Country albums in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame? Yep. Just think about this for a minute. What are loads of country songs about? Drinking, individualism, romance gone wrong, heartbreak, blue-collar blues, family, restlessness, and resilience. Themes that definitely align with the core values of rock. Some country singers' voices could lend themselves to rock-infused music. The country genre is also about intense emotions - love, anger, grief, sadness, regret, and yearning. Rock's foundation is pretty emotional as well. So we decided to select four classic country albums that typify the genre and could conceivably be in the hallowed Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. They're by Patsy Cline, Johnny Paycheck, Kenny Rogers, and Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson.
Videos by Wide Open Country
'The Definitive Collection' By Patsy Cline
Patsy Cline was in a lane all by herself. She specialized in pure, unvarnished emotion. Anyone who has loved too well and lost helplessly can connect with songs like the Willie Nelson-crafted "Crazy." Cline sang it as if we could see her heart breaking right on her sleeve. Lucinda Williams zeroed in on the crux of Cline's magic. She told Rolling Stone, "Even though her style is considered country, her delivery is more like a classic pop singer...You'd almost think she was classically trained." There is no telling what Cline could have achieved had she not perished in a tragic 1963 plane crash at the age of 30.
'Take This Job And Shove It' By Johnny Paycheck
The tough-guy attitude and surly demeanor remind me of the young Elvis Presley at his establishment-bucking best. Paycheck (perfect last name!) champions the working-class folk that country celebrates. Per the outlet, he said, "I sing about the little guy who's been kicked around by the big guy." That's subject matter that resonates with die-hard rock aficionados, for sure. Paycheck had only one chart-topping hit, the title track of this 1977 album.
'The Gambler' By Kenny Rogers
Kenny Rogers could do it all handily. In fact, the title track was graced with a Grammy and was the basis for a TV movie. His sublime crooner style and crossover success were his trademarks. (Rogers' duet with Dolly Parton on "Islands in the Stream" has to be one of the greatest, most listenable duets in country music history.) He shared this thought with the outlet. "'The song's not about gambling; it's a metaphor for life and picking yourself up." Same with rock. It's all about keeping on when you think you can't. Another popular song on the 1978 album was "She Believes In Me."
'Waylon & Willie' By Waylon Jennings And Willie Nelson
No two artists personify the earthy country music outlaw creed better than Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson. Their pushback against the silly frills and contrived slickness that they believed muddied the purity of country music is their signature. For these grizzled giants, it was grit over glam, baby. The can't-miss track here is the timeless modern Wild West anthem, "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys."
