Jump to content

Top Country Singer Rankdown


QueenKalie

Recommended Posts

Jennifer Nettles

 

jennifer-nettles-final-2-1573674713.jpg

 

Another singer that is more known for being in a group, Jennifer Nettles is best known for being one half of the duo Sugarland. She has also released four albums and one EP as a solo singer, with I Can Do Hard Things a decent lead single from the EP. Her last two albums weren't that coutnry though, with one of them being a Christmas album and the msot recent one being more Broadway. She's also kown for her singles with Jon Bn Jovi, with the best one being "Who Says You Can't Go Home". Shes also acquired thee Grammys, four CMAs and AMA for her work in Sugarland and as a solo artist. A good spot for her considering she isn't as well known as a solo artist. 

  • Sad 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Always been a fan of Jennifer, wether through Sugarland or her solo work - I'd argue that Sugarland was still a solo job as Kristian was def. the guitarist and back-up vocals :haha:.

Not too mad with the cut considering the direction the rankdown went / is going. 

Some of my favourites include:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


And out of her solo work:

 

 

 

Edited by *Chris
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8ec05ffa-d0c2-4ef8-a8e0-a4143fcd27d8-031-Bobbie_Gentry-Ode_to_Billie_Joe.jpg?crop=2865,1612,x0,y330&width=2865&height=1612&format=pjpg&auto=webp Bobbie-Gentry-1968-billboard-1548.jpg?w=1024

 

(I just love this colorized picture of Bobbie's Grammy win)

 

Who is Bobbie Gentry ? She had a career in the 1960s where she was seen as one of the first female singer-songwriter in the industry - it's important to also mention that she also produced her own songs.  Known for her storytelling, she found great success as a solo artists where she recorded "Ode to Billie Joe" which spent 4 weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 - this was at a time where it was common for country songs to find success on the pop chart as country and classic pop were essentially seen the same.  She went on to have 11 singles on the Billboard Hot 11, and be the recipient of 3 Grammy's, with one of them being Best New Artist.  She is also known for collaborating with the "Rhinestone Campbell", the late great Glen Campbell, and for recording the original "Fancy" which would later become a hit for Reba - it's actually surprising that Bobbie was able to outlast some of these legends considering she's not as known as the others. 

She eventually retired from the music in the late 1970s as she lost interest from performing. She has since been subject of many questions such as : "What ever happened to Bobbie Gentry?" ; "Whatever happened to the trailblazing queen of country?" ; "Where in the world is Bobbie Gentry?"...  She has also been referred to as feminist trailblazer in the music industry & an inspiration for many in country pop, according to some biographer, who states that Bobbie successfully flipped the script on fame when she no longer to be in the spotlight - no one knows where her where-about are as of this day & barely make any public appearance, and she was able to navigate a system that was built to exploit women like her - she paved a path for many artists from Dolly Parton to Reba to Carrie Underwood to Kacey Musgraves to Taylor Swift, who many speculate that she wrote about Bobbie in her song, 'The Lucky Ones": "It was a few years later I showed up here / And they still tell the legend of how you disappeared / How you took the money and your dignity and got the hell out / They say you bought a bunch of land somewhere / Chose the Rose Garden over Madison Square / And it took some time, but I understand it now".

And now here are two of her most known songs, "Ode to Billie Joe" and "Fancy" - I really enjoy her tone and you can certainly hear the inspiration of Bobbie Gentry in artist like Whitney Rose, Nikki Lane, and Kacey Musgraves:

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Heidi Newfield

 

MV5BMTM5NjY2ODQ5OF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNDI5


For today's cut, I have decided on Heidi Newfield. Heidi Newfield is an American country singer-songwriter, who is from Healdsburg, California. Before she went solo, she was in a music group called Trick Pony with Keith Burns and Ira Dean from 1996 to 2006. Heidi was the rhythm guitarist and harmonica player as well as the lead singer. Heidi launched her solo career releasing only one album called, What Am I Waiting For. Her biggest single was her solo debut, "Johnny & June," which peaked at #11 on the US Hot Country Songs chart and #58 on the Billboard Hot 100. Her other singles include: "Cry Cry ('Til the Sun Shines)," "What Am I Waiting For" and "Stay Up Late." I don't really know much of anything Heidi Newfield but doing this write-up sure how has taught me a lot about her so yay for that!  :haha: Heidi has made it to a very respectable spot considering she doesn't have that much of a discography on her soloo career, so well done to Heidi there. I will post her most well-known hit below.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

SHELBY LYNNE

f63678c301d142be31948e40c03ac992.jpg

Shelby Lynne is an American singer and songwriter and the older sister of singer-songwriter Allison Moorer. The success of her pop rock album I Am Shelby Lynne (1999) led to her winning the Grammy Award for Best New Artist, despite it being her sixth studio album. She released a Dusty Springfield tribute album called Just a Little Lovin' in 2008. Since then she has started her own independent record label, called Everso Records, and released three albums: Tears, Lies and Alibis, Merry Christmas, and Revelation Road. Lynne is also known for her distinctive contralto voice. I think she is more known for her pop rock voice as compared to her country voice? But this song "Things Are Tough All Over" is such a good song, I absolutely love it.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Alison Krauss

 

Alison-Krauss-GettyImages-117753151.jpg

 

 

 

 

Alison Krauss is an American bluegrass-country singer and musician.  As of 2019, she has won 27 Grammy Awards from 42 nominations,, ranking her fourth behind Beyoncé, Quincy Jones and classical conductor Georg Solti for most Grammy Award wins overall. Krauss was the most awarded singer and the most awarded female artist in Grammy history until Beyoncé won her 28th Grammy in 2021. When Krauss won her first Grammy in 1991, she was the second-youngest winner at that time. On November 21, 2019, she was awarded the National Medal of Arts. She was inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame in September 2021.

I remember seeing her in concert with Willie Nelson and a couple of other people for a 4th of July celebration here. We ended up leaving before Willie because a lot of the people he had performing before him were incredibly boring including Alison. So I figured that is a good enough reason as any to cut someone here but I did include the video of the song that I am most familiar with of hers. 

  • Sad 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tenielle Townes
Tenille-Townes.jpg

Today's cut goes to Tenille Townes. Tenille is a Canadian female county singer most known for her her solo work. Am I huge fan? No so I think it is a fair cut at this game. I think she has a pretty voice I just don't connect to her.

 

 

  • Sad 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sara Storer

 

OIP.eq8078umi5wECMsOd8cWSAAAAA?pid=ImgDe

 

Sara Bettine Storer is a singer-songwriter and former teacher from Australia. She has been a member of a country music trio called Songbirds. Her older brother is also a country music singer-songwriter. They have recorded and performed together.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Alison Krauss

 

887348e489221458f047cc295b9fc4d2.jpg

 

Taken from the music rankdown, here's a tribute to another one of my favorite singers, country/bluegrass singer Alison Krauss! 

 

She is the most critically acclaimed country singer in the business, winning 27 Grammy Awards when being nominated 42 times. This made her the second-most awarded female singer and artist in Grammy history; ranking behind Beyonce. Similar to Emmylou Harris, she has a country-folk haunting feel to her voice but hers is angelic and has an almost Amy Lee feel to it. I've loved her voice ever since I heard it on her duet with Brad Paisley: Whiskey Lullaby. Even though I think of her more as a bluegrass singer rather than country, there is no denying her influence on country music, including Kacey!

 

She signed with Rounder Records in 1985 and released her first solo album in 1987. She was invited to join Alison Krauss and Union Station in 1989, and later released her first album with them as a group in 1989. She has released fifteen albums, six of them with her country and bluegrass band Alison Krauss and Union Station, five of them solo and two as a duet collaboration called Raising Sand and Raise the Roof with Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin. She has also appeared on numerous soundtracks, most notably the O Brother, Where Art Thou? and Cold Mountain soundtracks, the latter of which (The Scarlet Tide) led to a performance at the 2004 Grammy Awards. Much of her work with Union Station includes gospel songs as well. She was awarded the National Medal of Arts in November 2019, and was inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame in September 2021. She seems to be one of those artists that enjoys all the perks of a successful musician without many of the trappings of fame, and I have nothing but respect for that!

 

Some of my favorites from her work with Union Station:

 

New Favorite

Goodbye is All We Have
My Love Follows You Where You Go

The Lucky One
Dimming of the Day

Everytime You Say Goodbye
My Poor Old Heart

Lay My Burden Down
Paper Airplane

Restless

 

Some of my favorites from her solo work, including her signature cover, When You Say Nothing At All. Another one is her covering Till I Gain Control Again, which is one of Emmylou Harris's songs:

 

Down to the River to Pray (my top favorite solo song of hers!)

When You Say Nothing At All

A Living Prayer
Simple Love

Ghost in This House
Till I Gain Control Again

Sawing On the Strings

 

My favorite collaborations from her, including her work on Raising Sand and Raise the Roof:

 

Whiskey Lullaby (with Brad Paisley)

Please Read the Letter (wth Robert Plant)

Your Long Journey (my top favorite from them!)
Missing You (with John Waite)

You Led Me To The Wrong (with Robert Plant)

Can't Let Go (with Robert Plant)

Somewhere In the Vicinity of the Heart (with Shanendoah)

Graceland (with Jerry Douglas)

Forever and For Always (with Shania Twain)

 

Her soundtrack contributions:

 

I'll Fly Away (with Gilian Welch)

Man of Constant Sorrow (sung by Dan Tyminski, Alison on fiddle)

The Scarlet Tide

 

Whether country, traditional folk, or bluegrass, there is a lot to be appreciated in Alison's discography!

Edited by ~Tom~
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...