Below is a list of notable country performers alphabetically by period, with each listing followed by a description of the artists' work.
Early innovators
The Carter Family, rural country-folk from Poor Valley, Virginia, known for hits like "Wildwood Flower", recorded the first commercially released country music records under producer Ralph Peer in Bristol, Tennessee. The Carter Family are regarded as the "First Family of Country Music", and founders of country music, along with Jimmie Rodgers. Jimmie Rodgers, first solo country superstar, the undisputed "Father of Country Music". Rodgers recorded his first record under Ralph Peer in Bristol, Tennessee the day after the original Carter Family recorded theirs. Gene Autry, began recording in the early 1930s before entering the film business and becoming the first Singing Cowboy. Vernon Dalhart recorded hundreds of songs until 1931. Uncle Dave Macon, banjo player, singer, and songwriter who became the first star of the Grand Ole Opry in the late 1920s Roy Acuff Grand Ole Opry star for 50 years, "King of Country Music". Jenny Lou Carson, the first female to write a No. 1 Country Hit (1945) "You Two-Timed Me One Time Too Often". Patsy Montana, the first female Country singer to sell 1 million records. Girls of the Golden West, one of the first Country music duo groups. Freddie Hart In 1950 he moved to California and joined Lefty Frizzell's band shortly after when introduced to Capitol Records where Carl Smith recorded "Loose Talk: his very first number one song in 1955. Jimmy Heap Popular in the 1950s, considered one of the best exemplars of the post-World War II-era style of honky-tonk music Ernest Tubb Beloved Texas troubadour who helped scores become stars. Al Dexter, a country musician and songwriter, best known for "Pistol Packin' Mama," a 1944 hit that was one of the most popular recordings of the World War II years. Minnie Pearl Carl Perkins, pioneer of rockabilly, a fusion of rock and roll and "hillbilly" country music. Red Foley, the first major country star after World War II, host of Ozark Jubilee Hank Snow Canadian-born Grand Ole Opry star famous for his traveling songs. Hank Williams pioneer, singer, and songwriter, known for hits including "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry", "Your Cheatin' Heart" and "Jambalaya (On the Bayou)". Bill Monroe, father of bluegrass music. The Davis Sisters, best known for the hit "I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know" Louvin Brothers, inspired the Everly Brothers. Little Jimmy Dickens 4-foot 11 inch star of the Grand Ole Opry. Goldie Hill, the "golden hillbilly", best known for the hit song "I Let the Stars Get in My Eyes". Wilf Carter, the "yodeling" cowboy, aka Montana Slim. Jean Shepard, one of Country's leading female vocalists in the 1950s. Webb Pierce, classic honky-tonker who dominated '50s country music. Kitty Wells, country's first female superstar, called the "Queen of Country Music". Johnny Cash created the boom-chicka-boom sound and recorded music from 1954 to 2003. Ray Price, created the 4/4 shuffle which transformed traditional country music. Glen Campbell, "The Rhinestone Cowboy," legendary session guitarist who launched out as a solo act and broke Country Music's 3-chord barrier and popularized "The Nashville sound" known for lush string and orchestral arrangements. Woody Guthrie, wrote and sang the song "This Land is Your Land" and is cited by musicians from many genres as an inspiration. Bob Wills was known widely as the King of Western swing Carl Smith, whose forceful and energetic voice on his hit singles such as "Loose Talk" and "Hey Joe!" can still be heard in country music today.
Performers of the Golden Age in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s
Bill Anderson, singer who is still a major songwriter of new hits Liz Anderson, as famous for her songwriting as her singing; mother of Lynn Anderson Lynn Anderson, a California blonde who became a major country star in the 70s; helped by regular exposure on national television, was one of the first female artists to achieve major crossover success. Has won CMA, ACM, AMA, & Grammy Awards. Named Billboard's "Artist of the Decade" (70-80). Deborah Allen, a popular 80s country vocalist, songwriter. Best known for "Baby I Lied." Eddy Arnold, the all-time hit leader by Joel Whitburn's point system Hoyt Axton Moe Bandy, singer of the 70s/80s; paired with Joe Stampley on a series of recordings Bobby Braddock, singer and songwriter who started out as band pianist in 1965 for Marty Robbins. He wrote songs for many early country singers of the 70s, 80s, 90s, and has some albums and singles of his own from 1967 through 1983. The Browns, brother-sister trio Billy Burnette is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter who was part of the band Fleetwood Mac from 1987 to 1996 and performed in rock, pop, country, and rockabilly Dorsey Burnette was an American early rockabilly singer. He is also the father of country musician and former Fleetwood Mac member Billy Burnette Glen Campbell, brought a whole new audience to Country Music with his TV show, co-starred with John Wayne in movie "True Grit," won many awards, top Country Music hitmaker and pop crossover icon. He popularized "The Nashville Sound." Bobby Bare is an American outlaw country music singer and songwriter, best known for the songs "Marie Laveau", "Detroit City" and "500 Miles Away From Home" and is the father of Bobby Bare Jr., also a musician. Joe Carson, singer started in late 1950s Rockabilly and crossed to country. Died early 1960s. June Carter, singer and comedian; star of the Grand Ole Opry; she became the wife and duet partner of Johnny Cash. Johnny Cash, one of the single most Influential and popular country singers of all time. Best known for hits like "Ring of Fire", "Folsom Prison Blues" and "Cocaine Blues". He died in 2003 Tommy Cash was an American country musician, younger brother of Johnny Cash Connie Cato, Capitol Records country artist recorded three albums in the 70s. Her hits included "Super Skirt," and the top 20 hit "Hurt." She stopped recording in the very early 80s with her final single "Roses for Sale." Patsy Cline, immensely popular balladeer who died in 1963 Dave & Sugar was an American pop-styled country music trio which enjoyed its peak success in the mid- to late-1970s David Allan Coe, Outlaw Country star of the 70s, wrote several outlaw themed songs, released several X-rated albums, which was unheard of in Country Music Jessi Colter, Outlaw country singer and wife of Waylon Jennings, best known for "I'm Not Lisa" John Conlee, had a string of hits from the late 70s to mid 80s, including his signature "Rose Colored Glasses." La Costa is an American country music artist who recorded in the 1970s and 1980s, and is the sister of country singer Tanya Tucker Fred Crawford Kin Vassy, singer-songwriter, who in addition to his solo recordings also recorded with other artists, most notably Kenny Rogers, Frank Zappa, and Elvis Presley. In 1980, he released two singles for the International Artists (IA) record label. He moved to Liberty Records label and released seven singles on it, including Earl Thomas Conley's "When You Were Blue and I Was Green", which reached number 21 on Hot Country Songs. Vassy continued to work with Kenny Rogers on various projects, such as his 1984 album What About Me. Vassy also composed the song "Kentucky Homemade Christmas" for Rogers, released on Christmas (Liberty Records, 1981). Skeeter Davis, major female vocalist for decades Mac Davis, country pop hitmaker in the 70s and 80s Jimmy Dean, singer and TV personality, former owner of Jimmy Dean Sausage Company John Denver, singer/songwriter of numerous hit songs throughout the 1970s including Annies song,Back Home Again, and Take Me Home, Country Roads. John Denver died in 1997. Tony Douglas Roy Drusky, smooth-singing Opry star for 40 years Johnny Duncan was an American country music singer-songwriter, best known for a string of hits in the mid-to-late 1970s. Jimmy Martin, The King of bluegrass Donna Fargo is an American country singer-songwriter known for a series of hits in the 1970s Narvel Felts country music and rockabilly singer known for his soaring tenor and high falsetto. Randall Franks Appalachian singer/fiddler on Country Kids TV Series 1983; Grand Ole Opry guest star beginning 1984; crossed over to movies/network television in 1988; tours & scores multi-genre chart recordings into 2020s; inducted in multiple Country Music halls of fame. Janie Fricke, known for her series of smooth Countrypolitan hits in the early 80s including "He's A Heartache" and "Don't Worry 'Bout Me Baby." Lefty Frizzell, perhaps the greatest of the honky-tonkers Crystal Gayle, sister of Loretta Lynn who became a Countrypolitan sensation in the 70s and 80s and had 18 No. 1's during this stretch. Best known for "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue." Bobbie Gentry, one of the first female artists to write and produce her own material. Don Gibson, wrote and recorded many standards Tompall Glaser was an American country singer who was a key figure in the 1970s outlaw country movement Bobby Goldsboro Jack Greene, nicknamed the Jolly Greene Giant due to his height and deep voice. Ray Griff, a Canadian country music singer and songwriter. His songwriting credits reached over 2500 songs, many of which were recorded by Nashville's top recording artists Nanci Griffith, had a career that spanned a variety of musical genres, predominantly country, folk, and what she termed "folkability" Merle Haggard, popularized the Bakersfield sound along with Buck Owens Tom T. Hall, "The Storyteller", wrote most of his many hits Emmylou Harris has maintained one of the most artistically rewarding careers in country music Hawkshaw Hawkins, Honky-tonk performer from Huntington, WV best known for the songs "Lonesome 7-7203" and "Pan American." He died on March 5, 1963, in a plane crash alongside Patsy Cline and Cowboy Copas. Sharon Higgins was the second woman to sign an artist development deal with Sunfire Music. Loretta Lynn was the first. Higgins wrote songs for Loretta Lynn, Norma Jean, Mel Tillis, Jeannie Pruett, and Wynonna Judd. She also recorded her own music as a recording artist signed to Kapp Records and released several singles. Doyle Holly was an American musician, who although was known for his solo hit songs, he was best known as the bass guitar player of the country music band Buck Owens and The Buckaroos. His contributions on bass guitar and rhythm guitar were a key component of the Bakersfield sound Johnny Horton a country and rockabilly singer who met an untimely death that ended a wonderful career. David Houston peaked in popularity between the mid-1960s and the early 1970s. His biggest success came in 1966, when his recording of "Almost Persuaded" topped the Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart for nine weeks Jan Howard, pop-flavored female vocalist who sang pure country Con Hunley Stonewall Jackson, honky-tonk icon Sonny James, had a record 16 consecutive No. 1 hits Wanda Jackson, honky-tonk female vocalist equally at home in rock and roll Waylon Jennings, one of the leaders of the "outlaw" country sound George Jones, widely considered "the greatest country singer", No. 1 in charted hits Dick Curless, Singer/songwriter known mostly for his trucking songs. Kris Kristofferson, songwriter and one of the leaders of the "outlaw" country sound k.d. lang, Canadian country-pop singer-songwriter, known for her campy performances, androgynous look, and mezzo-soprano range, winning CCMA's Entertainer of the Year Award in 1987, 1988, 1989, and 1990, Best Album 1988 for Shadowland, and the American Grammy Awards for Best Country Vocal Collaboration 1989 for "Crying" (shared with Roy Orbison), and Best Female Country Music Performance 1990, for Absolute Torch and Twang.