Today is International Women’s Day. A global day to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and pollical achievements of women! To learn more click HERE!
In Country Music, there are so many incredible women, who changed the Country music scene and paved the way for female artists to reach the top of the charts.
From the start, many women were part of Country music, but very few received the recognition they deserved. But as the years went by, things started to change, female artists broke down barriers.
Cindy Walker was an extremely talented songwriter. She began her career in the early 1940s, getting one of her songs recorded by Bing Crosby. She was also a recording artist. She was in the first class inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970 and was named to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1997.
Kitty Wells is considered the first female Country music star! “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels” was her first No. 1 hit in 1952. It was also the first No. 1 hit by a solo woman artist on the country music charts. She changed the way people looked at female Country artists and made people realize women could be headliners. She recorded around 50 albums, had 25 Top 10 country hits and went around the world several times.
Patsy Cline is considered the most popular female country singer in recording history. In 1973 she became the first solo female artist elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame. Patsy was a mentor to many women in the country music genre.
Loretta Lynn became a Country music superstar singing about what she knew. She great up in a small Coal Mining town and was married by the age of 15. Her career started much earlier, but it was in 1970 that Lynn released “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” which reached No. 1. She has 16 No. 1 singles and 51 top 10 hits.
Dolly Parton is as much of an icon now, as she was when she hit it big in 1971. She earned her first country No. 1 hit with “Joshua” and followed that up with “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You.” She is as talented on tv as in music. She starred in “9 to 5” and “Steel Magnolias,” and many other films and shows. She opened her own theme park, Dollywood, in 1986. She’s is also known for her humanitarian work.
Tanya Tucker released her first single “Delta Dawn” in 1972 when she was just 13 years old. We’ve witnessed ourselves how talented she is onstage, having seen her perform here in Bridgewater. She has earned 10 No. 1 hits and 40 top 10 hits.
Shania Twain is a Canadian Icon. She started her career with several albums that didn’t do well but when she released , “Come on Over,” in 1997, everything changed. “Come on Over”, stayed at the top of the country charts for 50 weeks and became the top-selling country album in history.
Carrie Underwood found stardom through the reality tv show “American Idol”. She released her first album “Some Hearts” the following year. It was the best-selling album of 2006 and became the best-selling country album of the past decade. In 2008, at 26 years old, she became the youngest member of the Grand Ole Opry.
Kacey Musgraves is known for her talented songwriting along with her vocals. She has created her own niche within the Country music genre. This year she was named one of Time magazines “Most influential women”. She was featured alongside 11 other talented women. She was called a “leader working toward a more equal world.”
Of course there are many other talented Female country artists that are making a true difference. On this International Women’s Day we invite you to learn more about the past, and how it’s so important to raise awareness against bias, and take action for equality. To learn more click HERE!
Credited sources:
Most Iconic Female Country Music Stars of All Time (insider.com)
First female country music star Kitty Wells dead at 92 (nbcnews.com)
First female country music star Kitty Wells dead at 92 (nbcnews.com)
