Dust off your boots and get ready to tip your hat to the legends of country music! We’re celebrating some of the most iconic voices and songwriters who shaped the genre with timeless hits and unforgettable storytelling. These artists captured hearts with their pure talent and authentic spirit, leaving a legacy that still echoes across the heartland and beyond.
00:09And today we're counting down our picks for the Top 10 Greatest Country Singers of All Time.
00:14I fell into a burning of fire. I went down, down, down, and the flames went high.
00:21For this list, we'll be ranking the most proficient, popular, and emotionally stirring vocalist to perform in the country music genre.
00:29Who's your favorite? Let us know in the comments.
00:3310. George Strait
00:36Texas-born George Strait has a number of country music classics to his name.
00:41All My Exes Live in Texas and his version of Terry Stafford's Amarillo by Morning particularly come to mind.
00:54However, Strait's career is much more than just a couple of hits.
00:58Thanks to his smooth and soulful delivery.
01:01And as long as there's a breath in me, I'll make yours just as sweet.
01:07This is a singer who can capture hard-look emotions just as well as whimsy or passion.
01:13It's this diversity that helps George Strait lay his claim to being among some of country music's most versatile and reliable male voices.
01:21Cause I'm carrying your love with me. West Virginia down to Tennessee.
01:289. Patsy Cline
01:31Sorrow, thy name is Patsy Cline.
01:34Oh sure, this country legend's career has featured the singer running through a gamut of emotions.
01:40However, it's perhaps her hit, Crazy, that best exemplifies just how strongly Patsy Cline could connect with her audience.
01:48Oh, crazy.
01:52There's a palpable sense of realism to her voice that enables Cline to transcend a song's composition.
01:59She was able to make basically anything her own and perform it in an inimitable way.
02:05While crazy may be her best-known tear-jerker, the voice of Patsy Cline is one that holds so many musical riches for those willing to investigate her history.
02:218. Merle Haggard
02:30Merle Haggard
02:31The voice of Merle Haggard is one that's well-versed in musical education.
02:36I'm proud to be an Okie from Muskogee.
02:41Soul, blues, and jazz all influenced this outlaw country icon, not to mention a fearless sense of lyricism.
02:48The Hag, as he's often known, didn't mince words on songs like Okie from Muskogee, Mama Tried, or Are the Good Times Really Over?
02:58Here was a man with opinions, a voice, and the willingness to connect with an audience.
03:09Of course, it also helped that said voice was clear, distinct, and full of charm.
03:15Merle Haggard's songs could make you think, even if you disagreed with the sentiment.
03:20And that was a testament to the power he had as a true country maverick.
03:27There have been many women who laid claim to being one of the queens of country music.
03:40However, in the case of Tammy Wynette…
03:42Stand by your man, and show the world you love me.
03:51Man, it just sort of fits, doesn't it?
03:53Wynette's immense power as a vocalist is evident from the first time one hears those crystal-clear performances on songs like Stand By Your Man, Apartment No. 9, and D-I-V-O-R-C-E.
04:05I wish that we could stop this D-I-V-O-R-C-E.
04:14Other country singers like Emmylou Harris have commented on how Wynette could milk a vowel.
04:19But this amazing mezzo-soprano wasn't just a one-trick pony.
04:24No, Tammy Wynette was the real deal.
04:27Able to razzle, dazzle, and absolutely enchant just about anyone with an earshot.
04:33Long live the queen.
04:426.
04:43Willie Nelson
04:44The voice of Willie Nelson speaks softly, but carries a whole lot of weight and gravitas.
04:50You are always on my mind.
04:55The singer-songwriter isn't the flashiest musician in the world, but instead makes the most of his range.
05:02He picks his spots to shine, and uses his voice to impact a sense of realism and honesty every time he sings.
05:09And twilight glow I see.
05:15Nelson could compose his own stuff, but he also knew how to choose expertly written songs and make them his own.
05:22It's no mean feat, but it's just one of the reasons why Willie Nelson's career has endured for so many years.
05:29I don't want to be the last man standing.
05:32I'm a second thought, baby, I do.
05:355.
05:36Loretta Lynn
05:37Loretta Lynn
05:38If you were able to spin one of Loretta Lynn's records, you'd be hard-pressed not to want to hear them all.
05:44Such is the charisma and likability behind Lynn's one-of-a-kind talent.
05:48Her discography is full of absolute bangers, from the controversial anthem for reproductive rights, The Pill, to her autobiographical classic, Coal Miner's Daughter.
06:03Yeah, I'm proud to be a Coal Miner's Daughter.
06:12Loretta Lynn was an accomplished musician through and through, able to move gracefully through rockabilly, bluegrass, and traditional country with ease.
06:21Then, there's that voice, full of rich depth and textured emotion.
06:26Stay with me a little bit longer, ain't no time to go darling.
06:32It's not likely we'll ever hear another Loretta Lynn in our lifetime, but in a way, that's okay, because we always have the records.
06:414. George Jones
06:44It's so great that the legacy of George Jones continues to capture the imaginations of music fans today, thanks in part to series like Showtime's George and Tammy.
06:53The Possum, as he was known, was a complex man full of personal demons.
07:11However, George Jones was also in possession of one of country music's most accomplished and varied voices.
07:18Here was a singer who could be creative within basically any genre, singing circles around those pretenders to his throne.
07:34Jones was an acrobat of vocal power, sensitivity, and delivery, able to connect with audiences on a deeply personal level.
07:43This Possum, as it turns out, was indeed the GOAT.
07:47Who's gonna give their heart and soul to get to me and you?
07:533. Hank Williams
07:56As great as singers like George Jones were, even he perhaps wouldn't have walked down his musical path without one Hank Williams.
08:04Hey, hey, good looking, what you got cooking?
08:09The latter was often deservedly labeled as the finest country singer of all time.
08:14Williams' voice and music kickstarted a love of country music within the hearts of countless singers and musicians who sought to hold on to that richness in Hank's voice.
08:23It's warm and smooth like molasses, the sort of voice that washes over you with a deceptive power.
08:36It's that of country's heart and soul, and an intrinsic part of the genre's DNA.
08:42If I miss you, I'm in love with you.
08:482. Dally Parton
08:51A lot of people possess the wonderful gift of song and are able to use their voices to create music.
09:04Yet despite the wealth of singers out there, perhaps none of them possess the indescribable it factor that's present in Dally Parton.
09:12This is a voice that defines a country generation, if not several.
09:17Those walls around you could never change her.
09:23It commands respect, evokes tears, and even gets downright silly and whimsical at times.
09:28That's because Parton is always in control.
09:31She seems to know just what she's doing at all times and makes it appear oh so effortless.
09:37We all know I will always love you and Jolene, but there's truly so much more to this wonderful, legendary voice.
09:46Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
09:52Before we name our number one pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
09:56Waylon Jennings
09:58Outlaw Country Cool
10:00Reba McIntyre
10:06A Modern Country Queen
10:13Garth Brooks
10:16The Stadium Cellar
10:19Conway Twitty
10:24Unapologetically Emotional
10:27The Days When We Were Crazy In Love
10:32Alison Krauss
10:33A Beautiful Bluegrass Soul
10:35Who say it best when you say nothing at all
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10:591.
11:00Johnny Cash
11:01Sometimes the best answer is the most obvious.
11:05The voice of Johnny Cash is, for many, the definitive voice of country music.
11:09And it's so easy to hear why, too, since the man in black has delivered so many iconic performances over the years.
11:21Cash's baritone voice is deep, sultry, and rich. The perfect voice for storytelling. Songs like Ring of Fire, I Walk the Line, and Folsom Prison Blues all display Cash's brilliance. But he was also a musician who could adapt with age.
11:38I'd let that lonesome whistle blow my blues all away.
11:43This was seen with the man's late period work, where he covered artists as diverse as Nine Inch Nails and Soundgarden.
11:50Johnny Cash could simply do it all. And country music was lucky to have such a talented singer in their ranks.
11:57I would find a way.
12:03Do you agree with our picks? Check out this other recent clip from Ms. Mojo.
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