4 Country Harmonies That Give Me Instant Goosebumps Every Time

Any musical genre can feature vocal harmonies, but there’s something about the acoustic instrumentation and straightforward musical arrangements of country music that makes harmonies shine in an exceptional way. In fact, selecting a truly comprehensive list of incredible country harmonies would be nearly impossible. So, I’ll stick with my favorites—namely, four country tracks from the last seven decades that have harmonies that never fail to send goosebumps up and down my arms.

“Those Memories Of You” by Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, and Linda Ronstadt

When you put three artists like Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, and Linda Ronstadt in the same room, magic is going to happen. And indeed it did when the trio came together for two collaborative albums in the tail end of the 20th century. While there are plenty of incredible country harmonies on these records, one of the most captivating songs they put out was their rendition of Alan O’Bryant’s “Those Memories Of You”.

“Seven Bridges Road” by The Eagles

Although not strictly a country music band, I think most country lovers will be willing to make an exception for the airtight harmonies of The Eagles’ “Seven Bridges Road”. Even if you’re not from the South, it makes you wish that you were. At the very least, it makes you wish you were staring up at those same stars the band sings about in effortless five-part harmony.

“Cool Water” by Marty Robbins

Singing backup harmonies for a vocalist like Marty Robbins is no small feat, but The Glaser Brothers proved themselves worthy of the challenge on the country classic “Cool Water”. The Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs cut is a quintessential desert tune. Despite the narrator hallucinating a mirage as his wits fail him in the heat, the vocal harmonies keep this song a pleasant and buoyant listen time and time again.

“The Way The Whole Thing Ends” by Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings

Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings could harmonize to the phonebook, and I would likely get goosebumps. They’re just that good. Welch’s world-weary alto and Rawlings’ high-and-lonesome tenor interplay with one another across their entire catalog. But a personal favorite is “The Way The Whole Thing Ends” from The Harrow And The Harvest. Though a bit left of center to typical country music, those harmonies are undeniably captivating.

Photo by Margaret Norton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank

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