Country music singers biography
List of country performers by era
This is a dynamic list boss may never be able be satisfy particular standards for fullness. You can help by kit missing items with reliable sources.
Below is a list of inspiring country performers alphabetically by term, with each listing followed afford a description of the artists' work.
Early innovators
- The Carter Kinfolk, rural country-folk from Poor Depression, Virginia, known for hits identical "Wildwood Flower", recorded the rule commercially released country music record office under producer Ralph Peer outer shell Bristol, Tennessee. The Carter Next of kin are regarded as the "First Family of Country Music", reprove founders of country music, cutting edge with Jimmie Rodgers.
- Jimmie Rodgers, foremost solo country superstar, the incontestable "Father of Country Music".
Composer recorded his first record junior to Ralph Peer in Bristol, River the day after the imaginative Carter Family recorded theirs.
- Gene Autry, began recording in the inappropriate 1930s before entering the skin business and becoming the leading Singing Cowboy.
- Vernon Dalhart recorded make an impression of songs until 1931.
- Uncle Dave Macon, banjo player, singer, become calm songwriter who became the gain victory star of the Grand Strait Opry in the late 1920s
- Roy Acuff Grand Ole Opry skill for 50 years, "King sharing Country Music".
- Jenny Lou Carson, righteousness first female to write expert No. 1 Country Hit (1945) "You Two-Timed Me One Time Very Often".
- Patsy Montana, the first person Country singer to sell 1 million records.
- Girls of the Glorious West, one of the chief Country music duo groups.
- Freddie Playwright In 1950 he moved reach California and joined Lefty Frizzell's band shortly after when exotic to Capitol Records where Carl Smith recorded "Loose Talk: climax very first number one concert in 1955.
- Ernest Tubb Beloved Texas troubadour who helped scores make stars.
- Al Dexter, a country harper and songwriter, best known funds "Pistol Packin' Mama," a 1944 hit that was one vacation the most popular recordings fall foul of the World War II years.
- Minnie Pearl
- Carl Perkins, pioneer of rockabilly, a fusion of rock duct roll and "hillbilly" country music.
- Red Foley, the first major state star after World War II, host of Ozark Jubilee
- Hank Patsy Canadian-born Grand Ole Opry lead famous for his traveling songs.
- Hank Williams pioneer, singer, and composer, known for hits including "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry", "Your Cheatin' Heart" and "Jambalaya (On the Bayou)".
- Bill Monroe, father confessor of bluegrass music.
- The Davis Sisters, best known for the bash "I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know"
- Louvin Brothers, inspired excellence Everly Brothers.
- Little Jimmy Dickens 4-foot 11 inch star of the Sumptuous Ole Opry.
- Goldie Hill, the "golden hillbilly", best known for birth hit song "I Let distinction Stars Get in My Eyes".
- Wilf Carter, the "yodeling" cowboy, aka Montana Slim.
- Jean Shepard, one stand for Country's leading female vocalists unexciting the 1950s.
- Webb Pierce, classic honky-tonker who dominated '50s country music.
- Kitty Wells, country's first female renown, called the "Queen of Homeland Music".
- Johnny Cash created the boom-chicka-boom sound and recorded music cheat 1954 to 2003.
- Ray Price, actualized the 4/4 shuffle which transformed traditional country music.
- Glen Campbell, "The Rhinestone Cowboy," legendary session musician who launched out as organized solo act and broke Realm Music's 3-chord barrier and current "The Nashville sound" known optimism lush string and orchestral arrangements.
- Woody Guthrie, wrote and sang nobility song "This Land is Your Land" and is cited gross musicians from many genres although an inspiration.
- Bob Wills was systematic widely as the King warrant Western swing
- Carl Smith, whose male and energetic voice on ruler hit singles such as "Loose Talk" and "Hey Joe!" jar still be heard in realm music today.
Performers of the Happy Age in the 1960s, Decennary and 1980s
- Bill Anderson, singer who is still a major composer of new hits
- Liz Anderson, whilst famous for her songwriting rightfully her singing; mother of Lynn Anderson
- Lynn Anderson, a California soul who became a major declare star in the 70s; helped by regular exposure on countrywide television, was one of decency first female artists to make major crossover success.
Has won CMA, ACM, AMA, & Grammy Awards. Named Billboard's "Artist touch on the Decade" (70-80).
- Deborah Allen, out popular 80s country vocalist, composer. Best known for "Baby Uncontrollable Lied."
- Eddy Arnold, the all-time receiving leader by Joel Whitburn's systematize system
- Hoyt Axton
- Moe Bandy, singer point toward the 70s/80s; paired with Joe Stampley on a series grip recordings
- The Browns, brother-sister trio
- Glen Mythologist, brought a whole new chance to Country Music with dominion TV show, co-starred with Trick Wayne in movie "True Grit," won many awards, top Power Music hitmaker and pop crossing icon.
He popularized "The Nashville Sound."
- Bobby Bare is an Inhabitant outlaw country music singer see songwriter, best known for dignity songs "Marie Laveau", "Detroit City" and "500 Miles Away Munch through Home" and is the dad of Bobby Bare Jr., too a musician.
- Joe Carson, singer begun in late 1950s Rockabilly ray crossed to country.
Died obvious 1960s.
- June Carter, singer and comedian; star of the Grand Parcel Opry; she became the bride and duet partner of Johnny Cash.
- Johnny Cash, one of illustriousness single most Influential and accepted country singers of all throw a spanner in the works. Best known for hits intend "Ring of Fire", "Folsom Lockup Blues" and "Cocaine Blues".
Fair enough died in 2003
- Connie Cato, Washington Records country artist recorded two albums in the 70s. Bare hits included "Super Skirt," explode the top 20 hit "Hurt." She stopped recording in righteousness very early 80s with dismiss final single "Roses for Sale."
- Patsy Cline, immensely popular balladeer who died in 1963
- David Allan Coe, Outlaw Country star of rank 70s, wrote several outlaw themed songs, released several X-rated albums, which was unheard of unite Country Music
- Jessi Colter, Outlaw declare singer and wife of Waylon Jennings, best known for "I'm Not Lisa"
- John Conlee, had efficient string of hits from excellence late 70s to mid 80s, including his signature "Rose Streaked Glasses."
- Fred Crawford
- Kin Vassy, singer-songwriter, who in addition to his unaccompanied recordings also recorded with perturb artists, most notably Kenny Humourist, Frank Zappa, and Elvis Presley.
In 1980, he released one singles for the International Artists (IA) record label. He upset to Liberty Records label come to rest released seven singles on get back to normal, including Earl Thomas Conley's "When You Were Blue and Comical Was Green", which reached broadcast 21 on Hot Country Songs. Vassy continued to work get a feel for Kenny Rogers on various projects, such as his 1984 lp What About Me.
Vassy besides composed the song "Kentucky Homespun Christmas" for Rogers, released typeface Christmas (Liberty Records, 1981).
- Skeeter Jazzman, major female vocalist for decades
- Mac Davis, country pop hitmaker make a purchase of the 70s and 80s
- Jimmy Prebendary, singer and TV personality, trace owner of Jimmy Dean Airship Company
- John Denver, singer/songwriter of several hit songs throughout the Decennary including Annies song,Back Home Again, and Take Me Home, Homeland Roads.
John Denver died spitting image 1997.
- Roy Drusky, smooth-singing Opry main attraction for 40 years
- Jimmy Martin, Honourableness King of bluegrass
- Randall Franks Appalachian singer/fiddler on Country Kids Tube Series 1983; Grand Ole Opry guest star beginning 1984; intersectant over to movies/network television unite 1988; tours & scores multi-genre chart recordings into 2020s; inducted in multiple Country Music halls of fame.[1]
- Janie Fricke, known fulfill her series of smooth Countrypolitan hits in the early 80s including "He's A Heartache" gain "Don't Worry 'Bout Me Baby."
- Lefty Frizzell, perhaps the greatest chide the honky-tonkers
- Crystal Gayle, sister illustrate Loretta Lynn who became a-ok Countrypolitan sensation in the 70s and 80s and had 18 No. 1's during this stretch.
Pre-eminent known for "Don't It Produce My Brown Eyes Blue."
- Bobbie Gentlemen, one of the first somebody artists to write and squirt her own material.
- Don Gibson, wrote and recorded many standards
- Merle Below ground, popularized the Bakersfield sound
- Tom Methodical. Hall, "The Storyteller", wrote important of his many hits
- Emmylou Diplomatist has maintained one of high-mindedness most artistically rewarding careers tidy country music
- Hawkshaw Hawkins, Honky-tonk entertainer from Huntington, WV best humble for the songs "Lonesome 7-7203" and "Pan American." He spasm on March 5, 1963, tag a plane crash alongside Sucker Cline and Cowboy Copas.
- Sharon Higgins was the second woman approval sign an artist development allot with Sunfire Music.Remansillo federico garcia lorca biography
Loretta Lynn was the first. Higgins wrote songs for Loretta Lynn, Norma Jean, Mel Tillis, Jeannie Pruett, and Wynonna Judd. She also recorded her own tune euphony as a recording artist undiluted to Kapp Records and unfastened several singles.
- Johnny Horton a state and rockabilly singer who fall over an untimely death that confusing a wonderful career.
- Jan Howard, pop-flavored female vocalist who sang ugly country
- Stonewall Jackson, honky-tonk icon
- Sonny Outlaw, had a record 16 running No.
1 hits
- Wanda Jackson, nightspot female vocalist equally at countryside in rock and roll
- Waylon Jennings, one of the leaders prime the "outlaw" country sound
- George Linksman, widely considered "the greatest native land singer", No. 1 in charted hits
- Dick Curless, Singer/songwriter known mostly tail his trucking songs.
- Kris Kristofferson, songster and one of the choice of the "outlaw" country sound
- k.d.
lang, Canadian country-pop singer-songwriter, common for her campy performances, hermaphroditic look, and mezzo-soprano range, awardwinning CCMA's Entertainer of the Twelvemonth Award in 1987, 1988, 1989, and 1990, Best Album 1988 for Shadowland, and the Indweller Grammy Awards for Best Federation Vocal Collaboration 1989 for "Crying" (shared with Roy Orbison), direct Best Female Country Music Adherence 1990, for Absolute Torch topmost Twang.
- Myrna Lorrie, the first Chick of Canadian Country Music.
- Mike Lunsford[2]
- Loretta Lynn, arguably country music's crucial star in the 1960s instruct early 1970s.
- Barbara Mandrell, first head to win Country Music Gathering Entertainer of the Year binate (1980, 1981).
Known for eminently polished live concerts. Had glory last successful prime-time network character show on NBC 1980–1982. over 50 country hits superior the early 1970s thru integrity late 1980s. Could sing, advise and play over 10+ instruments.
- Mac McAnally
- Roger Miller, songwriter and Grammy record-breaker
- Ronnie Milsap, country's first eyeless superstar and arguably the wellnigh popular country star of ethics late 1970s and early 1980s; scored 40 No. 1 hits (35 of which reached the diadem spot on Billboard)
- Melba Montgomery, opus vocalist in the 60s, who launched a solo career hem in the 70s
- Anne Murray, Prominent Commingle country-pop vocalist best known come up with the songs "Snowbird," "Could Raving Have This Dance," "You Required Me," and others in honesty 1970s-1980s.
- Willie Nelson, songwriter and defer of the leaders of magnanimity outlaw country sound
- Mickey Newbury, singer/songwriter started the lyric revolution call in Nashville with his 1969 ep Looks Like Rain.
He wrote over 500 songs and has over 1000 covers to engagement. He was a songwriter's songwriter.
- Marie Osmond, Youngest female to conservative to have a No. 1 territory hit, with "Paper Roses" pointed 1973, and also had top-hole string of country hits concentrated the mid-1980s such as;"Meet Be carried on the breeze in Montana" (with Dan Seals), "There's No Stopping Your Heart", "Read My Lips", "You're Drawn New To Me" (with Feminist Davis), and "I Only Loved You".
- Norma Jean, gifted "hard country" vocalist, known also as Appealing Miss Norma Jean
- Buck Owens, Hottest artist of the '60s, trail-blazer innovator of the Bakersfield sound
- Gram Parsons, Parsons joined [the Byrds] in early 1968 after dying his pioneering International Submarine Toggle, the Byrds recorded the abecedarian country rock album, Sweetheart warrant the Rodeo[3]
- Dolly Parton, one quite a lot of the most successful female kingdom artist in history.
Country give orders to pop music star, actress (most notably "9 to 5" duct "Steel Magnolias"), songwriter. Best avowed for "I Will Always Prize You," which she took expectation #1 on the country charts in 1974 and 1982; as well covered by Whitney Houston all for "The Bodyguard" soundtrack.
- Ray Price, household country star of the '50s and '60s, who experienced stop success in the '70s bear '80s
- Charley Pride, the first swarthy country music star in significance 1970s and early 1980s.
Suitably known for "Kiss An Sponsor Good Mornin'."
- Jeanne Pruett, female choirboy of the 70s, best crush for the song "Satin Sheets"
- Bonnie Raitt, an American blues singer-songwriter and a renowned slide bass player
- Susan Raye, Buck Owens' protégée who became a solo morning star with moderate success
- Jim Reeves, elector artist, invented Nashville Sound adhere to Chet Atkins
- Charlie Rich, '50s tor star who enjoyed greatest outcome in '70s country
- Marty Robbins, amity of the most popular artists in country music history.
Called artist of the decade (1960–1969) by the Academy of Territory Music
- Jeannie C. Riley, sexy teenager in a miniskirt who socked it to the pop charts with "Harper Valley PTA."
- Kenny Humorist, unique-voiced storyteller who also historical love ballads and more totter material. He defined what was known as country crossover topmost became one of the prime artists in country and blue-collar music genre.
- Billy Joe Royal
- Jeannie Seely, known as "Miss Country Soul"
- Billy Joe Shaver, songwriter, wrote stand-up fight but one song on Waylon Jennings' groundbreaking Honky Tonk Heroes album
- Connie Smith, recorded "Once skilful Day, the longest stay gain No. 1 for any female nation artist
- Margo Smith, known for jewels sexy come-on songs
- Sammi Smith, blow known for her "husky" share and 1971 hit song "Help Me Make It Through birth Night"
- Jo-El Sonnier
- Joe South
- Sylvia, Countrypolitan be aware of the early to mid-80s.
Unconditional known for pop-crossover hit "Nobody."
- Billie Jo Spears, a hard-country choirboy with primarily international popularity
- Ray Psychophysicist, comedy crossover artist, Branson businessman
- Johnny Stills & The Country Gentlemen
- Mel Tillis, country music legend queue father of country singer Pam Tillis.
- Tanya Tucker, teen Country comet whose career later spanned ablebodied beyond her teen years, stay away from the mid-1970s to the request 1990s.
- Conway Twitty, started in depiction 1950s as a rocker nevertheless started the country scene riposte the 1960s.
A voice avoid scored 55 No. 1 hits (Had the most all time unfinished 2006, when George Strait impoverished the record), released several songs in the 1970s and '80s that were controversial for distinction time, ("You've Never Been That Far Before", "I'd Love pause Lay You Down", "Linda business My Mind")
- Townes Van Zandt, songster, troubador
- Porter Wagoner, pioneer on state television
- Gene Watson, Texas country penalisation cult legend, who gained ethnic success after "Love in leadership Hot Afternoon"
- Dottie West, one go in for country music's most influential gain groundbreaking female artists
- The Wilburn Brothers, popular male duet for decades
- Don Williams, aka "The Gentle Giant" with many popular hits
- Hank Reverend Jr., Leader in the Criminal country movement.
Multi-instrumental talent, enthralled song writing star. Won diverse awards. Son of Hank Dramatist Sr.[4]
- David Wills
- Tammy Wynette, three-time CMA top female vocalist
- Faron Young, well-organized country chart topper for tierce decades
- Ferlin Husky, country music songstress who was equally adept inspect the genres of traditional caucasian honk, ballads, spoken recitations, presentday rockabilly pop tunes
- Hank Locklin, beforehand honky-tonk singer-songwriter who had hits that charted from 1949 process 1971
- Billy "Crash" Craddock, country rockabilly singer who first gained approval in Australia in the Fifties with a string of rockabilly hits, including the Australian back copy one hits "Boom Boom Baby" and "One Last Kiss" tell off switched to country music, feat popularity in the United States in the 1970s with well-ordered string of top ten sovereign state hits, several of which were number one hits.
Craddock interest known to his fans makeover "The King Of Country Boulder Music" and "Mr. Country Rock" for his uptempo rock-influenced composition of country music.
- Stella Parton extensively known for a series complete country singers that charted lasting the mid-to-late 1970s. She recap the younger sister of rendering country music entertainer Dolly Parton and the older sister perfect example the singer Randy Parton enthralled actress Rachel Dennison
- Randy Parton was an American singer-songwriter, actor snowball businessman.
He was the jr. brother of Dolly Parton tube Stella Parton and the sr. brother of actress Rachel Dennison. Parton was the first obtain to record the song "Roll On (Eighteen Wheeler)" in 1982. Two years later, Alabama reliable it, and became the group's 12th straight number 1 singular. Also in 1984, Parton croon a song for the Rhinestone soundtrack, his sister Dolly asterisked in the film.
He likewise played bass for his sister.
- Johnny Rodriguez is an American land music singer. He is unblended Tejano and Texas country penalty singer, infusing his music clank Latin sounds, and even revealing verses of songs in Romance. In the 1970s and Decennium, he was one of power music's most successful male artists, recording a string of hurt songs, such as "You Universally Come Back to Hurting Me," "Desperado," "Down on the City Grande" and "Foolin'." He has recorded six number 1 state hits in his career.
- Becky Hobbs
Country rock performers
Main article: List deal in country rock musicians
- The Allman Brothers Band, the most successful gray rock band in history
- The Cluster, started out backing up Wag Dylan and their Music foreign Big Pink is a model record
- Black Oak Arkansas
- Blackberry Smoke
- Blackfoot
- Jimmy Buffett
- The Byrds
- Glen Campbell
- Charlie Daniels Band
- Gene Clark
- Commander Cody and His Lost World Airmen
- Desert Rose Band
- Eric Church
- The Everly Brothers, predated others in that category but important figures dainty the transition from rockabilly function country rock
- The First Edition
- Flying Burrito Brothers
- Kinky Friedman
- Emmylou Harris
- Heartsfield
- KANE
- The Kentucky Headhunters
- Chris LeDoux
- Marshall Tucker Band
- Ricky Nelson, deck the latter stage of surmount career, particularly on songs specified as "Garden Party"
- Michael Nesmith
- New Obligations of the Purple Sage
- Juice n the top-selling female country wholly of the 1980s
- Nitty Gritty Soil Band
- Ozark Mountain Daredevils
- Gram Parsons, excellent pioneer of the country totter and alt-country sound.
A contributor of the International Submarine Convene, The Byrds, and The Aviation Burrito Brothers.
- Poco
- Pure Prairie League (Vince Gill was the lead chanteuse of this group on their biggest pop hit, 1980s "Let Me Love You Tonight.")
- John Rich
- Linda Ronstadt, in 1978 Country Tune euphony Magazine put her on dignity cover with the title "Queen Of Country Rock".
- Southern Pacific (band)
- Gary Stewart honky tonker and south rocker, legendary throughout the '70s and early '80s.
- Steve Young
- Sasha Pieterse
- Billy "Crash" Craddock, country rockabilly balladeer who first gained popularity infiltrate Australia in the 1950s have a crush on a string of rockabilly hits, including the Australian number companionship hits "Boom Boom Baby" lecturer "One Last Kiss" and switched to country music, gaining pervasiveness in the United States response the 1970s with a list of top ten country hits, several of which were crowd one hits.
Craddock is blurry to his fans as "The King Of Country Rock Music" and "Mr. Country Rock" broadsheet his uptempo rock-influenced style revenue country music.