The Best Country Music from the 50s
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The best country music of the 50s had a simple, yet elegant sound. The lyrics were often about love, heartbreak, and loss.
The Best Country Music from the 50s
Country music from the 50s was some of the best ever made. Some of the biggest names in country music got their start in the 50s, including Hank Williams and Patsy Cline. The music from this decade is still popular today, thanks to its timeless appeal. Let’s take a look at some of the best country music from the 50s.
Hank Williams
No one did it better than Hank Williams. He was country music’s first superstar, and his gritty, gutsy style influenced virtually every artist who came after him. His best songs are sad, soulful laments about lost love, failed relationships, and hard living, but they’re also full of humor, wit, and resilience. If you want to understand the true meaning of country music, start with Hank Williams.
Patsy Cline
Patsy Cline was one of the most influential singers of the 1950s. Her unique style blended country, pop, and blues, and she helped to define the genre for a new generation. Born in Virginia in 1932, Cline began her career singing on local radio stations. She made her first recordings in 1955, but it was her appearance on Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts that brought her national attention. Her performance of “Walkin’ After Midnight” led to a recording contract with Decca Records.
Cline’s first single for Decca, “A Poor Man’s Roses (Or a Rich Man’s Gold),” was a moderate success, but it was her second release, “Walkin’ After Midnight,” that made her a star. The song reached the top of the country charts and crossed over to the pop charts, where it peaked at #12. It would become one of her signature songs. Throughout the rest of the decade, Cline would score a number of hits, including “Sweet Dreams (Of You),” “I Fall to Pieces,” “Crazy,” and “She’s Got You.” Tragically, Cline died in a plane crash in 1963 at the age of 30, but her music continues to be popular and influential.
Jimmie Rodgers
Jimmie Rodgers was one of the first country music superstars. He was known as “The Singer’s Singer” and influenced everyone from Hank Williams to Bob Dylan. His career was cut short by his untimely death in 1933, but his legacy has lived on through his music.
The Best Country Music from the 60s
The 50s and 60s were a great time for country music. There were so many talented artists and bands during this time. George Jones, Merle Haggard, and Buck Owens are just a few of the artists that helped make country music what it is today. Let’s take a look at some of the best country music from these two decades.
Johnny Cash
Born in Kingsland, Arkansas, on February 26, 1932, Johnny Cash was one of seven children of Ray and Carrie Cash. He made his first radio appearance in 1950 on KVOM radio in Mountain View, Arkansas. In 1951 he enlisted in the Air Force, where he served as a Morse code intercept operator. He was stationed in Germany and while there met Vivian Liberto, an Italian-American girl from San Antonio, Texas. They married in 1954 and had four daughters.
Tammy Wynette
One of the most influential female country singers of all time, Tammy Wynette was known for her trademark slight twang and her emotionally charged songs about love and loss. Wynette had dozens of hits throughout her career, including “Stand by Your Man,” “Your Good Girl’s Gonna Go Bad,” and “D-I-V-O-R-C-E.” She is often referred to as the “First Lady of Country Music” and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1998.
Merle Haggard
The name Merle Haggard may not be as familiar to some as the likes of Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, and Conway Twitty, but he was one of the most prolific and influential country musicians of his time. He released over 70 albums during his career, many of which are considered classics. Born in Bakersfield, California in 1937, Haggard came from a poor family and had a difficult childhood. He dropped out of school in the eighth grade and began a life of crime, spending time in and out of jail. It was during one of his stints in prison that he discovered his love for music, and after he was released he began playing guitar and singing in local clubs.
In 1963, Haggard had his first taste of success with the release of his album “Strangers”. The album’s first single, “Sing Me Back Home”, became a hit and established him as a force to be reckoned with in the country music world. Throughout the rest of the 1960s, Haggard continued to produce successful albums and singles. Some of his most well-known songs from this period include “The Fugitive”, “Okie from Muskogee”, and “Branded Man”. In 1969, he scored his first number one hit with “Workin’ Man Blues”.
Haggard’s success continued into the 1970s and beyond; he continued to churn out hits well into the new millennium. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1994 and received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006. He passed away in 2016 at the age of 79, but his legacy continues on through his music.
The Best Country Music from the 70s
Country music has always been a genre that tells a story. The songs are often about real life and real people. They’re about heartbreak and happiness, and they’re often the songs that we sing along to in the car. Country music from the 50s and 70s was some of the best. The songs were catchy and the stories were relatable.
Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson is an American institution. He’s been making records for six decades, and his work in the ’70s is some of the best country music ever made.
Nelson’s genius lies in his ability to cross genres. He effortlessly blended country, folk, blues, and jazz elements into his own unique sound. His voice is as distinctive as they come, and his songwriting is nothing short of brilliant.
If you’re looking for the best country music from the 70s, Willie Nelson is a must-listen. classics like “Red Headed Stranger” and “Stardust” are essential listening for any fan of the genre.
Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton is one of the most successful country music artists of all time. She rose to prominence in the 1970s with hits like “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You.” Parton is also known for her distinct style, which includes brightly colored clothing and big hair. In addition to her successful music career, Parton has also starred in movies like “9 to 5” and “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.”
Loretta Lynn
Loretta Lynn is an American country music singer-songwriter with multiple gold albums over the course of her career. She is famous for hits such as “You Ain’t Woman Enough (To Take My Man)”, “Don’t Come Home A Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ on Your Mind)”, and “One’s on the Way”. Lynn was born in Kentucky and rose to prominence in the 1960s and 1970s for her work in country music. She has received numerous awards and accolades, including the Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance and the Country Music Association’s Entertainer of the Year award. She is considered one of the most influential female vocalists in country music history.
The Best Country Music from the 80s
Country music has come a long way since the 50s. The 80s saw the rise of country music icons like George Strait, Alabama, and Reba McEntire. The best country music from the 80s tel ls stories of love, heartbreak, and hope. It’s the perfect way to relax and escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
George Strait
George Strait is an American country music singer, songwriter, actor, and music producer. George Strait was born in Poteet, Texas, and grew up in Pearsall, Texas. He is the son of John Byron Strait Sr. and Doris Jean Couser. He has been married to Norma Voss since 1971 and they have two children,Jennifer and George Strait Jr.
George Strait began his musical career as a lead singer in the country-rock band Ace in the Hole in 1975. The band released one album before breaking up in 1980. George Strait then released his debut solo album, Straight Country, in 1981. His singles “Unwound” and “She Ain’t the Cheatin’ Kind” were both major hits on the country charts. In 1982, he released his second album, Right or Wrong, which also produced two hit singles: “Right or Wrong” and “A Fire I Can’t Put Out”.
Alabama
Alabama is a country music band that was formed in 1980 in Fort Payne, Alabama. The band members are lead singer Randy Owen, lead guitarist Jeff Cook, and drummer Tony Ludiker. The band has released over 30 studio albums and has sold over 75 million records worldwide. Alabama is one of the most successful country music bands of all time and their music has been very influential in the country music genre.
Reba McEntire
It would be hard to overestimate Reba McEntire’s impact on country music. Aside from being one of the genre’s biggest-selling artists, the charismatic redhead was one of the first female country stars to achieve mainstream crossover success, thanks to her intoxicating blend of heartland values and Hollywood polish. Her natural charisma and easy humor made her a natural for both film and television, and she parlayed her success into a highly successful career as a businessman, owning several boutique clothing stores and launching her own line of purses, among other endeavors. Though she enjoyed a string of huge hits throughout the ’80s, by the early ’90s, McEntire’s sound had become increasingly slick and polished, losing some of the down-home flavor that had made her so popular in the first place. Nevertheless, she remained one of country music’s most reliable hitmakers well into the new millennium, thanks to both her gregarious personality and musical versatility.
The Best Country Music from the 90s
Country music has changed a lot over the years, but some of the best music was created in the 50s and 90s. Artists like Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, and Johnny Cash created some of the most memorable country songs of all time. If you’re a fan of country music, you’ll love this list of the best country songs from the 50s and 90s.
Garth Brooks
Brooks was one of the most successful country artists of the 90s. He released his self-titled debut album in 1989, but it was his second album, No Fences, that made him a household name. The album was certified diamond, meaning it sold more than 10 million copies. It spawned several hit singles, including “Friends in Low Places” and “The Thunder Rolls.” Brooks followed up No Fences with the even more successful Ropin’ the Wind. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart and stayed there for over six months. It also became the first country album to be certified diamond.
Shania Twain
Shania Twain – You’re Still the One
Shania Twain – From This Moment On
Shania Twain – Man! I Feel Like a Woman
Brooks & Dunn
Brooks & Dunn is an American country music duo consisting of Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn, both vocalists and songwriters. The duo was founded in 1990 through a revival of the traditional country genre with its debut album, Brand New Man. Although the album was met with critical and commercial success, Brooks & Dunn did not achieve widespread fame until release of their second album, Hard Workin’ Man, in 1994. This album provided four chart singles for the duo, all of which reached Number One on the Billboard country charts between 1994 and 1996: “My Maria”, “Ain’t Nothing ‘Bout You”, “Boot Scootin’ Boogie”, and “Neon Moon”.
The duo’s fourth album, If You See Her, was released in 1998; its lead-off single, “You’ll Always Be Loved by Me”, became their fifth Number One hit. In 1999, Brooks & Dunn released their fifth studio album titled Tightrope; its title track was a collaboration with Sheryl Crow and marked the beginning of a change in direction for the duo. The song helpedmarket the album to a mainstream audience as it crossed over to pop radio; however, despite heavy promotion from Arista Nashville (including performances on NBC’s Today Show and Saturday Night Live), Tightrope failed to achieve similar success to previous albums.