The baby boomers’ favorite country musician got his start on American Idol

Country music is a favorite genre among Americans. This style of music really gained traction in the 1920s, with subgenres joining the ranks in the decades that followed. It is known for its “storytelling” format, made famous by artists such as Dolly Parton and Johnny Cash, among many others.

Although several generations make up the country music fan base, Baby Boomers especially appreciate the genre. However, this opinionated generation greatly prefers certain musicians over others.

Read on to learn about the 14 least popular country music artists according to Baby Boomers. This was based on a poll conducted by YouGov.com, with the least popular taking first place.

Why are we talking about country music?

Country music has been around for over a hundred years, bringing together both young and old generations. Baby Boomers have been front and center in the evolution of country music over the past 50 years as it has spread into many different subgenres. They have the unique ability to provide a well-educated opinion on country music and those who have represented it over the years. Let’s see what they have to say.

14. Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton has been dubbed the “Queen of Country.”

• Born: January 19, 1946
• Place of birth: Locust Ridge, Tennessee
• Greatest Hits: “Coat of Many Colors”, “9 to 5”, “Jolene”

Inducted into the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame in 2022, prolific songwriter and country music artist Dolly Parton continues to evolve with the times. With a career spanning more than five decades, Parton has sold more than 100 million records worldwide. With 25 singles reaching number one on the Billboard country music charts, a record for a female country music artist.

13. Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash used his shows to raise awareness of political and social issues.

• Born: February 26, 1932
• Place of birth: Kingsland, Arkansas
• Greatest Hits: “I Walk The Line”, “Ring of Fire”, “A Boy Named Sue”

Johnny Cash is known for carving his own path in the country music genre from the mid-1950s into the 21st century, gaining a new generation of fans along the way. As “The Man in Black,” as he was popularly called, Cash burst onto the music scene in the mid-1950s at the famed Sun Records, the same record label that launched Elvis Presley’s career.

12. Linda Ronstadt

Linda Ronstadt received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

• Born: July 15, 1946
• Place of birth: Tucson, Arizona
• Greatest Hits: “You’re No Good”, “I Don’t Know Much”, “Another Drum”

Linda Ronstadt is an American singer who launched her music career in the mid-1960s during the rise of the folk-rock and country rock movements. In the 1970s, Ronstadt was voted the best female pop singer. She has won 11 Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame in 2014.

11. Willie Nelson

At age 91, Willie Nelson continues to perform to sold-out audiences of thousands.

• Born: April 29, 1933
• Place of birth: Abbott, Texas
• Greatest Hits: “On the Road Again”, “Always on My Mind”, “Whiskey River”

Willie Nelson embodies his signature song, “On The Road Again,” as he criss-crossed the country, playing in 68 cities last year. At 91, Nelson is tireless, showing great dedication to bringing his legendary music to his fans. Also in the previous year, Nelson released his latest book, “Energy follows Thought: The Stories Behind My Songs.”

10. John Denver

An enthusiastic outdoorsman, John Denver enjoyed hiking, fishing, climbing and backpacking.

• Born: December 31, 1943
• Place of birth: Roswell, New Mexico
• Greatest Hits: “Take Me Home, Country Roads”, “Gone, in a Jet Plane”, “Thank God I’m a Country Boy”

As a singer, songwriter, actor and environmentalist, John Denver’s music expressed his desire for peace, compassion and ecology. In 1987, he traveled to Chernobyl to benefit the victims of the nuclear power plant disaster. As the first artist from the West, he also performed in mainland China as part of a multi-city tour in 1992.

9. Reba McEntire

Reba McEntire received the 2010 National Award for Artistic Achievement.

• Born: March 28, 1955
• Place of birth: McAlester, Oklahoma
• Greatest Hits: “Just a Little Love”, “Only in My Mind”, “How Blue”

Raised on a 7,000 acre farm, Reba McEntire began her music career singing in rodeos. After her music career took off, she ventured into new ventures as well as acting. She and her husband, Narvel Blackstock, have built an aircraft charter service, a construction company and a talent management firm. He also co-produced his own television sitcom called “Reba” in 2001.

8. Loretta Lynn

Loretta Lynn wrote her first song during a fishing trip.

• Born: April 14, 1932
• Place of birth: Butcher Hollow, Kentucky
• Greatest Hits: “I’m a Honky Tonk Girl”, “Blue Girl from Kentucky”, “Coal Miner’s Daughter”

Country music singer and songwriter Loretta Lynn has enjoyed a musical career spanning six decades. Her life was depicted in the 1980s musical film Coal Miner’s Daughter. She was nominated for 18 Grammy Awards and won three. In 2017, he suffered a stroke, ending his 57 years of touring. He passed away on October 4, 2022, at the age of 90.

7. Kenny Rogers

Kenny Rogers sold over a million records every month for 26 consecutive months.

• Born: August 21, 1938,
• Place of birth: Houston, Texas
• Greatest Hits: “The Lady”, “The Gambler”, “Lucille”

With a music career spanning six decades, Kenny Rogers has sold more than 120 million albums worldwide. In 2013, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville. In 1980, Rogers made history with his crossover success with the release of “Lady”. He passed away on March 20, 2020.

6. Patsy Cline

Patsy Cline was the first female solo artist to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1973.

• Born: September 8, 1932
• Place of birth: Winchester, Virginia
• Greatest Hits: “Crazy”, “Falling To Pieces”, “Sweet Dreams (About You)”

Considered one of the most celebrated performers of the 20th century, Patsy Cline is considered a forerunner of women in country music. She is also known as one of the first country music artists to cross into the pop music genre. On March 5, 1963, Cline, along with three others, was killed in a plane crash near Camden, Tennessee.

5. Glen Campbell

Glen Campbell sang with Elvis and Frank Sinatra.

• Born: April 22, 1936
• Place of birth: Billstown, Arkansas
• Greatest Hits: “Blank on My Mind”, “I Wanna Live”, “Galveston”

A country singer, songwriter and actor, Glen Campbell’s career has spanned five decades. He released 64 albums and sold 45 million records worldwide. He hosted “The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour” on CBS from 1969 to 1972. Campbell won four Grammy Awards in 1967 in the country and pop categories. On August 8, 2017, Campbell died at the age of 81.

4. Kris Kristofferson

Before pursuing music, Kristofferson was a Rhodes Scholar and studied English literature at Oxford University.

• Born: June 22, 1936
• Place of birth: Brownsville, Texas
• Greatest Hits: “Me and Bobby McGee”, “Jody and the Baby”, “Come Sunset”

Kris Kristofferson is a retired country music artist, actor, and songwriter who joined the “outlaw country music movement” when he teamed up with Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, and Willie Nelson to form the supergroup The Highwaymen in 1985. He won a Globe of Gold. Best Actor Award for his role in the 1976 film A Star Is Born, starring Barbara Streisand. Kristofferson was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2004.

3. Shania Twain

Country music artist Shania Twain became an international superstar with the release of her 1997 album, Come On Over.

• Born: August 28, 1965.
• Place of birth: Windsor, Ontario, Canada
• Greatest Hits: “You’re Still The One”, “Man! I feel like a woman!”, “That doesn’t impress me much”

Canadian singer-songwriter Shania Twain is considered the best-selling female artist in country music history. Selling more than 100 million records worldwide, she earned the title of “Queen of Pop Country.” Twain has received two World Music Awards, five Grammy Awards, 39 BMI Songwriter Awards. Also considered the “Queen of the Crossover” for her seamless transition from country music to pop music, Taylor Swift credits Twain with her own pop crossover.

2. Tammy Wynette

Tammy Wynette is known for her classic hit, “Stand By Your Man.”

• Born: May 5, 1942
• Place of birth: Itawamba County, Mississippi
• Greatest Hits: “Divorce”, “Singing My Song”, “The Ceremony”

Considered one of the most influential female country music artists, Tammy Wynette was a singer-songwriter who brought a female perspective to the usually male-dominated genre of country music. She has received three Country Music Association Awards, two Academy of Country Music Awards, and two Grammy Awards. It has also sold 30 million records worldwide.

1. Carrie Underwood

Carrie Underwood won American Idol Season 4 in 2005.

• Born: March 10, 1983
• Place of birth: Muskogee, Oklahoma
• Greatest Hits: “Jesus Take the Wheel”, “All-American Girl”, “Before Heats”

Growing up in a small town in Oklahoma, Carrie Underwood got her start in music singing in her local church. After her American Idol win, she went on to win accolades, awards and honors, including eight Grammy Awards and an induction into the Grand Ole Opry. Her career, which spans nearly 20 years, has allowed her to perform with many famous artists, including Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Reba McEntire and Axl Rose of Guns N’ Roses.

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