There are country music stars who made a big splash, then apparently faded off the grid. The specific reasons can vary. For their fans, it's hard; these performers are definitely missed. So let's daydream a little here about what could be. What if these singers had a major comeback? Sometimes it does actually happen, For example, Cyndi Thomson is back with a brand new EP, Acres Of Diamonds, after being away from the music industry for twenty years. Although it will most likely not ever be the case for the four artists described here, it's fun just to pause and imagine. So try to picture Deana Carter, Jessica Andrews, Bobbie Gentry, and John Michael Montgomery back at the mic singing their hearts out for our entertainment! (John Michael Montgomery is significantly winding down his career, but is not quite disappearing yet.)
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Deana Carter
Carter had a memorable monster hit with the song "Strawberry Wine" almost thirty years ago. In fact, Taste Of Country exuberantly called it "one of the greatest country songs of all time." Pretty extravagant praise! Carter followed that popular tune, which was a chart-topper, with "How Do I Get There" and "We Danced Anyway." She has a pair of podcasts and dropped another album 12 years ago so she's not completely out of sight.
Jessica Andrews
Andrews was still a teenager when she landed her number one hit, "Who I Am" in 2001. She did not manage to parlay that top track into prolonged stardom, however, Per kyleskornerblog.wordpress.com, Andrews was seemingly held back by two challenging and perhaps insurmountable circumstances. One was "label instability." The other was "a changing radio climate." Even an established star would have a tough time coping with realities like those. So Andrews is in our hearts and rear-view mirrors, presumably forever.
Bobbie Gentry
Ah, seeing this superstar again would be so very sweet! Gentry's story song, Ode To Billie Joe, achieved legendary status in 1967. Her smoky voice, the haunting theme of the tune, and her beauty made Gentry a fascinating, bona fide sensation in the late 1960s. And deservedly so, because Gentry had immense talent, certainly enough to sustain a career. Per Taste Of Country, she earned "three Grammy Awards...and sold more than 3 million copies of the song." However, she retreated completely from the limelight. Gentry reportedly has not been seen in decades and remains a tantalizing mystery.
John Michael Montgomery
Now 60 years old, Montgomery announced per pennlive.com via Facebook in 2024, "I have decided to wind down my touring career over this year and 2025. It's been a wonderful run for me from the beginning over 30 years ago in 1992 when my first song 'Life's A Dance' was released to radio." Montgomery released a trio of albums in the 1990s that were phenomenally successful, reportedly going multi-platinum. Per the outlet, he said in a statement, "I'm sure there will be some situations where I just need to do a show here and there because I'll miss that too much. But I just feel the time has come to say goodbye to the road life."
