Country music has certain what I call foundational singers. You cannot imagine the genre without them. These folks are the real solid underpinning of country. They are all very familiar names - Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, and George Strait are prominent among them. There is the younger generation of dynamic singers like Luke Bryan, Lainey Wilson, and Morgan Wallen. And a third group of singers who are (or were) deeply talented and entertaining but who nosedived right off the radar. For whatever reason, they are not top-of-mind, although they richly deserve to be remembered for what they did. We selected a few of these country greats to put back in the spotlight, if only for a moment
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David Allan Coe
Per the bio on his website, "Coe became one of the most desired songwriters in the Nashville scene, writing hit songs for artists such as Billie Joe Spears' 1972 song 'Souvenirs and California Mem'rys' and Tanya Tucker's number one hit in 1973, 'Would You Lay With Me (In a Field of Stone).'" Labeled "the outlaw's outlaw," Coe, who is now 85, has been a singular and unique presence in country music. His output has been prodigious, with 42 studio albums. Two of Coe's renowned songs are "Long-Haired Redneck" and "You Never Even Called Me By My Name."
Jim Reeves
Revs passed away in 1964 at the young age of 39 in a tragic plane crash. He definitely was, in the opinion of The Tennessean, "one of Nashville's most iconic musicians." In his all-too-short life and career, Reeves became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. He had hits like "I Love You Because," "He'll Have To Go," and "Welcome to My World." A practitioner of the Nashville Sound, "Reeves had a lot of hits that were both on pop radio and in country radio, so he was part of Nashville's expansion of country music into that area," said Associate Director of Editorial at the Country Music Hall of Fame. Michael McCall.
Ricky Van Shelton
Now 73, Van Shelton scored 10 chart-topping hits in his career. per The Tennessean. A member of the Grand Ole Opry, his hit songs included "Life Turned Her That Way," "Somebody Lied," "I Am a Simple Man," and "I'll Leave This World Loving You." Van Shelton retired from touring in 2006 and has redirected his talents to creative endeavors like painting and writing children's books.
Del McCoury
Del McCoury, 86, is really the living definition of a bluegrass legend. Per his bio on his website, "Vince Gill says it simply, and maybe best: 'I'd rather hear Del McCoury sing 'Are You Teasing Me' than just about anything.'" Elvis Costello clearly agrees. "It gives hope to everybody-fifty years is a long time to be playing music in any field. But to keep the purity that you need to do this kind of music, and the drive and the energy takes a special kind of guy."
Roger Miller
Remember a song called "King of the Road"? That was a Roger Miller tune. So was "Dang Me," another one of his hits. Miller grew up in the Depression, scrambled for every bit of success he had, and crossed paths with sharply intuitive people who saw his talent like Minnie Pearl and George Jones. He earned a Tony Award, entry into the Country Music Hall of Fame, and was an 11-time Grammy winner with 18 nominations. Per the bio on his website, "When asked how he wanted to be remembered, Roger replied, 'I just don't want to be forgotten.'" He was one of the true country greats.
Faron Young
Per the Country Music Hall of Fame website, "From the early 1950s through the mid-1970s, Faron Young ranked among the top stars and most colorful personalities of country music." Known for his honky-tonk approach and sparkling versatility, Young had hits like "Hello Walls," which was penned by Willie Nelson, and "If You Ain't Lovin' (You Ain't Livin')." Tragically, he took his own life in 1996 at the age of 64.
Ferlin Husky
Per the bio on his website, Husky's debut hit was the song, "A Dear John Letter," on which singer Jean Shepard was also showcased. A number one hit and a crossover success, it catapulted Husky to renown in the early 1950s. More hits followed for him. Among them were "Little Tom," "Cuzz Yore So Sweet," and "I Feel Better All Over (More Than Anywhere's Else)." Merle Haggard shared, "There were a lot of years when nobody in the business could follow Ferlin Husky. He was the biggest live act of the day. A great entertainer."? A country great.
