The Grand Ole Opry is a regular live country-music radio broadcast originating from Nashville, Tennessee, on WSM, held between two and five nights per week, depending on the time of year. It was founded on November 28, 1925, by George D. Hay as the WSM Barn Dance, taking its current name in 1927. Currently owned and operated by Opry Entertainment, it is the longest-running radio broadcast in U.S. history. Dedicated to honoring country music and its history, the Opry showcases a mix of famous singers and contemporary chart-toppers performing country, bluegrass, Americana, folk, and gospel music as well as comedic performances and skits. It attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world and millions of radio and internet listeners.
Loretta Lynn was an American country music singer and songwriter. In a career spanning six decades, Lynn released multiple gold albums. She had numerous hits such as "Hey Loretta", "The Pill", "Blue Kentucky Girl", "Love Is the Foundation", "You're Lookin' at Country", "You Ain't Woman Enough", "I'm a Honky Tonk Girl", "Don't Come Home A-Drinkin' ", "One's on the Way", "Fist City", and "Coal Miner's Daughter". The 1980 musical film Coal Miner's Daughter was based on her life.
Alison Maria Krauss is an American bluegrass-country singer and fiddler. She entered the music industry at an early age, competing in local contests by the age of eight and recording for the first time at 14. She signed with Rounder Records in 1985 and released her first solo album in 1987. She was invited to join Union Station, releasing her first album with them as a group in 1989 and performing with them ever since.
Skeeter Davis was an American country music singer and songwriter who sang crossover pop music songs including 1962's "The End of the World". She started out as part of the Davis Sisters as a teenager in the late 1940s, eventually landing on RCA Victor. In the late 1950s, she became a solo star.
Connie Smith is an American country music singer and songwriter. Her contralto vocals have been described by music writers as significant and influential to the women of country music. A similarity has been noted between her vocal style and the stylings of country vocalist Patsy Cline. Other performers have cited Smith as influence on their own singing styles, which has been reflected in quotes and interviews over the years.
Marilyn Jeanne Seely is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and actress. Most notably identified with the country music genre, Seely found success with the Grammy Award-winning song "Don't Touch Me" (1966). Her soul-inspired vocal delivery gave her the nickname of "Miss Country Soul". Seely is also known for her membership and presence on the Grand Ole Opry, having appeared more times on the program than any other performer.
Jan Howard was an American author, as well as a country music singer and songwriter. As a singer, she placed 30 singles on the Billboard country songs chart, was a Grand Ole Opry member and was nominated for several major awards. As a writer, she wrote poems and published an autobiography. She was married to country songwriter Harlan Howard.
Dottie West was an American country singer and songwriter. She also had several credits as an actress. A distinguished figure in the country genre, West was among several people who helped to elevate the platform of female country artists. She was also known for mentoring up-and-coming artists and being the first woman to win a country music accolade from the Grammy Awards.
Jeanne Pruett is an American country music singer and songwriter. She also has credits as a published author. Pruett had several major hits as a music artist, but became best-known for 1973's "Satin Sheets". The song topped the country music charts and helped her secure a membership in the Grand Ole Opry cast.
Jack Henry Greene was an American country musician. Nicknamed the "Jolly Greene Giant" due to his height and deep voice, Greene was a long time member of the Grand Ole Opry. A three-time Grammy Award nominee, Greene is best known for his 1966 hit, "There Goes My Everything". The song dominated the country music charts for nearly two months in 1967 and earned Greene "Male Vocalist of the Year", "Single of the Year", "Album of the Year" and "Song of the Year" honors from the Country Music Association. Greene had a total of five No. 1 country hits and three others that reached the top ten. Billboard magazine named Greene one of the Top 100 "Most Played Artists".
Jean Shepard was an American country singer who was considered by many writers and authors to be one of the genre's first significant female artists. Her early successes during the 1950s decade were said to influence the future careers of Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton and Tammy Wynette.
"Don't Touch Me" is a song written by Hank Cochran. It was originally written for and recorded by American country artist Jeannie Seely. The song was released as a single on Monument Records in March 1966 and became a major Billboard country hit. "Don't Touch Me" became Seely's signature song and her biggest hit as a solo artist. It would later appear on her debut studio album and be re-recorded by Seely in later years.
The discography of American country artist Jeannie Seely contains 17 studio albums, four compilation albums, one soundtrack album, four music videos, ten album appearances and 36 singles. Her first singles were for the Challenge label before 1966's "Don't Touch Me". The latter reached number two on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and her only single to reach the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 85. The song was included on her debut studio album titled The Seely Style (1966), which reached number eight on the US Billboard Top Country Albums chart.
Kelsea Nicole Ballerini is an American country pop singer and songwriter. A four-time Grammy Award nominee, she has gained success since the 2010s, being honored with the Gene Weed Milestone Award at the Academy of Country Music Awards and the Rising Star Award at the Billboard Women in Music.
An American Classic is a studio album by American country artist Jeannie Seely. It was released by Curb Records on August 14, 2020 and was her seventeenth studio album. The 13-track collection featured a mixture of solo recordings, along with nine collaborations including Willie Nelson, Lorrie Morgan and Ray Stevens. The songs were both new tracks and cover tunes, such as "Teach Me Tonight" and "Old Flames Can't Hold a Candle to You". A total of three singles were spawned from the project, beginning with "Not a Dry Eye in the House" in 2020. An American Classic received favorable reviews following its release.
Thanks, Hank! is a studio album by American country artist Jeannie Seely. It was released on May 1967, by Monument Records and was produced by Fred Foster. The album contained songs written entirely by songwriter Hank Cochran, some of which were cover tunes while others were new tracks. Among the new tracks were two singles: the top 20 country single "A Wanderin' Man" and the charting song "These Memories". The LP itself made the top 20 of the US country chart. The album received reviews from AllMusic, Cash Box and Record World following its release.
The albums discography of American country singer-songwriter Bill Anderson contains 45 studio albums, three live albums, 13 compilation albums, four extended plays and one box set. He first signed with Decca Records in 1958 and started releasing singles which became major hits. However, Anderson's first album was not released until 1962. Entitled Bill Anderson Sings Country Heart Songs, the package was a compilation release containing his major hits up to that point. His debut studio release, Still, followed upon the success of its title track in 1963. The release peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and number 36 on the Billboard 200, his only album to chart the latter survey. Over the next decade, Anderson released several albums per year, many of which reached the top ten on the Billboard country albums chart. His second studio release, Bill Anderson Sings (1964), reached number seven on the chart for example. In 1966, his fifth studio album, I Love You Drops, reached number one the country albums list. In 1967, Anderson recorded his first album of gospel music called I Can Do Nothing Alone, which reached number 23 on the country albums survey. His eighth studio record, For Loving You (1968), was a collaborative project with Jan Howard. It reached number six on the country albums chart.
