These include "The Happiest Girl In The Whole U.S.A." and "Funny Face", both of which were released in 1972 and became crossover pop hits that year.

Fargo attended High Point College in North Carolina, then earned a degree at the University of Southern California (USC).

[1] After graduating from USC, she became a teacher at Northview High School in Covina, California, eventually progressing to head of the English Department.

[6] While still teaching, Fargo started pursuing a music career, performing in local clubs in Southern California.

[6] She recorded for a few small labels in the early 1960s, including Ramco and Challenge, but songs like "Who's Been Sleeping on My Side of the Bed" were not successful.

[8] Although her original singles were not successful, the Academy of Country Music Awards named her the "Top New Female Vocalist" in 1969.

In 1975, she released Whatever I Say Means I Love You (ABC/MCA), her fifth and final album for the DOT label, that included "What Will the New Year Bring?"

Dot Records was acquired by ABC and there was a noticeable drop-off in chart placings for Fargo, and in 1976, she moved to Warner Bros.

Fargo's 1978 album, Shame on Me also yielded two Top 10 hits, the title track and "Do I Love You (Yes in Every Way)", which peaked at No. 2.

Recognized as one of the leading country songwriters of the era, Fargo's songs have been recorded by Tammy Wynette, Sonny James, Kitty Wells, Tanya Tucker, Jody Miller, Marty Robbins, Dottie West and other artists.

Additionally, for years she wrote almost everything that she recorded, although by the latter half of the 1970s she was also recording covers of songs from writers as diverse as Stonewall Jackson, Vaughn Horton, Bill Enis and Lawton Williams, Paul Anka, and Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil; those covers also became successful hits for Fargo.

Fargo had her own musical television show (produced by the Osmond Brothers), which ran for a year, beginning in 1978.

She experienced a brief illness, but with medical treatment and her husband's help, Fargo made it back to full health,[citation needed] returning to a more limited schedule in 1979 and another Top 10 hit.

[6] Although this serious neurological illness caused a deep decline in her promotional work, Fargo vowed not to allow the disease ultimately to get to her.

She has since established a successful line of greeting cards in The Donna Fargo Collection through the Blue Mountain Arts Poets and Artists series.

[13] Previously, Fargo had released another series of poetry books, including Trust in Yourself, To the Love of My Life, and Ten Golden Rules.