Let’s hear it for the ladies! These women led the way and broke the glass ceiling. In an industry that wasn’t always open to females, these ladies pushed the boundaries and succeeded far more than most of their male counterparts. From cowgirls to honky-tonk angels, these country gals crossed over to mainstream success. Crank up the volume and celebrate these eight trailblazers.
Videos by American Songwriter
1. Patsy Montana
“I Want to Be a Cowboy’s Sweetheart” was the first million-seller by a female country singer. The song was recorded in 1935. Montana began her career as Ruby Blevins but adopted her stage name from silent film star Monte Montana. She appeared in Colorado Sunset with Smiley Burnette and Gene Autry. Patsy performed regularly on the WLS Barn Dance radio program. She retired from live performing in the late 1950s to spend more time with her family. Montana died in 1996 at her home in San Jacinto, California.
2. Kitty Wells
In 1952, Wells became the first female to top the U.S. Country Chart by recording “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels.” The record was an answer song to “The Wild Side of Life” by Hank Thompson. The Wells recording was controversial for its time and was banned by many radio stations. Another answer song provided her with her next big success. “Paying for That Back Street Affair” responded to “Back Street Affair” by Webb Pierce.
The success of Wells’ singles led to Decca releasing an LP, which sold extremely well and led to many more Decca releases. Wells became the first female country star to have her own syndicated television show in 1969. In 1976, she was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Kitty Wells died in 2012 in Madison, Tennessee.
[RELATED: 5 Influential Female Country Songwriters of the 1960s and ’70s]
3. Jean Shepard
As a teenager, Shepard played bass in an all-female band called the Melody Ranch Girls. Hank Thompson discovered the singer and brought her to the attention of Capitol Records. Her first chart appearance was a duet with Ferlin Husky in 1953 called “A Dear John Letter.” Shepard joined the cast of Ozark Jubilee on ABC-TV in 1955 and became a member of The Grand Ole Opry. She continued having hits until the mid-1970s. Shepard was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2011 and died in 2016 at 82.
4. Patsy Cline
The first female country singer to succeed in the pop world was Patsy Cline. She is considered one of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century. Songs like “Walkin’ After Midnight,” “I Fall to Pieces,” and “Crazy” received airplay on more than just country radio stations. In 1961, her career was threatened by a car wreck that put her in the hospital for a month. And on March 5, 1963, Cline was killed in a plane crash that also took the life of Cowboy Copas, Hawkshaw Hawkins, and pilot/manager Randy Hughes.
In 1973, Patsy Cline became the first female inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
5. Loretta Lynn
24 No. 1 singles and 11 No. 1 albums are just part of the story of Loretta Lynn,eee who was born Loretta Webb in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky. Getting her first big break after appearing on a television show, she was given a record deal and the opportunity to record four songs in Hollywood. The success of the song “I’m a Honky Tonk Girl” from that session led to a record deal with Decca Records in Nashville. In 1966, Lynn became the first female recording artist to write a No. 1 hit with “You Ain’t Woman Enough (To Take My Man).” Songs about Vietnam, birth control, sexism, teenage virginity, and divorce were controversial topics Lynn wrote about, making her the trailblazer among trailblazers in country music. She died at her home in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, in 2022.
6. Tammy Wynette
Country music was a male-dominated genre until the likes of women like Tammy Wynette showed up to bring a woman’s perspective. Shortly after Virginia Wynette Pugh moved to Nashville, Billy Sherrill signed her to Epic Records in 1966. Nashville’s proven songwriters wrote her first releases. No. 1 hits like “I Don’t Wanna Play House,” “Take Me to Your World,” and “D-I-V-O-R-C-E” showcased the singer’s unique voice.
After Wynette got involved with the songwriting herself, she scored her signature song. “Stand by Your Man” was written with producer Billy Sherrill and stayed at the No. 1 spot on the country charts for three weeks. It also cracked the Top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100. The song has been covered many times by artists such as Patti Page, Candi Staton, Tina Turner, The Blues Brothers, Lyle Lovett, The Chipmunks, Lisa Brokop, and Elton John. She had 20 No. 1 hits in all during her long career. Wynette died in 1998 in Nashville, Tennessee.
[RELATED: 10 Female Artists That Ruled ’90s Country]
7. Dolly Parton
One of the biggest-selling female artists of all time, Dolly Parton has sold over 100 million records. Starting her career as a songwriter for others, Parton first found success as an artist herself when she released the album Hello, I’m Dolly in 1967. Porter Wagoner soon asked her to join his television show as well as his touring road show. This exposure furthered Dolly’s career as a solo artist and established Wagoner as a perfect duet partner. They had a six-year run of uninterrupted Top 10 duets.
Hits such as “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors,” and “I Will Always Love You” are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Parton’s success. A successful acting career, philanthropic projects, and a Dollywood theme park keep the girl from Pittman Center, Tennessee, more than busy. She was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999.
8. Shania Twain
The best-selling female in country music history was raised in Timmins, Ontario, Canada. Eileen Regina “Shania” Twain released her first album to little success in 1993. However, her second release, The Woman in Me, sold over 20 million copies. Her third album, Come on Over, is the biggest-selling studio album of all time by a female artist, eclipsing the 40 million mark.
In 2010, the singer created a charity designed to address the needs of neglected children frequently overlooked by social assistance programs. Shania Kids Can works to support children at the primary age and teach them to become responsible, confident, proactive members of their school community. In 2022, Twain was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Photo by Richard E. Aaron/Redferns/Getty
