Country Music, Y'all!

[UYI]

She was probably the most famous musician to be born and raised in West Virginia until Brad Paisley came along, and was one of many women in country to find success during the late 80's and early 90's. She is another personal favorite of mine, in large part thanks to her alto voice (I am a female alto, myself). "Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses" is her now 30 year old signature song, and a true classic, with "Where've You Been" close behind it.

#30: Kathy Mattea.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2018/08/07/100-greatest-women-30-kathy-mattea/

The woman with a BIG voice from teeny Sharon, Kansas. While I personally feel she never quite had it any better than with "Independence Day"(I'm not exactly a fan of "A Broken Wing", but I do like "Wild Angels" and "This One's for the Girls"), she was one of the more reliable female hit makers in country for many years, and paved the way for other women with similarly big voices later on.

#29: Martina McBride.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2018/08/07/100-greatest-women-29-martina-mcbride/

Edited August 7, 2018 by UYI

[Bastet]

3 hours ago, UYI said:

"Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses" is her now 30 year old signature song, and a true classic,

I love that song, but when it came out a friend with whom I spent a lot of time played it so much I came very close to getting sick of it.  It is indeed a classic.  Other than that, I don't really listen to Kathy Mattea.  I want to like the tearjerker Where've You Been, but there's something about the way it comes together that just doesn't do it for me.

Martina McBride, though - I still listen to quite a few of those '90s hits of hers, plus This One's For the Girls.

[UYI]

She may be the wife of Tim McGraw, but this woman--who hails from the appropriately named Star, Mississippi--was, without question, THE bigger star of the family in the late 90's and early 2000's.

#28: Faith Hill.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2018/08/09/100-greatest-women-28-faith-hill/

One of the biggest pop-country stars of all time, she is definitely NOT just Loretta Lynn's "little sister".

#27: Crystal Gayle.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2018/08/09/100-greatest-women-27-crystal-gayle/

[Bastet]

I met Faith Hill several times through work back in the day, and she does not have much going on between the ears, but she's nice. 

Reading the Crystal Gayle entry, I realize I had forgotten just how big she was in the late '70s/early '80s.  Eighteen #1 hits!

[GaT]

A question about Keith Urban for country music fans from someone who doesn't listen to country music. A couple of songs of his have recently shown up on MTV, The Fighter featuring Carrie Underwood, & Coming Home featuring Julia Michaels. I'm not a country fan, but I actually like both of these songs. One thing I noticed about them that seems odd to me is that the women don't really sing much, they just keep repeating the same exact thing over & over. In The Fighter, Carrie sings the chorus 4 times & nothing else, in Coming Home Julia sings the same sentence 4 times in a row. This just seems strangely repetitive to me, is this usual of his music? 

[SunnyBeBe]

On 8/10/2018 at 7:57 PM, GaT said:

A question about Keith Urban for country music fans from someone who doesn't listen to country music. A couple of songs of his have recently shown up on MTV, The Fighter featuring Carrie Underwood, & Coming Home featuring Julia Michaels. I'm not a country fan, but I actually like both of these songs. One thing I noticed about them that seems odd to me is that the women don't really sing much, they just keep repeating the same exact thing over & over. In The Fighter, Carrie sings the chorus 4 times & nothing else, in Coming Home Julia sings the same sentence 4 times in a row. This just seems strangely repetitive to me, is this usual of his music? 

Yes, those songs are pretty representative of his type of music, HOWEVER, my favorite duet is him with Miranda Lambert, below.  Miranda actually sings a verse and their voices mesh well, imo.  I REALLY liked it, a lot.  WE WERE US is the name. 

Edited August 14, 2018 by SunnyBeBe

[GaT]

13 minutes ago, SunnyBeBe said:

Yes, those songs are pretty representative of his type of music, HOWEVER, my favorite duet is him with Miranda Lambert, below.  Miranda actually sings a verse and their voices mesh well, imo.  I REALLY liked it, a lot.  WE WERE US is the name. 

Thanks, this song sounds very different to me, not repetitive at all.

[SunnyBeBe]

If you are interesting in Keith Urban, I would give him a chance.  I'm not wild about some of his music, but, some is awesome, imo.  This song made me fall in love with him.  You'll Think of Me.  Awesome tune, imo.

[GaT]

1 hour ago, SunnyBeBe said:

Yes, those songs are pretty representative of his type of music, HOWEVER, my favorite duet is him with Miranda Lambert, below.  Miranda actually sings a verse and their voices mesh well, imo.  I REALLY liked it, a lot.  WE WERE US is the name. 

 

 

23 minutes ago, SunnyBeBe said:

If you are interesting in Keith Urban, I would give him a chance.  I'm not wild about some of his music, but, some is awesome, imo.  This song made me fall in love with him.  You'll Think of Me.  Awesome tune, imo.

Interestingly, even though both these songs are OK I guess, they don't really hold my attention or make me want to hear them again. I'm guessing that maybe they're both more countryish than popish, & that's why. I'm just not really a country music fan.

[SunnyBeBe]

OH, well.....it's matter of personal preference.  I have a wide variety of taste in music, but, not all of it appeals to me.  Keith is also praised as being an extremely talented guitarist.  Plus, he's cute and personable, so, it works for me.  I've never seen him live, but, want to. 

Edited August 14, 2018 by SunnyBeBe

[Vixenstud]

Loved Crystal Gayle back in the day, Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue is a classic.

During the 90's I went through a country faze....I had the biggest crush on Travis Tritt and was big on Reba and K.T. Oslin as well.

Loved Reba's Fancy and Is There Life Out There....K.T. will always have a place in my heart for Hold Me.

Fancy

Is There Life Out there

Hold Me

[27bored]

I fell asleep with CMT Videos on. I woke up to this song:

 

Please listen to it. I understand what music industry people mean when they say something just sounds like a hit, because this does. She sounds like Miranda Lambert fronting 3 Doors Down. The only thing is, I wish she would re-cut the song with a slightly more aggressive vocal. If she leaned into the song, I could see this being a breakthrough single for her, similar to how “Before He Cheats” was for Carrie Underwood. 

Oh, and the video could be reshot to make the song grittier. The song has all this tension but it seems like she’s having a nice time with Chad Braden Austin Brent.

[UYI]

After around two weeks, we finally have the two women who round out our Top 25! We're getting closer, folks!

The woman who set the precedent for female singer-songwriters in country music.

#26: Cindy Walker.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2018/08/22/100-greatest-women-26-cindy-walker/

One of the most influential women (if not THE influential woman, in many ways) in country music in the last 40-45 years, one who incorporated other styles of music into her sound enough that her influence extends well beyond Nashville. It's such a shame she can no longer sing due to her Parkinson's Disease.

#25: Linda Ronstadt.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2018/08/22/100-greatest-women-25-linda-ronstadt/

Edited August 22, 2018 by UYI

[Bastet]

7 hours ago, UYI said:

#26: Cindy Walker.

Oh, that Hall of Fame acceptance speech when she burst into tears about her mom not having lived to see it happen.  <sob>

7 hours ago, UYI said:

It's such a shame she can no longer sing due to her Parkinson's Disease.

It really is; she has a wonderful voice, and her music defies genre.  I listen to Different Drum, Long Long Time, and her version of When Will I Be Loved a lot.  And I love the Trio album with Emmylou Harris and Dolly Parton.  I saw her and Harris perform on the Western Wall tour.

[UYI]

One of the biggest stars of the 60's and 70's, a country girl (as she sang about in the song, "Country Girl") from McMinnville, Tennessee, who would not only write and perform "Country Sunshine"--a popular song in Coca Cola commercials in 1973; it actually won her a Cilo Award, which is the commercial industry equivalent of the Grammys--but would later remake for herself a more glamorous image, as she sang hits like "A Lesson in Leavin" (later a hit for Jo Dee Messina) and did duets with Kenny Rogers. She was also well-known for lending a helping hand for other country musicians, telling the mother of a then-17 year old Steve Wariner,  “I’ll be his mother when you’re not there,"after offering him a position in her band; he would later sing "Amazing Grace" at her memorial service (she was also the person who finally convinced Jeannie Seely to try her luck in Nashville). And this year, 28 years after her tragic death from injuries sustained from a car accident (she had asked a neighbor of hers to drive her to the Grand Ole Opry after her car battery died), and after a longtime push by her still large and loyal fan base, she was FINALLY inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame!

#24: Dottie West.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2018/08/24/100-greatest-women-24-dottie-west/

This next woman has been hailed as having one of the greatest voices in country music history; no less than Dolly Parton herself has been quoted praising her talent (“There’s really only three female singers in the world: Streisand, Ronstadt and Connie Smith. The rest of us are just pretending.") Like Jeannie Seely, she was also someone I got to see perform when I went to the Grand Ole Opry for the first time last May, and it was great to see her in person. She is also married to fellow country musician Marty Stuart, who had crush on her when he was still a little boy in Mississippi, and she was already a star.

Lastly: In a stunning statistic, she was for many years, incredibly, the record holder for the longest number one country hit for a female country artist EVER--her debut single, "Once a Day", was in the penthouse position for eight weeks in late 1964-early 1965. It was eventually broken by Taylor Swift's "We Are Never Getting Back Together" (yes, really) in 2012, but still, what a run!

#23: Connie Smith.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2018/08/24/100-greatest-women-23-connie-smith/

Edited August 24, 2018 by UYI

[Bastet]

5 hours ago, UYI said:

She was also well-known for lending a helping hand for other country musicians, telling the mother of a then-17 year old Steve Wariner,  “I’ll be his mother when you’re not there,"after offering him a position in her band;

I think being the oldest sibling in a huge, poor family with shitty parents was a major factor in her motherly temperament -- she was always taking care of people.

I don't like much of her music, but I love one of her duets with Kenny Rogers, Anyone Who Isn't Me Tonight.  I like the version he and Dolly Parton did together on the Real Love tour even more, but he and Dottie were great together.

[Silver Raven]

i love Dottie West.

[UYI]

After this, we'll be in the Top 20!

The Queen of Rockabilly.

#22: Wanda Jackson.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2018/08/26/100-greatest-women-22-wanda-jackson-2/

One of the youngest stars in pop and country music history, and for a short time the youngest person with a number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100, 1960's "I'm Sorry." As she got older, more and more of her hits were on the country charts.

#21: Brenda Lee.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2018/08/26/100-greatest-women-21-brenda-lee/

[SunnyBeBe]

On 8/19/2018 at 9:28 AM, 27bored said:

I fell asleep with CMT Videos on. I woke up to this song:

 

Please listen to it. I understand what music industry people mean when they say something just sounds like a hit, because this does. She sounds like Miranda Lambert fronting 3 Doors Down. The only thing is, I wish she would re-cut the song with a slightly more aggressive vocal. If she leaned into the song, I could see this being a breakthrough single for her, similar to how “Before He Cheats” was for Carrie Underwood. 

Oh, and the video could be reshot to make the song grittier. The song has all this tension but it seems like she’s having a nice time with Chad Braden Austin Brent.

I watched it and just wasn't very impressed.  I had to look up her name.  She's actually more of a song writer, so, I suppose that's her strength.  I just wonder if she just doesn't have much more to give in the way of vocals.  

[UYI]

And now for the Top 20, starting with the two biggest in country music in the past decade.

First, a woman from a small town in Oklahoma, whose VERY big voice led her to victory on American Idol in 2005, but whose love and appreciation of country music gave her a long-lasting career. She celebrated her tenth anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry this year (when I went earlier this year, it was Carrie who hosted/narrated a short video about the show's history before it began), and on September 14th, her newest album, Cry Pretty, will be released.

#20: Carrie Underwood.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2018/09/03/100-greatest-women-20-carrie-underwood/

 

Okay, it's confession time: I am a HUGE stan for this next woman, a Texas tomboy with a girly streak. Her first three albums--Kerosene, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and ESPECIALLY Revolution--are, to me, solid listens from start to finish, just a great collection of songs (some written by her, some not--and I think she has a knack for picking songs by other writers that work well for her; an underappreciated talent, IMO). Four the Record and Platinum are quite a bit more uneven, but still have some great songs, and The Weight of These Wings hinted at an artist who may not have the chart success she once did going forward, but who may be on the verge of her greatest work because of it--she's had more creative freedom than most in Nashville, but she may have even more now.

She is also a BIG supporter of women in country music, having held an all-woman tour a few years ago, and starting a side project called the Pistol Annies with her friends Ashley Monroe and Angeleena Presley, who are also country singer-songwriters and frequent collaborators of hers (and there are even more as you look through her albums). They have released two albums together so far, and a third one has been rumored to be out in the near future. Her personal life this year may have made it hard to be a fan at points, but when it comes to her life's work, I think she's just getting better and better.

Oh, one last thing: Even though she's had a billion great singles throughout her career, I want to highlight "Airstream Song", from Revolution. Just a very sweet, simple, unique song. :)

#19: Miranda Lambert.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2018/09/03/100-greatest-women-19-miranda-lambert/

Edited September 3, 2018 by UYI

[Neko]

Thank you for posting this list, UYI.  I don't know much about country music, but I've always preferred the female artists over the male artists, and I've created a great playlist from these suggestions.  I like reading your posts; it's clear you're very passionate about country music, and your enthusiasm is contagious.  I can't wait to learn more about the genre and find new favorites. :)

[UYI]

4 hours ago, Sweet Summer Child said:

Thank you for posting this list, UYI.  I don't know much about country music, but I've always preferred the female artists over the male artists, and I've created a great playlist from these suggestions.  I like reading your posts; it's clear you're very passionate about country music, and your enthusiasm is contagious.  I can't wait to learn more about the genre and find new favorites. :)

I'm so touched! :)

[Silver Raven]

God, I adore Wanda Jackson.

[UYI]

This next woman is another one of my personal country music heroes--a star at 12 years old for singing "Delta Dawn", who, after a few years of partying and drug abuse, turned things around and essentially became a star all over again as an adult, beginning with the 1986 album Girls Like Me. Her gritty, powerful voice made her stand out as a young child star, but it also proved to be what carried her to success as she got older, sustaining a very popular career in country during the mid-late 80's and all the way into the 90's. And because of how young she was when her career took off (she'll be 60 later this year!), she will be eligible to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame MUCH sooner than a lot of her female contemporaries.

And for the record, my favorite song of hers is "Strong Enough to Bend."

#18: Tanya Tucker.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2018/09/06/100-greatest-women-18-tanya-tucker/

A multi-instrumentalist and performer who would become the first woman to win the CMA Entertainer of the Year award twice. She was country when country WASN'T cool! ;)

#17: Barbara Mandrell.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2018/09/06/100-greatest-women-17-barbara-mandrell/

Edited September 6, 2018 by UYI

[Bastet]

7 hours ago, UYI said:

And for the record, my favorite song of hers is "Strong Enough to Bend."

I'm having trouble picking a favorite.  Maybe Oh What It Did to Me, but then there's What Do I Do With Me, Two Sparrows in a Hurricane, the Don't Go Out duet with T. Graham Brown, If It Don't Come Easy, Love Me Like You Used To, Walking Shoes, Down to My Last Teardrop, and, of course, Delta Dawn.  She's just fantastic.  I even watched her short-lived reality show.

[SunnyBeBe]

On 9/6/2018 at 4:46 PM, Bastet said:

I'm having trouble picking a favorite.  Maybe Oh What It Did to Me, but then there's What Do I Do With Me, Two Sparrows in a Hurricane, the Don't Go Out duet with T. Graham Brown, If It Don't Come Easy, Love Me Like You Used To, Walking Shoes, Down to My Last Teardrop, and, of course, Delta Dawn.  She's just fantastic.  I even watched her short-lived reality show.

Delta Dawn is one of my favorites.  It takes me back to a certain time in life and I feel like a kid again. We used to sing that song like crazy.  I also love Two Sparrows in A Hurricane.  I was going through a tough time then and it sure felt like a hurricane! lol 

[UYI]

She is best known for her crossover smash "I Hope You Dance", but overall she is one of the most staunch traditionalists in modern country music, especially among women. And her daughter, Aubrie Sellers, is continuing the family tradition by pursuing a country music career herself these days.

#16: Lee Ann Womack.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2018/09/09/100-greatest-women-16-lee-ann-womack/

The woman with the biggest selling album not only in country music history, but in any genre EVER (1997's Come On Over). In terms of country sales, she beat Patsy Cline's record, for God's sake! Not bad for someone who grew up poor in the forests of Northern Ontario.

#15: Shania Twain.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2018/09/09/100-greatest-women-15-shania-twain/

[UYI]

Another one of my country music heroes, who despite being the oldest daughter of Johnny Cash, is absolutely thought of as an individual artist and star in her own right (although I do love her version of "Tennessee Flat Top Box"). Her most well-known song is, of course, "Seven Year Ache", but she has had many other well-received songs and albums as well (another favorite song of mine from the SYA album is "Only Human"). She is also well-known for her activism, especially towards gun control, and just received the Americana Music Association Lifetime Achievement Award for Free Speech the other night. 

#14: Rosanne Cash.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2018/09/13/100-greatest-women-14-rosanne-cash/

And speaking of activism: They are the greatest selling all-female band in American history, and were at the peak of their popularity when a single off-hand remark made it all come crashing down. But they stood together and refused to back down to pressure, and have proven to be every bit as punk rock as actual punk rock musicians as a result of that. Despite never quite reaching the same heights after "the Incident" in 2003, their legacy has continued to grow in esteem, they have inspired countless women in country since then, and in light of their very successful tour two years ago (where they toured many areas of America--and especially parts of the South, including many cities in their native Texas--for the first time in over a decade), I hope they will finally record another album together again!

#13: The Dixie Chicks.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2018/09/13/100-greatest-women-13-dixie-chicks/

[Bastet]

I like Rosanne Cash, too, but I love the Dixie Chicks.  They are one of my favorite bands across all genres (one of the rare times where I not only like almost every song on every album, I love most of them) and I've seen them in concert several times.  I also liked the Shut Up and Sing documentary.  I'm glad to see them ranked so highly, although I'd have been even happier with top ten; as the list is revealed, we'll see if there's anyone I think they should have been ahead of.

[DkNNy79]

On 9/9/2018 at 9:19 AM, UYI said:

She is best known for her crossover smash "I Hope You Dance", but overall she is one of the most staunch traditionalists in modern country music, especially among women. And her daughter, Aubrie Sellers, is continuing the family tradition by pursuing a country music career herself these days.

#16: Lee Ann Womack.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2018/09/09/100-greatest-women-16-lee-ann-womack/

The woman with the biggest selling album not only in country music history, but in any genre EVER (1997's Come On Over). In terms of country sales, she beat Patsy Cline's record, for God's sake! Not bad for someone who grew up poor in the forests of Northern Ontario.

#15: Shania Twain.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2018/09/09/100-greatest-women-15-shania-twain/

Lee Ann is one of my favorites when I listened to country music.  Late 90s-early 00’s.  I like her music from that era.

[Neko]

I didn't listen to much country music in the late 90's (or ever), but I took notice of The Dixie Chicks because of Goodbye, Earl, which is, in my opinion, one of the ballsiest songs ever written.  You could put that song on a playlist of riotgrrl stuff, and it would fit right in, lol.

[Bastet]

18 hours ago, Sweet Summer Child said:

I didn't listen to much country music in the late 90's (or ever), but I took notice of The Dixie Chicks because of Goodbye, Earl, which is, in my opinion, one of the ballsiest songs ever written.  You could put that song on a playlist of riotgrrl stuff, and it would fit right in, lol.

They played at Lilith Fair the year that song came out, and the crowd got really into it as it went on; it was cool, because you could tell that even people unfamiliar with the band were getting caught up in the lyrics and loving it.

The all-star video is a lot of fun (I particularly like Dennis Franz dancing around as decomposing Earl):

[UYI]

Two new entries (both from Kentucky, funny enough!) and then onward to the top ten!

One of my OTHER personal country music heroes! She was another one of the many women who took off in the late 80's/into the 90's, and once her mainstream country career cooled down a bit, she ventured into bluegrass music. A fun piece of trivia: she is a cousin of Loretta Lynn and Crystal Gayle.

#12: Patty Loveless.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2018/09/15/100-greatest-women-12-patty-loveless/

For many years, these two women were THE country duo to beat, featuring a teenage mom turned actress and model turned nurse who eventually teamed up with her oldest daughter--a firecracker with a powerhouse voice--and took the country music world by storm, until the illness of the mother brought the group to a premature end. Well, for the group itself, anyway--the daughter went on to a solo career, breaking records with her solo debut album and attracting duet partners from both in and outside of country. And, in time, the two of them would come back together on a professional level and tour once again.

#11: Wynonna & The Judds:

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2018/09/15/100-greatest-women-11-wynonna-the-judds/

[Bastet]

Ha - I had no idea about the Lovelace/Loveless thing, that she was afraid of the name similarity to Linda Lovelace, so went with Loveless instead.  Lame, but whatever.  I love with abandon her duet with George Jones You Don't Seem to Miss Me (which once meant drunkenly signing along with it on a flight, but at least there was no one seated next to me), and reading through her entry made me remember how many other songs of hers I like.  I need to start listening to her again; I used to listen to her Classics CD all the time, but haven't in many years for some reason.  I love Lonely Too Long, You Don't Even Know Who I Am, You Can Feel Bad, and Nothin' But The Wheel, in particular.

I have the Judds' greatest hits album, too.  I saw them in concert once, and it was distracting how much Naomi just sort of flounced around twirling her skirt while Wynonna did most of the work, but just listening to their songs is wonderful.  Mama, He's Crazy, Why Not Me, Girls Night Out ... on and on.  I even sort of like Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout the Good Old Days) in spite of the fact I hate "good old days" sentiment in general and find most of the lyrics of this song exactly the sort of thing I hate about it.  But, for some reason, I listen to it. 

I love Wynonna's debut solo album.  She has an incredible voice.

I'm looking forward to the top ten.  For me, Dolly Parton will probably always be number one, but my personal top ten is subject to weekly change.  So I'm curious to see theirs.

[UYI]

There have been a lot of women called the Queen of Country Music, but when country music historians use the term, they are referring to THIS woman.

#10: Kitty Wells.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2018/09/19/100-greatest-women-10-kitty-wells/

The woman who was won more Grammys than any other woman in history (27--yes, sometimes they DO get it right), and the face of women in bluegrass for most people in widespread pop culture.

#9: Alison Krauss.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2018/09/19/100-greatest-women-9-alison-krauss/

[Bastet]

Interesting; the first two entries in the top ten are artists I'm pretty "meh" about, especially Kitty Wells.  I don't dispute her place on the list, given her contributions to country music, I just don't much like her voice or her songs.

I do love Allison Krauss's duet with Brad Paisley, Whiskey Lullaby, though.  I like her voice, but don't love it, and that's how I am about most of her music.  (I love the mash-up of her version of When You Say Nothing At All and Keith Whitley's original, but hers alone is just pretty good to me.)  My like of bluegrass has its limits, too.  So she's not a top ten for me, but, again, with her record, it's hard to argue her placement.

[Silver Raven]

7 hours ago, UYI said:

There have been a lot of women called the Queen of Country Music, but when country music historians use the term, they are referring to THIS woman.

#10: Kitty Wells.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2018/09/19/100-greatest-women-10-kitty-wells/

The woman who was won more Grammys than any other woman in history (27--yes, sometimes they DO get it right), and the face of women in bluegrass for most people in widespread pop culture.

#9: Alison Krauss.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2018/09/19/100-greatest-women-9-alison-krauss/

Two queens

[UYI]

In terms of quality and longevity among the women of country from the 90's, you can't get much better than this native of Monticello, Georgia, another one of my giant favorites. And, it must be said: marrying her was the best thing Garth Brooks ever did in his life, personally OR professionally. ;)

#8: Trisha Yearwood.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2018/09/24/100-greatest-women-8-trisha-yearwood-2/

There have been plenty of men in country music who provided history with a "What Could Have Been" story upon their premature death, but among women in country, this Winchester, Virginia native reigns supreme.

#7: Patsy Cline.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2018/09/24/100-greatest-women-7-patsy-cline-2/

[Silver Raven]

7 hours ago, UYI said:

There have been plenty of men in country music who provided history with a "What Could Have Been" story upon their premature death, but among women in country, this Winchester, Virginia native reigns supreme.

#7: Patsy Cline.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2018/09/24/100-greatest-women-7-patsy-cline-2/

:'(

[Bastet]

8 hours ago, UYI said:

There have been plenty of men in country music who provided history with a "What Could Have Been" story upon their premature death, but among women in country, this Winchester, Virginia native reigns supreme.

#7: Patsy Cline.

I like that the write-up acknowledges the answer to "What if?" could have wound up being that she was remembered as a woman in cowgirl outfits who had a rash of hits for a few years and then faded, and thus her ranking would be much lower based on her overall career, where right now it's top ten because all we have is her prime.

But that there's also her influence (and I love that the entries always acknowledge when an artist was particularly known for championing other women in country), and the fact compilation albums sold well long after her death.

She had a terrific voice, and that no one sounded remotely like her until LeAnn Rimes speaks to how unique it was.  There are numerous terrific artists who, upon hearing a new song of theirs for the first time, I may need a few lines to answer the "Wait, is this Artist A or Artist B?" question.  But Patsy Cline's voice, that I can name in one note.

[UYI]

She was born and raised on a cotton farm in Mississippi, married her first husband as a teenager, went off to Birmingham, Alabama with him and got a hairdressing license (which she renewed every year until she died), and then, in the early 60's, with that same husband dismissing her dreams of country music stardom with "Dream on, baby" (a line she supposedly wrote for him years later when he came to a show of hers and asked for an autograph), she left for Nashville with her three young daughters--Gwen, Jackie, and Tina; she would later have one more daughter, Georgette, with George Jones--in the back seat of her car behind her, and after a slow start, quickly became known as the Heroine of Heartbreak, best emphasized by her iconic signature song, "Stand By Your Man" (a song she often joked "took [her] 15 minutes to write and the rest of [her] life to defend"), and, of course, her marriage to Jones would lead her to her most well-known title, the First Lady of Country Music. Her numerous health issues would lead to her premature death on April 6th, 1998, just a month shy of her 56th birthday. But her legacy looms large over Music City, and as you can probably tell by my avatar, she is my favorite of the classic country music women, now and always.

#6: Tammy Wynette.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2018/09/27/100-greatest-women-6-tammy-wynette/

She had never listened to country music before she met and began singing duets with Gram Parsons, but his passion for it inspired her own love for the genre, and after his death she only continued to grow more devoted to it, covering old classics and bringing fans of all different kind of music together with her unique style and beautiful voice. She has inspired numerous artists--male and female--in the years since, and it must be said, gray hair has rarely looked so good. ;)

#5: Emmylou Harris.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2018/09/27/100-greatest-women-5-emmylou-harris/

Edited September 27, 2018 by UYI

[Bastet]

I love that Emmylou Harris is in the top five.

So the remaining four slots.  Obviously Dolly, Loretta, and Reba (so big they don't even need last names) in some order, but who's the other one?  I guess the Carter women.  It's not my kind of country, but they were pioneers, so that's my guess.  (Either that, or it's going to be some surprise entry of a modern-day artist I've never even heard of, but I don't think it will go down like that.)

[SunnyBeBe]

I think that Reba is #6.  And Tammy is #5. Emmylou is #4.( Looking at the link.)

[Bastet]

7 minutes ago, SunnyBeBe said:

I think that Reba is #6.  And Tammy is #5. Emmylou is #4.( Looking at the link.)

Emmylou is #5 and Tammy is #6. 

Reba hasn't appeared yet.  Four through one are still to be revealed.

So do you mean that's where those women ranked the first time this list was compiled?  (I've never looked at the original list, just this updated one UYI is linking to as it's revealed.)

[SunnyBeBe]

Hmmm....not sure. Maybe, it's from the old list, which is good.  Reba needs to be in the top, imo. 

[UYI]

When it comes to redheads in country music, there's this Oklahoma native, and then there's everyone else.

#4: Reba McEntire.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2018/10/02/100-greatest-women-4-reba-mcentire/

 

Without these extreme Southwest Virginia women taking part in recording sessions in Bristol, Tennessee in 1927, who knows how long it would have been before the birth of commercial country music? 

#3: Maybelle and Sara Carter (The Carter Family):

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2018/10/02/100-greatest-women-3-maybelle-and-sara-carter-the-carter-family/

[Bastet]

It seems my guess for the top four will turn out to be right.  I'd put Dolly at one and Loretta at two.

And I know this is heresy, but I'd put the Carters a little farther down the list.  Maybe - cue gasp - not even top five.

[UYI]

Well, we're finally here. The top 2. Not surprising, of course, but still, we've made it!

She was born a coal miner's daughter in Eastern Kentucky, living in extreme poverty with her parents and siblings before marrying at around 13 or 14 years old, moving with her husband to Washington State and bearing four children before she was even in her 20's. There was no reason to think that she would make it out of those humble beginnings, but her husband loved it when she would sing, bought her a guitar, and encouraged her to start performing in public. Her honest lyrics about life of everyday women quickly struck a chord (to the point that songs like "Rated X" and "The Pill" would be banned by country radio), and her legend continues to the present day, with her newest album, Wouldn't It Be Great, finally being released this year after a stroke caused it to be delayed. She's still writing, she's still touring, and she is a major reason I fell in love with country music.

#2: Loretta Lynn.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2018/10/11/100-greatest-women-2-loretta-lynn-2/

This is the same woman who was named number one ten years ago, when this list was originally complied by Country Universe. While there is an argument to be made that there are other women who might have deserved to be at the top of the list, when you read this, you can't really think of anyone else topping this list than a multi-medium entertainer who emerged from the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee like a blanket of light and joy, spreading her heart to the rest of the world in the process. And we are a better place for it, and for her.

#1: Dolly Parton.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2018/10/11/100-greatest-women-1-dolly-parton-2/

 

Guys, I have had the GREATEST time sharing this list with you. I only hope to do this again in 10 years, when this list will have its 20th anniversary (and when I'm 39--yikes!).

If I see a list on Country Universe similar to this in the near future, I'll be sure to share it. :) 

[Bastet]

13 hours ago, UYI said:

While there is an argument to be made that there are other women who might have deserved to be at the top of the list,

Nope.  It's going to be a long time before anyone currently on the scene has a chance at usurping her.  It will have to be someone who continues racking up new achievements - as a singer and songwriter - and crossover popularity, with the concomitant influence on other artists, well after Dolly stops.  And, looking down the top ten, the age (or, you know, death) of the rest of them means there won't be that kind of leap frogging in their lifetimes.  It's something far in the future.  Dolly Parton is a national treasure.

Thanks for sharing the list, @UYI.  I wouldn't have bothered checking in on it on my own (I'd have waited until the whole thing was done and skimmed over it), but I really enjoyed you doing it for us, and enjoyed reading your thoughts as you went along, since you are quite the music lover.

Edited October 12, 2018 by Bastet

[Neko]

Thanks, UYI.  I enjoyed reading this list. :)