Legendary ‘No Charge’ Singer Melba Montgomery Dead at 86

Melba Montgomery — who scored a number of country duet hits with George Jones and others, as well as a No. 1 solo hit with “No Charge” — has died.

According to various sources, Montgomery died in Nashville on Wednesday (Jan. 15) at the age of 86.

In a post to Facebook, Montgomery’s daughter, Melissa, reveals that the singer-songwriter battled dementia prior to her death.

“It is with great sadness that we announce our family has lost our mother, Melba Montgomery Solomon,” she writes. “She was a wonderful mother, grandmother, sister to my uncle, sister-in-law to my aunts and aunt to my cousins. She fought a long battle with dementia but is now with her loving husband, Jack Solomon in Heaven. We know mom has been waiting to hold dad for over 10 years.”

“Thank you for loving our mom as much as we have,” she adds. “She was an incredibly talented, kind and generous woman.”

Born in Iron City, Tenn., in1938, Montgomery was raised primarily in Florence, Ala., where she first began singing in the Methodist church before forming a trio with her two brothers.

Montgomery launched her career in earnest at age 20, when the sibling trio won a Nashville-based talent contest for which Roy Acuff served as a judge. Acuff offered Montgomery a job singing in his touring band, a gig she held from 1958-1962.

She also recorded several minor singles for a small label during that time, but it wasn’t until 1963 that her recording career really began to flourish, after George Jones discovered her music and suggested her to his label, United Artists.

Montgomery and Jones went on to record a number of singles together, beginning with “We Must Have Been Out of Our Minds” in 1963. Montgomery also wrote that song, which gave her her first radio hit, reaching No. 3.

She and Jones also scored hits with “Let’s Invite Them Over,” “What’s in Our Heart,” “Party Pickin'” and more, and she also recorded hits with Charlie Louvin (“Something to Brag About,” “Did You Ever”), as well as a single titled “Being Together” with Gene Pitney.

Montgomery scored her biggest chart hit as a solo artist in 1974 with “No Charge,” a Harlan Howard song that he would later name as his favorite.

She also scored a No. 15 solo hit with “Don’t Let the Good Times Fool You” in 1975, and her rendition of “Angel of the Morning” reached No. 22 in 1977, pre-dating Juice Newton’s No. 1 adult contemporary smash from 1981.

Montgomery remained active in music even after her career fortunes began to wane, recording and releasing new music sporadically while focusing on songwriting from the ’90s on.

Terri Clark, Rhonda Vincent, Sara Evans, Patty Loveless, Travis Tritt and more top artists recorded her songs, and George Strait landed a No. 4 hit with “What Do You Say to That” in 2000.

Montgomery married Nashville-based musician Jack Solomon in 1968, and they remained married until his death in 2014 at the age of 71.

George Jones’ daughter, Georgette Jones, was also among those who turned to social media to remember Montgomery, writing, “Very sad news as yesterday the legendary Melba Montgomery passed away at age 86. Melba recorded with my Dad many songs including ‘We Must Have Been Out Of Our Minds.’ She was an incredible singer and songwriter as well as a very sweet and wonderful person. Please join me in praying for her family and friends.”

Visitation and funeral services for Melba Montgomery will take place on Wednesday (Jan. 22) at Harpeth Hills Memorial Gardens & Funeral Home in Nashville.

Visitation is set for 11:30AM, with funeral services following at 1:30PM.

Those who wish may contribute to Alive Hospice, Shriners Hospital for Children or the Dementia Society of America in lieu of flowers.

Sterling Whitaker is a Senior Writer and Senior Editor for Taste of Country. He focuses on celebrity real estate, as well as coverage of Yellowstone and related shows like 1883 and 1923. He’s interviewed cast members including Cole Hauser, Kelly Reilly, Sam Elliott and Harrison Ford, and Whitaker is also known for his in-depth interviews with country legends including Don Henley, Rodney Crowell, Trace Adkins, Ronnie Milsap, Ricky Skaggs and more.