The Golden Age & Country Pop In the 60s, 70s & 80s
Johnny Cash, one of the single most Influential and popular country singers of all time. Best known for
hits like "Ring of Fire" and "Folsom Prison Blues." He died in 2003
Bill Anderson, singer who is still a major songwriter of new hits
Liz Anderson, as famous for her songwriting as her singing
Hank Williams
Lynn Anderson, a California blonde who became a top country star in the 1970s
Deborah Allen, a popular 80s Country/Pop vocalist
Eddy Arnold, the all-time hit leader by Joel Whitburn's point system
Moe Bandy, The King of Honky Tonk
Margie Bowes, Country singer of the late 50s who came to fame after winning a talent show
The Browns, brother-sister trio who hit No. 1
Patsy Cline, immensely popular balladeer who died in 1963
David Allan Coe, Outlaw Country star of the 70s
Jessi Colter, Outlaw country singer and wife of Waylon Jennings, best-known for "I'm Not Lisa"
Skeeter Davis, major female vocalist for decades
Mac Davis, Country Pop hitmaker in the 70s and 80s
Jimmy Dean, singer and TV personality, former owner of Jimmy Dean Sausage Company
Roy Drusky, smooth-singing Opry star for 40 years
Jimmy Martin, The King of bluegrass
Janie Fricke, known for her series of smooth Countrypolitan hits in the early 80s
Lefty Frizzell, perhaps the greatest of the honky-tonkers
Crystal Gayle, sister of Loretta Lynn who became a Countrypolitan sensation in the 70s and 80s and had 18 #1's during this stretch.
Don Gibson, wrote and recorded many standards
Bonnie Guitar, best remembered for her Country-Pop hit "Dark Moon"
Merle Haggard, popularized the Bakersfield sound
Connie Hall, had brief success as a Country singer in the early 60s
Tom T. Hall, "The Storyteller", wrote most of his many hits
Johnny Horton, made the story-song very popular about 1960
Jan Howard, pop-flavored female vocalist who sang pure country
Stonewall Jackson, honky-tonk icon
Sonny James, had a record 16 consecutive No. 1 hits
Wanda Jackson, honky-tonk female vocalist equally at home in rock and roll
Waylon Jennings, one of the leaders of the "outlaw" country sound
George Jones, widely considered "the greatest living country singer", #1 in charted hits
Kris Kristofferson, songwriter and one of the leaders of the "outlaw" country sound
Loretta Lynn, arguably country music's biggest star in the 1960s and 1970s
Roger Miller, a Grammy record-breaker
Ronnie Milsap, country's first blind superstar
Melba Montgomery, duet vocalist in the 60s, who launched a solo career in the 70s
Willie Nelson, songwriter and one of the leaders of the outlaw country sound
Norma Jean, gifted "hard country" vocalist
Marie Osmond, sister of The Osmonds, who had a successful Country career in the 70s & 80s
Buck Owens, pioneer innovator of the Bakersfield sound
Dolly Parton, began her career singing duets with Porter Wagoner
Ray Price, went from hard country to Las Vegas
slick
Charley Pride, the first black country music star
Jeanne Pruett, female vocalist of the 70s, best known for the song "Satin Sheets"
Susan Raye, Buck Owens' protégée who became a solo star
Jim Reeves, crossover artist, invented Nashville Sound with Chet Atkins
Charlie Rich, '50s rock star who enjoyed greatest success in '70s country
Marty Robbins, another performer of story-songs who did well in the pop field
Jeannie C. Riley, sexy girl in a miniskirt who socked it to the pop charts
Kenny Rogers, unique-voiced storyteller who also recorded love ballads and more rock material. He defined
what was known as country crossover and became one of the biggest artists in country and any music genre.
Jeannie Seely, known as "Miss Country Soul"
Margie Singleton, Country-Pop-styled vocalist of the 60s
Connie Smith, known for her "big" voice
Margo Smith, known for her sexy come-on songs
Sammi Smith, best known for her "husky" voice and 1971 hit song "Help Me Make It Through
the Night"
Sylvia, Countrypolitan sensation the early to mid-80s
Billie Jo Spears, a hard-country vocalist with international popularity
Ray Stevens, comedy crossover artist, Branson businessman
Tanya Tucker, teen Country star, who's career later spanned well beyond her teen years
Conway Twitty, honky-tonk traditionalist
Don Walser, yodeling Texas legend
Porter Wagoner, pioneer on country television
Dottie West, country glamour girl who had her biggest success 20 years into her career
The Wilburn Brothers, popular male duet for decades
Marion Worth, Pop-flavored female vocalist of the 1960s
Tammy Wynette, three-time CMA top female vocalist
Faron Young, a country chart topper for three decades
