3 Wise Country Albums From the 1980s I Want To Show My Kid

Today, everything is about today. There are about a billion things demanding your attention. From social media to news headlines to your loud neighbors to the pack of birds chirping out your window, there is just too much going on. It makes it impossible to think about any other time.

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Well, below, we wanted to try to cut through the noise of now. We wanted to explore some songs from back in the day that are worthy of attention at this moment. Indeed, these are three wise country albums from the 1980s I want to show my kid.

‘Guitar Town’ by Steve Earle (1986)

Steve Earle summed up a mood, a region, and a mission statement with his song about touring the country in a band. “Guitar Town” and the album it was released on made the man a legend in country music simply for how aptly he explained a certain way of life. Whether you were on the road often or wanted to be, Earle sang your dreams into real life. For that, he’s worth dedicating an entire classroom lesson to, for sure.

‘Greatest Hits’ by Kenny Rogers (1980)

During the entire decade of the 1980s, only one country album hit No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200, and that album was Kenny Rogers’ Greatest Hits. The man known as The Gambler really won big with the song and the 1980 compilation record, which also included tunes like “Lucille” and “Every Time Two Fools Collide”. No wonder the release was certified platinum twelve times by the Recording Industry Association of America! Now, that’s something to study.

‘Lyle Lovett’ by Lyle Lovett (1986)

Lyle Lovett’s 1986 self-titled debut album put the Houston, Texas-born songwriter and performer on the map. The record’s opening number takes you to a honky-tonk—but it also sounds a bit like a Las Vegas lounge. Lovett shows his roots in the Heartland, but he also proves he can entertain. What better combination could there be? For this and more, he is worth exploring. So, go ahead, dive down a Lyle Lovett rabbit hole today!

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