The Best Old Country Music Artists
Here are some of the best old country music artists that you should know about. These artists have made a huge impact on the country music scene and have left a lasting legacy.
George Strait
George Strait is an American country music singer, songwriter, actor, and music producer. Strait is known as the “King of Country” and is considered one of the most influential and popular recording artists of all time. He has had more than 100 number-one hits on the US Billboard Country charts, making him the artist with the most number-one hits of any artist in any genre.
His early life and musical influences
George Strait was born in 1952 in Poteet, Texas, and grew up in the small town of Pearsall, southwest of San Antonio. His father, John Byron Strait Sr., was a math teacher and bandleader at Pearsall High School. His mother, Doris Jean Couser, was a schoolteacher and homemaker. George Strait Sr. played in a country and western band called the Maverick County Boys while attending college in the 1950s. He later became a mathematics teacher like his father, but he also continued to play music on the side.
George Strait Jr.’s musical influences growing up wereStyle/formal tone with someweaker moments (iNFORMAL) traditional country artists like Bob Wills, Hank Williams Sr., Lefty Frizzell, Merle Haggard, George Jones, and Ernest Tubb. He also listened to pop artists such as the Beatles and Roy Orbison. In high school, he played football and was a member of the track team. He graduated from Poteet High School in 1970.
His career highlights
George Strait is an American country music artist. He began his music career as a lead singer in the country-rock band, Ace in the Hole Band, and achieved success as a solo artist in the 1980s. He has been referred to as the “King of Country,” and is considered one of the most influential and popular recording artists of all time. George Strait has won more CMA and ACM awards than any other artist, and is also a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Why he’s considered one of the best old country music artists
George Strait is an American country music singer, songmaker, and actor. He is considered one of the leading musical forces in country music history. Born in Poteet, Texas, on May 18, 1952, Strait began his musical career singing in a country-western band while still in high school. In 1975, he released his self-titled debut album with the single “Unwound” becoming a hit. After working as a Dallas nightclub manager and honing his performing skills, Strait achieved national success with his second album, Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind (1984), which included the singles “You Look So Good in Love” and “Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind.” The album spent six weeks at number one on the Billboard country charts and was certified platinum.
Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton is one of the best-selling female country artists of all time. She has released over 40 studio albums and has had 25 songs reach number one on the Billboard Country charts. Parton is also a successful businesswoman, actress, and songwriter. In addition to her many albums, she has also written and produced several successful movies.
Her early life and musical influences
Dolly Parton was born in a one-room cabin in rural Tennessee, the fourth of 12 children. Her father worked as a sharecropper, and her mother was a homemaker. Parton’s musical influences came from her family; her grandfather, George Bellows, played fiddle and banjo, while her father sang and played guitar and harmonica. She began performing with her siblings at an early age, singing and writing songs. When she was 10 years old, she made her television debut on the local station WIVK-TV in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Parton’s first recordings were made in 1963 with Goldband Records, a small Louisiana-based record label. She recorded under the name “Jolene”, after a song she had written about a social studies teacher at school who had caught her duetting with a boy in class. The single “Dumb Blonde”, which Parton wrote about being underestimated because of her appearance, was released in 1967 and became a moderate hit.
Her career highlights
Dolly Parton’s musical career has spanned nearly 50 years. She has released multiple Grammy-winning albums and singles, starred in her own movies and TV shows, and written some of the best-known songs in country music.
Parton’s first big hit was “Jolene,” a No. 1 country single in 1974. The song was inspired by a redheaded woman who was flirting with Parton’s husband at the time. “Jolene” has been covered by dozens of artists, including Miley Cyrus, who recorded a version with Parton in 2013.
“I Will Always Love You,” another of Parton’s best-known songs, was originally released in 1974. The song became a huge hit when Whitney Houston recorded a cover version for the soundtrack of “The Bodyguard” in 1992.
Parton has also had success as an actress, starring in movies like “9 to 5” (1980) and “Steel Magnolias” (1989). She earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song for “9 to 5,” which she co-wrote with composer and producer Quincy Jones.
In recent years, Parton has been honored with several prestigious awards. She was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999, and received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2006. In 2010, she was named one of the Library of Congress’ Living Legends, an award given to people who have made significant contributions to American culture.
Why she’s considered one of the best old country music artists
Dolly Parton is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, actress, author, businesswoman, and humanitarian, known primarily for her work in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album debut with Hello, I’m Dolly in 1967. With steady success during the remainder of the 1960s (both as a solo artist and with a series of duet albums with Porter Wagoner), her sales and chart peak came during the 1970s and continued into the 1980s. Parton’s albums The Grass Is Blue (1999) and Little Sparrow (2001) could be considered her veritable “comeback” albums since they were both nominated for multiple Grammy Awards and sold several hundred thousand copies each.
Parton is the most honored female country performer of all time. She has received 47 Grammy nominations. In 1999, Parton was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. She has composed over 3,000 songs, notably “I Will Always Love You” (a two-time U.S. country chart-topper for Parton), “Jolene”, “Coat of Many Colors”, and “9 to 5”. She is also one of only seven female artists to win the CMA Entertainer of the Year Award. Along with Loretta Lynn and Barbara Mandrell, she is an inductee into The Music City Walk of Fame in Nashville!
Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson is one of the most popular old country music artists. He has been making music for over 50 years and has released over 60 albums. His music is a mix of country, folk, and blues. He is also a talented songwriter and has written hundreds of songs.
His early life and musical influences
Willie Nelson was born on April 29, 1933, in Abbott, Texas. His grandparents were farmers, and his father worked as a musician and pool hall owner. Growing up, Willie was exposed to a wide range of music, including gospel, western swing, and the blues. He began playing the guitar at age six and soon began writing his own songs.
Nelson left home at age sixteen and began touring with bands around Texas. He eventually made his way to Nashville, where he found work as a songwriter. His first big hit came in 1962 with the song “Family Bible.” However, it was his 1973 album Shotgun Willie that really earned him widespread acclaim. From there, Nelson went on to release a string of successful albums and become one of the most influential country music artists of all time.
His career highlights
Willie Nelson is an American musician, actor, and writer. He was born in 1933 in Abbott, Texas. Nelson is a country music artist who has released more than 200 albums and has won several Grammy Awards. He is also a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Nelson’s first recordings were made in 1960 for Liberty Records. However, his career took off after moving to Austin, Texas, and signing with Atlantic Records in 1972. His album “Red Headed Stranger” was a huge success, and his cover of “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” became a number one hit single.
Nelson has continued to release successful albums throughout his career. In 1986, he collaborated with country singer Merle Haggard on the album “Pancho & Lefty”, which was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. In 1988, he released “What a Wonderful World”, which was certified gold. In 1993, he collaborated with Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, and Johnny Cash on the album “The Highwaymen”.
In addition to his success as a recording artist, Nelson has also appeared in several films and television shows. He starred in the 1980 film “The Electric Horseman” and had a recurring role on the television series “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman”.
Why he’s considered one of the best old country music artists
Willie Nelson is considered one of the best old country music artists for a number of reasons. First and foremost, he is a master of the craft, with a career that spans six decades and counting. He’s also a true original, both in terms of his songwriting and his performances. And finally, he has an appeal that crosses generations, with fans of all ages enjoying his music.
Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, actor, and author. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, having sold more than 90 million records worldwide. Cash was known for his deep, baritone voice and for his country music and rockabilly stylings. He was also nicknamed “The Man in Black” for his habit of wearing all black clothing.
His early life and musical influences
Johnny Cash was born on February 26th, 1932 in Kingsland, Arkansas. He was one of seven children born to Ray and Carrie Cash. His father was a sharecropper and his mother was a homemaker. His family was very poor and he often had to work to help support them.
Cash’s musical influences came from the gospel music he heard in church and the country music he heard on the radio. He learned to play the guitar from his brother, Roy, and began writing his own songs. He made his first recording in 1955 with the help of producer Sam Phillips. “Hey Porter” and “Cry Cry Cry” were released as his debut single on Sun Records.
His career highlights
Johnny Cash was one of the most influential country music artists of all time. He was born in 1932 in Kingsland, Arkansas, and died in 2003 at the age of 71.
Cash’s career highlights include his debut album With His Hot and Blue Guitar, which was released in 1957; his duets with June Carter, which won a Grammy Award in 1968; and his famous live album At Folsom Prison, which was released in 1968.
Why he’s considered one of the best old country music artists
Johnny Cash was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, actor, and author. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, having sold more than 90 million records worldwide. His genre-spanning songs and sound embraced rock and roll, rockabilly, blues, folk, and gospel. This versatility helped him appeal to a wide range of audiences and earn him the nickname “The Man in Black.”
Cash was raised in the American South during the Great Depression. He started working in cotton fields at age five, singing along with his family as they worked. He was discovered by Sam Phillips of Sun Records in 1955 and began his recording career with the label. His brand of country music was unique compared to what was popular at the time. He released dozens of successful albums and singles over the next five decades.
Cash’s personal life was marked by financial struggles and substance abuse problems. He died of complications from diabetes in 2003 at the age of 71. Despite his challenges, he is considered one of the greatest country music artists of all time. His music continues to be popular decades after his death, and he has been inducted into multiple music halls of fame.
Kris Kristofferson
Kris Kristofferson is one of the most iconic country musicians of all time. He is best known for his songwriting, but he is also a talented singer and actor. Kristofferson has been active in the music industry for more than 50 years and he has released more than 30 albums. He has also won numerous awards, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and the Country Music Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
His early life and musical influences
Kris Kristofferson was born in Brownsville, Texas, on June 22, 1936. His father, Lars Kristofferson, was a U.S. Army Air Corps major and career military officer who served in WWII and the Korean War. His mother, Mary Ann Ashbrook, was a homemaker. Kris has two sisters, Judy and Kelly. The family moved around frequently during his childhood, living in various places including California, New York, Nebraska, Washington D.C., and Germany. It was while the family was living in Germany that Kris became interested in music and started playing the guitar. He was also exposed to a variety of different music genres, including country music, rock ‘n’ roll, and folk music. These diverse musical influences would later come to shape Kristofferson’s own musical style.
His career highlights
Kris Kristofferson’s career began in the early 1960s when he was signed to a publishing contract with Frank Sinatra’s company, Reprise Records. Kristofferson’s career took off in the 1970s when he released a series of successful albums and singles, including “Me and Bobby McGee,” “Help Me Make It Through the Night,” and “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down.” In the 1980s and 1990s, Kristofferson continued to release albums and tour extensively. He has also appeared in a number of films, including “Blade Runner,” “A Star is Born,” and “Repo Man.”
Why he’s considered one of the best old country music artists
Kris Kristofferson is considered one of the best old country music artists for a number of reasons. First and foremost, he is a master songwriter, penning such classics as “Me and Bobby McGee,” “Help Me Make It Through the Night,” and “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down.” He is also an excellent singer and performer, infusing his songs with emotion and delivering them with conviction. In addition, Kristofferson has had a long and successful career, remaining relevant and popular even as country music has evolved over the years. He is truly a legend in the industry, and his influence can be heard in the work of many contemporary country artists.
