8 Female Artists Who Should Be Inducted Into the Country Music Hall of Fame

The Country Music Hall of Fame will likely soon announce the newest inductees into the hallowed institution. Last fall,  Keith Whitley, Jerry Lee Lewis and former record label executive Joe Galente were inducted, all worthy recipients of the honor.

Since 2010, only four solo female artists: Connie Smith, Reba McEntire, Jean Shepard and Dottie West, have been inducted into the Hall of Fame, with the only other female acts being Jim Ed Brown and the Browns, which included his two sisters, and The Judds.

In honor of Women’s History Month, we are taking a look at the careers of eight female artists whose accomplishments and achievements have more than earned them a rightful spot in the Country Music Hall of Fame as well.

1. Trisha Yearwood

Trisha Yearwood has sung at induction ceremonies, and of course was on hand when her husband, Garth Brooks, was inducted in 2012. But Yearwood has made quite a name for herself in country music, both with her albums released, as well as being one of the very few artists who could parlay their fame in country music into a new career, as the host of Trisha’s Southern Kitchen on the Food Network. She also joined Brooks in announcing the 2018 class, which included Ricky Skaggs, the late Dottie West and musician Johnny Gimble — and according to Brooks, should have included his wife as well.

“Not biased or anything, but the greatest female vocalist this town has seen is Trisha Yearwood,” Brooks shared with media after reading off the list of inductees. “I said, ‘You’ll be in here one day.’ And she goes, ‘I just hope, if it happens, that we’re alive.’ I said, ‘Well, I hope you are, because it’ll be the greatest day of your career.’”

Yearwood also recently sang “Walkaway Joe” at the Country Music Hall of Fame, as part of drummer Eddie Bayers’ induction.

2. Rosanne Cash

Rosanne Cash is a singer and songwriter — and part of country music royalty. The daughter of Johnny Cash and his first wife, Vivian, Rosanne successfully blurred and blended genre lines for decades, with crossover hits like “Seven Year Ache,” “I Don’t Know Why You Don’t Want Me,” “Hold On” and more, helping seal her fate as a global star. But it’s her country meets Americana meets blues meets rock songs like “Blue Moon With Heartache,” “Never Be You,” “Tennessee Flat Top Box” and “Runaway Train,” among many others, which make her worthy. Rosanne has also released numerous critically-acclaimed albums, such as Seven Year Ache, Rhythm & Romance and The River & the Thread.

Rosanne’s been a steady, albeit sometimes subtle, influence on country music since the late ’70s, which makes her mark on country music indelible, and worthy of being honored.

3. Jeannie Seely

By now, most people probably assume Jeannie Seely is already in the Country Music Hall of Fame, and she should be. A member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1967, Seely, who was previously married to 2014 inductee Hank Cochran, was a mainstay on radio in the ’60s and ’70s, without bending to traditions or gender stereotypes. One of the first women to both wear a miniskirt and emcee a show on the Opry stage, Seely blazed a trail for other female artists, and really, really wants to be inducted while she is alive to enjoy it. Seely also set a new Opry record, by performing on the stage over 5000 times, more than any other artist in the history of the Grand Ole Opry.

“I would be lying if I didn’t admit that I’d love to join all of my peers and friends at the Hall of Fame,” Seely told Everything Nash. “I think some people maybe look at it as an ego trip, but I don’t look at it that way. I think that’s just a validation of your life’s work. I look in there and see all of my friends and fellow Opry members, my peers in this business, and the other writers that I’ve been associated with and was fortunate enough to spend my life with. It would be nice to know that I could join them, and that hallowed ground there.”

4. Tanya Tucker

Tanya Tucker is another one who could have been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame years ago. Tucker burst onto the music scene with “Delta Dawn” when she was just 13 years old, and managed to turn her success as a child into one of the most successful careers in country music. Tucker has released more than 25 albums, and had over 30 charting singles. She’s also been featured in exhibits in the Country Music Hall of Fame, but has yet to earn a spot in the hallowed hall.

5. Shania Twain

Few people turned country music on its head the way Shania Twain did. Her sophomore The Woman in Me album, which kicked off with the feisty “Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?” and had songs like “Any Man of Mine” and “You’re Still the One,” not only brought an entirely new sound to country music, but she also proved that leopard print and midriffs had its place in the genre.

Although considered daring at the start, Twain became the best-selling female artist, and one of the best-selling artists, of all time. And she isn’t done yet. The 57-year-old just released her latest album, Queen of Me.

6. Martina McBride

Like Twain, Martina McBride became a ’90s singing sensation, with hit after hit on the charts. Discovered when her husband, John McBride, was working for Brooks, McBride belted out songs like no one had ever done at radio before, while dealing with touchy subject matters like domestic violence, unafraid to sing powerful female-driven anthems. Selling millions of albums and headlining major tours, McBride could easily argue for a spot in the Hall of Fame.

7. Alison Krauss

Talk about a double, or triple threat. Alison Krauss has made her mark all over country music, including as a singer, fiddle player and mandolin player, performing on some of the biggest stages in the world. Blending country, bluegrass and her stunning vocals, her music has also been heard on both the O Brother, Where Art Thou? and Cold Mountain soundtracks. A member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1993, Krauss has an astonishing 27 Grammy Awards, making her more than deserving of a place within the Hall of Fame.

8. Lynn Anderson

We had to double-check to make sure Lynn Anderson wasn’t in the Country Music Hall of Fame already, because she seemed like an obvious choice. With an impressive list of albums and singles, with a career that spanned 50 years, until her death in 2015, the success of “Rose Garden” alone was enough to cement her place in country music history. But with well over 40 hit singles, the pioneer for women in country music is long overdue for her own Hall of Fame induction.

Read ’12 Female Artists Who Helped Shape Country Music’ here.