Country singer Jean Shepard dies at age 82

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Jean Shepard, “the grand lady of the Grand Ole Opry” who had a long recording career as an influential female in country music, died Sunday, according to an Opry spokeswoman. Shepard was 82.

Spokeswoman Jessie Schmidt said in a news release that Shepard had entered hospice care last week and died in Nashville.

Shepard joined the cast of the Grand Ole Opry in 1955 and helped set the standard for women in country music, choosing to tour as a solo act rather than as part of a group.

She presented a strong female point of view on songs like “Twice the Lovin’ in Half the Time” and “The Root of All Evil (Is a Man).”

Shepard was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2011. She is survived by her husband, Benny Birchfield, and three sons.