Penny Jay (June 12, 1925 – March 29, 2006) was an American country music singer and songwriter, who was active from the 1940s to the 1960s. She is best known for "Don't Let Me Cross Over" a song she wrote which reached #1 on the country music charts in late 1962.Jay was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, and began performing with her mother at church functions at the age of 10.