While the 1980s aren’t particularly known for country greatness, there were some artists who shined during the time period, for sure. There were songwriters and performers who carried the country torch with talent and skill.
And that’s just what we wanted to dive into here below. We wanted to highlight three artists from the era who truly rose above. Indeed, these are three country voices from the 1980s you’ll recognize in about two seconds.
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Kenny Rogers
Fun fact: Kenny Rogers was the sole country artist in the 1980s to boast a No. 1 album on the Billboard Top 200. And he did it with his 1980 release, Greatest Hits. Featuring tracks like Rogers’ signature tune, “The Gambler”, along with others like “Don’t Fall in Love with a Dreamer” and “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town”, the album not only demonstrated Rogers’ swelling talent, but it showcased his appeal both amongst country fans and music fans at large. Indeed, if there was one country performer from the decade music listeners had to know, it was Rogers.
Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson released his debut LP …And Then I Wrote in 1962. From then on, there hasn’t been a bad decade to enjoy his work. But we wanted to highlight the 1980s here in order to showcase the releases Nelson offered fans during the time period, including albums like Family Bible, Always On My Mind, and Angel Eyes. Nelson has long been a crucial figure in country music—he wrote songs for the greats as far back as Patsy Cline—but it was in the 1980s when he helped to carry the country torch when the genre perhaps needed it most.
Reba McEntire
Reba McEntire is a country standout. She is a crossover multimedia star who helped bring in millions of fans to the country music tent. And in the 1980s, McEntire dropped a whopping 13 albums for her fans, including LPs like Feel the Fire, My Kind of Country, and Reba. Known for her head of fiery red hair, McEntire brought her signature twang to her music during the 1980s and helped to prop up a genre that made her an American icon.
Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
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