If you were asked to name your favorite female country music singer who would you choose? There is no doubt that we have many great artists to choose from! But in all the women who have taken up the quest to become country music artists, there is a select group who we might consider unforgettable.
The list of female country music singers is quite long and going through each name you are sure to remember some favorite or long forgotten song that had special meaning at the time. While it is certain that everyones list of favorites would be different, there are some women who have influenced the country music world and would be considered unforgettable.
Here is my list of the top 10 Country Female Artists starting at number 10 and working to number 1:
10. Shania Twain
Shania holds the record of having the biggest selling record of all-time by a female country artist with her release of “Come On Over”, and also the record for the best selling album in the history of country music. She has greatly influenced the marketing industry in how they promote new artists.
9. Trisha Yearwood
As a three time Grammy award winning country music artist, Trisha Yearwood began as a protege’ of Garth Brooks. Having one the CMA’s female “vocalist of the year” award twice and the Academy of Country Music Awards “Top Female Vocalist” award once, she continues to draw large crowds and produce great songs.
8. Martina McBride
Making her debut in 1992, Martina McBride has taken the country music world by storm. She became well known by covering such subjects as domestic violence in her smash hit “Independence Day”. She continues to be an inspiration for women everywhere.
7. Reba McEntire
Reba McEntire has redefined the role of country music female singer. Becoming popular in the early 1980’s as a female country singer, she soon branched out into other venues taking on Broadway and Hollywood. She was very popular in the Broadway show “Annie Get Your Gun” and was soon asked by Hollywood producers to star in her own sitcom. But through all this Reba has never forgotten her country roots.
6. Barbara Mandrell
Having sold more than 25 albums, Barbara Mandrell is ranked in the top 100 of all-time county music artists (male and female). Growing up in a musical family, she is also an instrumentalist playing the saxaphone,steel guitar, banjo and bass. She has been voted “Entertainer of the Year” twice by the Country Music Association.
5. Tanya Tucker
Beginning her career before the age of 13, Tanya Tucker got her start by singing at Country Fairs around the country. Rising to national attention in the movie “Jeremiah Johnson” starring Robert Redford, Tanya soon moved to Las Vegas, where she signed a record deal with producer Billy Sherrill for Columbia Records. Her latest album “Tanya” was released in 2002 on her own label.
4. Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton is not only a popular female country music singer, but also a very accomplished songwriter having written and published over 600 songs. She is also aa author, actress and philanthropist. She has 42 top-10 Country albums (the most top 10 albums by anyone)!
3. Loretta Lynn
Known as the coal-miners daughter, Loretta Lynn grew up in the coal mining town of Butcher Holler, Kentucky. She became the model for female country singers as a strong, independent woman. Loretta Lynn produced over 70 country hits during the 1960’s and 70’s. She is revered as an example not only for women but for people everywhere on how to overcome hard times.
2. Dottie West
Known as one of Country Music’s ground-breaking female artists, Dottie West gained national attention with her song “Here Comes My Baby Back Again. It rose to become a top-10 hit and won her the first grammy awarded for “Best Female Country Vocal Performance” in 1965. She is known for writing a popular commercial for the Coca-Cola company in the early 1970’s called “Country Sunshine”.
1. Patsy Cline
Whenever you mention female country music artists, the name Patsy Cline will always come up. No other female artist influenced their genre the way Patsy Cline did. In a predominate male atmosphere, Patsy carved her niche in the music field and preapred the way for all female country music singers to follow.
