Country music is a genre full of artists who wear their influences on their sleeves. It’s one of the only genres where cover songs are as popular and welcomed as original compositions. As a result, many singers tap into similar sounds. However, there are a handful of singers who have unique and instantly recognizable voices.
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Over the years, some of the biggest stars in country music rose to prominence because they stood out from the crowd. Today, we’ll look at four country singers with the most unique voices in the genre.
Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash inspired countless artists through his singing, songwriting, and guitar style. For listeners, though, his unique and instantly recognizable voice puts him at the top of the list of greatest artists of all time. A few have tried to sound like Cash over the years. However, no one will ever be able to truly capture his rumbling vocal delivery.
To hear what makes Cash’s voice so special, one only needs to listen to his iconic hit song “Folsom Prison Blues” to see that no one will ever fully replicate his sound.
Willie Nelson
No country fan has ever heard a Willie Nelson song and wondered who was singing. The Red-Headed Stranger has one of the most unique voices in the history of the genre. That voice combined with his songwriting prowess and his standout guitar style give him one of the most recognizable sounds in country music. The only artist that comes close to Willie’s sound is his son, Lukas Nelson. However, the younger Nelson still can’t nail his legendary father’s sound.
Anything from Nelson’s deep catalog will give listeners a feel for what makes his voice so different. However, “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground” is as good an example as any.
Randy Travis
Countless country singers have deep yet melodic voices. However, no one will ever match the silky smooth depth of Randy Travis’ baritone voice. Whether he’s singing about heartache, love, or the Good Lord above, Travis is nearly untouchable in the canon of country singers.
To see why Travis stands out from the crowd listen to “Diggin’ Up Bones.” The emotion in his buttery-smooth voice is one of the most beautiful and unique things about his voice.
George Jones
Hailed as the greatest country singer of all time, to say that George Jones has a unique voice would be an understatement. However, it isn’t just the sound of his voice that makes him stand out from the crowd, it’s what he can make his voice do. Jones didn’t just have golden vocal cords, he was also an incredibly talented vocalist.
For an example of why Jones is so lauded among country singers, listen closely to “The Race Is On.” The way he pulls ahead of the beat and then falls behind is intentional and captures the back-and-forth of a horse race.
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