Country music has only been an official genre for about a century, which seems unbelievable. In that time, it has gone from simple recreations of old folk songs to a network of sub-genres ranging from country rock to outlaw country. Though there have been many influential country singers, a few stand out because of their lasting legacy in the genre. These top country music legends factored heavily into how we see country music today.
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7. Waylon Jennings
Country pioneer Waylon Jennings didn’t exactly have a straight path to fame. He started out as a bassist for Buddy Holly, only to have his career slam to a halt when the rest of the band was killed in a plane crash in 1959. He regained his footing in the mid-1960s and hit big as a solo artist with songs such as “Only Daddy That’ll Walk the Line.”
Along with Willie Nelson, Jennings—who bucked against the constraints of mainstream country music—came to embody the outlaw country genre in the 1970s. He often collaborated with Nelson, resulting in outlaw country standards such as “Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys,” which proved that the lines between country and rock could be blurred.
6. Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton rose to prominence in the mid-1960s and brought country music into a space it had rarely been in before: the mainstream music industry. Parton’s career has crossed country and pop genres, lending her a universal appeal that was rare in Nashville until then. She eventually began composing for movie soundtracks and acting herself, making her even more popular beyond the country world. Most notably, her song “I Will Always Love You” became legendary when it received a pop makeover by Whitney Houston for the 1992 film The Bodyguard.
5. Willie Nelson
In some ways, it feels as though the Red Headed Stranger has been around as long as country music. While not quite true, his career did start back in the 1960s, and as of this writing he was still touring as a nonagenarian.
[RELATED: The 22 Best Willie Nelson Quotes]
Nelson embodied another side of country music: the side that is suspicious of authority, socially conscious, and highly familiar with medicinal herbs. Nelson’s unique style stood out on the 1970s Nashville scene, especially, as he married counterculture with country. This eventually helped Nelson develop the burgeoning genre of the “outlaw country” sub-genre, along with friend and frequent collaborator Waylon Jennings.
4. Loretta Lynn
Women have always been part of the country scene, but before Loretta Lynn came around, they were rarely songwriters. Lynn became a pioneering country songwriter, addressing lyrical topics from the perspective of a married, working-class woman. Her controversy-causing hit songs included “The Pill,” “Rated X,” and “Coal Miner’s Daughter.” She was frank and open about the issues in her life, and in so doing paved the way for so many other musicians—female and male—who would follow her. Lynn released her final album, Still Woman Enough, just a year before her death at 90.
3. Merle Haggard
Merle Haggard became one of the most influential country musicians of the 20th century despite an early life fraught with trouble, including multiple stints in prison. Released in 1960, he turned to music and began a new and enduring chapter. Haggard was a prolific songwriter, releasing 70 studio albums and conducting a vast number of collaborations with other country singers during his career. He was best known for his versatile musical style and talents, which combined elements of blues, jazz, folk, honky-tonk, and more. Haggard’s bright career has included significant hits such as “Mama Tried,” “Workin’ Man Blues,” and “I Think I’ll Just Stay Here and Drink.”
2. Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash became famous as the “Man in Black” (due to his affinity for all-black attire) who effortlessly combined old folk music with contemporary country, blues, and other genres. He was hugely influential from the onset of his career in the 1950s, thanks to his ability to make old songs modern and relevant to contemporary audiences.
After his second marriage to June Carter, Cash expanded his musical style even more. In the 1970s, Cash teamed up with Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, and Willie Nelson to form the band The Highwaymen. At the time of his passing in 2003, Cash was considered one of the giants of country thanks to classics such as “A Boy Named Sue” and the definitive rendition of Kris Kristofferson’s “Sunday Morning Coming Down.”
1. Hank Williams
It’s hard to argue with Hank Williams being widely thought of as the father of modern country music. During his short career, he set the blueprint for the 20th century and beyond thanks to recordings such as “Your Cheatin’ Heart” and “Long Gone Lonesome Blues.” Williams was one of the first country musicians to achieve universal appeal by adapting his songs for more popular musical stylings and by preferring to write his own songs rather than interpret folk standards. He has been called country music’s first superstar, influencing other prominent country-minded musicians of the mid-20th century like Elvis Presley, Conway Twitty, Tammy Wynette, and so many others. Williams was among the first musicians inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Photo by David Redfern/Redferns
