Country music would sound quite different without the voices and stories of women. Across decades, female artists have contributed timeless songs that continue to pique fans’ interests. The 1960s and ’70s were a particularly noteworthy time for this, with icons like Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton proving how women were not just singers, but powerful songwriters as well. Check out some of the most influential female singer/songwriters from those eras.
Videos by American Songwriter
1. Dolly Parton
This list would be remiss without Dolly Parton’s name. Though she rose to fame as the “girl singer” on the Porter Wagoner Show, Parton proved she could stand on her own two feet as an artist and songwriter when she decided to leave the show in 1974 in pursuit of a solo career. Her official resignation letter came in the form of “I Will Always Love You,” the goodbye song she wrote for Wagoner that she allegedly wrote on the same day as one of her other greatest hits, “Jolene.” The heartfelt ballad showed that Parton is a gem of a songwriter all on her own, her words translating across time when Whitney Houston got ahold of it and turned it into an international hit. Parton is not only one of the best songwriters in country music but of all time.
2. Loretta Lynn
Before Dolly Parton was topping the charts, Loretta Lynn helped pave the way for female songwriters in country music. When she debuted in 1960 with “I’m a Honky Tonk Girl,” Lynn demonstrated that she knew how to craft a story from an honest place that would resonate with a wide audience. She proved this time and time again with such hits as “Don’t Come Home A-Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ on Your Mind),” “Fist City” and others. She set the precedent for her career with the arrival of “Coal Miner’s Daughter” in 1970 which made way for a decade’s worth of hits including “Rated X,” “The Pill” and “You’re Lookin’ at Country,” making her an influential force as a singer-songwriter for many artists who came after her.
3. Bobbie Gentry
Right off the bat, Bobbie Gentry proved she could write a hit without any help when she released “Ode to Billie Joe” in 1967 to critical and commercial acclaim. The mysterious story has intrigued fans for decades now, Gentry’s masterful songwriting ability leaving much to the listener’s imagination. But “Billie Joe” was only the beginning. She wrote another timeless country classic, “Fancy,” that she released as a single in 1969 that would later catch fire when Reba McEntire recorded it in 1991. She wrote all but one of the tracks on her 1967 album, Ode to Billie Joe, and wrote the majority of songs on the six other albums that followed before she retired in the ’80s. Gentry’s songwriting has left an irreplaceable mark on country music, one that can still be felt decades after her debut.
[RELATED: The Meaning Behind the Song Lyrics: “Fancy” by Bobbie Gentry]
4. June Carter Cash
When considering female songwriters in country music, it’s likely that June Carter Cash’s name comes to mind. Long before she wed fellow songwriting icon Johnny Cash, June Carter Cash got her start playing in the family band, the iconic Carter Family. She later co-wrote her husband’s revered hit, “Ring of Fire,” and scored her first Top 30 solo hit on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart with the self-penned “A Good Man” in 1971. The couple wrote many songs together for their collaborative albums over the years, beginning with Carryin’ On with Johnny Cash & June Carter in 1967. Carter Cash also released several solo albums, having penned eight of the 13 songs on her Grammy-winning 1999 album, Press On.
5. Emmylou Harris
Though Emmylou Harris shared her talents with many genres of music, she’s known for spearheading the genre of country rock in the 1970s. She set this precedent with her independently released 1970 debut album, Gliding Bird, where half of the songs feature a writing credit from Harris. She and Bill Danoff teamed up to write the mournful “Boulder to Birmingham” following the death of Harris’ mentor Gram Parsons in 1975 which showed her ability to craft a soul-stirring song with a voice to match. Her songwriting partnership with Rodney Crowell proved to be fruitful as well, resulting in multiple deep cuts on her albums in the 1970s. Harris’ storied career reflects how she is a pioneer both sonically and lyrically.
Photo by Tom Hill/WireImage
