Aside from being a master flat-picker, Doc Watson has helped inspire a number of other influential folk artists, including Bob Dylan. The Marvelettes were the first all-female group on the Motown label. Though her solo career was phenomenal, her collaborations with trumpeter Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and The Ink Spots formed some of her most famous hits, including Dream a Little Dream of Me, Cheek To Cheek, and Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall. The singer won 13 Grammy Awards along with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. She has also been a board member of an organization called Center To Prevent Youth Violence, which works towards preventing gun violence. After the show went off the air, Francis signed up with a record company to no immediate avail. However, Days breakthrough hit didnt come until 1955, when she starred as singer Ruth Etting in Love Me Or Leave Me., She also received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008 and three Grammy Hall of Fame Awards for Sentimental Journey, Secret Love, and Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera).. Teresa Brewer incorporated a mixture of genres into her singing style to become one of the best female singers of the 1950s. 10 on the R&B rankings. 1955; 1956; TOP 40 HOT COUNTRY SONGS OF THE 60s; TOP 40 HOT COUNTRY SONGS OF THE 70s; TOP 40 HOT COUNTRY SONGS OF THE 80s; TOP 40 HOT COUNTRY SONGS OF THE 90s; She started off singing gospel and playing piano in church. She's also been a constant voice for peace and social justice. She recorded her first single (which did not chart) when she was 12. | Somewhere in the middle of mostly male-dominated doo-wop groups, Elvis Presley swiveling his hips and the emergence of rock and roll with the likes of Little Richard, Bill Haley, Chuck Berry, and Jerry Lee Lewis, and a burgeoning British invasion of the 1960s, there were the women of girl groups. Hits: Please Mr. Postman, Beechwood 4-5789, Dont Mess With Bill, Playboy. Sheryl Crow is an American musician, actress, and singer-songwriter. She has also worked in several movies and is a prolific songwriter. 2 single and Clio-winning Coca-Cola jingle she co-wrote, Dottie West (1932-1991) broke into the country charts in 1963 with Let Me Off at the Corner. Her third single, Here Comes My Baby, also a co-write, went to No. Trisha Yearwood is an American recording artist, television personality, actress, author, and celebrity chef. He's also become a star of the big screen, lending his talents to more than 50 films. He was an activist and a songwriter, a Merchant Marine, and a former member of a barbershop quartet. With gospel roots, she embarked on a soul-singing career at the age of 18. The chatter surrounding the song -- including Riley being forced to wear a miniskirt when accepting her CMA award for single of the year -- dimmed the fact that she scored several Top 10s after her glittery debut. WebThis is a list of American female country singers . Kelsea Ballerini is an American singer and songwriter. She also performed in Annie Get Your Gun, Woman Of The Year, and The Unmistakable Molly Brown.. Originally the group was formed with Gladys Horton, Katherine Anderson, Georgeanna Tillman, Juanita Cowart, and Georgia Dobbins, who was later replaced by Wanda Young. It's kind of funny that the Weavers and Woody Guthrie come up last in this alphabetical listing, as they're probably two of the most important artists in the history of the contemporary folk movement in this country. Dierks Bentley's 28-city musical journey will run from June through August. She performed there for eight weeks and earned herself a record label. Arden transferred to Decca Records in the mid-1950s. 1 came in 1953 with A Dear John Letter, a duet with Ferlin Huskey. She gained fame with her 1957 release And That Reminds Me, which sold millions and made the Top 20 pop hits chart. That's a shame as there are some outstanding performers here who deserve more attention. Washington won a Grammy Award for Best Rhythm & Blues Performance in 1959. 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. Among these were The Girl Most Likely, There Never Was a Time, Country Girl, Oh, Singer and Good Enough to Be Your Wife.. A Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Lee is the only female performer to be inducted into both the Country Music and Rock and Roll Halls of Fame. Dave Van Ronk was one of the most important figures in the Greenwich Village folk-music scene of the 1960s. 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.). 1 on her own with A Lesson in Leavin' and did it again that same year with Are You Happy Baby? Paired again with Rogers, she topped the charts in 1981 with What Are We Doin' in Love. Her daughter Shelly West followed in her mother's footsteps as a country artist. Meanwhile, women began to carve out a space for themselves in the genre, too. ], Carmel by the Sea / The Man I Used to Know, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkiJgm6MWA8, When Two Worlds Collide / I Want to Be Where You're Gonna Be, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rww6Sqqzi4g, I Still Believe in Love / Life's That Way, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRnli0d-Gas, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQkm3I2BNgo, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vlZjLUkd9s, Keeping Up With the Joneses / No Thanks, I Just Had One, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSphfySIfKw, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9iLt8sXbu4, My Blue Ridge Mountain Boy / 'Til Death Do Us Part, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDcoKbX_zBM, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o02f4ArNcWA, The French Song (Quand le soleil) / Sit Down and Write a Letter to Me, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35WLFvVL2Sg. Circa 1955: American singer and actor Rosemary Clooney (1928 - 2002) sings and dances in a ballroom or on a stage, accompanied by a pianist and a band. Many of the best Black female singers have reached the top of the charts with their catchy tunes. Listen to CMT's new music playlist The Roundup in this story. Along with her late husband in the 1950s and 1960s, she was known as "Mrs. Country Music." She also happens to be a beloved old country music star. Multifaceted personality, Dolly Parton is a singer, songwriter, record producer, actress, author and businesswoman and is known mainly for her work in country music. She was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1992. Here are the 21 best 50s female singers: Patsy Cline dominated the country music scene as one of the best female vocalists of the 1950s. After their split, Jim Ed went on to a long and successful solo career, and Maxine recorded one album. Emmylou Harris is an American musician, singer, and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, Mindy Carson started performing in her teens for the radio show Stairway To The Stars. She and Harry Cool made a chart hit called Rumors Are Flying.. Her embattled marriage with George Jones made His first major hit, I Walk The Line, which was recorded in 1956, bridged the gap between the two genres, suggesting at his widespread appeal in the decades to follow. She's possibly one of the most impressive vocalists in contemporary folk music. Motowns famous act received 12 no. On top of Thanks, and welcome! She also has the distinction of having been the first Grand Ole Opry member to wear a miniskirt on stage -- although not without some grumbling from Opry management. Garland also left a legacy and continues her fame through her films. She has received various accolades and awards in her very successful singing career spanning several decades and has composed over 3,000 songs. 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She led the fund drive for building the original Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, was instrumental in creating the annual CMA Awards Show, which launched in 1967, and oversaw Fan Fair, which started in 1972 and has since morphed into the CMA Music Festival. 1932) told her life story in her 1970 hit, Coal Miner's Daughter, which, in turn, became a bestselling autobiography in 1976 and a critically-acclaimed movie in 1980. She signed with King Records, releasing a few hits, including Kiki and Youre All I See.. Old time banjo player Charlie Poole was one of the earliest stars of the old-time scene back in the 1920s. 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. 13 on the Top Pop Singles chart. Jeannie C. Riley: Riley (b. You have successfully subscribed to our newsletter. Her 1977 cover of You Light Up My Life peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and stayed there for ten weeks. John Gorka's literary, poetic folk songs are among some of the most well-written around these days. Staffords legacy in music, television, and radio is acknowledged by three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. 5. She also led the pathway for other female country singers in the Nashville area. STREAM THE SHOWTIME ORIGINAL SERIES GEORGE AND TAMMY, Read About Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Kitty Wells, Tammy Wynette, and More, Dierks Bentley Announces Summer Gravel & Gold Tour with Jordan Davis, Elle King and More. Discovered by fellow gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, Della Reese had her breakthrough upon winning a contest allowing her to perform at a popular Detroit bar for a week straight. In 2013, Georgia Holt became the subject of a documentary titled Dear Mom, Love Cher, which also featured her famous daughter Cher. 1941) struck gold when Grand Ole Opry star Bill Anderson discovered her in an Ohio talent contest. She is known for her best-selling platinum-certified album, (The First Canadian Female Solo Singer to Reach No. After winning a 1949 contest on Arthur Godfreys radio program, the quartet became a regular fixture on the show and recorded their debut album Harmony Time in 1950. Many have even crossed over finding audiences in the pop and rock worlds, including women country singers Carrie Underwood, Faith Hill, and top selling female WebThe Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin is not only one of the most prolific Black singers from the 60s but one of the worlds best-selling artists of all time. Judy Garland. She is also an ardent supporter of animal rights organizations, such as PETA. After winning the radio spot together, they received recognition from bandleader Tony Pastor. 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. The Beatles were arguably the greatest group of the period -- but many would say that their biggest chart rival wasn't the Rolling Stones or the Beach Boys, but the Supremes. Cline's singles continued to chart intermittently until 1999. 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 His classic, "What Did You Learn in School Today?" 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. In 1949, she recorded Copenhagen with a B-side track titled, Music! Doris Day. Londons biggest hit was the blues-style jazz ballad, Cry Me A River, written by former classmate Arthur Hamilton. She is also the Community Manager for the folk music magazine NoDepression. Charts), Canadian singer Anne Murray became the first Canadian female solo artist with No. Most might gravitate towards Elvis Presley or Chuck Berry, who laid the foundation for rock and roll during that time. 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. Some famous Black female singers sing the blues while other top Black woman artists are pop superstars. Dottie West was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2018. The oldest daughter of Frank Sinatra, Nancy Sinatra established herself as a popular singer and actress during the 1960s and 1970s. Country music gave us memorable traditionalists like Ray Price and Faron Young, then saw an outlaw rebellion, with Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings leading the 600 Opry Mills Drive These classics include such semi-sermons as You Ain't Woman Enough (To Take My Man), Don't Come Home A' Drinkin' (With Lovin' On Your Mind) and Rated X. She raised the hackles of radio censors -- while delighting other women -- with The Pill, a song she didn't write but which echoed her approval of birth control pills. She was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1973. Dubbed Country Music's reigning Queen, Underwood has influenced several other singers, such as Kelsea Ballerini, Lucy Hale, Lauren Alaina, Mollie King, and Danielle Bradbery. He's also quite the accomplished actor, having appeared in several films, including "A Star is Born" with Barbra Streisand. 1 songs include Endless Love, Why Do Fools Fall In Love, and When You Tell Me That You Love Me.. Seely remains one of the Opry's most applauded performers. 3 on theBillboard charts and impressed studio executives. It reached no. But she would not return to the country rankings again until 1969, after which many hits would follow into the 1980s, such as her rendition of Kris Kristofferson's "Nobody Wins.". The song was the groups first single and their biggest hit. 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. 1 on theBillboardHot 100. The Kingston Trio was one of the most successful folk groups of its kind, inspiring various other trios to dress alike and tell jokes between their renditions of traditional folk songs.