First recorded by Wilma Burgess (C&W #4 1966).
Other hit versions by Eddy Arnold (US #57/C&W #3 1967), Joe Simon (US #91/R&B #47 1972), Dorothy Moore (US #3/R&B #2/UK #5/CAN #4/AUS #6 1976).
From the wiki: “Bob Montgomery wrote the song with Brenda Lee in mind. He recalls, ‘I wrote ‘Misty Blue’ in about twenty minutes. It was a gift and it was perfect for Brenda Lee, but she turned it down. Her producer Owen Bradley loved the song [but] as he couldn’t push her to do it, he cut it country-style with Wilma Burgess.’
“Eddy Arnold covered ‘Misty Blue’ in a Chet Atkins-produced session at the RCA Victor Studio, Nashville, in April 1966. Included on his 1966 album The Last Word in Lonesome, Arnold’s ‘Misty Blue’ had a belated single release in May 1967 to introduce The Best of Eddy Arnold compilation album. Besides bettering Burgess’ success on the Country chart with the song, Arnold’s ‘Misty Blue’ became the first version of the song to crossover to the Pop field, reaching #57 on the Billboard Hot 100 in June 1967.
“The first R&B recording of “Misty Blue” was a 1972 version by Joe Simon which while not one of his biggest R&B hits at #47 did return ‘Misty Blue’ to the Hot 100 at #91.
“In 1973 Dorothy Moore recorded ‘Misty Blue’ at Malaco Records in Jackson, Mississippi, cutting her vocal in a single take. Malaco, then a production company, were unable to successfully shop Moore’s recording to a label. So, in November 1975m the cash-strapped Malaco used the last of its resources to press Moore’s ‘Misty Blue’ for release on its own Malaco label.
“Moore’s single broke first in the Southern states in April 1976; three months later, it was nominated for a Grammy Award. The single would peak at #2 on the R&B charts, and #3 on the Billboard Hot 100, while also finding Top-10 success overseas in both the UK and Australia.”
Eddy Arnold, “Misty Blue” (1967):
Joe Simon, “Misty Blue” (1972):
Dorothy Moore, “Misty Blue” (1976):