Helen Cornelius, who rose to fame in country music during the 1970s, largely through her duets with Jim Ed Brown, died on July 18 at the age of 83. (Photo Credits: Country Road TV / YouTube & JIMEDBROWNVEVO / YouTube)

Helen Cornelius’ Official Fan Page Confirms The News Of Her Death

Helen Cornelius, a country singer-songwriter who rose to fame during the 1970s, has died. She was 83 years old.

Helen’s official Facebook fan page confirmed the news of her death in a post on Saturday (July 19). The poster, who identified themselves as “Susan,” said:

“I’ve heard from Christy, and Helen did pass yesterday (July 18) morning. I plan on keeping this page open as you all have posted such lovely photos of yourselves with Helen. If you’d like to post a favorite photo or memory, please feel free!”

Susan, who seems to have worked for Helen in some capacity, shared two of her favorite memories with the singer. Once, Susan was out front setting up the merch table for a show and left her dog in the dressing room. Helen’s longtime duet partner, Jim Ed Brown, forgot to close the dressing room’s door, and Susan’s dog snuck out onstage.

“Thankfully it was during rehearsal & not during the show!” Susan said. “Oh, so many wonderful memories!!”

The page’s followers shared their sadness upon learning about Helen’s death. Some of the comments included:

“Her stories on Nashville Now were my funniest moments. Especially her story about the wardrobe malfunction! My mama and her share the same nickname… ‘Little Bit’. She might have been little, but she sure had a big heart and gave us all big beautiful memories!”

“I worked for Helen as her secretary in her Brentwood in early 80s…loved to her play the piano and sing from the living room. She gave my two young sons her trampoline, they’d loved it…in layer years we saw her several times at Nashville South, she always manage to make my husband blush…fond memories, she will be missed..”

“I’m so sad to hear about Helen’s passing. I was able to meet her and talk to her on one of my trips to Nashville. She was so nice to autograph many things for me. I also got to see her when she was doing Annie Get Your Gun.”

“So very sad for her family. Loved Helen and her angelic voice and cherished her friendship. Beautiful through and through and had the sweetest heart!”

Helen Was Widely Known For Her Duets With Jim Ed Brown

Helen Lorene Johnson, now known as Helen Cornelius, was born in Monroe City, Missouri, on December 6, 1941. She was born into a musical family, as her brothers sang in country music bands.

Following in their footsteps, Helen and her sisters, Judy and Sharon, formed their own trio. The official biography on Helen’s website states that Helen made her musical debut at the age of five.

Helen won multiple talent competitions, including The Ted Mack Amateur Hour. But despite her obvious vocal skill, Helen initially made her mark in country music through songwriting. During the mid-1970s, artists such as Reba McEntire, Jeannie C. Riley, the Oak Ridge Boys, and Connie Smith had all recorded her songs.

Then, in 1975, Helen secured her first major recording contract. Her debut solo single, “There’s Always Goodbye,” was released the following year, followed by the hit song “Whatcha Doin’ After Midnight, Baby” in 1978, which reached #30.

But Helen was perhaps most well-known for her duets with fellow country artist Jim Ed Brown. Their first duet, 1976’s “I Don’t Want to Have to Marry You,” reached #1. Their followup duet, “Saying Hello, Saying I Love You, Saying Goodbye,” reached the #2 spot on the chart.

They reached #12 with their next two duets, “Born Believer” and “If It Ain’t Love by Now,” which both debuted in 1977. That same year, the pair won the CMA Award for Vocal Duo of the Year.

Helen and Jim experienced continued success in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Some of their many other hits include “I’ll Never Be Free,” “If the World Ran Out of Love Tonight,” “Lying in Love with You,” “Fools,” and “Morning Comes Too Early.”

Helen Cornelius’ Later Life Before Her Death At Age 83

Jim and Helen stopped releasing duets after 1981. They went their separate ways for a while, and Helen released a few solo songs afterward. She and Jim reunited in 1988 for a nationwide tour, much to their fans’ delight.

Helen began a new adventure in 1984. She was cast to play the lead character in the road show revival of the beloved musical Annie Get Your Gun.

In the 1990s, Helen opened a dinner theater, called Nashville South, in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, where she performed every night. Of the experience, she said:

“I loved getting to sing different songs each night, take requests, and do such a variety of music. I also loved hiking the mountains and becoming a part of the beautiful Smoky Mountains.”

In the 2000s, she started performing at a theater in Branson, Missouri, another popular destination for country music fans. She performed there until 2003 before she started going on tour again.

Helen continued to sing with Jim Ed Brown, and they occasionally appeared together at the Grand Ole Opry. He passed away in 2015 at the age of 81.

Later in life, Helen frequently appeared on RFD-TV’s Country’s Family Reunion, which aired from 1996 to 2020.

Remember Helen by watching her sing “Old Friends” on Country’s Family Reunion in the video below. May she rest in peace.