Helen Cornelius (born Helen Lorene Johnson; December 6, 1941) is an American

country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while the ...

singer-songwriter, best remembered for a series of hit duets with

Jim Ed Brown James Edward Brown (April 1, 1934 – June 11, 2015) was an American country singer-songwriter who achieved fame in the 1950s with his two sisters as a member of the Browns. He later had a successful solo career from 1965 to 1974, followed by a ...

, many of which reached the U.S. country singles top ten during the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Biography

Helen Cornelius was born in

Monroe City, Missouri Monroe City is a city in Marion County, Missouri, Marion, Monroe County, Missouri, Monroe, and Ralls County, Missouri, Ralls counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. The population was 2,652 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The Mario ...

, and was raised on a farm nearby. Her older brothers played in country bands, and she formed a singing trio with sisters Judy and Sharon. Together they toured locally with the blessing of their father. Subsequently, Helen began touring on her own with a backup band called The Crossroads. After completing high school, Cornelius wed and became employed as a secretary. She began touring again at the end of the 1960s and signed with Screen Gems Music as a songwriter in 1970. When the company went under, she sent a

demo tape A demo (shortened from "demonstration") is a song or group of songs typically recorded for limited circulation or for reference use, rather than for general public release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas in a fixed for ...

Jerry Crutchfield Jerry Crutchfield (August 10, 1934 – January 11, 2022) was an American country and pop record producer, songwriter, and musician. He was a publishing and record label executive. He recorded for RCA Victor Records with vocal group The Country Gen ...

, who offered her a contract with

MCA Records MCA Records was an American record label owned by MCA Inc., which later became part of Universal Music Group. Pre-history MCA Inc., a powerful talent agency and a television production company, entered the recorded music business in 1962 wit ...

; eventually she signed with

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...

, with whom she released two singles. In 1975, she signed with

RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...

; two further singles followed with little recognition. In 1976, she recorded a duet, "

I Don't Want to Have to Marry You "I Don't Want to Have to Marry You" is a song written by Fred Imus and Phil Sweet, and recorded by American country music duo Jim Ed Brown and Helen Cornelius Helen Cornelius (born Helen Lorene Johnson; December 6, 1941) is an American country ...

" with

; it was a major success in America. Further solo singles failed to take off, but her next duet with Brown, "Saying Hello, Saying I Love You, Saying Goodbye", was another smash, and the pair began playing on the TV show, ''Nashville on the Road''. She continued to record with Brown, releasing the hits "

I'll Never Be Free "I'll Never Be Free" is a song written by Bennie Benjamin and George Weiss and performed by Kay Starr and Tennessee Ernie Ford. It reached #2 on the U.S. country chart and #3 on the U.S. pop chart in 1950. Other charting versions *Louis Jorda ...

", "If the World Ran Out of Love Tonight", "Don't Bother to Knock", "Lying in Love with You", and finally notching a solo hit with "Whatcha Doin' After Midnight Baby". In 1981, after topping the U.S. country charts one last time with Brown with "Morning Comes too Early", Cornelius separated with Brown, and enjoyed moderate success as a solo artist, touring with

The Statler Brothers The Statler Brothers (sometimes simply referred to as The Statlers) were an American country music, gospel, and vocal group. The quartet was formed in 1955 performing locally, and from 1964 to 1972, they sang as opening act and backup singers fo ...

and performing in an '' Annie Get Your Gun'' road show. In 1988, she and Brown reunited for a nationwide tour. Cornelius opened Nashville South in

Gatlinburg, Tennessee Gatlinburg is a mountain resort city in Sevier County, Tennessee, United States. It is located southeast of Knoxville and had a population of 3,944 at the 2010 Census and a U.S. Census population of 3,577 in 2020. It is a popular vacation resort ...

, in the 1990s, where she performed with a house band nightly. Early in the 2000s, she took a regular gig at the Jim Stafford Theater in

Branson, Missouri Branson is a city in the U.S. state of Missouri. Most of the city is situated in Taney County, with a small portion in the west extending into Stone County. Branson is in the Ozark Mountains. The community was named after Reuben Branson, postma ...

. Most recently, Cornelius has been an active participant in the ''Country's Family Reunion'' series, which airs on

RFD-TV RFD-TV is an American pay television channel owned by Rural Media Group, Inc. The channel features programming devoted to rural issues, concerns and interests. The channel's name is a reference to Rural Free Delivery, the name for the United Sta ...

Discography

Albums

Albums with Jim Ed Brown

Singles

Singles with Jim Ed Brown

Music videos

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cornelius, Helen 1941 births American women country singers American country singer-songwriters Living people Singer-songwriters from Missouri Country musicians from Missouri People from Monroe City, Missouri 21st-century American women