Background
Billingsley was born in Memphis, Tennessee, to Doc and Hazel Billingsley, but soon moved to Senatobia, Mississippi from Harmontown, Mississippi, where she was raised.
Billingsley was born in Memphis, Tennessee, to Doc and Hazel Billingsley, but soon moved to Senatobia, Mississippi from Harmontown, Mississippi, where she was raised.
As a backing vocalist, Billingsley was best known for her work with the Southern rock band As one of ’s Honkettes, she toured with the band all over the world, from Japan to England. In December 1975, she was hired, along with Cassie Gaines and Leslie Hawkins, to be a backup singer for The group"s leader Ronnie Van Zant dubbed them "The Honkettes". She stated that she had a dream two nights before the plane crashed, foreseeing the event.
She attempted to warn the other band members not to get on the plane.
According to Billingsley, this experience led her to become a born-again Christian. She also has a son, Justin, who is in the United States Navy.
Billingsley died in Cullman on June 24, 2010 after a battle with cancer at the age of 58.
An October 20, 1977 airplane crash killed several members of the band and road crew, but Billingsley was the only band member not on the flight. In 2006, she reunited with the then-current members of at their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She also performed with members of the group at occasional charity or memorial events.