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.
James William Anderson III, known professionally as Bill Anderson, is an American country music singer, songwriter, and television host. His soft-spoken singing voice was given the nickname "Whispering Bill" by music critics and writers. As a songwriter, his compositions have been covered by various music artists since the late 1950s, including Ray Price and George Strait.
Lawrence Hankins Locklin was an American country music singer-songwriter. He had 70 chart singles, including two number one hits on Billboard's country chart. His biggest hits included "Send Me the Pillow You Dream On" and his signature "Please Help Me, I'm Falling". The latter also went to number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music chart. Billboard's 100th anniversary issue listed it as the second most successful country single of the rock and roll era. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA.
Norma Jean Beasler is an American country music singer who was a member of The Porter Wagoner Show from 1961–1967. She had 13 country singles in Billboard's Country Top 40 between 1963 and 1968, recorded twenty albums for RCA Victor between 1964 and 1973, received two Grammy nominations, and was a Grand Ole Opry member for several years.
Marilyn Jeanne Seely is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, actress and author. Primarily identified with country music, 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 has been a member of and performer 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.
If My Heart Had Windows is the second studio album by American country music artist Patty Loveless, and was released in 1988. The title track — a cover of a George Jones song from 1967 — became Loveless' first top ten hit, peaking on the Billboard Country Music charts at number 10. It was then followed by her biggest chart position at the time with "A Little Bit In Love," a song written by country artist Steve Earle. It also features a recording of the song "Baby's Gone Blues", which would be recorded by Shelby Lynne for her 1990 album Tough All Over and by Reba McEntire for her 1992 album It's Your Call.
"He Stopped Loving Her Today" is a song recorded by American country music artist George Jones. It has been named in several surveys as the greatest country song of all time. It was released in April 1980 as the lead single from the album I Am What I Am. The song was Jones's first solo No. 1 single in six years. It was written by Bobby Braddock and Curly Putman. The week after Jones' death in 2013, the song re-entered the Hot Country Songs chart at No. 21. As of November 13, 2013, the single has sold 521,000 copies in the United States. Since 2008 it has been preserved by the Library of Congress in the National Recording Registry. The song was ranked no. 142 on Rolling Stone's 2021 500 Greatest Songs of All Time ranking.
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.
I Am What I Am is an album by American country music artist George Jones, released in 1980 on Epic Records label. On July 4, 2000, the CD version was reissued with four previously unreleased bonus tracks on the Legacy Recordings label.
Just Between You and Me is the first collaborative studio album by Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton. It was released on January 15, 1968, by RCA Victor. The album was produced by Bob Ferguson. It peaked at number eight on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and spawned one single, "The Last Thing on My Mind", which peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
Roddis Franklin "Pete" Drake was a Nashville-based American record producer and pedal steel guitar player. One of the most sought-after backup musicians of the 1960s, Drake played on such hits as Lynn Anderson's "Rose Garden", Charlie Rich's "Behind Closed Doors", Bob Dylan's "Lay Lady Lay", and Tammy Wynette's "Stand by Your Man". Drake was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2007, and the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2022.
Rebecca Lynn Howard is an American country music artist. She has charted seven singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, and has released three studio albums. Her highest-charting single, "Forgive", peaked at No. 12 on the country music charts in 2002. She is a founding member of the country-rock group Loving Mary.
Ollie Imogene "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.
Rodney Crowell is the third studio album by American country music artist Rodney Crowell. It was released in 1981 by Warner Bros. Records and was his last album on that label before switching to Columbia. It was the first album Crowell produced by himself. It reached #47 on the Top Country Albums chart and #105 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. The songs, "Stars on the Water" and "Victim or a Fool" were released as singles. "Stars on the Water" reached #30 on the Hot Country Songs chart, his highest-charting song up to that point. It peaked at #21 on the Canadian country charts. "Victim or a Fool" reached #34 in the U.S. The album was rereleased on compact disc in 2005 paired with his previous album But What Will the Neighbors Think.
"Bad Seed" is a song written by Bill Anderson that was originally recorded by American country artist Jan Howard. Released as a single by Decca Records, it was the second top ten song on the US country chart in Howard's career. It was given reviews by Billboard, Cash Box and Wide Open Country.
Love Is Like a Spinning Wheel is a studio album by American country artist Jan Howard. It was released by Decca Records in March 1972 and was her twelfth studio album. The project contained 11 tracks, which were a mixture of new songs and cover tunes. Among its tracks were two singles: "Let Him Have It" and the title track. The latter was a top 40 US country song and a top 20 Canadian country song. The album itself made the top 40 of the US country albums chart. The project was given reviews from Billboard and Cash Box magazines.
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.
Generations in Song is a studio album by American country singer–songwriter Hank Locklin. It was originally released in 2001 on the Coldwater label and re-released in 2006 on the Slewfoot label. The album originally contained 19 tracks of solo cuts and duets with fellow country artists, including Dolly Parton, Vince Gill and Jeannie Seely. It was Locklin's first album in many years and was the twenty eighth studio project of his career. The album received positive reviews from critics following its release.
Stars of the Grand Ole Opry is a studio album by American country singer Jean Shepard. It was released by First Generation Records in May 1981 and was her twenty fifth studio album. The project was crafted by its producer, Pete Drake, who wanted to give voice to fans of veteran-era country music performers. The album's ten tracks consisted of new material and some re-recordings. It was re-released several times over the years and was given reviews as well.
