3 Country Stars From the 1980s I Know You Don’t Remember (And Why You Should)

The 1980s boasted some seriously talented country stars. But many of those icons have been forgotten by modern-day, younger country fans, or even those who were around in the 1980s to hear their work when it was fresh. Let’s change that. Here are three country stars from the 1980s that might escape your memory, and some of their best work worth exploring today.

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Charly McClain

Charly McClain was big on country pop radio in the 1980s and started her career when she was just a teenager. She was also a part-time actress, appearing on the series Hart To Hart and CHiPs, among others. By the late 1980s, her success started to taper off, with her final recording dropping in 1989. Ready to spend more time with her family, McClain retired in the early 1990s.

If you want a good primer on McClain’s music, I recommend checking out her biggest hits. Those include “Radio Heart”, “Sleepin’ With The Radio On”, and “Who’s Cheatin’ Who”.

Ricky Van Shelton

Ricky Van Shelton was quite the country icon in the mid-to-late 1980s, though his career went far beyond that decade. In fact, Shelton released quite a lot of successful material in the 1990s before retiring from the music business entirely in the 2000s. But there’s something about his early work in the 1980s that hits so good.

I highly recommend spinning Wild-Eyed Dream from 1987 and Loving Proof from 1988 to get a feel for Shelton’s work. You won’t be disappointed.

Patty Loveless

Many a diehard country fan would scoff at the notion of Patty Loveless being forgotten, especially since she’s still very much active (albeit less than she was in the 1980s and 1990s) in the business. However, younger country fans may have never had the chance to really enjoy her music. That needs to change ASAP, because Loveless is one of the most dynamic musicians to come out of the 1980s, touching on musical elements like traditional country, country rock, honky-tonk, and bluegrass. She doesn’t get compared to Emmylou Harris and Loretta Lynn for no reason!

Some essential records from this entry on our list of 1980s country stars include her self-titled debut from 1987 and Honky Tonk Angel from 1988.

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