3 Female Country Artists From the 60s Who Deserve More Recognition

Think of female country artists in the 60s, and most people think of women like Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, and Tammy Wynette. But there are other female country artists from the 60s who also deserve recognition, including these three pioneering women.

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Connie Smith

Connie Smith had an eight-week No.1 hit with her first single, “Once A Day“. Written by Bill Anderson, the song came out in 1964 as part of her self-titled debut album.

Not only did “Once A Day” stay at the top of the charts for a long time, but it also made history, becoming the first debut single by a female artist to reach the top spot on Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs chart.

Although “Once A Day” is Smith’s only No. 1 single, her contributions to country music remain significant. She had several other Top 10 songs in the 60s and 70s, including “Then And Only Then”, “Cry, Cry, Cry”, and “Just One Time”.

Smith became a Grand Ole Opry member in 1965. More than 60 years later, Smith remains a regular Opry performer.

Skeeter Davis

Skeeter Davis actually began releasing songs in the late 1950s, although she didn’t have much success in the beginning. Her first Top 10 hit, “Set Him Free”, came out in 1959.

In 1962, Davis celebrated her first No. 1 single with “The End Of The World“. Written by Arthur Kent and Sylvia Dee, “The End Of The World” became a massive crossover hit for Davis, hitting No. 1 on the pop charts.

“The End Of The World” is the beginning of a unique career for Davis, who had several other crossover hits, at a time when that was not nearly as popular or welcome as it would be in future eras. Her other country and pop hits include “I’m Saving My Love” and “I Can’t Stay Mad At You”.

By the late 60s, Davis planted her feet firmly in country music, with “Fuel To The Flame” and “What Does It Take (To Keep a Man Like You Satisfied)”.

Davis’s last hit as a solo artist came in 1973, with “I Can’t Believe That It’s All Over”.

Jan Howard

Jan Howard is often known as the wife of hit songwriter Harlan Howard. But Jan Howard is also a successful artist on her own. Releasing songs since the late 1950s, Jan Howard’s first Top 5 single is “Evil On Your Mind”. Written by Harlan Howard, she follows that song with other Top 20 hits, including “Bad Seed”, “Count Your Blessings, Woman”, and others.

Surprisingly, Jan Howard never had a No. 1 song as a solo artist, although she did with Bill Anderson in 1967 on their “For Loving You” duet. Still, Howard consistently released music for more than 20 years. Her final album, Jan Howard, came out in 1985.

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