b. Mary Ann Ward, 4 July 1935, Birmingham, Alabama, USA, d. 19 December 1999, Madison, Tennessee, USA. Ward learned to play piano as a child (later adding guitar) and after initially starting nursing training, decided to pursue a singing career. She first sang with her sister, before appearing on local radio and television in Birmingham. In 1957, she gained a number 12 US country hit with her self-penned ‘Are You Willing, Willie', recorded on the tiny Cherokee label. In 1960, another self-penned song, ‘That's My Kind Of Love', recorded on Happy Wilson's Guyden label, reached n...