Real Rebels in Country Music

If you’re looking for something a little different in country music, then you need to check out our list of real rebels. These artists are shaking things up and making country music their own.

The Outlaws

There’s something about a rebel that just grabs our attention. They’re the ones who are willing to break the rules and stand up for what they believe in, even if it means going against the grain. The Outlaws were a country music band in the 1970s that did just that. They were rebels in the sense that they didn’t follow the traditional path of country music.

Waylon Jennings

Born in 1937 in Littlefield, Texas, Waylon Jennings was one of country music’s first rebels. He began his career in the 1950s as a member of the iconic country group, The Highwaymen. Jennings is best known for his rough voice and outlaw image. He’s also famous for hits like “Good Hearted Woman,” “Luckenbach, Texas,” and “Theme from The Dukes of Hazzard.”

Willie Nelson

Willie Nelson is one of the most prolific and acclaimed musicians in country music history. With a career spanning more than six decades, Nelson has released more than 200 albums and amassed a vast catalogue of songs. He is also a celebrated activist, actor, and writer.

Nelson was born in Abbott, Texas, in 1933. He began playing guitar at age six and soon developed a distinctive style that blended country, folk, blues, and jazz. After a stint in the United States Air Force, he moved to Nashville in 1960 and signed with Monument Records. His first album, And Then I Wrote, was released the following year.

During his time with Monument, Nelson wrote some of his most famous songs, including “Crazy,” “Night Life,” and “Hello Walls.” In 1962, he joined forces with country legend Hank Williams Jr. to form the outlaw country group the Highwaymen. The group’s eponymous album was released in 1985 and featured such classics as “The Road Goes on Forever” and “Desperados Waiting for a Train.”

In the 1970s, Nelson became increasingly involved in the counterculture movement. He toured with Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell, appeared at the famed 1974 concert Farm Aid, and co-wrote (with Neil Young) the anthem “Let’s Roll.” His 1976 album The Troublemaker was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Country Album.

Nelson’s work has often been cited as an influence by other artists. His song “On the Road Again” was named one of the greatest songs of all time by Rolling Stone magazine, and his album Red Headed Stranger was listed as one of the 100 greatest albums of all time by Time magazine. In 2017, he received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

Jessi Colter

When it comes to country rebel music, there are few who have been more prolific than Jessi Colter. Born Miriam Johnson in 1943, Colter was raised in a musical family in Phoenix, Arizona. She began her career as a singer in the early 1960s, and recorded her first album in 1971. It wasn’t until 1975, however, that she struck gold with her breakout album I’m Not Lisa. The title track became a No. 1 hit on the country charts, and helped to make Colter one of the most successful female artists of the 1970s.

In the years that followed, Colter continued to release new music and tour extensively. She also married country legend Waylon Jennings in 1969, and the two collaborated on several songs throughout their careers. In recent years, Colter has continued to perform and record new music, cementing her place as one of country music’s true rebels.

The New Traditionalists

The new traditionalists in country music are a subgenre of artists who are taking the music back to its roots. These artists are becoming increasingly popular as they defend the traditional values of country music against the pop-influenced sound that has taken over in recent years. Some of the most popular new traditionalists include Chris Stapleton, Jason Isbell, and Sturgill Simpson.

Dwight Yoakam

Dwight Yoakam is one of the most influential country artists of our time. He has had more than thirty singles on the country charts, including fourteen #1 hits. He has won two Grammy Awards and has been nominated for nineteen others. He has also been nominated for five Academy of Country Music Awards and has won three. In addition to his musical accomplishments, he is also an accomplished actor, appearing in such films as “Sling Blade,” “The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada,” and “Gravity.”

Yoakam was born in Kentucky in 1956, but he grew up in Columbus, Ohio. His father was a gas station attendant and his mother was a homemaker. He began playing guitar when he was seven years old and by the time he was a teenager, he was performing in local clubs. He eventually dropped out of high school to pursue his music career full-time.

In the early 1980s, Yoakam moved to Los Angeles, where he began working with producer Pete Anderson. Anderson helped him land a recording contract with Warner Bros. Records and Yoakam released his debut album, “Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc.” in 1986. The album’s lead single, “Honky Tonk Man,” became a #1 hit on the country charts and helped launch Yoakam’s career.

Yoakam has continued to release successful albums and singles over the past three decades and shows no signs of slowing down. In 2016, he released a new album, “Swimmin’ Pools, Movie Stars…” which debuted at #1 on the country charts. He is currently touring across the United States and Canada.

Lyle Lovett

Lyle Lovett is an American country music singer-songwriter and actor. Active since 1980, he has recorded thirteen albums and released 21 singles to date, including his highest entry, the number 10 chart hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, “That’s Right (You’re Not from Texas)”. Lovett has won four Grammy Awards, including Best Male Country Vocal Performance and Best Country Album. He has also acted in a number of movies, such as The Opposite of Sex and Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.

Emmylou Harris

Emmylou Harris is one of the most instantly recognizable voices in country music, and also one of the most influential. A native of Birmingham, Alabama, Harris made her recorded debut in 1968 with a cover of the Beatles’ “For No One.” The song was included on her debut album, Gliding Bird, which was produced by legendary country rock pioneer Gram Parsons. Parsons’ influence can be heard throughout Harris’ early work, which helped to redefine country music in the 1970s.

Harris quickly established herself as a major force in country music with a series of acclaimed albums including Pieces of the Sky (1975), Elite Hotel (1976), and Luxury Liner (1977). She also found success as a duet partner, teaming up with Dolly Parton on the Grammy-winning single “To Daddy” and with Willie Nelson on the Top 10 hit “Willie Made Me Cry.” In the 1980s, Harris broadened her musical horizons, collaborating with such diverse artists as Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, and U2’s Bono.

While Harris has remained true to her country roots throughout her career, she has always been open to exploring new sounds and styles. This willingness to experiment has made her one of the most respected and beloved figures in country music.

The Alt-Country Movement

In the mid-1990s, a group of country musicians began to rebel against the country music establishment. This group, known as the alt-country movement, included artists like Lucinda Williams, Steve Earle, and Emmylou Harris. These rebels were tired of the polished, pop-country sound that was becoming popular at the time. They wanted to return to the roots of country music, and they did just that.

Ryan Adams

Ryan Adams is one of the most important and influential artists in the alt-country movement. His music is a blend of country, rock, and folk that has been praised by critics and fans alike.

Adams was born in Jacksonville, North Carolina in 1974. He began his musical career in the early 1990s as a member of the punk band Whiskeytown. The band released three albums before disbanding in 2000.

Adams debuted as a solo artist with the album “Heartbreaker” in 2000. The album was met with critical acclaim and is often cited as one of the best alt-country albums of all time. Adams has released 14 albums as a solo artist, including the Grammy-nominated “Easy Tiger” (2007) and “Ashes & Fire” (2011). He has also collaborated with other artists, including Willie Nelson and Emmylou Harris.

In addition to his musical career, Adams is also an accomplished photographer. His work has been featured in exhibitions and publications such as Rolling Stone magazine.

Lucinda Williams

Lucinda Williams is considered one of the founding figures of the alt-country movement. She began her career in country music, but quickly moved away from the traditional sounds of Nashville. Her songwriting focused on real-life stories and emotions, often set against a backdrop of hard times and heartbreak.

Williams’ music has been described as “haunting, personal, and deeply felt”, and she is respected for her lyrical honesty and complex songwriting. Her 1996 album Car Wheels on a Gravel Road is considered one of the most important alt-country albums of all time.

Steve Earle

Steve Earle was born in Virginia in 1955, but he was raised in San Antonio, Texas. His father was a professor of psychology, and his mother was a librarian. Steve began playing the guitar when he was 11 years old, and by the time he was 16, he had dropped out of school and moved to Nashville to pursue a career in music.

In Nashville, Steve met Lyle Lovett and began working as a songwriter for country music artists like Johnny Lee andDon Williams. He also released his own album, Guitar Town, in 1986. The album was a critical and commercial success, and it established Steve as one of the leading lights of the alt-country movement.

In the years that followed, Steve released a series of critically acclaimed albums, including Copperhead Road (1988),The Hard Way (1990),Train A Comin’ (1995), and El Corazon (1997). He also acted in several movies and television shows, including The Wire andTrue Detective. In recent years, Steve has continued to tour extensively and release new music. He is widely regarded as one of the most talented and respected songwriters of his generation.