Popular 1970s Female Country Singers

Top '70s Female Country Singers

This article is a nostalgic look back at some of the most popular female country artists of the 1970s.

The '70s music airways and singles charts seemed dominated by male performers like Charley Pride, Conway Twitty, and Mel Tillis, to name just a few. But a handful of lovely and talented ladies like Lynn Anderson, Loretta Lynn and Tanya Tucker gave their male counterparts a run for their money when it came to putting songs on the charts. They proved they could sing that "tear in the beer" sound as good as any man could!

This article offers up mini bios of these 13 artists plus photos, trivia and more. So, let's get started on our walk down a musical memory lane, shall we?

In This Article

• Lynn Anderson
• Jessi Colter
• Donna Fargo
• Crystal Gayle
• Loretta Lynn
• Barbara Mandrell
• Anne Murray
• Olivia Newton-John
• Dolly Parton
• Sammi Smith
• Tanya Tucker
• Dottie West
• Tammy Wynette

Lynn Anderson: More Than a One Hit Wonder

Lynn was the daughter of country music songwriter Liz Anderson. When Lynn was a small child, the family moved from North Dakota to California. When Lynn was just a teen, she entered a talent contest that was sponsored by a local TV show called Country Corners, which paved the way for her to get a job on The Lawrence Welk Show in 1967.

It was around this time that she signed her first recording contract with Chart Records and released a single, "Too Much of You," as well as her first album, Ride, Ride, Ride.

In 1968, she married, and she and her husband, Glen Sutton, moved to Nashville where Lynn continued to record for Chart. She actually produced some successful albums with titles like Promises, Promises; Uptown County Girl; Songs My Mother Wrote; and more.

In 1970 she signed with Columbia Records, and during that year she recorded and released two albums, Stay There Til I Love You and No Love at All. While both albums were successful, it wasn't until later in the year that she released the Joe South-penned "Rose Garden." Her career really took off and she became an international star. The album of the same name, produced by her husband Glen, was a smash hit.

She filled the decade of the '70s with more hit songs with her second chart-topper, "You're My Man." She also had other hits like "How Can I Unlove You," "Keep Me in Mind," "What a Man My Man Is," and more. All told, Lynn would put 5 songs at the top of the country charts in the 1970s, with seven others reaching the Top 10 and nine more in the Top 20.

Sadly, Lynn died very suddenly due to a heart attack on July 30, 2015. She had been hospitalized for pneumonia after returning from a trip to Italy. She was 67 years old.

"Listen to a Country Song"

Lynn Anderson's 1970s Albums

Jessi Colter: She Let Everyone Know She Wasn't Lisa

She was born Miriam Johnson and her music career began at age 11 as the pianist at her mother's church. When she was just a teen, she worked for Duane Eddy as a backup singer and the couple married in 1962.

In the early '60s, she recorded an album produced by her husband, Duane, and Lee Hazlewood (who is closely associated with Nancy Sinatra's music). Though the album didn't fare well on the charts, it was around this time that she met singer Waylon Jennings. In 1965, she and Duane divorced, Jessi moved to Nashville and signed a recording contract with RCA Records. She recorded another album, A Country Star Is Born, in 1966, and while it received good critical notices, it produced no hits.

Aside from singing, Jessi had gained a reputation for being an excellent songwriter, and she found that many tops singers wanted to record her songs.

In 1968, romance came calling when she and Waylon became an item, and they made it official and married in 1969.

In 1974, Jessi's singing career finally took off when she released the single "I'm Not Lisa," which turned out to be a hit on both the pop and country charts.

She would put a few more songs on the charts, but none matched the success of her first hit, which has become her signature song.

Jessi is still active in the music business. In 2017, she released in first album in over a decade.

"You Hung the Moon (Didn't You Waylon)"

Jessi Colter's 1970s Albums

Donna Fargo: The Happiest Girl in the Whole USA

Before she became famous, Fargo had been singing for years, but never gave any serious thought to turning it into her profession. She instead went to college, earned a degree in education, and took a job as an English teacher at a high school in California.

It wasn't until she met Stan Silver, who became her manager and eventually her husband, that her thoughts of a career in music began to form. She recorded a few singles ("Would You Believe a Lifetime," "You Reach for the Bottle," "Kinda Glad in Me") for the Ramco and Challenge record labels, but they failed to chart.

In 1972, she signed with Dot Records and recorded her self-penned song "The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A.," which made it to Number One and won the Country Music Association's Single of the Year award. It would also win her a Grammy for Best Performance by a Country Female Vocalist.

This was the beginning of a seven prosperous years for Donna as she would have 15 more Top Ten hits, five of which would make it all the way to the top of the charts, including "Funny Face," "Superman," "You Were Always There," and "You Can't Be a Beacon If Your Light Don't Shine." Her seventh and final chart topper, "That Was Yesterday," came when she moved to Warner Brothers Records.

Sadly, in 1978, she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and this prompted her to give serious consideration to retiring (1). But she is a fighter, and with patience and perseverance, she regained her health and was able to put six more songs onto the charts—four of which made it into the Top Ten.

Her career slowed in the '80s and she hasn't done much in the way of music since her last chart single in 1987, but she has written her autobiography and several books of poetry. She now leads a quiet life out of the limelight.

References

(1) "Donna Fargo Still 'Hopeful' Despite Multiple Sclerosis." The Reading Eagle Mar. 1982: 128. Print.

"Funny Face"

Donna Fargo's 1970s Albums

Crystal Gayle: Loretta Lynn's Younger Sister

Born Brenda Gail Web, Crystal Gayle is Loretta Lynn's little sister. She admired her big sister's singing success and decided that she wanted to have a career in music, too. She started to sing in her church choir and school functions, and when she was 16 years old, she accompanied her big sister, Loretta, on tour with Conway Twitty. It was around this time that she changed her first name to Crystal (inspired by the Krystal hamburger chain).

In 1970, her first single release from Decca Records—"I Cried the Blue Right Out of My Eyes," written by Loretta—went to Number 23 on the country charts. She would then sign with United Artists Records and began working with successful record producer Allen Reynolds, who helped her begin to get a string of chart hits with titles like "Wrong Road Again," "Somebody Loves You," and "I'll Get Over You," which became her first Number One song.

In 1977, she released what would become her signature song, "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue." The song was a hit on the pop charts too, and it earned her a Grammy for Best Country Vocal Performance by a Female.

She rounded out the '70s with three more Number One songs and two in the Top Ten.

"You Never Miss a Real Good Thing"

Crystal Gayle's 1970s Albums

Loretta Lynn: The World's Most Famous Coal Miner's Daughter

It was thanks to her husband Doolittle—whom she married at age 14 in 1949—that Loretta decided to pursue a singing career. While many men of that era were discouraging their wives desire to pursue a career outside of the home, he was actually encouraging her musical pursuits. He took her to Washington State shortly after their marriage and in her spare time she wrote songs and sang. She began to sing at local clubs and found herself on a Tacoma, Washington television show hosted by Buck Owens, who lived in the area at the time.

In 1959, her first single, "Honky Tonk Girl," made it into the Top 15 and with that success, she felt confident enough to try her luck in Nashville. She was signed by the Wilburn Brothers to their Sure Fire Publishing as they were highly impressed with her songwriting skills. She soon found herself a regular on their show.

Loretta would eventually meet the legendary Patsy Cline, who took a liking to this coal miner's daughter, took her under her wing and helped her get a singing career established.

The 1960s saw Loretta having hit singles and soon it was apparent she was on her way to stardom and in the '70s she produced some of her most memorable material, like "Coal Miner’s Daughter," "One’s on the Way," "The Pill" and "You’re Lookin' at Country."

A duet partnership with the late Conway Twitty gained Loretta another five Number One songs with "After the Fire Is Gone," "Lead Me On," "Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man," "As Soon As I Hang Up the Phone" and "Feelins."

"You're Lookin' at Country"

Loretta Lynn's 1970s Albums

Barbara Mandrell: She Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool

Barbara was born into a musical family; her mother was a music teacher, and her father owned a music store. Her parents' choice of jobs provided her with access to a multitude of music styles and musical instruments. She learned how to play several instruments and her first public appearance was as an accordionist at age five. When she was 11, she went with her father to a musical trade show where she demonstrated her skills. Also in attendance was Chet Atkins and "Uncle"Joe Maphis. Impressed with her musical skills, Joe and his wife, Rose, decided to take her along for their show in Las Vegas. From that moment on, Barbara was hooked on show business—the family, known as the Mandrell Family Band after the stint in Las Vegas, would continue performing, often doing shows at civic group functions and military installations.

In 1967, Barbara retired from the group to marry drummer Ken Dudney, but this retirement didn't last long. In less than a year she was back wanting to perform. She got a recording contract and by the time 1972 rolled around had managed to produce four chart singles, including her first Top Ten, "Tonight My Baby's Coming Home." She earned the Academy of Country Music's Top New Female Vocalist award in 1972 and was invited to join the Grand Ole Opry.

The hits kept coming in the '70s: "The Midnight Oil," "Standing Room Only," "Married But Not to Each Other," "Woman to Woman." She also had a run of six Number One songs, beginning with "Sleeping Single in a Double Bed," "(If Loving You is Wrong) I Don't Want to Be Right," "Years," "Crackers," "The Best of Strangers," and "One of a Kind Pair of Fools."

Along the way she earned a number of awards: the Academy of Country Music's Female Vocalist of the Year ('78 and '81) and Entertainer of the Year ('80 and '81), and the Country Music Association's Female Vocalist ('79 and '81) and Entertainer of the Year ('80 and '81).

She has had a total of 7 Number One songs, 25 studio albums, 68 single releases, two gold albums. Barbara has been truly blessed.

"Treat Him Right"

Barbara Mandrell's 1970s Albums

Anne Murray: Canadian Songbird

Anne Murray has the ability to land hit songs on both the country and pop charts and credits Pattie Page, Peggy Lee, Rosemary Clooney and Eddy Arnold as artists who inspired her at an early age.

Born in Canada in 1946, her first hit song on Capitol Records was the classic "Snowbird," which reached the Top Ten on the pop charts. Her very first Number One was a country song, "He Thinks I Still Care," in 1974. The flip side of the single, a cover of the Beatles song "You Won't See Me," made it to the Top Ten on the pop charts, which was one of the first hints of her broad appeal, musically-speaking.

Superstardom came to Anne in 1978, when she released what would become her signature song, "You Needed Me," which was certified Gold single.

Soon she was putting hit songs on the country charts with ease, having Number Ones with hits like "I’ll Just Fall in Love Again," "Shadows in the Moonlight," "Broken Hearted Me" and "Could I Have This Dance?"

Murray retired from the music industry in 2008. Oh, and as a bit of trivia: Murray is the first Canadian singer to reach the top of the US country chart with her 1970 hit "Snowbird."

"You Needed Me"

Anne Murray's 1970s Albums

Olivia Newton-John: Sweet Australian Songstress

Olivia's record company, MCA, decided that they wanted to market her easy-going sound as country, even though she thought it was best described as pop and folk. She wasn't certain what to make of the move at first, but when her songs "Let Me Be There," "If You Love Me Let Me Know," "I Honestly Love You," "Have You Never Been Mellow," and "Please Mr. Please" all hit the country charts—and she was awarded Best Female Vocalist by the County Music Association in 1974—she thought maybe they were on to something.

However, not everyone was pleased with this "foreigner" walking off with a coveted music award. George Jones and Dolly Parton along with other more established country singers, joined a new organization, “Association of Country Music Entertainers,” which was created with the intention of of stopping this influx of pop music into the country genre. This organization didn't last long because many believe that it was founded for the wrong reasons and simply wouldn't support it.

In the mid to late '70s,Olivia decided to change her image; she wanted to leave behind her sweet easy country sound for a more pop and dance oriented sound, releasing Totally Hot in 1978. She even went on to become a movie star, acting and singing in the super-successful musical Grease, co-starring John Travolta.

"Let Me Be There"

Olivia Newton-John's 1970s Albums

Dolly Parton: The Not-So-Dumb Blonde of Country Music

The day after Parton graduated from high school, she headed for Nashville, where she spent a few years knocking on doors and hoping to make the right musical connections all the while working as a waitress. She eventually managed to land a contract with Monument Records in 1966.

In 1967, Dolly put her debut single "Dumb Blond" on the country charts and it managed to make it to No. 24. Also in 1967, she paired with singer Porter Wagoner on his show and as a duo they consistently put hits on the country charts, with "Please Don't Stop Loving Me" reaching the top of the country chats in 1974.

But even while Dolly was making hit songs with Porter, she was also doing solo ventures and had hits with songs like "The Bargain Store," "Coat of Many Colors," "Jolene" and "Joshua."

In 1977, Dolly opted for a more pop sound (to the chagrin of some of her fans who loved her more traditional country sound) when she released the album Here You Come Again. The title track to the album became a Number One hit, and this was the first album of Dolly's to sell a million copies.

She closed out the '70s with more hit songs including the chart topper "You're the Only One."

She remains a popular entertainer, recording and performing and having sold over 100 million records the world over. She's had more hits on the Hot Country Songs chart than any other female artist.

"I Really Got the Feeling"

Dolly Parton's 1970s Albums

Sammi Smith: A Country Music Outlaw

Sammi was singing in nightclubs by the time she was 11 years old. In 1967 she signed with Columbia Records, and it was there that she met Kris Kristofferson, who was working as a janitor at the company. He would prove to have a big impact on her career, but that wasn't to happen for a few more years. While with Columbia, Sammi released the albumThe World of Sammi Smith, and from that a few singles were released, but they didn't offer her much in the way of helping her with her career.

In the late '60s she toured with Waylon Jennings, who would become a lifelong friend. She also signed a record contract with the small and independent Mega label. Her first album for the company, Help Me Make It Through the Night, produced the moderately successful first single "He's Everywhere," which hit No. 25 on the country charts in 1970. Her second single "Help Me Make it Through the Night," penned by her janitor friend Kristofferson, shot to Number One on the country charts and made it to No. 8 on the pop charts, too. It earned Sammi a Grammy for Best Female Country Vocalist in 1972. Sadly, Sammi has often been called a "one hit wonder," which isn't true at all. She recorded seven more albums for Mega and placed 16 more songs on the charts including "I've Got to Have You," "The Rainbow in Daddy's Eyes," "Today I Started Loving You Again" and more.

Many people believe that Mega Records' small size is what prevented Sammi from becoming a country music superstar. It was independent and and didn't have the kinds of resources available to promote and distribute her music in the way larger companies would have been able to do. Mega was always plagued by financial problems and eventually went out of business in 1976.

With Mega out of the way, she signed with Elektra Records and produced three albums which produced several hit singles, including "Sunday School to Broadway," "Loving Arms," "I Can't Stop Loving You" and "Days That End in Y."

She left Elektra, signed with Cyclone Records in 1979 and released an album titled Girl Hero, which produced the hit single "What a Lie" which peaked at No. 16 on the country music chart.

She didn't do much more recording after her last single release in 1986, but she did find time to make several tours of Japan. She also made occasional appearances on the Grand Ole Opry, spent time with her husband Johnny Johnson running a cattle ranch in Oklahoma, and devoted much time to Native American Indian causes.

She died of emphysema in February 12, 2005 at the age of 61, which was just a day short of the three-year anniversary of her friend Waylon Jennings' death.

"What a Lie"

Sammi Smith's 1970s Albums

Tanya Tucker: Country Music's Bad Girl?

In 1972, when Tanya was just 13 years old, she recorded her first hit, "Delta Dawn." It reached No. 6 on the country charts.

She continued to record and have hits that were, to some, much too adult in their theme for someone so young to be recording. But the criticism didn't slow her a bit and she had hits with songs like "Blood Red and Going Down," "What’s Your Mother’s Name," "Would You Lay with Me (In a Field of Stone)" and "The Man That Turned My Mama On."

In 1978, she wanted to transition to a more rock sound for her music, and with the help of record producer Jerry Goldstein this was accomplished with the release of TNT. The album had a gatefold cover which meant that it opened like a book, and record companies (starting in the 1960s) often included nice photos or the lyrics to the songs and other important info inside. The controversy was sparked when folks opened up the album and saw Tanya, looking sexily over her shoulder, wearing skintight red jumpsuit. It shocked a lot of people as most folks weren't so used to their country singers looking so sexy and naughty. Of course, by the standards of today, that pose is relatively tame.

While the music establishment were less than thrilled with this release, critics and music lovers felt differently. The album was certified Gold in both the US and Canada and she was nominated for a Grammy for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female in 1980 (she lost to Donna Summer's "Hot Stuff").

"Delta Dawn"

Tanya Tucker's 1970s Albums

Dottie West: Pioneering Female Country Singer

Dottie West began her singing career when she was a college student in Tennessee. She met Bill West, a fellow student; they fell in love and married. After graduation from college, the pair moved to Cleveland, Ohio and began performing on local country music show "Landmark Jamboree" as Bill was a decent guitar player.

In 1959, she landed a recording contract with Starday Records and the couple would then move to Nashville, where she met Willie Nelson and Hank Cochran (who at this time were also struggling young country singers).

Aside from having a pleasant singing voice, Dottie was also an excellent songwriter, and her very first composition, "Is This Me," became a hit for Jim Reeves and won Dottie a BMI Songwriter's Award. Reeves liked Dottie's sound and brought her to the attention of Chet Atkins, and she eventually won a recording contract with RCA Records in 1962.

In 1963, she became a regular cast remember of the Grand Ole Opry. But it would take two more years before she could claim having a hit record of her own with "Here Comes My Baby," which won her a Grammy award. She then headed into the studio to record a duet with Jim Reeves, "Love Is No Excuse," which was a Top Ten hit. This looked as though it was going to be a successful pairing, but things changed suddenly and sadly when Reeves was killed in a plane crash on July 31, 1964.

Her success with Jim allowed her to record solo efforts that climbed the charts, and in 1967, she teamed up with Don Gibson and recorded a Number One: "Rings Of Gold," off of their Dottie and Don album. This pumped new life into Don's career and gave another boost to Dottie's as well.

In 1970, Dottie wrote a jingle for a Coca-Cola commercial that was based on her hit song "Country Sunshine." It became very popular and garnered her even more fans. She won a Clio award for best commercial and was the first country singer to ever earn this accolade. Coca-Cola loved the commercial so much that they offered her a lifetime contract writing ad jingles. She accepted and by the time the late '70s rolled around, she had written 15 tunes.

In the mid '70s she signed a contract with United Artists Records and released "When It's Just You and Me," a Top 20 hit. It was during this time frame that Dottie started to change her direction, musically, and tried to bring some pop elements into her sound.

Dottie then teamed up with another UA singer, Kenny Rogers, and the duo had two very successful albums: Every Time Two Fools Collide in 1978, which went gold, and Classics in 1979, which went platinum. They also won numerous country music awards.

She finished out the '70s with several more hits and continued recording into the 1980s, placing several more songs at the top of the country charts.

Sadly, Dottie passed away on September 4, 1991, a few days after sustaining injuries in a car accident.

"Country Sunshine"

Dottie West's 1970s Albums

Tammy Wynette: First Lady of Country Music

Tammy's first modest country hit was a song found by producer Billy Sherill. When the two had first met in 1966, Tammy was discouraged, having been turned down by almost all of the record labels she had approached. Sherill was an up-and-coming producer, but he didn't sign her to a contract right away. He wanted her to find better material, but Tammy felt that his refusal to sign her was but one more rejection. But Sherill didn't forget her—he went in search of a song and found "Apartment #9," which had been recorded by another artist. He had originally wanted to re-release this version but when legal troubles stood in the way, he decided to call on Tammy to record it. While the song didn't reach the top of the charts, it did gain Tammy some attention, and her next single, "Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad," reached No. 3 on the country charts.

In 1967, Tammy's first Number One came in the form of "I Don't Wanna Play House" and her next five songs in a row would all reach the top of the charts, including her signature song, "Stand by Your Man."

She moved into the '70s with great momentum, putting over twenty songs on the country charts—with ten of them hitting the top of the country chart. She also recorded hit songs with her then-husband, country singer George Jones. Even after the couple divorced in 1975, they still recorded a few duets together, including the Number One "Golden Ring."

Tammy continued to record into the 1980s and '90s but saw her career begin to slow down and hits were hard to come by.

Sadly, at age 55 on April 6, 1998, Tammy died of cardiac arrhythmia.

"Womanhood"

Tammy Wynette's 1970s Albums

More Female Country Singers of the '70s

Other women who had hits on the 1970s Billboard country charts include:

• Emmylou Harris
• Linda Ronstadt
• June Carter Cash
• Billie Jo Spears
• Jeannie C. Riley
• Jeanne Pruett
• Jeannie Seely
• Rita Coolidge
• Janie Fricke
• Susan Raye
• Leona Williams
• Jan Howard
• Barbara Fairchild
• Melba Montgomery
• Margo Smith
• Stella Parton (Dolly's sister)
• La Costa (Tanya Tucker's sister)
• Marie Osmond
• Mary Lou Turner
• Helen Cornelius
• Misty Morgan
• Gail Davies
• Dottsy
• Jackie Frantz (Dave & Sugar)
• Vicki Hackeman (Dave & Sugar)
• Sue Powell (Dave & Sugar)
• Etta Britt (Dave & Sugar)

You can also learn more about some of these artists and other lesser-known women of country in my article "Ten Almost Forgotten Female Country Music Singers."

Tell Us About Your Favorite Women of Country!

I hope this article was an enjoyable read for you. If I missed any '70s female country singer who should be listed here, please feel free to tell us about her in the comments section below. Or, if you have a comment, question (I will do my best to answer it) or memory that you would like to share about any of the ladies listed, please feel free to to do so. Please keep comments on topic and spam-free. I do moderate the comments in order to keep this page reader-friendly.

© 2014 Glory Miller

70's Female Country Singers Guestbook

Jennifer on February 17, 2019:

I highly recommend that you dig into the work of Grammy award winning recording artist Jody Miller. Jody is rhe 2nd woman to win the Grammy for "Best Country Performance-Female" and she amassed 25 of her 31 Billboard charting singles in the 70's. She left the business for a while in the early 80's to spend more time with her family, but she contines to record and perform today. Brian Matthew of BBC Radio's "Sounds of the 60's" has calles Jody " The trail blazing cross-over artist who paved the way for the likes of Linda Ronstadt and Anne Murray." Check out Jody Miller. You'll be glad you did. She is a phenomenal vocal artist and entertainer.

Kerry on October 14, 2018:

Excellent article !!

Comprar guitarra from España on August 26, 2018:

Some names I did not know, thanks for the listing.

Glory Miller (author) from USA on February 04, 2016:

Hi Craig,

Sammi certainly does deserve notice for being a very talented lady who left us much too soon. She was by no means a "one hit wonder", a title that a lot of folks like to bestow her! While "Help Me Make It Through the Night" was her signature song, it was by no means her only hit. She was also a part of the "outlaw" movement in country music during the 70s headed up by Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson. Thanks for the comment and for bringing her to our attention!

Craig Backstrom on February 03, 2016:

You neglected to include Sammi Smith....not the most hits but one of the most unique and influetntial voices EVER.......

Elsie Hagley from New Zealand on August 21, 2014:

Great Hub. I'm a lover of country music especially in the 70's and Anne Murray was one of my favorites with her song Snowbird, beautiful song. Thanks for bringing back the memories

oldiesmusic from United States on August 21, 2014:

Nice work and presentation to the country music belles... I love Crystal Gale for her voice as much for her beauty (and her super long hair). Other faves of mine include Dolly Parton and Anne Murray too.