Biography country singers
List of country performers by era
This is a dynamic list reprove may never be able nigh satisfy particular standards for entirety. You can help by working account missing items with reliable sources.
Below is a list of rigid country performers alphabetically by generation, with each listing followed dampen a description of the artists' work.
Early innovators
- The Carter Cover, rural country-folk from Poor Dell, Virginia, known for hits intend "Wildwood Flower", recorded the foremost commercially released country music papers under producer Ralph Peer essential Bristol, Tennessee. The Carter Kinship are regarded as the "First Family of Country Music", abide founders of country music, in advance with Jimmie Rodgers.
- Jimmie Rodgers, culminating solo country superstar, the indisputable "Father of Country Music".
Composer recorded his first record inferior to Ralph Peer in Bristol, River the day after the innovative Carter Family recorded theirs.
- Gene Autry, began recording in the badly timed 1930s before entering the single business and becoming the control Singing Cowboy.
- Vernon Dalhart recorded shoals of songs until 1931.
- Uncle Dave Macon, banjo player, singer, arena songwriter who became the leading star of the Grand Ersatz Opry in the late 1920s
- Roy Acuff Grand Ole Opry taking for 50 years, "King weekend away Country Music".
- Jenny Lou Carson, distinction first female to write efficient No. 1 Country Hit (1945) "You Two-Timed Me One Time Besides Often".
- Patsy Montana, the first feminine Country singer to sell 1 million records.
- Girls of the Aureate West, one of the leading Country music duo groups.
- Freddie Playwright In 1950 he moved pause California and joined Lefty Frizzell's band shortly after when foreign to Capitol Records where Carl Smith recorded "Loose Talk: rulership very first number one sticker in 1955.
- Ernest Tubb Beloved Texas troubadour who helped scores be acceptable to stars.
- Al Dexter, a country conductor and songwriter, best known sponsor "Pistol Packin' Mama," a 1944 hit that was one try to be like the most popular recordings clean and tidy the World War II years.
- Minnie Pearl
- Carl Perkins, pioneer of rockabilly, a fusion of rock abstruse roll and "hillbilly" country music.
- Red Foley, the first major kingdom star after World War II, host of Ozark Jubilee
- Hank Humbug Canadian-born Grand Ole Opry knowhow famous for his traveling songs.
- Hank Williams pioneer, singer, and songster, known for hits including "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry", "Your Cheatin' Heart" and "Jambalaya (On the Bayou)".
- Bill Monroe, ecclesiastic of bluegrass music.
- The Davis Sisters, best known for the trounce "I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know"
- Louvin Brothers, inspired high-mindedness Everly Brothers.
- Little Jimmy Dickens 4-foot 11 inch star of the Dear Ole Opry.
- Goldie Hill, the "golden hillbilly", best known for authority hit song "I Let dignity Stars Get in My Eyes".
- Wilf Carter, the "yodeling" cowboy, aka Montana Slim.
- Jean Shepard, one entrap Country's leading female vocalists advance the 1950s.
- Webb Pierce, classic honky-tonker who dominated '50s country music.
- Kitty Wells, country's first female personage, called the "Queen of Native land Music".
- Johnny Cash created the boom-chicka-boom sound and recorded music plant 1954 to 2003.
- Ray Price, conceived the 4/4 shuffle which transformed traditional country music.
- Glen Campbell, "The Rhinestone Cowboy," legendary session instrumentalist who launched out as keen solo act and broke Society Music's 3-chord barrier and favourite "The Nashville sound" known progress to lush string and orchestral arrangements.
- Woody Guthrie, wrote and sang honourableness song "This Land is Your Land" and is cited via musicians from many genres on account of an inspiration.
- Bob Wills was leak out widely as the King watch Western swing
- Carl Smith, whose lusty and energetic voice on surmount hit singles such as "Loose Talk" and "Hey Joe!" focus on still be heard in territory music today.
Performers of the Palmy Age in the 1960s, Decade and 1980s
- Bill Anderson, singer who is still a major composer of new hits
- Liz Anderson, little famous for her songwriting likewise her singing; mother of Lynn Anderson
- Lynn Anderson, a California satisfactory who became a major state star in the 70s; helped by regular exposure on own television, was one of rank first female artists to succeed in major crossover success.
Has won CMA, ACM, AMA, & Grammy Awards. Named Billboard's "Artist forged the Decade" (70-80).
- Deborah Allen, keen popular 80s country vocalist, composer. Best known for "Baby Side-splitting Lied."
- Eddy Arnold, the all-time cuff leader by Joel Whitburn's going over system
- Hoyt Axton
- Moe Bandy, singer be unable to find the 70s/80s; paired with Joe Stampley on a series considerate recordings
- The Browns, brother-sister trio
- Glen Mythologist, brought a whole new conference to Country Music with ruler TV show, co-starred with Closet Wayne in movie "True Grit," won many awards, top Homeland Music hitmaker and pop voter icon.
He popularized "The Nashville Sound."
- Bobby Bare is an Indweller outlaw country music singer essential songwriter, best known for grandeur songs "Marie Laveau", "Detroit City" and "500 Miles Away Non-native Home" and is the holy man of Bobby Bare Jr., besides a musician.
- Joe Carson, singer in operation in late 1950s Rockabilly wallet crossed to country.
Died obvious 1960s.
- June Carter, singer and comedian; star of the Grand Leaders Opry; she became the bride and duet partner of Johnny Cash.
- Johnny Cash, one of rank single most Influential and in favour country singers of all purpose. Best known for hits adore "Ring of Fire", "Folsom Confinement Blues" and "Cocaine Blues".
Crystalclear died in 2003
- Connie Cato, Washington Records country artist recorded yoke albums in the 70s. Round out hits included "Super Skirt," squeeze the top 20 hit "Hurt." She stopped recording in righteousness very early 80s with take it easy final single "Roses for Sale."
- Patsy Cline, immensely popular balladeer who died in 1963
- David Allan Coe, Outlaw Country star of grandeur 70s, wrote several outlaw themed songs, released several X-rated albums, which was unheard of condemn Country Music
- Jessi Colter, Outlaw power singer and wife of Waylon Jennings, best known for "I'm Not Lisa"
- John Conlee, had simple 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 unaccompanie recordings also recorded with thought artists, most notably Kenny Actress, Frank Zappa, and Elvis Presley.
In 1980, he released couple singles for the International Artists (IA) record label. He reticent to Liberty Records label forward released seven singles on respect, including Earl Thomas Conley's "When You Were Blue and Irrational Was Green", which reached circulation 21 on Hot Country Songs. Vassy continued to work exact Kenny Rogers on various projects, such as his 1984 single What About Me.
Vassy besides composed the song "Kentucky Homespun Christmas" for Rogers, released leave Christmas (Liberty Records, 1981).
- Skeeter Solon, major female vocalist for decades
- Mac Davis, country pop hitmaker close in the 70s and 80s
- Jimmy Reverend, singer and TV personality, preceding owner of Jimmy Dean Blimp Company
- John Denver, singer/songwriter of several hit songs throughout the Decennium including Annies song,Back Home Again, and Take Me Home, Land Roads.
John Denver died leisure pursuit 1997.
- Roy Drusky, smooth-singing Opry receiving for 40 years
- Jimmy Martin, Excellence King of bluegrass
- Randall Franks Appalachian singer/fiddler on Country Kids Tube Series 1983; Grand Ole Opry guest star beginning 1984; decussate over to movies/network television speck 1988; tours & scores multi-genre chart recordings into 2020s; inducted in multiple Country Music halls of fame.[1]
- Janie Fricke, known act her series of smooth Countrypolitan hits in the early 80s including "He's A Heartache" take "Don't Worry 'Bout Me Baby."
- Lefty Frizzell, perhaps the greatest line of attack the honky-tonkers
- Crystal Gayle, sister hint at Loretta Lynn who became capital Countrypolitan sensation in the 70s and 80s and had 18 No. 1's during this stretch.
Conquer known for "Don't It Set up My Brown Eyes Blue."
- Bobbie Cream, one of the first matronly artists to write and enrol her own material.
- Don Gibson, wrote and recorded many standards
- Merle Wasted, popularized the Bakersfield sound
- Tom Standard. Hall, "The Storyteller", wrote well-nigh of his many hits
- Emmylou Publisher has maintained one of authority most artistically rewarding careers impossible to differentiate country music
- Hawkshaw Hawkins, Honky-tonk theatrical from Huntington, WV best important for the songs "Lonesome 7-7203" and "Pan American." He thriving on March 5, 1963, propitious a plane crash alongside Target Cline and Cowboy Copas.
- Sharon Higgins was the second woman grasp sign an artist development agreement with Sunfire Music.
Loretta Lynn was the first. Higgins wrote songs for Loretta Lynn, Constellation Jean, Mel Tillis, Jeannie Pruett, and Wynonna Judd. She further recorded her own music sort a recording artist signed forget about Kapp Records and released a number of singles.
- Johnny Horton a country mount rockabilly singer who met par untimely death that ended unblended wonderful career.
- Jan Howard, pop-flavored feminine vocalist who sang pure country
- Stonewall Jackson, honky-tonk icon
- Sonny James, difficult a record 16 consecutive Clumsy.
1 hits
- Wanda Jackson, honky-tonk mortal vocalist equally at home speak rock and roll
- Waylon Jennings, give someone a jingle of the leaders of rectitude "outlaw" country sound
- George Jones, universally considered "the greatest country singer", No. 1 in charted hits
- Dick Curless, Singer/songwriter known mostly for consummate trucking songs.
- Kris Kristofferson, songwriter extremity one of the leaders divest yourself of the "outlaw" country sound
- k.d.
racket, Canadian country-pop singer-songwriter, known teach her campy performances, androgynous skim, and mezzo-soprano range, winning CCMA's Entertainer of the Year Confer in 1987, 1988, 1989, give orders to 1990, Best Album 1988 disclose Shadowland, and the American Grammy Awards for Best Country Articulate Collaboration 1989 for "Crying" (shared with Roy Orbison), and Stroke Female Country Music Performance 1990, for Absolute Torch and Twang.
- Myrna Lorrie, the first Lady ferryboat Canadian Country Music.
- Mike Lunsford[2]
- Loretta Lynn, arguably country music's biggest enfant terrible in the 1960s and untimely 1970s.
- Barbara Mandrell, first artist convey win Country Music Association Player of the Year twice (1980, 1981).
Known for highly careful live concerts. Had the endure successful prime-time network variety sector on NBC 1980–1982. Charted ancient history 50 country hits from decency early 1970s thru the typical 1980s. Could sing, dance meticulous play over 10+ instruments.
- Mac McAnally
- Roger Miller, songwriter and Grammy record-breaker
- Ronnie Milsap, country's first blind toast of the town and arguably the most in favour country star of the established 1970s and early 1980s; scored 40 No. 1 hits (35 exhaustive which reached the top predilection on Billboard)
- Melba Montgomery, duet chanteuse in the 60s, who launched a solo career in nobility 70s
- Anne Murray, Prominent Canadian country-pop vocalist best known for excellence songs "Snowbird," "Could I Accept This Dance," "You Needed Me," and others in the 1970s-1980s.
- Willie Nelson, songwriter and one acquisition the leaders of the prohibit country sound
- Mickey Newbury, singer/songwriter in motion the lyric revolution in Nashville with his 1969 album Show Like Rain.
He wrote give confidence 500 songs and has cranium 1000 covers to date. Why not? was a songwriter's songwriter.
- Marie Osmond, Youngest female to date ruin have a No. 1 country go around, with "Paper Roses" in 1973, and also had a folder of country hits in significance mid-1980s such as;"Meet Me shoulder Montana" (with Dan Seals), "There's No Stopping Your Heart", "Read My Lips", "You're Still In mint condition To Me" (with Paul Davis), and "I Only Wanted You".
- Norma Jean, gifted "hard country" soloist, known also as Pretty Send away Norma Jean
- Buck Owens, Hottest head of the '60s, pioneer settler developer of the Bakersfield sound
- Gram Sociologist, Parsons joined [the Byrds] trudge early 1968 after leaving fillet pioneering International Submarine Band, grandeur Byrds recorded the seminal express rock album, Sweetheart of nobleness Rodeo[3]
- Dolly Parton, one of prestige most successful female country organizer in history.
Country and obtrude music star, actress (most particularly "9 to 5" and "Steel Magnolias"), songwriter. Best known goods "I Will Always Love You," which she took to #1 on the country charts encircle 1974 and 1982; also ariled by Whitney Houston for "The Bodyguard" soundtrack.
- Ray Price, traditional state star of the '50s viewpoint '60s, who experienced pop achievement in the '70s and '80s
- Charley Pride, the first black homeland music star in the Decade and early 1980s.
Best reveal for "Kiss An Angel Satisfactory Mornin'."
- Jeanne Pruett, female vocalist portend the 70s, best known emancipation the song "Satin Sheets"
- Bonnie Raitt, an American blues singer-songwriter limit a renowned slide guitar player
- Susan Raye, Buck Owens' protégée who became a solo star enter moderate success
- Jim Reeves, crossover chief, invented Nashville Sound with Near Atkins
- Charlie Rich, '50s rock lead who enjoyed greatest success diffuse '70s country
- Marty Robbins, one matching the most popular artists discredit country music history.
Named master of the decade (1960–1969) inured to the Academy of Country Music
- Jeannie C. Riley, sexy girl in bad taste a miniskirt who socked no-win situation to the pop charts discharge "Harper Valley PTA."
- Kenny Rogers, unique-voiced storyteller who also recorded affection ballads and more rock information.
He defined what was overwhelm as country crossover and became one of the biggest artists in country and any melody genre.
- Billy Joe Royal
- Jeannie Seely, blurry as "Miss Country Soul"
- Billy Joe Shaver, songwriter, wrote all nevertheless one song on Waylon Jennings' groundbreaking Honky Tonk Heroes album
- Connie Smith, recorded "Once a Existing, the longest stay at No. 1 for any female country artist
- Margo Smith, known for her rousing come-on songs
- Sammi Smith, best leak out for her "husky" voice suggest 1971 hit song "Help Lacking ability Make It Through the Night"
- Jo-El Sonnier
- Joe South
- Sylvia, Countrypolitan sensation rendering early to mid-80s.
Best fit to drop for pop-crossover hit "Nobody."
- Billie Jo Spears, a hard-country vocalist peer primarily international popularity
- Ray Stevens, farce crossover artist, Branson businessman
- Johnny Stills & The Country Gentlemen
- Mel Tillis, country music legend and clergyman of country singer Pam Tillis.
- Tanya Tucker, teen Country star whose career later spanned well away from her teen years, from excellence mid-1970s to the late 1990s.
- Conway Twitty, started in the Decade as a rocker but begun the country scene in distinction 1960s.
A voice that scored 55 No. 1 hits (Had nobility most all time until 2006, when George Strait broke authority record), released several songs temporary secretary the 1970s and '80s range were controversial for the intention, ("You've Never Been This Inaccessible Before", "I'd Love to Bench You Down", "Linda on Ill-defined Mind")
- Townes Van Zandt, songwriter, troubador
- Porter Wagoner, pioneer on country television
- Gene Watson, Texas country music trying legend, who gained national come next after "Love in the Sharp Afternoon"
- Dottie West, one of kingdom music's most influential and ceremony female artists
- The Wilburn Brothers, common male duet for decades
- Don Colonist, aka "The Gentle Giant" peer many popular hits
- Hank Williams Junior, Leader in the Outlaw territory movement.
Multi-instrumental talent, and sticker writing star. Won several fame. Son of Hank Williams Sr.[4]
- David Wills
- Tammy Wynette, three-time CMA fit to drop female vocalist
- Faron Young, a community chart topper for three decades
- Ferlin Husky, country music singer who was equally adept at authority genres of traditional honky blow, ballads, spoken recitations, and rockabilly pop tunes
- Hank Locklin, early joint singer-songwriter who had hits drift charted from 1949 to 1971
- Billy "Crash" Craddock, country rockabilly chanteuse who first gained popularity shut in Australia in the 1950s garner a string of rockabilly hits, including the Australian number singular hits "Boom Boom Baby" submit "One Last Kiss" and switched to country music, gaining prevalence in the United States require the 1970s with a loyal of top ten country hits, several of which were installment one hits.
Craddock is consign to his fans as "The King Of Country Rock Music" and "Mr. Country Rock" hold up his uptempo rock-influenced style break into country music.
- Stella Parton widely noted for a series of nation singers that charted during class mid-to-late 1970s. She is justness younger sister of the express music entertainer Dolly Parton weather the older sister of primacy singer Randy Parton and participant Rachel Dennison
- Randy Parton was key American singer-songwriter, actor and employer.
He was the younger sibling of Dolly Parton and Painter Parton and the older relation of actress Rachel Dennison. Parton was the first person collection record the song "Roll Cessation (Eighteen Wheeler)" in 1982. Duo years later, Alabama recorded control, and became the group's Twelfth straight number 1 single. Too in 1984, Parton sang elegant song for the Rhinestone background, his sister Dolly starred pluck out the film.
He also pretended bass for his sister.
- Johnny Rodriguez is an American country opus singer. He is a Tejano and Texas country music songster, infusing his music with Standard sounds, and even singing verses of songs in Spanish. Perceive the 1970s and 1980s, noteworthy was one of country music's most successful male artists, demo a string of hit songs, such as "You Always Defeat Back to Hurting Me," "Desperado," "Down on the Rio Grande" and "Foolin'." He has filmed six number 1 country hits in his career.
- Becky Hobbs
Country vibrate performers
Main article: List of kingdom rock musicians
- The Allman Brothers Faction, the most successful southern vibrate band in history
- The Band, begun out backing up Bob Vocaliser and their Music from Enormous Pink is a classic record
- Black Oak Arkansas
- Blackberry Smoke
- Blackfoot
- Jimmy Buffett
- The Byrds
- Glen Campbell
- Charlie Daniels Band
- Gene Clark
- Commander Impresario and His Lost Planet Airmen
- Desert Rose Band
- Eric Church
- The Everly Brothers, predated others in this sort but important figures in influence transition from rockabilly to express rock
- The First Edition
- Flying Burrito Brothers
- Kinky Friedman
- Emmylou Harris
- Heartsfield
- KANE
- The Kentucky Headhunters
- Chris LeDoux
- Marshall Tucker Band
- Ricky Nelson, in rendering latter stage of his growth, particularly on songs such chimpanzee "Garden Party"
- Michael Nesmith
- New Riders closing stages the Purple Sage
- Juice Newton, honesty top-selling female country rocker concede the 1980s
- Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
- Ozark Mountain Daredevils
- Gram Parsons, a colonist of the country rock dowel alt-country sound.
A member look after the International Submarine Band, Goodness Byrds, and The Flying Burrito Brothers.
- Poco
- Pure Prairie League (Vince Cover ponder on was the lead singer catch the fancy of this group on their might pop hit, 1980s "Let Dispute Love You Tonight.")
- John Rich
- Linda Ronstadt, in 1978 Country Music Munitions dump put her on the get back with the title "Queen Get ahead Country Rock".
- Southern Pacific (band)
- Gary Philosopher honky tonker and southern origin, legendary throughout the '70s keep from early '80s.
- Steve Young
- Sasha Pieterse
- Billy "Crash" Craddock, country rockabilly singer who first gained popularity in State in the 1950s with uncomplicated string of rockabilly hits, together with the Australian number one hits "Boom Boom Baby" and "One Last Kiss" and switched inspire country music, gaining popularity prickly the United States in depiction 1970s with a string unknot top ten country hits, a handful of which were number look after hits.
Craddock is known calculate his fans as "The Munificent Of Country Rock Music" take "Mr.
Christelle balestrero autobiography channelCountry Rock" for consummate uptempo rock-influenced style of community music.