3 Country Vocalists Who Proved the 1960s Were Unmatched

The 1960s were a golden age of country music. The genre really took off commercially in this era, propelled by the “Nashville Sound.” Moreover, the three country vocalists below helped to push country music into the mainstream. Without these legends, country might never have taken off the way it did in the 1960s. They were unmatched in terms of talent.

Patsy Cline

Patsy Cline bridged country and pop in the 1960s. Her emotionally rich vocals transformed the music world back then, delivering timeless hits like “Crazy” and “I Fall To Pieces.” Cline didn’t get to see much of the 1960s before her tragic death, but she left an indelible mark in the time she did have.

Even today, no one has really been able to match the simple beauty of Cline’s vocals. The emotion she infused was a marvel. Countless artists have covered Cline over the years, but there is always just a little something missing; something failing to measure up to the stunning, innate quality of Cline’s vocals.

George Jones

George Jones was one of the most famous faces of country music in the 1960s. He became a king of the genre during that era, with hits like “The Race Is On”, “She Thinks I Still Care”, and “Walk Through This World With Me”. Though Jones would go on to have more (and perhaps even bigger) success in later decades, the 1960s really established his grip on the genre.

“Now the race is on / And here comes pride in the backstretch / Heartaches goin’ to the inside / My tears are holdin’ back / They’re tryin’ not to fall / My heart’s out of the runnin’ / True love’s scratched for another’s sake / The race is on and it looks like heartaches / And the winner loses all,” this iconic 1960s country song reads. Jones’ vocals helped turn this song (and many others) into indelible country songs that have endured for generations.

Buck Owens

Buck Owens kept things as country as country can be. He was a pioneer of the “Bakersfield Sound”, rejecting the smooth polish of the “Nashville Sound”. In the 1960s, fans fell in love with Owens and his ability to avoid trends.

Owens racked up quite a few top hits in the 1960s, including “Act Naturally”, “My Heart Skips A Beat”, and “Love’s Gonna Live Here”. Without Owens, country would’ve missed a defining voice that diversified the genre back in the 1960s.

Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

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