Ask “Mr. Music”
Jerry Osborne



FOR THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 19, 2018

DEAR JERRY: The entertainment on a recent cruise was a married couple named Tammy & Andy. During the show, Andy mentioned they were unusual since most male/female duos have the man's name first, such as Sonny & Cher. There must be more ... right?
—Dave Leveton, Gainesville, Va.

DEAR DAVE: Yes, there are many more! Among nationally charted artists, from 1950 to 1990, I found 176.

I make no distinction regarding pairs with just one single, or an established team with many hits. Whether a label has a conjunction (and), a slash (/), or an ampersand (&) between the names, I'm using the latter. Some duos are, at times, credited in reverse (male/female), though the focus here is female/male formations:

Anita Baker & James Ingram
Anita Cochran & Steve Wariner
Anne Murray & Dave Loggins
Anne Murray & Doug Mallory
Anne Murray & Kenny Rogers
Annie Lennox & Al Green
Ann-Margret & Lee Hazlewood
April Stevens & Nino Tempo
Aretha Franklin & Elton John
Aretha Franklin & George Benson
Aretha Franklin & George Michael
Aretha Franklin & James Brown
Aretha Franklin & Larry Graham
Barbara Mandrell & Lee Greenwood
Barbra Streisand & Barry Gibb
Barbra Streisand & Bryan Adams
Barbra Streisand & Don Johnson
Barbra Streisand & Kris Kristofferson
Barbra Streisand & Neil Diamond
Betty Everett & Jerry Butler
Betty Hutton & "Tennessee" Ernie Ford
Bobbie Gentry & Glen Campbell
Bonnie & Buddy
Brenda Lee & Pete Fountain
Carlene Carter & Dave Edmunds
Carly Simon & James Taylor
Cathy & Joe
Charlene & Stevie Wonder
Charly McClain & Mickey Gilley
Charly McClain & Wayne Massey
Cher & Peter Cetera
Connie Eaton & Dave Peel
Connie Smith & Nat Stuckey
Crystal Gayle & Gary Morris
Debbie Reynolds & Carlton Carpenter
Deniece Williams & Johnny Mathis
Diana Ross & Lionel Richie
Diana Ross & Marvin Gaye
Diana Ross & Michael Jackson
Dinah Shore & Bing Crosby
Dinah Shore & Buddy Clark
Dinah Shore & Paul Lucas
Dinah Shore & Tony Martin
Dinah Washington & Brook Benton
Dionne Warwick & Barry Manilow
Dionne Warwick & Glenn Jones
Dionne Warwick & Howard Hewett
Dionne Warwick & Jeffrey Osborne
Dionne Warwick & Johnny Mathis
Dionne Warwick & Kashif
Dionne Warwick & Luther Vandross
Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers
Dolly Parton & Kris Kristofferson
Dolly Parton & Mac Davis
Dolly Parton & Porter Wagoner
Dolly Parton & Ricky Van Shelton
Dolly Parton & Smokey Robinson
Dolly Parton & Vince Gill
Dolly Parton & Willie Nelson
Donna Fargo & Billy Joe Royal
Donna Summer & Matthew Ward
Doris Day & Buddy Clark
Doris Day & Donald O'Connor
Doris Day & Frankie Laine
Doris Day & Johnnie Ray
Doris Day & Robert Goulet
Dottie West & Don Gibson
Dottie West & Kenny Rogers
Dusty & Tom Springfield
Dusty Springfield & Daryl Hall
Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong
Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Jordan
Emmylou Harris & Don Williams
Ethel Merman & Dick Haymes
Ethel Merman & Ray Bolger
Etta James & Harvey Fuqua
Etta James & Sugar Pie DeSanto
Evelyn Knight & Red Foley
Eydie Gorme & Steve Lawrence
Faith Hill & Tim McGraw
Georgia Gibbs & Bob Crosby
Gladys Knight & Bill Medley
Gloria Loring & Carl Anderson
Ginny Wright & Jim Reeves
Ginny Wright & Tom Tall
Goldie Hill & Justin Tubb
Inez & Charlie Foxx
Janette Davis & Jerry Wayne
Jaye P. Morgan & Eddy Arnold
Jean Shepard & Ferlin Huskey
Jean Shepard & Ray Pillow
Jeanne Pruett & Marty Robbins
Jennifer Warnes & Chris Thompson
Jo Ann & Troy
Jo Stafford & Gordon MacRae
Jody Miller & Johnny Paycheck
Johnnie & Joe
Karen Brooks & Johnny Cash
Kathy & Larry Barnes
Kathy Mattea & Tim O'Brien
Kay Starr & "Tennessee" Ernie Ford
Kiki Dee & Elton John
Kitty Wells & Red Foley
Kitty Wells & Webb Pierce
Kristy & Jimmy McNichol
LaVern Baker & Jimmy Ricks
LaWanda Lindsey & Kenny Vernon
Linda Cassady & Bobby Spears
Linda Gail Lewis & Jerry Lee Lewis
Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville
Linda Ronstadt & James Ingram
Linda Ronstadt & John David Souther
Little Esther & Bobby Nunn
Little Esther & Mel
Little Esther Phillips & "Big Al" Downing
Lois Johnson & Bill Rice
Loretta Lynn & Conway Twitty
Lorrie (Morgan) & George Morgan
Lorrie Morgan & Jon Randall
Louise Mandrell & Eric Carmen
Louise Mandrell & R.C. Bannon
Lynn Anderson & Jerry Lane
Lynn Anderson & Gary Morris
Margaret Whiting & Bob Hope
Margaret Whiting & Jimmy Wakely
Margaret Whiting & Johnny Mercer
Margie Singleton & Faron Young
Margo Smith & Norro Wilson
Margo Smith & Tom Grant
Marie Osmond & Dan Seals
Marie Osmond & Paul Davis
Marilyn Martin & David Foster
Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr.
Marion Worth & George Morgan
Martina McBride & Jim Brickman
Mary-Chapin Carpenter & Joe Diffie
Mary Kay Place & Willie Nelson
Mary Martin & Arthur Godfrey
Mary Wells & Marvin Gaye
Nancy Sinatra & Frank Sinatra
Olivia Newton-John & John Travolta
Pati Powell & Bob Gallion
Patsy Cline & Jim Reeves
Patti Austin & James Ingram
Patti LaBelle & Bill Champlin
Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald
Patti Page & Tom T. Hall
Patty Andrews & Bob Crosby
Patty Loveless & George Jones
Peaches & Herb
Peggy Lee & Mel Torme
Peggy March & Gary Marshall
Peggy Scott & Jo Jo Benson
Peggy Sue & Sonny Wright
Pia Zadora & Mark Spiro
Reba McEntire & Vince Gill
Rosanne Cash & Bobby Bare
Ruth Brown & Clyde McPhatter
Shania Twain & Bryan White
Sheila Andrews & Joe Sun
Shelby Lynne & Les Taylor
Shirley & Lee
Skeeter Davis & Bobby Bare
Skeeter Davis & Don Bowman
Skeeter Davis & George Hamilton IV
Stevie Nicks & Lindsey Buckingham
Suzi Quatro & Chris Norman
Sylvia & Michael Johnson
Tammy Wynette & George Jones
Tammy Wynette & Randy Travis
Tanya Tucker & Delbert McClinton
Tanya Tucker & Glen Campbell
Tanya Tucker & T. Graham Brown
Trisha Yearwood & Garth Brooks
Wanda Jackson & Billy Gray
Whitney Houston & Jermaine Jackson

IZ ZAT SO? Of four decades, and over 650 Billboard No. 1 hits, only seven duets are credited as female/male:

1977: Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr. - "You Don't Have to Be a Star (To Be in My Show)"
1978: Barbra Streisand & Neil Diamond - "You Don't Bring Me Flowers"
(Some copies credit only "Barbra & Neil")
1979: Peaches & Herb - "Reunited"
1981: Diana Ross & Lionel Richie - "Endless Love"
1983: Patti Austin & James Ingram - "Baby, Come to Me"
1986: Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald - "On My Own"
1987: Aretha Franklin & George Michael - "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)"


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