Doc Watson and Emmylou Harris.
There’s not much country music that I like. I do like Dolly Parton, though, in any genre, and I like at least some of Johnny Cash’s work. If they can get through to ME, they’re pretty good.
Merle Haggard and Loretta Lynn.
Vince Gill and Alison Krauss.
ETA: As far as voices go. I’ve got a lot of people I like though.
And each is a better instrumentalist than they are a singer - Gill is one of the top guitarists around, and plays mandolin and I am sure other stuff and Krauss is a formidable fiddler…
Probably Merle Haggard overall, but Buck Owens is a favourite out of guys who are maybe less well known. Charlie Pride has an awesome voice, as well, although that sort of pop country is not generally my cup of tea.
Iris Dement is my favourite female vocalist - couple of great albums in the 90s but she’s seems to have packed it in, unfortunately.
No nominations for Vern Gosdin? His nickname is actually “The Voice”.
Females? I’ll go with Emmylou Harris or Allison Kraus.
Marty Robbins and Dolly
Gary Allen and Martina McBride, I think.
Willie Nelson and Chely Wright are a close second, for me.
I may get slayed for this, 'cause they aren’t straight country, but I gotta go with Lyle Lovette and k.d. lang.
k.d. is beyond amazing.
Lyle has a distinctive voice and knows how to use it well.
Slee
Exactly what I was going to say! I don’t think that the guy who wrote “Pancho And Lefty” can be called not country enough…
Patsy Cline and Dwight Yoakum
Raul Malo(lead singer for the Mavericks) and Alison Krauss.
Female: Crystal Gayle
Male: Mark Wills
I also love Juice Newton and Rosanne Cash (I think she’s even better than her father)
I always been a fan of the country/pop that was popular in the 80s.
Set 'em up, Joe…
Can’t argue with Emmylou. But it’s so hard to pick just one voice…
George Jones, Loretta Lynn
- Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline
- Hank Sr. and Loretta Lynn
Males, I always go with Geo. Jones, Ray Char;es, Willie Nelson, Hank Snow, Tommy Duncan,
females, Tammy Wynette, Loretta Lynne, Patsy Cline.
Seems pretty close to some other choices – I’ll stick with Hank WIlliams, JR., and Vince Gill as well (I think Steven Nathan might have played piano on the latters big monster hit from a few years ago," “Tears Streaming Down My Backporch” [??] [“Is It raining where you are” maybe?]), from whatr I recall. I remember Vince Gill having been a great guitar picker as well a good piano picker, too, but I’ll wait any correction in case I’m wrong.
For those who didn’t yet know, Steve Nathan is one of the most prolifific and in-demand studio sesssion (a la Nashville) keyboard pickers around for a long time, all the way back to the famous classics), and I’m glad to hear I wasn’t completely wrong about that big hit of Gosdin I heard maybe six or seven years ago.
Males, I’d add in Randy Travis, Al Jackson, some of the great great bluespickers like Earl Scruggs for vocals, while not forgetting Jerry Lee Lewis – who went down all over some classic things all over his entire career. Got to toss in Bob Wills as well, if you want to call his “calling” singing proper-like, but I don’t know anyone personally who could ever get tired of the peerless musicianship of a number of his bands, whether or not Tommy Duncan was singing officiallu ot noy.
I Am surprised that I’m the first to mention Toby Keith.