400 Greatest Singles of the Nineties: #125-#101

#125
Breathe
Faith Hill
1999 | Peak: #1

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Sure, the melody of the chorus sounds just like “It Matters to Me.” But “Breathe” took the country power ballad to new heights, becoming Hill’s signature hit in the process. – Kevin Coyne

#124
Life’s a Dance
John Michael Montgomery
1992 | Peak: #4

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It’s the catchy fiddle riff that’s  so memorable about John Michael Montgomery’s debut, number one, single. He is known for being a balladeer, but this one is an up-tempo motivational song. – Leeann Ward

#123
All the Good Ones are Gone
Pam Tillis
1997 | Peak: #4

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A far more nuanced take on single women than “She’d Give Anything,” this tender ballad finds Tillis battling regret and loneliness, resignation and frustration. The most heart-wrenching part for me is the exchange between mother and daughter, as there are few things in this world more painful than feeling like you’re failing to live out the dreams your mother has for you. – Tara Seetharam

#122
We Just Disagree
Billy Dean
1993 | Peak: #9

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An interesting, refreshing record in its maturity and perspective. If only every conflict in the world was treated with this kind of respect. – TS

#121
Spilled Perfume
Pam Tillis
1994 | Peak: #5

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The regrettable one-night stand is a significant part of country music lore, but this song approaches it from a unique angle: that of the consoling friend looking in on the wreckage the morning after. Tillis is both sweet and frank in that role, passing on wisdom she herself had to come by the hard way. – Dan Milliken

#120
Whole Lotta Love On the Line
Aaron Tippin
1994 | Peak: #30

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The relentless hook here is the guitar loop that powers the entire track. Tippin matches it with one of his very best heartbroke vocals. – KC

#119
Man! I Feel Like a Woman!
Shania Twain
1999 | Peak: #4

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The definitive girl power anthem of ever. (Apologies to Madonna, Spice Girls, etc.) And although the vast majority of this record is pure pop, due credit to the very country wordplay in the title. – DM

#118
Feed Jake
Pirates of the Mississippi
1991 | Peak: #15

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A quirky country-folk nugget which somehow fuses that cliche about sad dog-related country songs with sympathetic social commentary on the poor and gays. And it was a top 20 hit. Only in the nineties! – DM

#117
Next to You, Next To Me
Shenandoah
1990 | Peak: #1

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A wonderfully catchy title translates to an equally catchy song. The joyous celebration of active love is ever present here. – LW

#116
I Feel Lucky
Mary Chapin Carpenter
1992 | Peak: #4

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One of the coolest name-dropping songs of the nineties: “Dwight Yoakam’s in the corner, trying to catch my eye / Lyle Lovett’s right beside me with his hand upon my thigh /…Hey Dwight, hey Lyle, boys, you don’t have to fight / Hot dog, I feel lucky tonight.” – LW

#115
Wrong Side of Memphis
Trisha Yearwood
1992 | Peak: #5

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Never mind that she had four top ten hits from her first album. This is where Trisha Yearwood, the artist, truly begins. – KC

#114
Is it Over Yet
Wynonna
1993 | Peak: #6

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Such a simple melody with hardly a chorus; such a simple production with little more than a piano. It’s Wynonna’s fabulously emotive voice that takes this song from something potentially lifeless to a whole other stratosphere of emotion. – LW

#113
Down at the Twist and Shout
Mary Chapin Carpenter
1991 | Peak: #2

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It’s an unshakably catchy Cajun dance tune that finds Carpenter as loose as she’s ever been. – LW

#112
Safe in the Arms of Love
Martina McBride
1995 | Peak: #4

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Another installment, another reminder of how good Martina McBride can be given the right material. She’s asking to be cradled and supported here, but interestingly, there’s nothing submissive or needy-sounding about her performance. These are things she knows she deserves, and she’s confident enough to proclaim her desire for them loudly and proudly. – DM

#111
Almost Home
Mary Chapin Carpenter
1999 | Peak: #22

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A revitalizing revelation from a woman who’s discovered that inner-peace is the key to moving forward in life. She speaks specifically to her own situation, but the song is both anthemic and spiritual, and, as a result, wonderfully accessible. – TS

#110
It Works
Alabama
1996 | Peak: #19

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The sweeping social changes that have led to greater autonomy and independence for women came too late for some generations. But that doesn’t mean that no women felt completely fulfilled without the opportunities of their daughters and granddaughters. Not by a long shot. Remember that when your grandchildren wonder how you ever lived happily in such primitive times. – KC

#109
Delia’s Gone
Johnny Cash
1994 | Peak: Did Not Chart

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From the first of the American  Recordings series, Cash’s second version of the murder ballad, “Delia’s Gone”, is as sparse as technically possible. There’s only a single acoustic guitar recorded in mono rather than stereo, but Cash’s voice resonates so much that it’s hardly noticeable. – LW

#108
There Goes My Baby
Trisha Yearwood
1998 | Peak: #2

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Belting isn’t always necessary. It’s rarely necessary. But when you know the right moments to do it, and you have the chops to pull it off, you get magic like this. – KC

#107
Stand Beside Me
Jo Dee Messina
1998 | Peak: #1

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Songs about female empowerment were abundant in the nineties, but there’s something raw about Messina’s approach, perhaps because she doesn’t display blind optimism. She knows the struggles associated with sticking to her standards, and she faces them with a realistic mix of strength and vulnerability. Per usual, Messina nails this sentiment in her performance. – TS

#106
What a Crying Shame
The Mavericks
1994 | Peak: #25

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The Raul Malo-penned single was The Maverick’s breakthrough hit. It showcased a band with a fresh sound that even the nineties needed at certain points in the decade. – LW

#105
Has Anybody Seen Amy
John & Audrey Wiggins
1994 | Peak: #22

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A song about getting older and feeling out of place, masquerading as a song about a long lost love. “You can always go home but you can never go back.” – KC

#104
No One Else on Earth
Wynonna
1992 | Peak: #1

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Trod to death now that it’s basically Wynonna’s only recurrent, but this celebration of an exceptional love remains groovy karaoke bait with some very groovy growls from Ms. Judd. If you haven’t tried to mimic the “HOW DID YOU GET TO ME” part before, your country music fandom may not yet be valid. – DM

#103
You Win Again
Mary Chapin Carpenter
1990 | Peak: #16

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Desperate. Despondent. Ferociously Bitter. – KC

#102
Meanwhile
George Strait
1999 | Peak: #4

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He’s settling for paradise, since what he really wants is lost forever to the past. – KC

#101
The Heart Won’t Lie
Reba McEntire & Vince Gill
1993 | Peak: #1

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Two of the most distinct voices in country music tear their way through a throbbing sentiment on this power ballad. It’s one of those records that just soars. – TS

400 Greatest Singles of the Nineties: #150-#126

#150
Gone Country
Alan Jackson
1994 | Peak: #1

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A perfect time capsule of the boom times, as Jackson wryly notes all of those genre-hoppers who saw dollar signs in the growing country music scene. Funny how they didn’t arrive on radio until a decade later. – Kevin Coyne

#149
I Want to Be Loved Like That
Shenandoah
1993 | Peak: #3

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Sometimes the deepest understanding of love comes from what you see around you. The narrator in this song won’t settle for anything less than the unwavering love he’s witnessed in his life, and his examples are stunning in the way they slice straight to the core of love, to the bond that can’t be broken by the physical world. This is one of the purest tributes to love I’ve ever heard. – Tara Seetharam

#148
Trail of Tears
Billy Ray Cyrus
1996 | Peak: #69

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The sensitive portrayal of the plight of Native Americans is far removed from the bombastic “Achy, Breaky Heart” for which Billy Ray Cyrus is most associated. With its acoustic-bluegrass production, it may have been a little too quiet for even the nineties, but it’s his most elegant piece of art to date. – Leeann Ward

#147
This Woman and This Man
Clay Walker
1995 | Peak: #1

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Country music is rich with stories of broken relationships, but I’ve always found this one to be particularly tragic. Against a pleading melody, Walker sings of a man who’s trying desperately to make his other half understand that there’s still a chance to save their relationship. That he feels the only way he can communicate this is by stripping the situation down to an anonymous woman and man is heartbreaking. – TS

#146
Ball and Chain
Paul Overstreet
1991 | Peak: #5

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Part of a string of “family man”-themed singles, Overstreet turns out the best of them with a joyous ode to settling down. – LW

#145
I’ve Been Everywhere
Johnny Cash
1996 | Peak: Did Not Chart

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It works because he has. Some songs just sound better when sung by an older man. – KC

#144
Lord Have Mercy On the Working Man
Travis Tritt
1992 | Peak: #5

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The best working man anthem of the nineties is among the best working man anthems in general. – LW

#143
Look Heart, No Hands
Randy Travis
1992 | Peak: #1

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Likening his confidence in love to a reckless, carefree youth, Travis delivers one of his many simple, but poetic, love songs. – LW

#142
When it Comes to You
John Anderson
1992 | Peak: #3

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I’ve never heard Anderson’s signature vocal style so well complemented by the music. All the truth, with room for it to breathe. – KC

#141
Cold Day in July
Joy White
1993 | Peak: #71

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A swell of pain and shock, as White tries to make sense of a goodbye she didn’t even get to see coming. The Dixie Chicks made the song a moderate hit years later, but seek this original version out; the quivering vocal sells it with unmatchable pathos. – Dan Milliken

#140
Outbound Plane
Suzy Bogguss
1992 | Peak: #9

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Is Bogguss’ perspective on love a pessimistic one, or a realistic one based on the idea that you create your own happiness? I’m not sure, to be honest, but the terrific arrangement and vocal performance steal the spotlight on this record, anyway. – TS

#139
How Do You Like Me Now?!
Toby Keith
1999 | Peak: #1

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Keith skillfully slaps his swag on one of the most spirited revenge anthems of the decade. I give him bonus points for working the teasing “na-na na-na boo boo” into the melody. Brilliant. – TS

#138
Learning to Live Again
Garth Brooks
1993 | Peak: #2

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Another dose of melodrama that’s completely justified. Brooks uses his first experience back on the dating scene to flesh out the depth of his scars from a painful break-up. It’s a tasteful and understated record, highlighted by a fully-invested performance from Brooks. – TS

#137
Chattahoochee
Alan Jackson
1993 | Peak: #1

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Simple, catchy nostalgia, destined to play in Nashville bars for all eternity. In a good way. – DM

#136
I’m in a Hurry (And Don’t Know Why)
Alabama
1992 | Peak: #1

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As a fun lament to always being in a hurry, “I’m in A Hurry” showcases one of Alabama’s finest harmonies of their career. – LW

#135
Don’t Worry Baby
The Beach Boys featuring Lorrie Morgan
1996 | Peak: #73

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Sometimes a woman covers a song originally sung by the man, and changes the lyrics around a bit to make it make sense. Sometimes the song makes more sense in its new incarnation. Oh, and she sings the fire out of it. – KC

#134
She’s in Love With the Boy
Trisha Yearwood
1991 | Peak: #1

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One of country music’s most all-around lovable singles, like Romeo and Juliet with a happier ending and a Tastee-Freez shout-out. – DM

#133
You Know Me Better Than That
George Strait
1991 | Peak: #1

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Not only does the character in this song know that his ex-lover knows the real him that his new lover hasn’t yet seen, he’s self-aware enough to acknowledge his faults as well. Lest you think this song is serious, however, it’s one of Strait’s more amusing singles. – LW

#132
Wild Angels
Martina McBride
1995 | Peak: #1

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It’s nice – and humbling – looking back and realizing how many things you’ve survived that could have wrecked you. McBride is counting her lucky stars for the unlikely endurance of her relationship, and  her soaring performance rings with infectious joy. It makes me think I’d probably still like her glory-note stylings if the songs had just happened to remain this good. – DM

#131
No One Needs to Know
Shania Twain
1996 | Peak: #1

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Reveling in a love that’s only hers to know, Twain is playful, charming and romantic all at once on what remains one of her finest singles. – TS

#130
Look at Us
Vince Gill
1991 | Peak: #4

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A love that is standing the test of time, leaving Gill awestruck and deeply appreciative. – KC

#129
I Don’t Call Him Daddy
Doug Supernaw
1993 | Peak: #1

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The biggest casualty of divorce is the innocent children who are forced to adjust to new situations that they didn’t ask for. Part of such adjustments include new parental figures that they are expected to accept with grace. The most heartbreaking part of this song is the little boy who obviously knows that his loyalty is divided, as he assures his long distance father that his stepfather is reliable, but still isn’t considered “Daddy.” – LW

#128
I Walk the Line Revisited
Rodney Crowell with Johnny Cash
1998 | Peak: #61

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Crowell audaciously reworks the melody of Johnny Cash’s classic “I Walk the Line” to tell the story of how that classic impacted him growing up. Somewhat blasphemic, but mostly just cool. – DM

#127
Live Until I Die
Clay Walker
1993 | Peak: #1

Listen

Unlike similar songs of today, this is one of the few instances when the theme of celebrating a carefree life is set to a pretty melody and restrained production. – LW

#126
How Can I Help You Say Goodbye
Patty Loveless
1994 | Peak: #3

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One of the most solid examples of selfless love from a mother to her daughter. – LW

As always, we start with a look at this year’s nominees and work our way back to 1968.

2010

• Zac Brown Band, “Toes”
• Billy Currington, “People Are Crazy”
• Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now”
• Miranda Lambert, “White Liar”
• David Nail, “Red Light”

There’s usually a “Huh?” nominee among the ACM list in recent years.  This year, it’s David Nail.  Good for him!  Currington hasn’t won yet for this hit, even though he got himself a Grammy nomination for it.  With Lady Antebellum reaching the upper ranks of the country and pop charts with “Need You Now”, my guess is that they’re the presumptive favorites. Then again, Miranda Lambert is a nominee for the third straight year, and she’s up for her biggest radio hit.

2009

• Trace Adkins, “You’re Gonna Miss This”
• Jamey Johnson, “In Color”
• Miranda Lambert, “Gunpowder & Lead”
• Heidi Newfield, “Johnny and June”
• Brad Paisley, “Waitin’ On a Woman”

Adkins has been a fairly regular fixture on country radio since 1996, but this was his first major industry award.  He also won the ACM for Top New Male Vocalist in 1997.

2008

• Gary Allan, “Watching Airplanes”
• Big & Rich, “Lost in This Moment”
• Kenny Chesney, “Don’t Blink”
• Miranda Lambert, “Famous in a Small Town”
• Sugarland, “Stay”

“Stay” swept the Song of the Year categories at all three industry shows, along with winning the ACM for Single Record.  Allan’s presence here shows that being a little West Coast can still help a guy at the ACMs.

2007

• Heartland, “I Loved Her First”
• Rascal Flatts, “What Hurts the Most”
• George Strait, “Give it Away”
• Josh Turner, “Would You Go With Me”
• Carrie Underwood, “Before He Cheats”

George Strait earned his second ACM Single Record award a decade after his first (“Check Yes or No”) and two and a half decades after having his first radio hit.  Underwood won at the CMAs later that year.  “Give it Away” is one of a small group of ACM winners to not receive a nomination at the CMA ceremony.

2006

• Gary Allan, “Best I Ever Had”
• Brooks & Dunn, “Believe”
• Brad Paisley, “Alcohol”
• Sugarland, “Baby Girl”
• Carrie Underwood, “Jesus, Take the Wheel”

In the battle of biblical hits, the CMA picked Brooks & Dunn but the ACM picked Carrie Underwood.  Much like George Strait would later win a CMA trophy for a different single (“I Saw God Today”), Underwood later triumphed at the CMA with “Before He Cheats.”

2005

• Tim McGraw, “Live Like You Were Dying”
• Brad Paisley with Alison Krauss, “Whiskey Lullaby”
• Rascal Flatts, “Bless the Broken Road”
• Keith Urban, “Days Go By”
• Gretchen Wilson, “Redneck Woman”
• Lee Ann Womack, “I May Hate Myself in the Morning”

Because McGraw picked up the trophy at the CMAs in 2004, the field was cleared for Womack to win the CMA later in 2005.  McGraw had won the ACM before for “It’s Your Love.”

2004

• Brooks & Dunn, “Red Dirt Road”
• Alan Jackson with Jimmy Buffett, “It’s Five O’ Clock Somewhere”
• Alan Jackson, “Remember When”
• Toby Keith, “American Soldier”
• Randy Travis, “Three Wooden Crosses”

Among all the lead nominees, only Toby Keith wasn’t a previous winner. Still, the award went to the new alcoholic’s creed, winning over a more pensive Jackson track and a big comeback hit for Randy Travis.

2003

• Kenny Chesney, “The Good Stuff”
• Toby Keith, “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue (The Angry American)”
• Trick Pony, “Just What I Do”
• Keith Urban, “Somebody Like You”
• Mark Wills, “19 Somethin’”

Chesney spent nearly two months at #1 with this hit, perhaps giving him the edge over the other mega-hits at radio from Keith, Urban, and Wills. As for the Trick Pony nomination, somebody really should find out what Heidi Newfield has on those ACM voters.

2002

• Brooks & Dunn, “Ain’t Nothin’ ‘Bout You”
• Diamond Rio, “One More Day”
• Alan Jackson, “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)”
• Toby Keith, “I Wanna Talk About Me”
• Travis Tritt, “It’s a Great Day to Be Alive”

Jackson’s powerful 9/11 reflection stands out as the only ballad among his four ACM Single Record victories.

2001

• Toby Keith, “How Do You Like Me Now?!”
• John Michael Montgomery, “The Little Girl”
• Jamie O’Neal, “There is No Arizona”
• Aaron Tippin, “Kiss This”
• Lee Ann Womack with Sons of the Desert, “I Hope You Dance”

Toby Keith’s run of four consecutive nominations began this year. His album of the same name proved victorious that evening.  Womack’s massive hit became an instant standard, and is incidentally the most recent winner to also be a genuine crossover hit.

2000

• Dixie Chicks, “Ready to Run”
• Lonestar, “Amazed”
• Tim McGraw, “Please Remember Me”
• Brad Paisley, “He Didn’t Have to Be”
• George Strait, “Write This Down”

As pop hits go, this one was a monster. “Amazed” even topped the Hot 100, the first country single to do so since “Islands in the Stream.”

1999

• Faith Hill, “This Kiss”
• Martina McBride, “A Broken Wing”
• Shania Twain, “You’re Still the One”
• Steve Wariner, “Holes in the Floor of Heaven”
• The Wilkinsons, “26 Cents”

Hill and hubby Tim McGraw each have two ACM trophies in this category, one solo and one shared.

1998

• Diamond Rio, “How Your Love Makes Me Feel”
• Tim McGraw with Faith Hill, “It’s Your Love”
• LeAnn Rimes, “How Do I Live”
• George Strait, “Carrying Your Love With Me”
• Trisha Yearwood, “How Do I Live (from “Con Air”)”

While Yearwood had won over Rimes at the Grammys a few weeks earlier, the ACM sidestepped the big controversy of the year and gave the trophy to the biggest hit in the bunch.

1997

• Brooks & Dunn, “My Maria”
• Deana Carter, “Strawberry Wine”
• Tracy Lawrence, “Time Marches On”
• LeAnn Rimes, “Blue”
• George Strait, “Carried Away”

It’s rare that the ACM goes with the song that was least successful at radio, but don’t let that #10 peak of “Blue” fool you.  That hit was responsible for millions of record sales.

1996

• Brooks & Dunn, “You’re Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone”
• Faith Hill, “It Matters to Me”
• Tim McGraw, “I Like It, I Love It”
• George Strait, “Check Yes or No”
• Shania Twain, “Any Man of Mine”

It was a stroke of marketing brilliance: add two singles to a box set of a genre superstar. When the first single became one of his biggest hits, the box set quickly became the top selling in country music history.

1995

• Joe Diffie, “Third Rock From the Sun”
• Vince Gill, “Tryin’ to Get Over You”
• Alan Jackson, “Livin’ On Love”
• Tim McGraw, “Don’t Take the Girl”
• John Michael Montgomery, “I Swear”

There have been a few wedding standards to win this award, though Montgomery’s hit didn’t cross over in its original form.

1994

• Clint Black with Wynonna, “A Bad Goodbye”
• Garth Brooks, “Ain’t Goin’ Down (‘Til the Sun Comes Up)”
• Alan Jackson, “Chattahoochee”
• Reba McEntire with Linda Davis, “Does He Love You”
• Dwight Yoakam, “Ain’t That Lonely Yet”

Jackson won the ACM with his massive hit, but the McEntire/Davis duet and the Yoakam track were Grammy winners.

1993

• John Anderson, “Straight Tequila Night”
• Brooks & Dunn, “Boot Scootin’ Boogie”
• Billy Ray Cyrus, “Achy Breaky Heart”
• Collin Raye, “Love, Me”
• Tanya Tucker, “Two Sparrows in a Hurricane”

Brooks & Dunn are among the most nominated artists in this category’s history, but this is their only victory.

1992

• Clint Black, “Where Are You Now”
• Garth Brooks, “Shameless”
• Alan Jackson, “Don’t Rock the Jukebox”
• Travis Tritt, “Here’s a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares)”
• Trisha Yearwood, “She’s in Love With the Boy”

This was Jackson’s first major industry award.

1991

• Alabama, “Jukebox in My Mind”
• Garth Brooks, “Friends in Low Places”
• Vince Gill, “When I Call Your Name”
• Alan Jackson, “Here in the Real World”
• Shenandoah, “Next to You, Next to Me”

Garth-mania was beginning to peak in 1991. He swept the ACMs that  year.

1990

• Clint Black, “Better Man”
• Garth Brooks, “If Tomorrow Never Comes”
• Patty Loveless, “Timber I’m Falling in Love”
• Keith Whitley, “I’m No Stranger to the Rain”
• Hank Williams & Hank Williams Jr., “There’s a Tear in My Beer”

Clint Black is one of only three artists in the last twenty years to win for their first proper single, with Carrie Underwood and LeAnn Rimes being the other two.

1989

• Kathy Mattea, “Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses”
• K.T. Oslin, “I’ll Always Come Back”
• Ricky Van Shelton, “I’ll Leave This World Loving You”
• Randy Travis, “I Told You So”
• Keith Whitley, “Don’t Close Your Eyes”

Mattea’s award-winning hit had such a high profile that it was even referenced in the dialog of the hit movie Rain Man.

1988

• Restless Heart, “I’ll Still Be Loving You”
• Ricky Van Shelton, “Somebody Lied”
• George Strait, “All My Ex’s Live in Texas”
• Randy Travis, “Forever and Ever, Amen”
• Hank Williams Jr., “Born to Boogie”

Travis won for the second year in a row with what would become his signature hit.

1987

• Alabama, “Touch Me When We’re Dancing”
• Janie Fricke, “Always Have, Always Will”
• The Judds, “Rockin’ With the Rhythm of the Rain”
• Reba McEntire, “Whoever’s in New England”
• Randy Travis, “On the Other Hand”

This was technically his first single, but when released under the name Randy Traywick, it bombed. Warner Bros. then released “1982″ under Randy Travis, and it went top ten. They then re-released this song, and it became his first #1 hit.

1986

• Lee Greenwood, “Dixie Road”
• Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, “Highwayman”
• The Judds, “Love is Alive”
• Mel McDaniel, “Baby’s Got Her Blue Jeans On”
• Hank Williams Jr., “I’m For Love”

So successful was this winning single that the four legends would go on to release future collaborations as the Highwaymen.

1985

• Alabama, “When We Make Love”
• Julio Iglesias & Willie Nelson, “To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before”
• The Judds, “Why Not Me”
• John Schneider, “I’ve Been Around Enough to Know”
• Conway Twitty, “I Don’t Know a Thing About Love (The Moon Song)”

Say what you want about this winner, but it was popular enough to sell two million 45s.

1984

• John Anderson, “Swingin’”
• Anne Murray, “A Little Good News”
• Willie Nelson & Merle Haggard, “Pancho  and Lefty”
• Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton, “Islands in the Stream”
• Shelly West, “José Cuervo”

Another pop smash that moved two million 45s. Is there anybody over 30 who can’t sing along to the chorus?

1983

• David Frizzell, “I’m Gonna Hire a Wino to Decorate Our Home”
• Willie Nelson, “Always on My Mind”
• Kenny Rogers, “Love Will Turn You Around”
• Ricky Skaggs, “Crying My Heart Out Over You”
• Sylvia, “Nobody”

Nelson’s had quite a few signature hits, but none bigger than this one.

1982

• Rosanne Cash, “Seven Year Ache”
• David Frizzell & Shelly West, “You’re the Reason God Made Oklahoma”
• Barbara Mandrell, “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool”
• Ronnie Milsap, “(There’s) No Gettin’ Over Me”
• Oak Ridge Boys, “Elvira”

This might be the most pop-flavored lineup in category’s history. Even the Mandrell hit doth protest too much.

1981

• George Jones, “He Stopped Loving Her Today”
• Johnny Lee, “Lookin’ For Love”
• Dolly Parton, “9 to 5″
• Eddie Rabbitt, “Drivin’ My Life Away”
• Don Williams, “I Believe in You”

Jones capped his biggest comeback in a career defined by them with several awards for this classic hit.

1980

• Charlie Daniels Band, “Devil Went Down to Georgia”
• Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers Band, “All the Gold in California”
• Crystal Gayle, “Half the Way”
• Waylon Jennings, “Amanda”
• Kenny Rogers, “Coward of the County”

West Coast represent!

1979

• Crystal Gayle, “Talking in Your Sleep”
• Loretta Lynn, “Out of My Head and Back in My Bed”
• Willie Nelson, “Georgia On My Mind”
• Waylon & Willie, “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys”
• Don Williams, “Tulsa Time”

In a category of superstars, the Gentle Giant of Country Music was the victor.

1978

• Debby Boone, “You Light Up My Life”
• Crystal Gayle, “Don’t it Make My Brown Eyes Blue”
• Waylon Jennings, “Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love)”
• Kenny Rogers, “Lucille”
• Linda Ronstadt, “Blue Bayou”

All of these records made a big impact on both the country and the pop chart.

1977

• Mickey Gilley, “Bring it On Home to Me”
• Loretta Lynn, “Somebody Somewhere (Don’t Know What He’s Missin’ Tonight)”
• Marty Robbins, “El Paso City”
• Red Sovine, “Teddy Bear”
• Waylon & Willie, “Good Hearted Woman”

A surprising win, perhaps fueled by the momentum of Gilley’s previous single, “Don’t the Girls All Get Prettier at Closing Time.”

1976

• Glen Campbell, “Rhinestone Cowboy”
• Freddie Fender, “Before the Next Teardrop Falls”
• Mickey Gilley, “Overnight Sensation”
• Willie Nelson, “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain”
• Kenny Starr, “The Blind Man in the Bleachers”

Campbell made quite the comeback with this one, and it later inspired the Dolly Parton film vehicle Rhinestone, which earned an ACM nomination of its own for the Tex Ritter Award.

1975

• John Denver, “Back Home Again”
• Merle Haggard, “Things Aren’t Funny Anymore”
• Ronnie Milsap, “(I’d Be) A Legend in My Time”
• Cal Smith, “Country Bumpkin”
• Billy Swan, “I Can Help”

Smith may not have gotten all the recognition that his talent warranted, but he made two undeniable classics: “The Lord Knows I’m Drinking”, and his winner here.

1974

• Merle Haggard, “If We Make it Through December”
• Byron MacGregor, “The Americans”
• Jeanne Pruett, “Satin Sheets”
• Charlie Rich, “Behind Closed Doors”
• Charlie Rich, “The Most Beautiful Girl”

Rich’s two hits were so big that even with vote-splitting, he still emerged the winner.

1973

• Donna Fargo, “The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A.”
• Merle Haggard, “It’s Not Love (But It’s Not Bad)”
• Johnny Rodriguez, “Pass Me By (If You’re Only Passing Through)”
• Jerry Wallace, “If You Leave Me Tonight I’ll Cry”
• Faron Young, “Four in the Morning”

Fargo was a local star on the West Coast before she broke through nationwide with this hit, dominating the 1973 ACM Awards as a result.

1972

• Merle Haggard, “Carolyn”
• Freddie Hart, “Easy Loving”
• Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty, “Lead Me On”
• Loretta Lynn, “One’s On the Way”
• Charley Pride, “Kiss an Angel Good Morning”

This gold-selling classic helped Hart triumph over the superstars of his day.

1971

• Lynn Anderson, “Rose Garden”
• Merle Haggard, “The Fightin’ Side of Me”
• Anne Murray, “Snowbird”
• Ray Price, “For the Good Times”
• Sammi Smith, “Help Me Make it Through the Night”

Each one of these is a classic in its own right. In a battle of Kristofferson-penned hits, Price emerged victorious, though Smith won the CMA later that year.

1970

• Glen Campbell, “Try a Little Kindness”
• Johnny Cash, “A Boy Named Sue”
• Merle Haggard, “Okie From Muskogee”
• Billy Mize, “Make it Rain”
• Elvis Presley, “Don’t Cry Daddy”
• Freddy Weller, “Games People Play”
• Tammy Wynette, “Stand By Your Man”

Haggard’s only victory in this category came on a night where he also won Album of the Year for the only time in several nominations.

1969

• Glen Campbell, “Wichita Lineman”
• Merle Haggard, “I Take a Lot of Pride in What I Am”
• Merle Haggard, “The Legend of Bonnie and Clyde”
• Merle Haggard, “Mama Tried”
• Roger Miller, “Little Green Apples”

Miller’s known for his legendary songwriting, but his winning hit here was penned by Bobby Russell.

1968

• Glen Campbell, “Burning Bridges”
• Glen Campbell, “Gentle on My Mind”
• The Gosdin Bros., “Hangin’ On”
• Bobbie Gentry, “Ode to Billy Joe”
• Merle Haggard, “Branded Man”
• Merle Haggard, “I’m a Lonesome Fugitive”

A young Vern Gosdin made up half of the nominated Gosdin Bros., a nice historical footnote to the first year of this category. Glen Campbell’s victory was appropriately West Coast for the ACMs first attempt at honoring the national country music scene.

Facts & Feats:

Most Wins

• (4) – Alan Jackson
• (3) – Willie Nelson
• (2) – Glen Campbell, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Kenny Rogers, George Strait, Randy Travis

Most Nominations

• (12) – Merle Haggard
• (8) – Willie Nelson
• (6) – Brooks & Dunn, Alan Jackson, George Strait
• (5) – Glen Campbell, Waylon Jennings, Tim McGraw
• (4) – Garth Brooks, Toby Keith, Loretta Lynn, Brad Paisley, Kenny Rogers, Randy Travis

Most Nominations Without a Win

• (4) – Toby Keith, Loretta Lynn, Brad Paisley
• (3) – Alabama, Crystal Gayle, The Judds, Miranda Lambert, Hank Williams Jr.

Singles that Won Both the ACM and CMA Award:

• Merle Haggard, “Okie From Muskogee”
• Donna Fargo, “The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A.”
• Charlie Rich, “Behind Closed Doors”
• Cal Smith, ‘Country Bumpkin”
• Kenny Rogers, “Lucille”
• George Jones, “He Stopped Loving Her Today”
• Oak Ridge Boys, “Elvira”
• Willie Nelson, “Always On My Mind”
• Randy Travis, “Forever and Ever, Amen”
• Kathy Mattea, “Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses”
• Garth Brooks, “Friends in Low Places”
• Alan Jackson, “Chattahoochee”
• John Michael Montgomery, “I Swear”
• George Strait, “Check Yes or No”
• Lee Ann Womack with Sons of the Desert, “I Hope You Dance”
• Alan Jackson, “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)”
• Tim McGraw, “Live Like You Were Dying”

Carter Twins, “Let It Snow” (Listen)

This brother duo treats this lightweight classic with an unimaginative contemporary production. It does not bring anything interesting to the table and is, mercifully, an all in all forgettable track.

Carters Chord, “O Come, O Come Emanuel” (Listen), & “Santa Baby” (Listen)

It’s a shame that the most talented act (besides Keith himself, of course) on Toby Keith’s Show Dog label has not gained any traction in the last couple of years. It seems that, so far, the only way Carters Chord will be heard is through digital downloads, as their very good 2008 studio album was only released in digital form. Likewise, they have just released a 2-song Christmas EP that contains a pretty version of “O Come, O Come Emanuel” and a sassy interpretation of “Santa Baby.” Both tracks are well produced with prominent dobro and acoustic guitar in the mixes. “Santa Baby” is less whimsical and more assertive than the original version. “O Come O Come Emanuel” is well sung with beautiful sister harmonies and very few vocal gymnastics.

Darius Rucker, “Candy Cane Christmas” (Listen)

“Candy Cane Christmas” is a nice jazzy Christmas original that invokes warmth by tapping into the sweet feelings of anticipation for the big day. Rucker is a pretty decent crooner, which is what this song calls for. Over all, it’s a nice song, though not especially memorable.

Faith Hill, “Little Drummer Boy” (Listen) & “O Holy Night” (Listen)

Faith Hill has an inarguably top-shelf voice that is capable of various musical styles. So, it is disappointing that her 2008 Christmas album was good, but generally uninspiring as far as creativity or energy goes. As to be expected, she does these classics justice, but nothing more.

Taylor Swift, “Last Christmas” (Listen)

The song and the singer are meant for each other. Bad vocalist sings a bad Christmas song. She’s got better songs on her Christmas EP, particularly “Christmases When You Were Mine.”

Gretchen Wilson, “I Want a Hippopotamous for Christmas” (Listen)

Kudos to Gretchen Wilson for letting loose with the wackiest Christmas list wish ever. It’s fun, it’s infectious and it’s different. Score!

James Lann, “Mr. Grinch” (Listen)

This is just bad. Very bad. If you want a cool version of this song, not counting the untouchable original, seek out Aimee Mann’s funky version that will surely make you smile, unlike this pointless version that will only make you cringe.

Joe Nichols, “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” (Listen) , “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” (Listen)

Much like Faith Hill’s Christmas album, Joe Nichol’s album is nice, but does not particularly stand out. As you’ll find with these songs, his voice is wonderful as always, but there’s still a barely perceptible something to be desired. .

Joey + Rory, “It’s Christmas Time” (Listen)

I love this husband-wife duo, as I’m sure is no secret to Country Universe readers at this juncture. This gorgeous Rory Feke original only cements my adoration. It is a sweet slice of life snapshot of Christmastime. I could say more, but what’s the point? Joey + Rory + Christmas = Beautiful Authenticity.

Marty Raybon, “Good Old Fashioned Christmas” (Listen), “One Night in Bethlehem” (Listen)

Marty Raybon is best known for being the lead singer for Shenandoah, one of the best and most popular pop country groups of the nineties. He has since left the group to pursue a quiet solo career that has garnered a couple albums that are more rootsy in nature. “Old Fashioned Christmas” is in line with Raybon’s solo career, inasmuch as it is an up-tempo honky tonk romper. Conversely, the pretty “One Night in Bethlehem” is similar to Raybon’s work with Shenandoah, which employs aggressive piano and other more contemporary elements. Both tracks, which can be found on a digital EP, are solid songs with the latter song being more substantive and, over all, superior.

Sugarland, “Silent Night” (Listen)

Interestingly and happily, many of the songs on Sugarland’s new Christmas album are the most country that we’ve ever heard from them. One of the standout tracks on this very good album is “Silent Night.” Jennifer Nettles’ vocal is flawless and the acoustic instrumentation is truly heavenly. As a nice surprise, Nettle’s beautifully sings the second verse in Spanish, in which she holds a college degree. This is, no doubt, the best Christmas single of 2009.

2010

• Luke Bryan
• Easton Corbin
• Jerrod Neimann
• Chris Young
• Zac Brown Band

Usually there isn’t this much turnover in this race unless most of last year’s nominees are ineligible.  This year, only one of the four eligible nominees from last year – Zac Brown Band – earns a nomination.  With their massive success and their multiple nominations, they’ve got an excellent shot at winning. Then again, Easton Corbin is elsewhere on the ballot, too. It could be a horse race.
2009

• Randy Houser
• Jamey Johnson
• Jake Owen
• Darius Rucker
  
• Zac Brown Band

Thirteen years after winning the Best New Artist Grammy as part of Hootie & The Blowfish, Darius Rucker won the country music equivalent, adding an exclamation point to the most successful pop-to-country crossover in a generation.

2008

• Jason Aldean
• Rodney Atkins
  
• Lady Antebellum
• James Otto
  
• Kellie Pickler

The industry favorites Lady Antebellum became the fourth band in history to win this award, following Rascal Flatts, Dixie Chicks and Sawyer Brown.

2007

• Jason Aldean
• Rodney Atkins
  
• Little Big Town
• Kellie Pickler
• Taylor Swift

In the year since winning the Horizon Award, Swift has solidified her position as the genre’s most successful rising star.  While her debut album hasn’t reached the sales heights of the first discs by previous winners Carire Underwood and Gretchen Wilson, Swift is still one of the genre’s only significant sellers.

2006

• Miranda Lambert
• Little Big Town
• Sugarland
• Josh Turner
• Carrie Underwood

I had a sneaking suspicion that Josh Turner was going to take this home, but as I’ve said before, Carrie’s got the best pipes since Trisha Yearwood. That she’ was acknowledged for that at such an early stage of her career is pretty amazing. Somehow I think the thrill of winning Horizon was short-lived, as winning Female Vocalist the same night left that memory in the dust.

2005

• Dierks Bentley
• Big & Rich
• Miranda Lambert
• Julie Roberts
• Sugarland

Four of these five were nominees again the following year, and all in categories besides just Horizon, though Lambert got another shot at that as well. I think Big & Rich and Sugarland are making the most interesting music, and they’re moving more units than Bentley, though he’s no slouch himself. The CMA showed good judgment this year.

2004

• Dierks Bentley
• Big & Rich
• Julie Roberts
• Josh Turner
• Gretchen Wilson

Wilson fever was rampant, and she won this in a walk. Her career has cooled tremendously since then, but the future seemed white hot in 2004.  In retrospect, it is Josh Turner who has been the most dependably successful artist from this strong batch of artists.

2003

• Gary Allan
• Buddy Jewell
• Joe Nichols
• Blake Shelton
• Darryl Worley

Few things in CMA history annoy me more than the lack of recognition for Gary Allan. They finally nominated him for something in 2003, after he’d already been around for years, and passed him over for the mega-hyped Joe Nichols, who has hardly lived up to expectations.

2002

• Caroyln Dawn Johnson
• Nickel Creek
• Rascal Flatts
• Phil Vassar
• Darryl Worley

The hair-gel boys won over a brilliant progressive bluegrass band and three talented singer-songwriters. There’s no denying they’ve had the most success by far ever since, but it’s hard not to grimace at it.

2001

• Jessica Andrews
• Nickel Creek
• Jamie O’Neal
• Keith Urban
• Phil Vassar

Urban’s first album hardly impressed me, but the CMA made a good call, since he’s gone on to become one of the genre’s strongest talents, artistically and commercially.

2000

• Sara Evans
• Montgomery Gentry
• Brad Paisley
• SHeDaisy
• Chely Wright

I don’t care how many awards he wins, Brad Paisley will always be “Bob Saget in a Cowboy Hat” to me. All joking aside, he’s certainly lived up to the expectations this award represented.  He’s dominated at radio for the entire decade.

1999

• Kenny Chesney
• Sara Evans
• Jo Dee Messina
• The Wilkinsons
• Chely Wright

Messina was on fire back in the late nineties, so she was expected to win. I think that Evans has made more interesting music since then, and Chesney has, of course, become a superstar. Amazingly enough, he’d already been around for five years when he was finally nominated.

1998

• Trace Adkins
• Dixie Chicks
• Jo Dee Messina
• Michael Peterson
• Lee Ann Womack

Well, obviously. The entire catalogs of the other four artists combined haven’t sold as much as Wide Open Spaces. It’s interesting that no new act since the Chicks have been able to sell 8 million or more of an album. I had to chuckle reading this list, since it reminded me of the “Michael Peterson is the next Garth Brooks!” hype that Warner Bros. pushed so hard back then.

1997

• Trace Adkins
• Deana Carter
• Terri Clark
• LeAnn Rimes
• Lee Ann Womack

All but Carter have continued to have great success. I think I was rooting for Terri Clark that year.   Lee Ann Womack has since demonstrated herself to be the biggest artistic force of the bunch.

1996

• Terri Clark
• Wade Hayes
• LeAnn Rimes
• Shania Twain
• Bryan White

The three ladies are still around, and I must say I miss Wade Hayes and Bryan White. I think they had too much early success at too young of an age. White wrote the killer “Sometimes I Feel Like Elvis” on the last Wynonna album, so his pen is still potent at least.

1995

• David Ball
• John Berry
• Faith Hill
• Alison Krauss
• Shania Twain

You can tell we’re in the mid-nineties by all the fantastic, distinctive female vocalists that are popping up in this category; look how fast the men they were nominated with disappeared.

1994

• Faith Hill
• Martina McBride
• Tim McGraw
• John Michael Montgomery
• Lee Roy Parnell

Those of us who can’t fathom how Rascal Flatts can be selling millions of records can take comfort in the tale of John Michael Montgomery. Pretty boys don’t stay on top forever, even if they beat out four great artists while they reign.

1993

• Mark Chesnutt
• Sammy Kershaw
• Tracy Lawrence
• John Michael Montgomery
• Trisha Yearwood

Mark Chesnutt has made some damn good albums, especially since leaving the major labels. What a great talent.

1992

• Suzy Bogguss
• Brooks & Dunn
• Billy Dean
• Pam Tillis
• Trisha Yearwood

One of the most shocking wins in CMA history, as Trisha Yearwood was heavily favored to win. But “Someday Soon”, “Outbound Plane” and “Aces” were the singles that earned Bogguss the award, and they were pretty darn great. She’s still making great music today. How impressive that not one of these five nominees has been lost as a presence in country music, even if most of them are doing it the indie way.

1991

• Mary Chapin Carpenter
• Mark Chesnutt
• Doug Stone
• Pam Tillis
• Travis Tritt

I love me some Pam Tillis, but Tritt won this one easily. He seemed poised for superstardom back then. Heck, so did the rest of them. The amazing thing is, a good half-dozen others could’ve been nominated the same year and that statement would still be true. It was such a golden age for young talent.

1990

• Garth Brooks
• Alan Jackson
• Kentucky Headhunters
• Lorrie Morgan
• Travis Tritt

Hard to believe that Brooks and Jackson were once just a part of a big crop of new young stars. Both would go on to become a couple of the biggest CMA winners of all-time.

1989

• Clint Black
• Desert Rose Band
• Patty Loveless
• Shenandoah
• Keith Whitley

Whitley was already dead when he was nominated for this award, which is a bit strange. Clint Black was riding a brilliant debut album and won easily, though I’d say that Loveless has ultimately proven to be the better talent.

1988

• Highway 101
• Patty Loveless
• K.T. Oslin
• Ricky Van Shelton
• Sweethearts of the Rodeo

I was about to call Ricky Van Shelton the John Michael Montgomery of the late eighties, but that’s really unfair. Shelton is a remarkably gifted singer. This is a wonderful list, with all five acts worthy of the award.

1987

• T. Graham Brown
• Holly Dunn
• The O’Kanes
• Restless Heart
• Sweethearts of the Rodeo

Dunn’s “Daddy Hands” made her the sentimental favorite, I suppose. Her voice has always annoyed me a bit. She would be washed away in the early nineties wave of female talent, but still managed to score some impressive hits before then.

1986

• The Forester Sisters
• Kathy Mattea
• Dan Seals
• Randy Travis
• Dwight Yoakam

Mattea, Travis and Yoakam are still making great music, twenty years later. It irks me that Yoakam hasn’t won any CMA awards, but then again, neither did Buck Owens, his musical hero.

1985

• Ray Charles
• Mel McDaniel
• Eddy Raven
• Sawyer Brown
• John Schneider

Well, this lineup hasn’t aged well, has it? Put aside Charles, a legend who’d made classic country albums two decades earlier, and you have the last, dying remains of the Urban Cowboy era. The CMA gave it to Sawyer Brown, who was making terrible music in the wake of their Star Search victory, but time has been kind to that decision – they ended up one of the best country bands of the nineties, writing deep and meaningful songs that validated their early recognition.

1984

• Deborah Allen
• Earl Thomas Conley
• Vern Gosdin
• The Judds
• Michael Martin Murphey

“Slap the dog and spit in the fire!” That’s what Naomi Judd said through tears as she and her prodigal daughter, Wynonna, accepted the Horizon Award in homemade dresses. The spectacle begins.

1983

• John Anderson
• Vern Gosdin
• Reba McEntire
• George Strait
• The Whites

Four of the best vocalists in the genre’s history, and they’re all nominated in the same year. Anderson was a good choice, and understandable, since McEntire hadn’t started singing in her pure country twang that would win her four vocalist awards, and Strait’s talents are subtle. The Whites were pretty darn good, too. One of the best lineups this category has ever seen.

1982

• John Anderson
• Rosanne Cash
• David Frizzell
• Lee Greenwood
• Ricky Skaggs

I would’ve gone with Anderson or Cash, but Skaggs certainly has shown endurance over the years.  He won Male Vocalist the very same night, making him the first artist in history to win both the Horizon Award and their vocalist race.   In the years since, this has only been done by Alison Krauss, Dixie Chicks and Carrie Underwood.

1981

• Rosanne Cash
• David Frizzell
• Terri Gibbs
• T.G. Sheppard
• Shelly West
• Boxcar Willie

A rather weak start for the category, don’t you think? How Rosanne Cash lost against this group, especially to the one-hit wonder Terri Gibbs, is a mystery to me.

#11

Alison Krauss

The history of country music has long included women who have sought the crossover audience, tailoring their music so it will be more palatable to pop and adult contemporary radio formats. Alison Krauss is the only woman in history to successfully pull off the reverse: keeping her music as pure as she chooses and having the crossover audience come to her.

Krauss was a child prodigy who began playing fiddle at the age of five. Though she initially played classic violin music, she switched to bluegrass shortly thereafter, and by the age of eight she was competing in local talent contests. When she was just thirteen years old, she won the Walnut Valley Festival Fiddle Championship, and she was named Most Promising Fiddler in the Midwest by the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass in America. It was at these festivals that she met all of the future members of Union Station, a band that she joined at the invitation of John Pennell, a bassist she had often performed with since she was 12.

In addition to performing with Union Station, Krauss began to document her talents on record, contributing to the 1985 independent album Different Strokes. Krauss signed with Rounder Records in 1987, and she was sixteen when they released her debut solo album, Too Late to Cry. Union Station backed her on the record, but weren’t credited as lead artists. This changed in 1989, when her second album Two Highways was released under the name Alison Krauss & Union Station, beginning a long history of her recording with the band that continues to this day.

Her contract with Rounder at the time required her to alternate between solo releases and albums with the band, so 1990 brought the solo set I’ve Got That Old Feeling. The album received her best reviews to date by a wide margin, and it earned her the first Grammy of her career, for Best Bluegrass Recording. By this time, Krauss had become a major star in the bluegrass field, and her label saw potential for a wider market, given that her sales were much higher than typical for the genre. They promoted “Steel Rails” to country radio, and it briefly dented the singles chart. Also, a video clip for the title cut was played heavily on Country Music Television.

Her strong run in bluegrass circles was evident by her domination at the International Bluegrass Music Association Awards, where Krauss received several Female Vocalist trophies in the early nineties. She also continued to win Grammy awards, as she was honored for her next Union Station release Every Time You Say Goodbye and her 1994 collaboration with The Cox Family, I Know Who Holds Tomorrow. Krauss’ credibility with the country audience also began to rise, as she was invited to sing with Dolly Parton on record and on stage, to collaborate on a track with Shenandoah, and to contribute to a Keith Whitley tribute album.

This set the stage for her big commercial breakthrough. The Shenandoah track became a top ten country hit, and her cover of Whitley’s “When You Say Nothing at All” went top five. Krauss included both tracks on Now That I’ve Found You: A Collection, which was a greatest hits album of sorts. The album was a shocking success, selling over two million copies. Krauss won Grammys for both the Shenandoah hit and her cover of the Foundations classic “Baby, Now That I’ve Found You”, and she swept the CMA awards in the Fall of 1995, winning four awards: Female Vocalist, Horizon, Single and Vocal Event.

Krauss and Union Station backed Vince Gill on “High Lonesome Sound” the following year, and that won them another Grammy. She was nominated the same night in the Best Female Country Vocal Performance race for “Baby Mine,” her tender contribution to The Best of Country Sing the Best of Disney. Amazingly, Krauss had not adjusted her sound at all, but the mainstream success came anyway.

Critics who wondered if she would pander to her new audience by embracing a crossover sound were silenced when her next album, So Long So Wrong, was devoid of any such compromises. It became a gold record and won her and Union Station another pair of Grammys. In another sign of her credibility in unexpected places, Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon chose to use the track “It Doesn’t Matter” in the opening episode of his hit show’s second season, and it was later included in the show’s first soundtrack, alongside a crop of alternative rock songs also used on the show.

Krauss released the solo studio album Forget About It in 1999, and it continued her successful ways, selling gold and winning her another Grammy. The videos for the title track and “Maybe” received heavy rotation on CMT, and the opening track “Stay” became her first adult contemporary hit. She won several major awards, including the Grammy and CMA awards for Album of the Year, for her contributions to the massively successful O Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack, which brought renewed attention to her catalog and stimulated sales of her older work.

Krauss and Union Station entered the most prolific and successful period of their long career together in the wake of the soundtrack’s success, as their next three albums – two studio releases (New Favorite, Lonely Runs Both Ways) and the two-disc Live won seven Grammys and became top-sellers. By this point, Krauss was already the best-selling bluegrass artist in history by a wide margin, and she was in wide demand as a collaborator. She harmonized with Kenny Rogers on his #1 comeback hit “Buy Me a Rose,” teamed up with James Taylor on the Grammy-winning “How’s the World Treating You,” and won multiple ACM and CMA awards for her duet with Brad Paisley, “Whiskey Lullaby.” Krauss was also invited to sing on the Academy Awards, where she sang multiple songs from the Cold Mountain soundtrack.

She had accumulated so many guest appearances by 2007 that she was able to release a second compilation, A Hundred Miles or More, which combined her non-album material with several new songs, which became her seventh gold album. While some were surprised to see her recording a revival of the classic eighties pop hit “Missing You” with John Waite, she fully demonstrated the breadth of her appeal when she collaborated with Led Zeppelin legend Robert Plant. Their 2007 album Raising Sand was a surprise hit, selling more than a million copies without any support from radio, which led to a popular co-headlining tour this year.

The lead single from the set, “Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)” won the Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals Grammy earlier this year. It was Krauss’ twenty-first Grammy win, five more than any other woman in history, three more than any other country act and seventh among all-time winners overall. The wins are a testament to Krauss’ enduring credibility as an artist, one of those rare musicians who has achieved massive success on her own terms, with nary an adjustment for the expectations of others. Her ability to reach a wide audience without relying on radio hits is virtually unprecedented, and is an encouraging sign that great artistry can indeed triumph over crass commercialism, even if those instances are few and far between.

Alison Krauss

Essential Singles

• “When You Say Nothing at All,” 1995
• “Baby Now That I’ve Found You,” 1995
• “Forget About It,” 1999
• “The Lucky One,” 2001
• “I’ll Fly Away,” 2001
• “Whiskey Lullaby,” 2004
• “Restless,” 2004
• “Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On),” 2007

Essential Albums

• I’ve Got That Old Feeling, 1990
• Every Time You Say Goodbye, 1992
• So Long So Wrong, 1997
• Forget About It, 1999
• Live, 2002
• Lonely Runs Both Ways, 2004
• Raising Sand, 2007

Industry Awards

• ACM Video (“Whiskey Lullaby”), 2005
• ACM Vocal Event (“Whiskey Lullaby”), 2005
• CMA Female Vocalist, 1995
• CMA Horizon Award, 1995
• CMA Single (“When You Say Nothing at All”), 1995
• CMA Album (O Brother Where Art Thou), 2001
• CMA Musical Event (“Whiskey Lullaby”), 2004
• CMA Video (“Whiskey Lullaby”), 2004
• Grammy: Best Bluegrass Recording (I’ve Got That Old Feeling), 1991
• Grammy: Best Bluegrass Album (Every Time You Say Goodbye), 1993
• Grammy: Best Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album (I Know Who Holds Tomorrow), 1995
• Grammy: Best Female Country Vocal Performance (“Baby Now That I’ve Found You”), 1996
• Grammy: Best Country Collaboration with Vocals (“Somewhere in the Vicinity of the Heart”), 1996
• Grammy: Best Country Collaboration with Vocals (“High Lonesome Sound”), 1997
• Grammy: Best Bluegrass Album (So Long So Wrong), 1998
• Grammy: Best Country Instrumental Performance (“Little Liza Jane”), 1998
• Grammy: Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals (“Looking in the Eyes of Love”), 1998
• Grammy: Best Country Collaboration with Vocals (“Same Old Train”), 1999
• Grammy: Album of the Year (O Brother Where Art Thou), 2002
• Grammy: Best Bluegrass Album (New Favorite), 2002
• Grammy: Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals (“The Lucky One”), 2002
• Grammy: Best Contemporary Folk Album (This Side), 2003
• Grammy: Best Bluegrass Album (Live), 2004
• Grammy: Best Country Instrumental Performance (“Cluck Old Hen”), 2004
• Grammy: Best Country Collaboration with Vocals (“How’s the World Treating You”), 2005
• Grammy: Best Country Album (Lonely Runs Both Ways), 2006
• Grammy: Best Country Instrumental Performance (“Unionhouse Branch”), 2006
• Grammy: Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals (“Restless”), 2006
• Grammy: Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals (“Gone Gone Gone [Done Moved On]“), 2008

==> #10. Wynonna (The Judds)

<== #12. Dixie Chicks

100 Greatest Women: The Complete List