If your taste in country music runs to Hank Williams Jr., try a listen to these other artists. They seem to be like him, all are country music superstars, and you will not be disappointed one bit! While no two singers are exactly the same, you can expand your enjoyment by finding others who are in a groove like Williams Jr. So without further ado, here are our suggestions for your country music listening pleasure a la Hank Williams Jr. Merle Haggard, George Jones, Joe Diffie, and Jerry Reed should slake your thirst for that singer and then some.
Videos by Wide Open Country
Merle Haggard
Haggard, who passed away in 2016, had the nickname "Poet of the Common Man." He truly was. According to the bio on his web site via The New York Times, "In Mr. Haggard's case the sound defined a body of work as indelibly as that of any country singer since Hank Williams." Praise of a kind reserved for few artists was heaped on him during his lifetime and after his death.
Haggard's achievements were numerous and distinguished. He owned a pair of Grammys, recorded 40 number one songs, earned ACM and CMA awards galore, plus a Kennedy Center Honor. A music lover since childhood, that affinity for tunes would blossom into one of country music's most unforgettable careers.
George Jones
Known for his turbulent marriage to Tammy Wynette. Jones was a monumental figure in country music. A legend. A colossus. Those words are not too effusive for him, because what he did is virtually peerless. Despite all his issues with substance abuse, marital upheaval, run-ins with the law and more, Jones used his gifts to their best advantage. One of his songs, "He Stopped Loving Her Today," is a classic. You might even say it revived his sagging career. Some say its one of the epic songs of the genre, It is enshrined in the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress.
Joe Diffie
A honky-tonk natural, Diffie was a Grammy winner and Grand Ole Opry member, per grammy.com. He also wrote songs for some of the best in the business, like Holly Dunn and Tim McGraw. Per the outlet via Billboard, "Diffie was an influence on the younger country music generation...including Jason Aldean ('1994') and Chris Young ('Raised On Country')."
Jerry Reed
Reed was lauded by the Country Music Hall of Fame for his "indelible marks as a hit recording artist, virtuoso guitarist, songwriter, and movie star. His guitar work was marked by syncopation and complexity, while his songwriting and stage persona conveyed strutting wit and backwoods intelligence." That is quite a mouthful for anyone to have done, but Reed did it all, and very well.
A star like Brad Paisley paid a lavish tribute to him when he passed away in 2008. "Every move he made was to entertain and make the world more fun. Because he was such a great, colorful personality with his acting and songs and entertaining, sometimes people didn't even notice that he was just about the best guitarist you'll ever hear."
