Music
The Best Country Singers From Kentucky
List Rules
Only country singers born or raised in Kentucky.
Here are the best country artists and country bands from Kentucky. Kentucky has served as the birthplace of many fantastic country artists. The sound of twanging guitars has permeated the state for decades. In particular, Renfro Valley, which is home to the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame as well as the Renfro Valley Entertainment Center, has been dubbed Kentucky's Country Music Capital. It is a destination where many influential artists got their start. Some of your favorite acts may be country singers from Kentucky, and this list gives you a chance to learn more about the singers and bands who changed your life.Â
Chris Stapleton was born in Lexington. He's a singer in his own right, but he has also written over 170 songs for various other artists. He's a legend in his own right, and he represents everything Kentucky residents are capable of. Sturgill Simpson is another popular artist from the state. He brought back the stylings of outlaw country in a big way in recent years, and he's won various accolades, including a Grammy.Â
Some of the the most famous country artists in the music industry are on this list. You can vote for your favorite Kentucky country singers and bands to let other readers know who they should be listening to.Â
list ordered by
- Loretta Lynn (née Webb; born April 14, 1932) is an American country music singer-songwriter with multiple gold albums in a career spanning almost 60 years. She is famous for hits such as "You Ain't ...more
- Tyler Childers (born June 21, 1991) is an American country music singer and songwriter. He released his breakout album titled Purgatory in August 2017. The album was produced by Sturgill Simpson and ...more
- Patricia Lee Ramey (born January 4, 1957), known professionally as Patty Loveless, is an American country music singer. Since her emergence on the country music scene in late 1986 with her first ...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
- Jackie Keith Whitley (July 1, 1954 – May 9, 1989) was an American country music singer. During his career, Whitley only recorded two albums but charted 12 singles on the Billboard country charts, ...more
- Christopher Alvin Stapleton (born April 15, 1978) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. He was born in Lexington, Kentucky, and grew up in Staffordsville, Kentucky, until ...more
- The Judds were an American country music duo composed of Naomi Judd (born 1946) and her daughter, Wynonna Judd (born 1964). The duo signed to RCA Records in 1983 and released six studio albums ...more
- John Sturgill Simpson (born June 8, 1978) is an American country music singer-songwriter. As of August 2017, he has released three albums as a solo artist. He released two albums independently, High ...more
- Montgomery Gentry is an American country music duo composed of vocalists Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry, both natives of Kentucky. The two began performing in the 1990s as part of two different ...more
- Rickie Lee Skaggs (born July 18, 1954), known professionally as Ricky Skaggs, is an American country and bluegrass singer, musician, producer, and composer. He primarily plays mandolin; however, he ...more
- John Michael Montgomery (born January 20, 1965) is an American country music singer. Montgomery began singing with his brother Eddie, who would later become known as one half of the duo Montgomery ...more
- Thomas T. Hall (born May 25, 1936) is an American country music songwriter, singer, instrumentalist, novelist, and short-story writer. He has written 12 No. 1 hit songs, with 26 more that reached the ...more
- The Osborne Brothers, Sonny Osborne (born October 29, 1937) and Bobby Osborne (born December 7, 1931), were an influential and popular bluegrass act during the 1960s and 1970s. They are probably best ...more
- Wynonna Ellen Judd (; born Christina Claire Ciminella; May 30, 1964) is a multi award-winning American country music and Adult contemporary pop singer. Her solo albums and singles are all credited to ...more
- Crystal Gayle (born Brenda Gail Webb; January 9, 1951) is an American country music artist. Gayle began her career in the 1960s performing in the background of her sibling's bands, most notably ...more
- The Kentucky Headhunters are an American country rock and Southern rock band. They were founded in 1968 as Itchy Brother, which consisted of brothers Richard Young (rhythm guitar, vocals) and Fred ...more
- The Everly Brothers were an American country-influenced rock and roll duo, known for steel-string acoustic guitar playing and close harmony singing. Consisting of Isaac Donald "Don" Everly (born ...more
- Skeeter Davis (born Mary Frances Penick; December 30, 1931 – September 19, 2004) was an American country music singer who sang crossover pop music songs including 1962's "The End of the World". She ...more
- David Akeman (June 17, 1915 – November 10, 1973) better known as Stringbean (or String Bean), was an American singer-songwriter, musician, comedian, actor and semi-professional baseball player best ...more
- Louis Marshall Jones (October 20, 1913 – February 19, 1998), known professionally as Grandpa Jones, was an American banjo player and "old time" country and gospel music singer. He is a member of the ...more
- Chris Knight (born June 24, 1960) is an American singer-songwriter from Slaughters, Kentucky. In addition to releasing solo records of his own material, Knight has had a successful career writing ...more
- Naomi Judd (born Diana Ellen Judd; January 11, 1946 – April 30, 2022) was an American singer-songwriter and actress. In 1983, she and her daughter Wynonna formed the duo known as The Judds, which ...more
- Troy Gentry is a member of the musical group, Montgomery Gentry.
- Rebecca Lynn Howard (born April 24, 1979) is an American country music artist. She has charted seven singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, and has released three studio albums. Her ...more
- Carly Cristyne Pearce (born April 24, 1990) is an American country music singer based in Nashville. Her debut single, "Every Little Thing," peaked at number one on the US Country Airplay chart. In ...more
