What does it mean to be ahead of your time? Well, to me, it means having a vision that is unique and progressive. Or unapologetically breaking with standard norms. Having the guts to do something different, no matter what people say or think. Being bold and brave. Taking risks and never looking back. Artists do these things all the time. Some get tons of fanfare for it. They seek it out. Others modestly and happily go beneath the radar. What these four country singers have accomplished fits those criteria. We are thankful and grateful that Reba McEntire, Randy Travis, Dwight Yoakam, and Rosanne Cash did the things they did in the 80s and changed the country genre for the better - and forever.
Videos by Wide Open Country
Reba McEntire
Reba McEntire has been a beloved fan favorite for years. Her easygoing personality, relatable manner, sense of humor and fun, and her exquisite talent add up to utter music magic. Per forbes.com, "Reba McEntire topped the Hot Country charts 25 times and placed more than 100 singles on the charts. She has sold more than 75 million albums,,,She had almost a dozen No. 1s in the 1980s...." That is quite an astonishing output for anyone. McEntire proved beyond a doubt that country was justifiably a woman's world as well as a man's. Singers like her as well as Dolly Parton rewrote the rule book and made that a given. Female country singers who came after them stood on their unyielding shoulders.
Randy Travis
Creating something new is great, but preserving, embracing, and enhancing traditions is also commendable. Travis did more than his fair share to do just that for country music. He was really good at his craft, too. Per ranker.com, "His heartfelt storytelling abilities and emotive vocal style shone brightest on tracks such as 'On the Other Hand' and 'Diggin' Up Bones,' which showcased his masterful blend of sincerity and vulnerability." At a time when rock and pop were infiltrating country and making themselves felt, Travis thoughtfully barred the gates - at least a little. He helped keep country pure.
Dwight Yoakam
"Credited with helping to revive the 'Bakersfield Sound' in the 1980s, Dwight Yoakam brought a fresh perspective to the country music scene with his unique blend of honky-tonk and rockabilly influences," per ranker.com. (The relatively raw, rough-hewn, gritty and traditional Bakersfield Sound contrasted with the fancier, slicker, more heavily produced Nashville sound.) However you define it, Dwight Yoakam brilliantly personified it. He was a rebel in the best sense of that word. Yoakam went his own way and we followed him gladly. "He pushed the boundaries of what was considered 'country,' attracting roots rock fans and college audiences," per Ken Burns' PBS documentary on country music.
Rosanne Cash
Cash, daughter of Johnny Cash, has moxie. Per Ken Burns' PBS documentary on country music, she was hugely successful recording on the Columbia label. But something was painfully absent. Following the release of her album, King's Record Shop, which showcased a quartet of chart-topping songs, she broke away from Columbia. "Her next album, Interiors, filled with her own songs, was not promoted by her label. She left Columbia Records, moved to New York City, began writing all her songs, and, she remembers, 'I didn't have any more hits - but I was happy.'" That takes strength and conviction. Cash has both in abundance. She's a role model for others who followed her. There is a lesson to be learned here from this magnificent maverick.
