The 1970s were a much different time, in country music and in life, than today. But these four female country artists were true pioneers, forever changing country music for the better.
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Loretta Lynn
Loretta Lynn spoke and sang her mind, refusing to bow to whatever boundaries society tried to place on her. Lynn is the writer behind songs like “Rated X” and “The Pill”, songs that were banned on the radio for being considered too controversial at the time. But Lynn held her ground, choosing to stick to her beliefs instead of becoming what some expected of her.
“I just write what I feel, what is going on with me and my life,” Lynn tells Parade. “It just happened that a lot of other women felt the same. I would never set out to write something just for it to shock someone; I am not that clever. It’s always been about truth, and if that means radio wants to ban it, well, that’s their problem. Most of my records they banned became No. 1 anyway.”
Jeannie Seely
Jeannie Seely became a pioneer in country music, but not just with the songs she released. Seely set new standards at the Grand Ole Opry, becoming the first woman to host a show segment and the first woman to wear a miniskirt on stage. So by the time Seely was having hits like “Can I Sleep In Your Arms” and “Lucky Ladies”, Seely had already proven she was a force to be reckoned with.
“I never planned to set any sort of trend,” Seely says in the 1993 book Finding Her Voice. “I’m about like any other normal American girl my age. I think I dress and act pretty much the way she does. A lot of my fans have always been women because my songs said what they really felt.”
Dolly Parton
Of course, any list of leading female country music artists, of any decade, needs to include Dolly Parton. In the 1970s, Parton’s career was on a steady climb after she famously left Porter Wagoner’s popular TV show to launch her own solo career.
Many, including Wagoner, thought Parton was making a terrible mistake. But Parton stood her ground, and country music is better for it. In the 1970s, Parton released iconic hits like “I Will Always Love You”, “Jolene”, “Coat Of Many Colors”, and more.
Linda Ronstadt
In an era when record labels wanted to keep music contained in genre lines, Linda Ronstadt firmly stood her ground, letting music fans decide if her music belongs on country radio, pop radio, or both. In the 1970s, Ronstadt had several crossover hits, including “When Will I Be Loved”, “Tracks Of My Tears”, “Blue Bayou”, and more.
Interestingly, at the Grammy Awards in 1976, Ronstadt won a Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Performance, Female, for “I Can’t Help It (If I’m Still In Love With You)”. That same year, Ronstadt was also nominated for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female, for her Heart Like A Wheel album.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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