Judy Lynn, American country music singer,has died of heart failure she was 74,

Judy Lynn Kelly , who performed as Judy Lynn and was born Judy Lynn Voiten, was an American country music singer and beauty queen who was crowned Miss Idaho 1955.^[1]

(April 16, 1936 – May 26, 2010)

Lynn was born in Boise, Idaho. As a teenager she joined a nationwide tour of Grand Ole Opry. She was all of 19 at the time getting written up in a national hillbilly publication. She was part of a singing duo back then in school, performing at various functions such as at civic clubs or rodeos. She won several trips in competitions with singers from other schools from around the country. She was also cheerleader for three consecutive years.

She got a bit of a break when some folks from the Grand Ole Opry were doing a tour up in the northwest. The cast included Ernest Tubb, Ferlin Husky, Red Foley, Jean Shepard and T. Texas Tyler. But Jean Shepard got ill during the trip and the show manager, John Kelly had to find a replacement. He had heard Judy sing with a Webb Pierce and Slim Whitman on a show in Boise and called her and asked if she could take Ms. Shepard's place. She said yes and her parents signed their consent to a contract for that part of the tour. As a result of that fill-in, she did appearances with Roy Acuff, Minnie Pearl, Lonzo and Oscar and other stars of the Opry.

Then, she toured five full months in North Dakota, Minnesota and South Dakota with T. Texas Tyler. Then, in mid-1953, she signed a 21 day contract with KXJB-TV out of Fargo, North Dakota. Right after that, she headed over to Minot, where she was starring on her own radio show over KLPM from 1:00pm to 1:30pm six days a week.

In 1952, Judy was named "Queen of the Big Snake River Jamboree" where she was part of a show with a famous cowboy singer, Gene Autry. And she was all of 16 at the time that happened, which got her a lot of notoriety in the northwest back then. For an encore, she got to perform with Rex Allen at the same rodeo the next year.

In April 1954, she won the title of "America's Champion Girl Yodeler". And if that wasn't enough, she was chosen "Miss Idaho" in 1955 and went on to Atlantic City to compete for the Miss America crown.

performers. She was hired to fill in for Jean Shepard, who had become ill during the tour.

Lynn retired from the music business in 1980 to become a Christian minister.

She died on May 26, 2010 after suffering congestive heart failure at her home in Jeffersonville, Indiana.^[2]

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