The Top Female Country Singers - Ranker Next: The best female singers of the 1960s (our picks). While the 50s were generally regarded as a feel-good era in America, country music was ironically dominated by tear-in-my-beer honky-tonk songs in the first portion of the decade. 1 country single with her 1952 breakout hit It Wasnt God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels. Controversial and searing, the Apart from being a bandleader, a solo artist, and an interpreter of other artists' works, Harris is also an activist; since 1999, she has been conducting Concerts for a Landmine Free World, an annual benefit tour. She has also worked in several movies and is a prolific songwriter. Lees career as a singer, songwriter, and actress spanned six decades. This is a professional review website. WebHer and Bob Regan made good music together. He almost doesn't warrant an explanation as to how and why he deserves to be on this list, but I'll give one, anyway. Her embattled marriage with George Jones made 7. She even got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. 1 in 1964, sold more than one million copies, and led the way for the groups continued hits throughout the 60s like People Say, You Should Have Seen the Way He Looked at Me, Little Bell, and Iko Iko., Hits: Chapel of Love, People Say, Iko Iko, Addressing all the teen drama and more tragic scenarios of youth, the New York City-bred pop group The Shangri-Las had more edge but still embodied the youthful strains of love and heartbreak with No. Aretha Franklin was one of the most talented and influential singers not just in the 60s but the She also performed in Annie Get Your Gun, Woman Of The Year, and The Unmistakable Molly Brown.. Listen live to the station that made us famous: WSM, broadcasting since 1925! Well known as the First Lady of Rock and Roll, Connie Francis was a pop singer, actress, and one of the best female singers in the 1950s. 1941) struck gold when Grand Ole Opry star Bill Anderson discovered her in an Ohio talent contest. 100 Best Female Singers Of The '50s, '60s and '70s - Groovy Although she passed away in 1962, Monroes stardom lives on. The Chiffons, originating in Bronx, New York, released their first single, Hes So Fine, which was written by Ronnie Mack and produced byThe Tokens(The Lion Sleeps Tonight) and hit No. Teresa Brewer incorporated a mixture of genres into her singing style to become one of the best female singers of the 1950s. She has won more Academy of Country Music Awards than any artist. She blended country music with pop. But it was sufficient to earn her Grand Ole Opry membership in 1953, a niche she occupied until her death. Brenda Lee 9. Followinga string of country and soft-rock hits, Newton-John starredoppositeJohn Travoltain the 1978 blockbuster Grease, considered as one the most popular movie musicals of all time. Charts), Canadian singer Anne Murray became the first Canadian female solo artist with No. Stafford signed to a label as a solo artist in 1944. The list includes many familiar and great female country singers such as Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, Dolly Parton, Carrie Underwood, Shania Twain.The women country singers featured in this list are from United States, United Kingdom, Canada & Australia and many more countries. Discover our 2022 Class of Country's Rising Sound. When she settled into life as a solo artist, she popped out hits like Side by Side, The Man Upstairs, Rock and Roll Waltz, and Wheel of Fortune, which was her biggest hit, reaching no. Ross earned the title of Female Entertainer of the Century, given byBillboardin 1976. 116 Rep. John Lewis Way North With his simple, folksy imagery and tunes inspired by his Midwest hometown, Greg Brown has become one of the most inimitable songwriters around these days. List of older women in pop, soul and country with black female vocalists from the 50s, 60s and 70s who are still alive in 2023. He had a very low bass voiceand was renowned for bringing some classic African-American spirituals like "Go Down Moses" to national and international attention. What list of folk music greats would be complete without a nod to Mr. Bob Dylan? BillboardHot 100, including songs such as Come See About Me and Love Child., After leaving the group to pursue a solo career, Ross debuted an album in 1970 featuring her legendary songs, Reach Out And Touch (Somebodys Hand) and Aint No Mountain High Enough (her first no. 27. of 50. She was mentored and produced for years by Porter Wagoner and starred on his syndicated TV show from 1967 to 1974. She also helped define the Nashville Sound style associated with country music. Was there a male Joni Mitchell, or a male Stevie Nicks? He's a Grammy Award-winning songwriter and has been inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Some famous Black female singers sing the blues while other top Black woman artists are pop superstars. Was there a female Elvis or Bob Dylan? As a writer, she has contributed immensely to publications like The Huffington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and Seventeen. Success would come more Groups of the '50s and '60s Regardless, Ochs is considered one of the more gifted songwriters of his generation. Stay Up-To-Date with The Opry. The top 50 folk artists of all time, in alphabetical order. Check out the full track listing below: 1. First discovered as a calypso artist, Harry Belafonte became most popular for his "Banana Boat Song." Be My Baby was inducted into theGrammy Hall of Famein 1999, and The Ronettes were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007. Hits: Please Mr. Postman, Beechwood 4-5789, Dont Mess With Bill, Playboy. Hits: One Fine Day, Hes So Fine, Sweet-Talking Guy. First lionized as a teen rock 'n' roll star, Brenda Lee (b. A woman of many talents, June Carter Cash was an American singer-songwriter, author, comedian, actress, and dancer. Aretha Franklin - Respect Official Video Winner. It's hard to imagine that we'd still be talking about American folk music had there never been a Carter Family. In 1938, the remaining members of The Stafford Sisters joined The Four Esquires and The Three Rhythm Kings to create an eight-piece ensemble called The Pied Pipers. She was nominated for 13 Grammy Awards, winning one for Best Contemporary Vocal Performance for her song, Is That All There Is? in 1969. Kelsea Ballerini is the recipient of several prestigious awards, such as CMT Music Awards, Academy of Country Music Awards, and Teen Choice Awards. Top 100 Country Female Artists - List Challenges Cat Stevens (a.k.a. Who is the singer you choose? In 2003, she was named in Country Music Television's 40 Greatest Women of Country Music list. One club owner was impressed enough to hire her. Fitzgeralds legacy lives on through collections of media and memorabilia in the Smithsonian Institution and the U.S. Library of Congress. 13 hit, Wake The Town and Tell The People., Diana Ross gained glory as the lead vocalist for the best-selling girl group, The Supremes. She has received various accolades and awards in her very successful singing career spanning several decades and has composed over 3,000 songs. In 1967, Berry Gordy changed the group name toDiana Ross & the Supremes and in the years that would follow, the Supremes underwent more lineup changes before parting ways in 1977. He became so popular and influential that he managed to get his own U.S. postal stampnot something with which many folksingers have been honored. Much progress had been made by the late '70s -- while punk rock was in some ways a throwback to rebellious '50s music and garage rock, this time around there was a place for women that didn't exist before. Betty Jack was killed in a car wreck that same year, after which Skeeter moved on as a solo act. Next: Top female singers of all time list (our choices). Her recording debut came later that year, and both that record and its successor made theBillboardHarlem Hit Parade in 1944. However, this isn't just about country music. Through his haunting, intuitive songwriting skills, Harper has certainly earned his place among the best folk artists of all time. The group dwindled to four members by the following year. Singer and pianist Dinah Washington was noted as the most famous black female recording artist of the 1950s. Under the Influence, America's Sweetheart, Good Girls, Different for Girls, Wild Love are some of her other popular songs. 21 Best 50s Female Singers. Music! It's a fool's game to try to rank these groundbreaking women in order of their importance or influence. Female Country Singers of the 60's - Rate Your Music They were encouraged by the success Little Jimmy Dickens had a year earlier with their song Country Boy, which rocketed to No. There are some exceptions- the work of Patsy Cline, Bobby Gentrie, and Loretta Lynn have achieved lasting renown- but overall the women on this list receive few plaudits these days. After their split, Jim Ed went on to a long and successful solo career, and Maxine recorded one album. She placed six singles on the country charts between 1967 and 1970, three of them duets with Glen Campbell, and co-hosted the first CMA Awards show with Sonny James. He hired them both, and they hit the road, appearing in a movie short with the Pastor Orchestra and recording numerous songs, such as The Secretary Song and If I Had a Million Dollars., When Rosemary went to record Come On-A My House, Betty returned home. Parton was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999. 1 on both the country and pop charts in 1968 and won a Grammy in the process. She rose to become the most influential female executive on Music Row and then went on to head BMI in New York from 1986 until her retirement in 2004. Her success also sky-rocketed with songs like Stupid Cupid, Dont Break the Heart That Loves You, and Everybodys Somebodys Fool.Francis turned into an international star, becoming the first non-European to earn the title of Europes most popular artist. Another hit, Choon Gum, made the top 20 in 1950. Brenda Lee is a singer best-known for performing country music and pop. With the ensembles lineup rounded out by Bonnie Brown (1938-2016), their songs reached into the Top 10s and Top 20s until 1959 when they exploded with The Three Bells. It crowned the country charts for 10 weeks, the pop charts for four and even rose to No. Seely remains one of the Opry's most applauded performers. An exhibit about their life is on display at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum through August 2. Patti Page: Best known for her 1950 crossover hit, The Tennessee Waltz, Page (1927-2013) charted various other country singles through 1982, including the 1972 Top 20 duet with Tom T. Hall, Hello We're Lonely. Her recording of The Tennessee Waltz was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. If Dolly Parton (b. She also happens to be a beloved old country music star. Carrie Underwood is an American singer-songwriter and one of the best female country music singers of all time. Privacy Policy | WebSeven artists appear twice: Bing Crosby, as the "friend" of Gary Crosby (#28) and with Grace Kelly (#50); Perry Como, with Eddie Fisher (#52) and Betty Hutton (#77); Tony Martin, with Dinah Shore (#53) and Fran Warren (#83); Red Foley, with Kitty Wells (#36) and Ernest Tubb (#44); Marvin Phillips, with Johnny Perry (#64) and Jesse Belvin (#100); WebKitty Wells made history as the first woman to have a No. 1 hit singles on the U.S. Kay Starrs aunt launched the singers career when she was only seven by making arrangements for her to sing on the radio after hearing her voice. Top 11 Girl Groups of the 1950s and 1960s - American Songwriter At the age of 54, she posed for Playboy magazine, becoming one of the oldest women to do so. She's possibly one of the most impressive vocalists in contemporary folk music. Singers She began her singing career at a radio station in Oklahoma, where she embraced the name, Patti Page. His song "Wild World" has frequently been covered by artists of various genres. His gritty voice and dark, dirty songs have almost a punk-rock sensibility. Like Kitty Wells' It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels, A Dear John Letter topped the charts for six weeks. Cline's singles continued to chart intermittently until 1999. Emmylou Harris 14. After a tough experience during adolescence and a rough start to her career, she took comfort in performing with Chick Webb And His Orchestra. Born as Clara Ann Fowler in Oklahoma in 1927, Patti Page was known as the top-charting and best-selling female singer in the 50s, selling at least 100 million records Ani DiFranco is probably the most prominent Gen-X folksinger. And while female singers were prominent, there were almost never any women playing instruments in the band. This would also be the period when the music was battered by the advent of rock 'n' roll but would ultimately find renewed vigor through outlets as disparate as bluegrass festivals and crowd-appealing network TV shows. Thanks, and welcome! March 31, 2022, 8:55 am. She became the first woman to hit no. Motowns famous act received 12 no. The Jewels - Opportunity. 1 on the charts for 10 weeks. 10 on the R&B rankings. His dark, spiritual love songs have been frequently covered by artists of all sorts. Web Accessibility. After Webbs death, Fitzgerald took over as band leader while performing with the Benny Goodman orchestra and working on her own side project. With gospel roots, she embarked on a soul-singing career at the age of 18. The Glories - I Stand Accused (Of Loving You) The Simon Sisters - Winkin', Blinkin' and Nod. Hits: Mr. In a long career that terminated tragically in a car accident in 1991, West charted 63 singles. [Please note, duets which involve one male and one female performer have been included. A rather talented trio of artists, Peter, Paul & Mary also became vocal advocates in the peace movement, and continue to be a force to be reckoned with in contemporary folk music. Earle's brand of country-folk protest music sets him apart from his peers. Trisha Yearwood is an American recording artist, television personality, actress, author, and celebrity chef. Dave Carter was inarguably one of the best songwriters the contemporary folk scene as known in some time. Navigation. Judy Collins was one of the artists instrumental in the peace movement of the 1960s. His peace-focused tunes melded aspects of classic pop with contemporary folk music, distinguishing him from his contemporaries. A frequent performer on the Grand Ole Opry, Atkins got to know many fellow artists, who he would handpick for recording sessions. She was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1992. The group released hits Baby, I Love You, (The Best Part of) Breakin Up, Walking in the Rain, and Be My Baby, all christened by Ronnie Spectors tender and tough vibrato. Black Female Singers 1 on theBillboardHot 100. Any purchase that a visitor makes for a product mentioned or directed to by Music Grotto, may result in us receiving a commission.As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Although both Art Garfunkel and Paul Simon have had careers since the duo split up, and although Paul Simon has become a rather influential, prolific songwriter, it's hard to deny the level of artistry they were able to achieve as a pair. Rose Lee Maphis just may be the oldest country singer still alive. She was killed in a plane crash in 1963, along with fellow stars Hawkshaw Hawkins and Cowboy Copas, while returning to Nashville from a benefit concert. Terms & Conditions | Although this quartet only enjoyed a few years of success, those few years managed to help inspire a generation to turn their eyes and ears toward traditional American folk music. Even though he'd been playing music his whole life, Shindell didn't start making waves in the folk world until Joan Baez picked up three of his songs for her 1997 album. In 1945, her career took flight with a scat recording of Flying Home. When she reached a point of stagnation with her music, she turned to a new manager, Norman Ganz, who developed Verve records around her. Emmylou has long been an advocate of social justice and has counted Joan Baez and Bob Dylan among her many influences. WebTop 100 Artists of the 50's based on sales, Billboard charts and airplay. In the '50s, '60s, and '70s, female solo singers were ever-present on radio, TV and the pop charts -- as they should have been! Vote for Your Favourite Female Country Singers 1 Taylor Swift 1944) put one single, One Step at a Time, on the country chart in 1957. In the 1950s, she made regular appearances in movie musicals. He loves researching, writing and editing music content for Music Grotto. Such was her wide vocal appeal and heart-melting songs that Patsy Cline (1932-1963) achieved legendary status in the relatively short six-year period she recorded. Top 100 Artists Of The They were a close duo that sang together. Although they started out as more of a bluegrass group, Nickel Creek evolved, over the course of their 20 years, into more of a generalized folk group. With their prodigious instrumental skills, the trio blended jazz, folk, rock, and bluegrass on originals and covers alike. 2023 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved. Georgia Holt is a retired American actress, singer-songwriter, and former model. Hank Williams & Drifting Cowboys - Honky Tonkin' 3. Also known for her philanthropic activitiesTrisha Yearwood has been supporting Habitat for Humanity, a charity home building group, for many years now. Her songs have been used in "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" In terms of topical and protest songwriting, Tom Paxton is one of the best there is. She first got the chance to sing in a movie in 1953. The Weavers spun off from the earlier group the Almanac Singers, in which Pete Seeger and Lee Hays were core members. Notoriously known for her role as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, Judy Garland was one of the most famous 1950s female singers and actresses. Cline suddenly passed away during a plane crash in 1963, but she left a legacy behind, earning herself a spot in the Country Music Hall of Fame and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. However, despite gender equality still being a major issue, many female vocalists of the 1950s rose to fame and made their mark in history. Olivia Newton-John's breathy voice and stunning beauty made her one of the biggest pop stars of the 1970s. 1946) isn't already designated as country music's official ambassador to the universe, something is terribly amiss. 1's in a chart history that extended into 1979. The Marvelettes were the first all-female group on the Motown label. She has charted 25 No. 1 on the R&B chart. Cass Elliot 8. The song made the trio international stars and earned them extensive exposure on network television. In many ways, the Nashville sound was the traditionalists answer against rockabilly, a fusion of rhythm-and-blues music and hillbilly music that was gaining traction, particularly among younger audiences. 1937) charted country songs from 1964 to 1974, generally in the lower regions. 1 solo single). She created her biggest-selling record there, which reached no. One part old-school country, one part gospel spirituals, the Carter Family's influence on contemporary folk music is certainly felt. Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team, first generation of female country artists. There are some exceptions- the work of She won audiences over with songs like Buttons And Bows, The Gypsy, and The Anniversary Song, which were all no. He's written some of the most covered tunes in folk history. Dierks Bentley's 28-city musical journey will run from June through August. They worked with fellow Canadian Gordon Lightfoot, and also recorded several original and traditional folk songs. 1944) is most famous for writing two quirky hits, the puzzling Ode to Billy Joe, her recording of which now resides in the Grammy Hall of Fame, and the explicit Fancy (Just be nice to the gentlemen, Fancy/and they'll be nice to you.).