3 Foreign Country Singers Who’ve Dominated the American Genre

Country music is unmistakenly American. It’s a genre founded in America and inspired by American roots music such as bluegrass and the blues. That being so, the majority of acts that perform the genre are, you guessed it, American. However, there have been a handful of international musicians to not only play in the genre but also dominate it to the utmost degree.

To be an international country musician in a heavily American-dominated industry is a large accomplishment, to say the least. All aspiring country musicians have to have courage and grit. Although, musicians not from the States seemingly have to have double the prescribed amount, as they are outsiders on numerous levels. So, here are three international country musicians who were once outsiders, but are now the complete opposite.

Keith Urban

Keith Urban hales from the land down under, Australia. Despite being Australian, Urban has an innate and masterful understanding of country music and his career has heavily benefited from it. Urban rose to popularity in the early ‘2000s thanks to his song, “Somebody Like You.” Since the 2002 single, Urban has garnered 20 No. 1 singles and seven No. 1 albums.

Furthermore, Urban has also won 12 CMA Awards, four Grammys, and 12 ACM Awards. Needless to say, the man knows country music inside and out, and he has been rewarded plentifully because of it. Urban’s career is a testament to how if you have a good ear and good vision, it does not matter where you are from whatsoever.

Shania Twain

Now Canada is certainly not as far or as culturally different as Australia, nonetheless, Shania Twain’s Canadian nationally still separates her from the majority of country musicians. Regardless, Twain is still arguably one of the most popular female country singers of all time. And frankly, her Canadian upbringing was a breath of fresh air in the American heavy ’90s country music being produced at the time.

Twain became a bonified country star with her 1995 song, “Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under.” Since then, the Canadian artist has scored seven No. 1 hits and two No. 1 albums. She has also won a CMA Award, four ACM Awards, five Grammy Awards, and a whopping 39 BMI Songwriting Awards.

Terri Clark

Shania Twain wasn’t the only heavy-hitting Canadian country musician of the ’90s, as Terri Clark was seemingly always nipping at her heels. Clark grew up in Alberta and had country music instilled in her blood since birth thanks to her grandparents, who actually opened for Johnny Cash and George Jones.

Clark’s 1995 hit, “Better Things to Do,” helped her become a country music household name. Following the release of the song, Clark has gone on to cement herself in country music history. With six No. 1 hits and several CMA nominations, Clark is also the only female Canadian country singer in the Grand Ole Opry.

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