Her tear-stained voice carried so much emotional weight that three of her songs were featured in the soundtrack of the 1970 film, Five Easy Pieces. Kelsea Ballerini Announces Third Leg of Heartfirst Tour. She's also been a constant voice for peace and social justice. The artistry of their music tells another story and speaks -- or sings -- for itself. Although they never again reached The Three Bells stature, they continued recording and touring until 1967. 2023 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved. Baby Jane and the Rockabyes - How Much is That Doggie in. Tina Turner 10. As prominent as women were during this fruiful period, better days were still to come. Patty Griffin is a songwriter's songwriter and has become highly respected across all musical genres for her numerous compositions. Listen to CMT's new music playlist The Roundup in this story. Hits: Come See About Me, Stop! On top of Page attained a unique sound that most pop singers didnt adapt to in the 1950s. The song reached no. The group later had their breakout hit Mr. Sandman in 1954, which hit No. Formed in 1946 in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, The Chordettes initially started out singing more folk-driven songs until they tapped into their harmony. However, despite gender equality still being a major issue, many female vocalists of the 1950s rose to fame and made their mark in history. 3 on theBillboard charts and impressed studio executives. 1 hit Leader of the Pack, along with songs like Give Him a Great Big Kiss and Remember (Walking in the Sand)., Hits: Leader of the Pack, Remember (Walking in the Sand), I Can Never Go Home Anymore. But dwarfing these early successes were the hits they wrote for the Everly Brothers, among these Bye Bye Love, Wake Up Little Susie and All I Have to Do Is Dream. Then in 1968 came their insanely infectious Rocky Top, first a hit for the Osborne Brothers and, in time, a staple for every bluegrass banjo player who ever lived. Kitty Wells made history as the first woman to have a No. Trisha Yearwood is an American recording artist, television personality, actress, author, and celebrity chef. Brenda Holloway 13. BillboardHot 100, including songs such as Come See About Me and Love Child., After leaving the group to pursue a solo career, Ross debuted an album in 1970 featuring her legendary songs, Reach Out And Touch (Somebodys Hand) and Aint No Mountain High Enough (her first no. According to Billboard, Shania Twain is the 13th Greatest Music Video Female Solo Artist ever. Another Motown-era hit, The Marvelettes first became friends in their high-school glee club coming up in Inkster, Michigan. Stand By Your Man, the 1968 No. If any songwriter could be called "prolific" or "influential," those terms would certainly apply to Woody Guthrie. 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. She charmed generations of movie viewers in the blockbuster film Grease. After the show went off the air, Francis signed up with a record company to no immediate avail. She kicked off her career on NBCs Startime Kids variety show in 1953. While gender equality was an elusive dream in many fields, women were well represented in popular music, and the best female singers are legends. Due to his innovative blend of hard rock guitars with folky, rootsy lyrics and themes, Young has become one of the most influential artists in contemporary folk-rock. The Primettes formed in 1959 and signed to Motown by 1961 as The Supremes. In 1949, she recorded Copenhagen with a B-side track titled, Music! Laura Nyro 17. 10 and won a Grammy, making her the first female Grammy winner in country music history. Among them were love songs, songs of praise, silly children's songs, songs about nature, and topical protest songs. 100 Best Female Singers Of The '50s, '60s and '70s - Groovy 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. Her songs have been used in "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" CMT Roundup: Charles Esten, Priscilla Block, Sam Williams, Alana Springsteen and More Release New Music. 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. After their split, Jim Ed went on to a long and successful solo career, and Maxine recorded one album. In 1938, the remaining members of The Stafford Sisters joined The Four Esquires and The Three Rhythm Kings to create an eight-piece ensemble called The Pied Pipers. She influenced the future of country music. A hardcore country traditionalist, Jean Shepard (1933-2016) played bass in an all-woman band called The Melody Ranch Girls before setting out on a solo career. In 1945, her career took flight with a scat recording of Flying Home. When she reached a point of stagnation with her music, she turned to a new manager, Norman Ganz, who developed Verve records around her. The music industry, like most occupational fields in history, had its own harmful gender roles, and the gist of it was that women were pretty singers and men were serious musicians. Web101 Female Rock 'n Roll Girls of the '50s - Compilation by Various Artists | Spotify Home Search Your Library Create Playlist Privacy Center Cookies Preview of Spotify Sign up to 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. 1 country single with her 1952 breakout hit It Wasnt God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels. Controversial and searing, the song was a response to Hank Thompsons Wild Side of Life and set the trend for answer songs. Kelsea Ballerini is an American singer and songwriter. 1 on the U.K. Singles Chart and no. Some famous Black female singers sing the blues while other top Black woman artists are pop superstars. In 1960, the girls auditioned for Berry Gordy who told them they needed to write an original song. 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. She was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1976. Opry House Jo Walker-Meador (1924-2017) guided the fortunes of the Country Music Association (which was established in 1958) from 1962 until 1991. By the time Berry Gordy Jr.sMotown Records was in full swing, Martha & The Vandellas signed on releasing hit after hit with songs like Dancing in the Street, Heat Wave, Come and Get These Memories, Jimmy Mack, Nowhere to Run, Im Ready for Love, and Bless You. The Chiffons were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013. The portrayal of the title character of television series, Hannah Montana, made her a teen idol. Americanpopandcountry musicsinger-songwriter, Taylor Swift is a multiple Grammy award winning artist who has inspired a number of hopeful musicians. Charts), Canadian singer Anne Murray became the first Canadian female solo artist with No. Multifaceted personality, Dolly Parton is a singer, songwriter, record producer, actress, author and businesswoman and is known mainly for her work in country music. It almost seems like every folk artist of note came up listening to the Carter Family and learning their songs. Identified with Country Sunshine, the No. Next: The top Soprano singers of all time. Many of her songs chronicled the travails of marriage and motherhood and the problems of a straying husband (all true to Lynn's life). While the 50s were generally regarded as a feel-good era in America, country music was ironically dominated by tear-in-my-beer honky-tonk songs in the first portion of the decade. His classic, "What Did You Learn in School Today?" 27. of 50. 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. Navigation. From his time with the Almanac Singers to the Weavers, his refusal to testify in the McCarthy era, and subsequent blacklisting. She's managed to influence an enormous crop of folksingers, including Gillian Welch and Janis Ian. It reached no. Her life was depicted in the 1985 movie, Sweet Dreams. He was an activist and a songwriter, a Merchant Marine, and a former member of a barbershop quartet. In the 1950s, she made regular appearances in movie musicals. Songs like Your Cheatin Heart and Im So Lonesome I Could Cry earned Williams the nickname of Hillbilly Shakespeare. Decades after his untimely passing at the height of his fame in 1953, Williams remains as one of the most fabled icons the genre has ever known. 44. She was mentored and produced for years by Porter Wagoner and starred on his syndicated TV show from 1967 to 1974. Kelsea Ballerini will appear on Saturday Night Live this Saturday. As the frontman of the North Carolina Ramblers, Poole became an influence on the founding fathers of American bluegrass. Hits: One Fine Day, Hes So Fine, Sweet-Talking Guy. Unlike her father, who belted elegant opera, Arden sang more traditional pop music. Even though they were pieced together with the intention of being an ideal folk-pop money-making supergroup, there's not a lot about Peter, Paul & Mary that was contrived. Probably the most prolific female songwriter of them all, Felice Bryant (1925-2003) and her fiddle-playing husband, Boudleaux, moved to Nashville in 1950 to work as full-time composers. Johnny Cash - I Walk The Line 4. But the blockbusters came soon after that, with Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad, My Elusive Dreams (a duet with David Houston), and the Grammy-winning I Don't Wanna Play House.. WebSeven artists appear twice: Bing Crosby, as the "friend" of Gary Crosby (#28) and with Grace Kelly (#50); Perry Como, with Eddie Fisher (#52) and Betty Hutton (#77); Tony Martin, with Dinah Shore (#53) and Fran Warren (#83); Red Foley, with Kitty Wells (#36) and Ernest Tubb (#44); Marvin Phillips, with Johnny Perry (#64) and Jesse Belvin (#100); Lynn was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1988. She moved around a lot from one gig to another. Barbara Lynn 19. She developed 27 R&B top 10 hits within seven years. At the age of 54, she posed for Playboy magazine, becoming one of the oldest women to do so. How Is Folk Music Different from Country. Next: Top female singers of all time list (our choices). Thanks, and welcome! ], 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. Hear New Tracks from Macklemore, Boygenius, Jeff Goldblum, and More, American Songwriter: a Savage Ventures Brand. Though shes more famously known as an actress, Marilyn Monroe gained popularity through movie musicals and singing films. Since then, the Fearless star has not looked back and also made her acting debut in 2009. The academy also inducted the songs Unforgettable, Teach Me Tonight, and What A Diffrence A Day Makes! into the Grammy Hall of Fame. He was a great fan of traditional music, and often performed traditional spiritual songs and the like in his performances with wife June Carter. Stay Up-To-Date with The Opry. 1 and stayed there for a remarkable eight weeks. WebTop 100 Country Female Artists. Debbie Harry, lead singer of Blondie, on the cover of the single sleeve for "Sunday Girl," 1979. She also performed in Annie Get Your Gun, Woman Of The Year, and The Unmistakable Molly Brown.. It hasn't been an easy journey for female country musicians, who have faced the same and sometimes more difficult inequalities as 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.". His songs are deeply personal narratives about life, and they've been performed by countless other artists. A vivid and forceful songwriter, Lynn composed many of her best-known songs, beginning with I'm a Honky Tonk Girl, her first chart record, in 1960. Pictured (L-R): Patsy Cline, Kitty Wells, Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette, Dolly Parton. Although she constructed her image around her often-elaborate blonde wigs and ample bosom, she has never used sexiness to sell her performances or grab headlines. Cat Stevens (a.k.a. Web Accessibility. The song made the trio international stars and earned them extensive exposure on network television. Though their roots began in the San Francisco Bay area bluegrass scene, the Grateful Dead soon became one of the most prolific, popular, successful folk-rock bands. Jeannie C. Riley: Riley (b. For the latest songwriting tips, reviews, podcasts, and more. In 1993, she joined Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton for the album Honky Tonk Angels. She came to light as a solo singer in the early 1950s with her first hit song, Come On-A My House. Some additional hits include This Ole House, Hey There, and Half As Much.. One of the earliest pop singers to enjoy a contemporary international following, Lee was among the most-charted singers during the 1960s. She recorded her first single (which did not chart) when she was 12. She appeared prominently on The Johnny Cash Show from 1969 to 1971. Her first million-selling single was With My Eyes Wide Open, Im Dreaming. Page followed this up with Tennessee Waltz in 1950, which spent 13 weeks as a no. With a career spanning nearly 70 years, Debbie Reynolds was a singer, actress, and businesswoman. She created her biggest-selling record there, which reached no. 1 on the R&B chart. The Almanacs were really the first folk music supergroup and spun off into rather successful careers for Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Lee Hays, Josh White, Burl Ives, and various other folks who made up the core of the group or who joined them on occasion. The Weavers spun off from the earlier group the Almanac Singers, in which Pete Seeger and Lee Hays were core members. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images). Sign up to receive our communications, please fill in the following fields and hit submit. Next: Our picks for the best black female singers of all time. Kris Kristofferson may be best known for writing Janis Joplin's huge hit "Me and Bobbie McGhee," but he's a favorite among fellow songwriters. Together, they created Ella Fitzgerald Sings The Cole Porter Song Book, the first of eight songbooks Fitzgerald recorded at Verve from 1956 to 1964. 4 on the U.S Pop chart. He proceeded to write her debut single, Once a Day, that went No. Often referred to as the Queen of Jazz or First Lady of Song, Ella Fitzgerald was a jazz singer from Virginia. After Webbs death, Fitzgerald took over as band leader while performing with the Benny Goodman orchestra and working on her own side project. Emmylou Harris is often considered a country singer, but her roots really lie in contemporary folk. Brenda Lee is a singer best-known for performing country music and pop. In fact, the only musicians who have outsold Elvis are the Beatles. 10 on the R&B rankings. She also had a solo career, but it was far less prominent than her sisters. In response, Dobbins wrote the groups biggest hit Please Mr. Postman, which reached No. Presley certainly wasn't the first to sing what's now considered rock 'n' roll; other notable artists In 2014, she was named on Time magazine's list of100 most influential people in the world. 1 hit in 1950 and 1951. The scene was shifting and the female voice was getting more airplay and beginning to dominate the charts. 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 recorded nearly 600 songs and was honored with a Hollywood Walk of Fame star. Below is a list (in no particular order) of popular and talented female rock 'n roll, pop, country, R&B, jazz and soul music solo artists who forged their own way in the music world and are considered to be among the greats of the '50s, '60s, and '70s. Their songs captured a moment in time, of naivete and love and loss and remain classics today. 1s, including her duets with Jones, before tapering off, chartwise, in the mid-1970s. Teresa Brewer incorporated a mixture of genres into her singing style to become one of the best female singers of the 1950s. The day after graduating from high school, she moved to Nashville. Joni Mitchell 11. Norma Deloris Egstrom began singing professionally at the young age of 16 in 1936. 1 songs include Endless Love, Why Do Fools Fall In Love, and When You Tell Me That You Love Me.. Originally from Montreal, Quebec, Canada, he spent five years living at the Mount Baldy Zen Center in Los Angeles. Seely scored a hit Wish I Didn't Have to Miss You with fellow Opry member Jack Greene in 1969 and a solo hit Can I Sleep in Your Arms in 1973. Already a member? 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. Seely remains one of the Opry's most applauded performers. His peace-focused tunes melded aspects of classic pop with contemporary folk music, distinguishing him from his contemporaries. After Washington left Hamptons band, she embarked on a successful solo career. Success would come more She sang for KOVC radio in Valley City and eventually obtained her own 15-minute Saturday radio segment. Loretta Lynn is an American singer known for her groundbreaking contribution to country music. 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. Any purchase that a visitor makes for a product mentioned or directed to by Music Grotto, may result in us receiving a commission.As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Dierks Bentley's 28-city musical journey will run from June through August. The Blossoms - Son-In-Law. Kelsea Ballerini is the recipient of several prestigious awards, such as CMT Music Awards, Academy of Country Music Awards, and Teen Choice Awards. Much like Odetta, often when you hear talk of Paul Robeson, you'll hear about his incredible voice. 1940) won a Grammy for her very first single, Don't Touch Me, released in 1966 and written by Hank Cochran, whom she would later marry. Janis Joplin 5. 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This position brought her a visit from Lionel Hampton, who provided Washington with the opportunity to be the female vocalist in his band and perform at the Chicago Regal Theater. Many have credited the Weavers with helping to fuel the folk revival that followed their success and subsequent blacklisting during the McCarthy era. Two years passed before she hit the charts, peaking at 93 on theBillboardHot 100. She won a Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 1962 and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997, more than 25 years after her death. He also became an active force in the Civil Rights Movement of the '60s. During the late 1950s, she performed in nightclubs with him and sang two duets on The Ed Sullivan Show., Next: Greatest opera singers of all time list, Jo Stafford began singing with her sisters when she was young. Kim Ruehl is a folk music writer whose writing has appeared in Billboard, West Coast Performer, and NPR. Throughout history, there have been many women country singers who have made significant contribution to the field. 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. This earned her a slot in her best-known film, Singin In The Rain., She debuted on Broadway 20 years later in the revival of Irene. The show broke the record for the highest weekly gross of any other musical and earned Reynolds a Tony nomination. Their debut album was recorded in their kitchenand went on to become a favorite among folk enthusiasts nationwide. He's easily one of the most influential artists in the genre, and one of the most gifted instrumentalists. Right IconThis ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet. Hits: Be My Baby, Baby, I Love You, Walking in the Rain.