The Best Country Singers From California
Here are the best country singers and country bands from California. California has made some major contributions to pop culture over the last century. While it may not be in the south, it has still produced some stellar country musicians. They come from all over the state from parts further north than Sacramento to the central valley where Bakersfield resides. The Bakersfield Sound emerged in the 1950s and 60s as a new type of country music. This variation drew influences from rock and roll, and it was pioneered by such legends as Buck Owens and Merle Haggard. Many other popular country singers from California followed in their footsteps, and there are some artists who forged their own paths to superstardom.Â
Some of the most famous country artists have come out of the Golden State for decades. Although there does appear to be an emergence of young artists who have made names for themselves in recent years. Popular country singers like Cam, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi have shown country still has a place among all the glitz and glamor of Hollywood. California is just as responsible for the acclaim of country music as any state from the south. If you want to see proof of that, then check out our list of California country singers. You can then vote for your favorite singers and bands.Â
- Merle Ronald Haggard (April 6, 1937 – April 6, 2016) was an American country singer, songwriter, guitarist, and fiddler. Haggard was born in Oildale, California, during the Great Depression. His ...more
- Glen Travis Campbell (April 22, 1936 – August 8, 2017) was an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, television host, and actor. He was best known for a series of hit songs in the 1960s and 1970s, ...more
- Dwight David Yoakam (born October 23, 1956) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and actor, known for his pioneering style of country music. First becoming popular in the mid-1980s, Yoakam has ...more
- Alvis Edgar Owens Jr. (August 12, 1929 – March 25, 2006), professionally known as Buck Owens, was an American musician, singer, songwriter and band leader who had 21 No. 1 hits on the Billboard ...more
- Orvon Grover "Gene" Autry (September 29, 1907 – October 2, 1998), nicknamed The Singing Cowboy, was an American singer, songwriter, actor, musician and rodeo performer who gained fame largely by ...more
- The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is an American country rock band. The group has existed in various forms since its founding in Long Beach, California, in 1966. The band’s membership has had at least a ...more
- Lynn Rene Anderson (September 26, 1947 – July 30, 2015) was an American country music singer known for a string of hits from the late 1960s to the 1980s, most notably her worldwide hit "Rose Garden" ...more
- Jonathan Ryan Pardi (born May 20, 1985) is an American country music singer, songwriter, and record producer, signed to Capitol Nashville. He has released two studio albums, one extended play, and ...more
- Gary Allan Herzberg (born December 5, 1967) is an American country music artist. Signed to Decca Records in 1996, Allan made his country music debut with the release of his single "Her Man", the ...more
- Melvin Lee Greenwood (born October 27, 1942) is an American country music artist. Active since 1962, he has released more than 20 major-label albums and has charted more than 35 singles on the ...more
- Brett Charles Young (born March 23, 1981) is an American country pop singer and songwriter from Orange County, California. He was a college baseball pitcher but took up songwriting after an elbow ...more
- Linda Maria Ronstadt (born July 15, 1946) is a retired American popular music singer known for singing in a wide range of genres including rock, country, light opera, and Latin. She has earned 10Â ...more
- Noel Lee Haggard (born September 4, 1963) is an American country music artist. Haggard is the son of country music legend Merle Haggard. He was signed to a recording deal with Atlantic Records and ...more
- Bonnie Lynn Raitt (born November 8, 1949) is an American blues singer, guitarist, songwriter, and activist. During the 1970s, Raitt released a series of roots-influenced albums that incorporated ...more
- Clara Ann Fowler (November 8, 1927 – January 1, 2013), known by her stage name Patti Page, was an American singer of pop and country music and occasional actress. She was the top-charting female ...more
- Donald Eugene Ulrich (August 15, 1941 – July 17, 1974), best known by the stage name Don Rich, was a country musician who helped develop the Bakersfield sound in the early 1960s. He was a noted  ...more
- Calvin Grant Shofner (April 7, 1932 – October 10, 2013), known professionally as Cal Smith, was an American country musician, most famous for his 1974 hit "Country Bumpkin".
- Bobby Darin (born Walden Robert Cassotto; May 14, 1936 – December 20, 1973) was an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and actor in film and television. He performed jazz, pop, rock ...more
- Clyde Jackson Browne (born October 9, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and musician who has sold over 18 million albums in the United States. Coming to prominence in the 1970s, Browne has ...more
- Tyler Rich (born February 24, 1986) is an American country music singer. He was born in Yuba City, California and began listening to country music at age eight when his cousin played music for him. ...more
- Cam (born Camaron Marvel Ochs; November 19, 1984) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Her music incorporates elements taken from contemporary pop music. She began her career as a ...more
- Michael Martin Murphey (born March 14, 1945) is an American singer-songwriter best known for writing and performing Western music, country music and popular music. A multiple Grammy nominee, Murphey ...more
- James Edward Burton (born August 21, 1939, in Dubberly, Louisiana) is an American guitarist. A member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame since 2001 (his induction speech was given by longtime fan ...more
- Jennette McCurdy (born June 26, 1992) is an American actress, YouTuber, singer, director, and writer. She is known for playing Sam Puckett on the Nickelodeon sitcom iCarly and its spin-off series Sam ...more