The 90s saw the launch of the careers of several country music hitmakers. Some enjoyed years, even a decade or more, of hits. But some launched their careers in the 90s and are still making music today.
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These three country artists had hits on the radio 30 years ago and are still making music in 2026.
Brooks & Dunn
Brook & Dunn are not only still making music, but they are also still winning awards. The duo’s debut “Brand New Man” single, the title track of their freshman album, came out in 1991. Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn enjoyed 18 years as one of country music’s most successful acts before announcing in 2009 that they were disbanding to focus on individual projects.
Fortunately, their break didn’t last. The two reunited to create Reboot in 2019, followed by Reboot II in 2024. They also won the CMA Award for Vocal Duo of the Year in both 2024 and 2025. They are reportedly working on new music.
“We’re kicking along,” Brooks says. “We’re working on it, we’re pushing that row. We’ve got a label that we had a really great meeting with. They can’t make us make a record, but they would love to see us do it. They don’t want to put out a record that’s not a great record.”
Trisha Yearwood
Trisha Yearwood is still touring and making music more than three decades after she began, but she is reinventing herself as well. In 1991, Yearwood’s “She’s In Love With The Boy” was released. The song also became her first No.1 hit, kicking off an extraordinary career that is still going strong today.
In 2025, Yearwood released The Mirror. The record marks Yearwood’s first foray into songwriting, a skill she thought she didn’t have for years, thanks to a careless word from someone when she was just getting started. But now, Yearwood has not only discovered her love of writing songs, but also that she’s actually good at it.
“I’ve always written a little bit, but I’ve never called myself a songwriter,” Yearwood admits on The Kelly Clarkson Show. “In fact, I usually will say if somebody says we should write, I’m like, I’m not a songwriter. Because someone told me when I was in college that I was not a songwriter, and I let it be the truth for just like 45 years. I sort of had an aha about, ‘Why does that have to be the truth?’”
Tim McGraw
Tim McGraw’s first No. 1 hit, “Don’t Take The Girl”, came out in 1994. Since then, McGraw has released more than 70 singles and remains a pivotal part of country music today.
In 2025, McGraw released “Paper Umbrellas“. Originally on his 2023 Standing Room Only record, McGraw chose to release a new version, joined by Parker McCollum, as a single.
“I really wanted to get it out there and let everybody hear it,” McGraw says on Tanner in the Morning. “When it came time to release the single, I wanted another artist on it, and I like what Parker’s doing, and I thought his voice would fit really well with this type of song. It has a real George Strait vibe, and who isn’t a big fan of George Strait?”
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