signature song. Davis achieved one other country pop hit with the Carole King-penned song "I Can't Stay Mad At You," which became a Top 10 pop hit for her, peaking at No. 7 in 1963.

Davis received five Grammy Award nominations including four for Best Female Country Vocal Performance in 1964 ("He Says the Same Things to Me"), 1965 ("Sunglasses"), 1967 ("What Does It Take"), and 1972 ("One Tin Soldier"). Davis was also an accomplished songwriter, penning almost 70 songs and earning two BMI awards. Skeeter made several appearances on the pop music show "American Bandstand" in the early 1960s and a decade later was one of the first country artists to appear on "The Midnight Special."

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In 1973 during a performance at the Grand Ole Opry, Skeeter dedicated a gospel song to street evangelists arrested by Nashville police. For her "political" commentary, Skeeter Davis was barred from the Grand Ole Opry but was later reinstated.

Davis continued to perform frequently throughout much of the 1990s and into 2000. In 2001 she became incapacitated by the breast cancer that would claim her life. While Davis remained a member of the Grand Ole Opry until her death, she last appeared on the program in 2002.

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