There’s a reason so many people are currently nostalgic for 1990s country and the artists who created the soundtrack for a generation. Most of the decade saw the genre leaning back to its traditional roots with a modern flair. At the same time, there were so many new singers and bands releasing music seemingly every week that it was hard to get bored with country radio. As time passed, though, some of those 1990s country artists disappeared into obscurity.
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Today, we’re going to look back at some of the country artists from the 1990s who seemingly disappeared after the decade ended. Some walked away from the industry completely. Others are still out there making music but don’t have the same reach or are a little more low-key than they were three decades ago.
[RELATED: 4 Country Artists From the 1970s Who Disappeared Without a Trace]
1. Ricochet
Ricochet released their debut album in 1996. It produced a string of country hits like “Daddy’s Money,” “What Do I Know,” and “Love Is Stronger Than Pride.” The band followed that with Blink of an Eye in 1997. By then, the band’s chart success started to fade but they were still releasing strong singles. Three years later, they released their final studio album What You Leave Behind.
After the final album, members started slowly leaving the band. Jeff Bryant (drums, vocals) left Ricochet in 1999 after carpal tunnel syndrome made it hard for him to play. Eddie Kilgallion was the next to exit the band, when he joined Montgomery Gentry two years later. Founding member Junior Bryant left the next year to focus on his family. Greg Cook (bass) left the band in 2014 to become the tour manager for The Voice alums The Swon Brothers.
While most of the original lineup is gone, the band still tours sporadically.
2. Tracy Byrd
Tracy Byrd was one of the most consistent country artists of the 90s. While not everything he released was a hit, fans could always count on Byrd for some rock-solid country. After releasing his self-titled debut in 1993, he dropped enduring bangers like “Watermelon Crawl,” “The First Step,” “The Keeper of the Stars,” “Ten Rounds of Jose Cuervo,” and a great cover of the Johnny Paycheck classic “Don’t Take Her She’s All I Got.”
Byrd went on hiatus between 2010 and 2013 before returning in 2014 with a new band. He released his most recent album All American Texan in 2016. While it doesn’t seem like he has recorded anything new in a decade, he’s still on the road and has several gigs booked for 2025.
3. Ricky Van Shelton
Ricky Van Shelton was another top-notch country artist who rose to prominence in the ’90s. He released his debut album Wild-Eyed Dream in 1987 and it peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. His next two albums–Loving Proof and RVS II–would see the same success. He also had a string of hit singles in the late ’80s and early ’90s with songs like “I’ll Leave This World Loving You,” “From a Jack to a King,” “Somebody Lied,” and many more.
Van Shelton released his final studio album, Fried Green Tomatoes in 2000. Six years later, he announced his retirement. The singer struggled with substance abuse disorder and needed to get away from everything to focus on beating the disease. Currently, he’s in recovery, has obtained his pilot’s license, and raises cattle.
4. Lila McCann
Lika McCann was one of the young country artists who rose to fame in the ’90s. She was still a teenager when she released hit songs like “Down Came a Blackbird,” “I Wanna Fall in Love,” and “With You.” However, she faded from the public eye as the decade ended. She released her final label-backed album, Complete in 2001, before self-releasing Paint this Town in 2017.
Since then, McCann has worked in real estate and as a photographer. Two years after releasing Paint This Town, she came out of the closet and announced that she was happily married.
Featured Image by Paul Natkin/Getty Images
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