American country musician and vocalist. Born July 27, 1934 in Twila, Kentucky. Died November 10, 2021.
Her first professional work was at the Renfro Valley Barn Dance during her teenage years. She played guitar, banjo, and sang with her two younger sisters, Clara Callaway and Coleida Callaway.
After high school, Sudie moved to Detroit, Michigan, to work at WJR with Casey Clark and the Lazy Ranch Boys. There she met and married steel guitar player Jim Baker.
They left for Knoxville, Tennessee, to work on the Cas Walker show, and eventually moved to Nashville in the 1960s.
From Nashville, Sudie worked the road, singing and playing bass guitar with many country music artists. She sang on numerous recordings and on the Grand Ole Opry. She recorded solo singles for such independent labels as Re-Von (1964), Musicor (1968) and Avenue South (1969-70). She was in steady demand as a background vocalist in the studio and on stage for decades with artists such as Mel Tillis, Dolly Parton, Marty Robbins, Porter Wagoner, Felice & Boudleaux Bryant, and George Strait.
Sudie also made appearances in several films, including Music City USA (1966), W.W. & The Dixie Dance Kings (1975), Smokey And The Bandit (1977), and Harper Valley P.T.A. (1978).
She is the aunt of Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member Matraca Berg.