These 3 Country Artists Were Over 30 Years Old Before They Had Their First Hit

For some country artists, it’s better late than never. While most country artists get their start in their early 20s, or even younger, some artists get their start later in life. These three country artists were over 30 years old before they had their first hit, going on to have great success in the genre.

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Chris Stapleton

Chris Stapleton is an inspiring entry on our list of country artists who got famous over the age of 30. He had just turned 37 years old when “Traveller”, the title track of his freshman album, was released. The song, which became a Top 15 hit, is the beginning of Stapleton’s career as a solo artist.

Stapleton had already been part of the music business, both as a songwriter and part of the bluegrass band, SteelDrivers. But before that, Stapleton attended college, first studying engineering, later switching to business school, ultimately realizing music was his true calling.

“I lost my dad in October 2013 and did a little bit of soul-searching,” the country singer explains to Billboard, recalling the beginning of what became Traveller. “My wife was kind enough to buy me an old Jeep. We flew out to Phoenix and drove it all the way back to Nashville through the desert. I thought a lot about music and my dad, and the things that he would have liked that I should be doing. Out of that, I actually wrote the song ‘Traveller’ driving down Interstate 40 through New Mexico. That became the cornerstone for the record and wound up being the title track.”

Earl Thomas Conley

Earl Thomas Conley turned 39 on the day his first record, Blue Pearl, came out in 1980. The album was released on an independent label, coming after Conley tried on his own to release music, beginning with “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” in 1971. But in 1981, Conley’s Fire & Smoke project came out on RCA Records, and his now-legendary country music career began.

Conley’s first Top 10 single, “Silent Treatment”, came out in 1980, with his first No. 1, “Somewhere Between Right And Wrong”, out two years later. Conley went on to have major hits, including “Holding Her And Loving You”, “Once In A Blue Moon”, and more.

Interestingly, Conley was 50 years old when his last Top 40 single, “Hard Days And Honky Tonk Nights”, was released.

Alan Jackson

Alan Jackson was 31 years old when his debut Here In The Real World album came out. The record includes four hit singles, including the title track and “Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow”.

Jackson’s later start isn’t by his choice. The Georgia native moved to Nashville to pursue a career in country music, taking a job in the mailroom at The Nashville Network to make money. The work was tedious, but it taught Jackson plenty.

“I knew nothing about the music business at all,” the Country Music Hall of Fame member tells The Tennessean, adding that he didn’t even know what a producer was, or how to get a record deal..

“I only worked there six months, but I saw a lot going on, met a lot of people, and learned a lot about (the music business),” he adds. “It was a great place for me to be instead of working in a factory somewhere.”

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