Some country bands and musicians in the 1980s were just too cool and niche to be mainstream successes. Some of them got a taste of mainstream country fame, but they don’t get brought up as much in conversations about the greats of the era. We need to change that ASAP. Let’s look at just a couple of country bands and artists of the 80s that may be on the slightly obscure side, but still managed to dish out charting hits!
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Lacy J. Dalton
Lacy J. Dalton wasn’t a flashy musician in the 1980s. At least, when compared to all the glam metal acts that were popping up and the visual aesthetics of rock and country pop at the time. But what she lacked in flash, she made up for with an incredible and gritty voice, plus serious songwriting talent.
Some might not refer to Dalton as “obscure,” considering she’s had dozens of songs make it to the Top 40 of the Hot Country Songs chart. However, she only enjoyed one lone Hot 100 hit during her career: the country banger “Slow Down” from 1982. That’s wild to me. She deserved bigger hits, darn it!
The Forester Sisters
This group was one of the best country bands of the 80s. And I rarely ever hear their music on the radio today. What gives? The Forester Sisters were on a different level, and their work in the 1980s was incredible. Made up of a group of four siblings, The Forester Sisters enjoy five No. 1 singles on the Hot Country Songs chart. Around 1996, the group decided to focus more time on their families and also felt the industry was more focused on male artists. The Forester Sisters came to an end, but at least we got a few incredible albums out of their height in the 80s to enjoy today.
The O’Kanes
These two just looked like the personification of the 1980s, didn’t they? The O’Kanes were a country music duo that were only around for a few short years in the latter half of the 80s, but they were one of the finest country bands of that era. Seven of their singles made it to the Hot Country Singles chart, the most well-known of which is likely the No. 1 hit, “I Can’t Stop My Heart From Loving You”. The band broke up in 1980, and both members went on to pursue solo careers.
Photo by David Redfern/Redferns
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