Taking their name from the Little Feat classic "Dixie Chicken," the Dixie Chicks greeted the world in 1998 with their major label debut, WIDE OPEN SPACES, a wild blend of bluegrass, pop and country. Number one records, sold-out tours, Grammy nominati…

When young singer/pianist Norah Jones arrived in New York City from Texas, few expected that within a couple of years she'd be a chart-topping, MTV-friendly, press-besieged sensation. Yet she charmed listeners by the truckload with her 2002 Blue Not…

The honey-voiced Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan has ascended from modest success in the U.S. and her native Nova Scotia to international stardom. Her music is accessible enough for the masses, yet serious enough to strike a strong chord w…

Bluegrass crossover phenomenon Nickel Creek had a considerable head start on its competition; its members started performing together in the late 1980s when they were still children. By the time they were teenagers, the young virtuosi (mentored by th…

By the end of the 1990s, Faith Hill (n‚e Audrey Faith Perry) had become half of the First Couple of Country Music--the nickname given to her and her husband, fellow superstar Tim McGraw. Hill combines Cover Girl good looks (literally--she was a model…

Johnny Cash was part rockabilly rebel, part campfire storyteller, part outlaw in black. Cash made country and rockabilly history on the Sun label in the 1950s. During the '60s, the ruggedly charismatic Cash rose to superstardom, ending the decade wit…

West Virginia country singer/songwriter Brad Paisley gained renown almost immediately with his 1999 debut album, WHO NEEDS PICTURES. He was distinguished from many of his peers by his expert guitar technique (his second and third albums included West…

With her incredible vocal prowess and talent for choosing meaningful songs, Martina McBride became one of the top female country stars of the mid-'90s. After Garth Brooks hired the still-unknown McBride as his opening act, the beautiful singer got lo…

Georgia singer/songwriter Alan Jackson was a member of the legendary "Class of '89", which also included Garth Brooks, Clint Black, and Travis Tritt. Among his peers Jackson stands apart because of his songwriting talent (Randy Travis and Faith Hill …

Though Keith Urban is a major US country star, he actually hails from Australia, where he began his career. After coming to America with his band the Ranch, Urban began making international inroads. As skilled at guitar playing as he was at singing, …

Best known as one of the most beloved singers in country music, Dolly Parton is also a successful screen actress. Her greatest talent, songwriting, may also be her least heralded: Parton has penned numerous classics, among them "Coat of Many Colors,"…

James Taylor was the archetype for the gentle, inward-looking singer/songwriter movement of the early '70s. The easy lilt and timbre of Taylor's voice belies the complex emotional content of his songs, which aren't merely carefree folk-based odes, bu…

Emmylou Harris first came to public attention as Gram Parsons's singing partner, but her solo career took off after his passing. Throughout the 1970s and '80s, she was a major force in progressive country, championing the works of great songwriters l…

Hailing from Luttrell, TN, country heart-throb Kenny Chesney first made his mark in 1994 with his debut album, but it wasn't until a couple of years later that he started scoring major hits and making himself a household name. His straightforward, em…

b. 19 August 1966, Jacksonville, Texas, USA. A contemporary country artist fired by traditional songwriting virtues, Lee Ann Womack earned widespread praise in the late 90s for her fidelity to country music of a bygone era. Her material's resemblance…

A product of the late-1990s Nashville pop-country movement, Sara Evans's albums were built on strong songwriting and a neo-traditionalist flair that won over the critics. Though very much a commercial-country singer, Evans is often associated with ne…

Willie Nelson began working in a conventional Nashville style and had great success as the songwriter of Faron Young's hit "Hello Walls" and others, but he was initially unable to make it as a performer. In the 1970s, he and Waylon Jennings made hist…

The ultimate Nashville outsider, Canadian Shania Twain (Eileen Regina Twain) took the country music world by storm with her second album, THE WOMAN IN ME. Famous for her midriff-baring outfits, Twain conquered the rest of the world with the 16-times …

With her hook-filled pop tunes, highly developed melodic sensibility, and pin-up girl looks, Sheryl Crow appealed to a wide audience in the 1990s. Garnering platinum albums, hit singles, and even the tacit approval of rock's old guard, Crow proved to…