These 4 Country Singers From the 1990s Are Probably the Best Vocalists Ever

Part of what makes country music so great is that so much attention is often focused on an artist’s vocal ability. For decades, it’s what has made country music stand out as a genre.

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While it’s hard to pick the most talented artists, these four country singers from the 1990s are probably some of the best vocalists ever.

Vince Gill

It’s hard to think of a better country singer than Vince Gill. Although Gill started releasing music in the mid-80s, it wasn’t until the 90s that he hit his stride as an artist. Gill was nominated in the Male Vocalist of the Year category for ten consecutive years, beginning in 1991, winning the first five years he was nominated.

Gill can sing just about anything. But it’s on simple, stripped-down songs like “I Still Believe In You”, “Whenever You Come Around”, and more that his vocals shine through. Now 68 years old, Gill still sounds better than ever. In 2021, Gill took home his 22nd Grammy Award, for Best Country Solo Performance, for “When My Amy Prays“.

Trisha Yearwood

Ever since Trisha Yearwood’s “She’s In Love With The Boy” came out in 1991, aspiring singers have tried, likely unsuccessfully, to mimic her voice. Yearwood has the perfect combination of a pure voice, with a little bit of grit when needed.

Yearwood has proven her ability to sing uptempo songs, like “Wrong Side Of Memphis” and “Believe Me Baby (I Lied)”. But she can also soar on ballads like “The Song Remembers When” and “How Do I Live”.

Collin Raye

Collin Raye’s first No. 1 single, “Love, Me”, came out in 1991. In the following years, Raye continued to have chart-topping hits like “In This Life“, “Little Rock”, “Love Remains”, and more. Raye does have uptempo songs, including “Little Red Rodeo”. But Raye has built a career on singing slower songs, letting his voice shine through.

“I’m kind of known as a ballad guy because I’ve had so many hit ballads,” Raye tells Country Music News International. “But no one has ever complained, ‘Oh, I went to see Collin Raye, but the show was real sleepy.’ That’s never been the case.”

Lee Ann Womack

There may not be a purer female voice, in any genre, than Lee Ann Womack’s. Ever since her debut “Never Again, Again” single came out in 1993, Womack has been proving that she can sing almost anything and do it well.

Womack was nominated for the CMA Award for Female Vocalist of the Year five times, which is impressive enough. But her last nomination came in 2015, 18 years after her self-titled freshman debut was released. It proves that country music fans can never get enough of Womack’s clear voice.

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