Loretta Lynn,Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette - Who should be thought of as the true Queen or First lady of Country and Western music

Um, Patsy Cline, fool.

Surely Dolly ? r1

By chart success it's Dolly. She is the only female in the top ten of country music performers.

But Dolly is tainted because a lot of her music, especially post 1980 is "pop/country" and not traditional country.

This leaves Loretta Lynn as the top female pure country artist.

Tammy has never really been the top and is best known for her hissy fit when Olivia Newton-John won best artist at the Country Music Association awards, she left and formed the "Academy of Country Music." She claimed foreigners shouldn't be considered for an award for a style of music that is strictly American.

Oh r3 I never knew that Tammy Wynette threw a strop like that? I am surprised she is not getting a bit more of the vote as Stand by your man is an iconic song.

Not to mention D-I-V-O-R-C-E

But the car-jacking in the K-Mart parking lot wasn't real, so she loses tragedy points for that...

Was it ever confirmed not to be real r5 ?

(ahem)

R6 See this review of her daughter's book "Growing up With Tammy and George"

"It’s fitting that her mother’s best-known songs are D-I-V-O-R-C-E—which she did four times—and Stand By Your Man, which she did even when those men exploited her finances, handed out nude photos of her, or, in the case of one, convinced her to show up at a farmhouse and claim to have been carjacked to keep the fact that he had beaten her silly out of the tabloids (none of those indecencies were George’s, for the record).

So sad that she felt she should do that to protect an abusive man r8

What am, chopped pork belly?

No r10 but perhaps a Princess or Duchess rather than a Queen?!

r7 Reba you are too young to be a Queen-Take it as a compliment!

I consider Dolly to be the Queen of the South.

As do many I suspect r13

Poor Tammy, the outcome was obvious!

I actually am surprised that she didn't poll better r15

Reba, Carrie Underwood, Shania Twain, Faith Hill, Patsy Cline, Leanne Rhimes, (and maybe in many years time Miranda Lambert) all should have been included if Tammy Wynette was!

I agree with the poster who said Dolly is more iconic, has more memorable songs, achieved more and sold more, and hell, even DONE more for country music. But Loretta Lynn would probably be the pick if you're looking for an authentic, more true-to-genre country queen. Although that's probably a bit unfair to Dolly who is still a legitimate country artist (despite the pop hits) and has a much bigger body of work.

Speaking of pop crossover success and Tammy Wynette, does anybody else remember this early 90s collaboration with British hip hop/dance enigmas KLF? Seems like some sort of a tribute towards indigenous tribes ("all bound for Mumu land") but it remains one of the most bizarre collaborations in pop music. The video is hysterical. She sounds good though!

I give Dolly the nod because she was a truly great songwriter as well, plus she had such a beautiful voice.

But Tammy was definitely a better singer than "Reba, Carrie Underwood, Shania Twain, Faith Hill, Patsy Cline, Leanne Rhimes" (except maybe Patsy Cline). Tammy had soul, which you NEVER hear in country music.

Str8s vote for Loretta Lynn. Gays vote for Dolly.

Loretta's the Queen because Dolly's appeal crossed over to pop music and film, taking her beyond pure country (although she's still a huge country star). Tammy, poor thing, just no.

Years ago it was probably June Carter Cash as the Queen but it's hard to beat the Coal Miner's Daughter.

R17, I remember it. I liked it enough to buy the 12” single...at the time, not recently.

Dolly's broad appeal is the reason why she's the Queen of Country music. Her reach and influence has gone far beyond Nashville. That's like saying Aretha Franklin can't be the Queen of Soul because of her commercial appeal. Ridiculous.

When she hit it big in the 70's, she was a beloved favorite among the rising punk crowd. Siouxie Sioux, Debbie Harry, John Lydon, and Patti Smith are all self proclaimed fans. When she toured in 2001, her audience included fans like Bjork, Sinead O Connor and Michelle N'Degeochello. No other country artist has such a diverse set of groupies.

Her songs have been covered by countless artists of different genres. She's one of the most famous and recognizable celebrities in the world. She has been nominated for every major showbiz award. She's the first Country artist to get a songwriting Oscar nomination. She's also the first country star to have her own successful Broadway production. She was the first female country movie star. Her theme park has been a consistent success for almost four decades.

Loretta's a great musical artist, but she doesn't even come close. She had that one good collaboration with Jack White, though. . Tammy also had her Moo Moo land song.

R3, It wasn't the Academy of Country Music, it was called the Association of Country Entertainers (or ACE). It included George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Bill Anderson, Porter Wagoner, Jim Ed Brown, Dottie West, Brenda Lee, Faron Young, Conway Twitty, Hank Snow, Mel Tillis, and Dolly Parton.

R20 June Carter Cash, was never in the running for Queen of Country Music. While she definitely was a Princess, as she comes from The Carter Family, which is the closest thing country has to a Royal Family, and then she married Johnny Cash, she never established herself as a true star in her own right.

Patsy Cline-was and will remain the standard that all women in country music is compared to, but she died too young to ever make it to Queen status.

Kitty Wells- was the Queen, because she was universally acknowledged as that by the other women, such as Dolly and Loretta, while she was alive. She paved the way for all the others, by being the first woman to top the country charts, so she earned the title.

Minnie Pearl-While not a singer, and clearly the Queen of Country Comedy, could be thought of as the Queen Mother of Country, due to her motherly relationships with many country stars, and her role as country music's Ambassador of Goodwill to the wider culture.

Tammy Wynette-was smart to claim the title First Lady of Country Music, which is important but not as high ranking as Queen.

Dolly and Loretta-each have a claim to Queen, and I would count them as co-regents. Each broke through to the wider culture, in unique ways, while maintaining their country credentials.

Reba- is very much the Crown Princess. There is no other female artist in the generation behind Dolly and Loretta, that has had a sustained career like hers, that has crossed over into the wider culture.

Barbara Mandrell- could have claimed a place between Loretta & Dolly, and Reba. But, she abdicated her place in the line-up by retiring from music. Likewise, Tanya Tucker could have laid claim to the title, if she had managed to sustain her career better.

Carrie, Miranda, etc...- Are too young to be considered at this point.

Kitty Wells: The Queen Of Country Music. Kitty Wells, who paved the way for women in country music and was known as the "Queen of Country," died July 16, 2012. She was 92.Oct 11, 2010. It's Kitty.

Stop the nonsense. It's Loretta. Thread closed.

People are glad I'm retired, since I'm universally regarded as one of God's greatest twats. Plenty of folks are sorry I didn't die in that car crash.

Interesting claim r19 !

This is like debating whether Susan Lucci or Deidre Hall is the Queen of Soaps. It ends in futility!

Do we know if all three ladies do or obviously in the case of Tammy did get on well with each other?

R30 By all accounts they do. Loretta and Tammy seemed to be especially close, if you read Loretta's second autobiography she writes about Tammy coming to Hawaii to vacation at Loretta's house, and Tammy and Burt Reynolds wanting her to help hide their affair from another mutual friend Dinah Shore.

They all made an album together R30.

R32 While these three seem to have liked and enjoyed one another, working together is no indication of people liking one another or did "Feud" pass by your radar?

That's interesting thanks r31 How close would you say Loretta and Dolly are nowadays? Would you expect Dolly has been in touch since Loretta has suffered serious ill health.

Thanks r32 but I guess it is still possible for people especially artists to work together but loathe each other although that doesn't seem to be the case here .

I am also wondering from the perspective of politics with Loretta saying she voted for Trump and I can't imagine Dolly would have though.

I think as artist they are all Queens. I'm in love with country music. I have been since I was four and could sing all of the words to " King Of The Road by Roger Miller. God he was a fine looking man. Country music- much like jazz- has many important contributors who make the stew smell and taste so sweet. They are all family, who offer their unique talent ,thankfully ,for country music. I could never see one family member as more important than another.

Also I am very grateful for a country music thread. More please!

Well Tammy was already billed as the First Lady of Country Music - so I guess she's not the queen... I don't think Dolly needs the title, she's so big it might actually be a downgrade to call her that.... so I guess it's Loretta.

Love all 3.

Oh good grief, people can be insufferable.

She didn't go to dance on the coffin.

R34 Dolly never says whom she votes for and doesn't talk partisan politics(Reba seems to have adopted this policy as well). Loretta voting for Trump is not surprising at all, she IS the Coal Miner's Daughter, and for better or worse Trump has revived that industry, after Obama has he wanted to destroy it, and Clinton wasn't any better when it comes to coal. She has gone back and forth between Democrats and Republicans, depending on the person and issues. In addition, they are like most people, in that they can have friendships across political lines.

I would suspect that Dolly has reached out upon hearing about Loretta's illnesses. For one thing, the Country Music industry seems to be much more tight-knit than other areas of entertainment. It is not unusual to see different stars in Nashville having lunch together, or hanging out at a bar together, just for the fun of it.

Two women who definitely didn't get along!

You are welcome r36 Thank You!

Loretta should win because of those awful cow-girl outfits she used to wear in the early days.

R39, Trump hasn't revived the coal industry. He's all lies like most things he opens his mouth about.

I think cowgirl outfits are quite lovely r42

R43 It isn't so much about him actually reviving it, but that he isn't dismissive of them, and provides them with optimism. They take outsiders attacking the industry as attacking them. It is the same with my family, they were textile mill workers, and they hated the back breaking work, wouldn't want their children to do it, thought the bosses were selfish, but if anybody said that they would destroy the industry or were dismissive of it, they would take it as a personal insult.

It is quite tight nip and tuck between Loretta and Dolly for the poll lead now.

Loretty's gonna kick over any ol' time now. Let her have it.

Sadly I think you are right in that prediction r47

It’s Reba, Bitch!

Bullshit on Trump doing anything coherent to either revive coal or make the crap situation in coal mining areas any less hellish.

He has told LIES about it -- but he sure as fuck hasn't done anything except enjoy knowing the dumbfucks voted for him.

(He can't wait for another mine to collapse so he can dance on the graves of some more coal miners.)

Dolly has taken the poll lead again by 2% over Loretta. I would be interested to hear the thinking of the posters who have voted that they are all equal but different.

Halep receiving some illegal on court coaching, just like her idol Justine Henin.

Oops wrong thread ^^, meant for the Australian Open thread. Apologies.

No worries r54 lol

I would have picked Loretta hands down, but sadly, her support of Trump has spoiled her for me. I pray it's just her old age and not her real philosophy. She liked Obama, after all.

^^^ So I picked Dolly instead. She's always been an ally.

Dolly. Duh

Crystal Gayle outsold them all. About 20 number one hits and a scad of top tens.

r58 Why do you imply it is so obvious that it has to be Dolly?

"Spotlight on Reba

(Yeah-yeah)

They got her singin' like Aretha

(Yeah-yeah)

Well, girlfriend, show some RE-spect!

(Yeah-yeah, yeah-yeah, yeah!)

Re, Re, Re, Re, Re, Re, Re, Re,

Sockittome, Sockittome, Sockittome, Sockittome,

Sockittome, Sockittome, Sockittome, Sockittome!"

The real question is who is the greatest country artist (woman or man). That would be either Dolly or Willie Nelson.

Lorretta Lynn, hands down. She's got it all - the whole country rags to riches story to a T. Even the name of her hometown lends enormous cred - Butcher "Holler (Hollow)." Born to a poor coal miner, part native-american, married at 13 with four kids by the age of 17, she still pursued her dream and made it happen. Wrote her own songs which were entirely auto biographical, her own husband gave her plenty to write about. She was sassy. She was a fighter. Pure country.

"Fist City"

She wrote this one after Doo-Little came home shit-faced drunk one night, trying to put the freak moves on her. haha

You don't to simultaneously complain about Parton lacking Lynn's authenticity while criticizing the latter for publicly supporting Trump.

Sadly, alas, another Trump thread. I'm surprised you didn't call Loretta a Russian bot.

R63, Dolly, Tammy, and Loretta all have rags to riches stories. Hell, Dolly wrote a song about the rags themselves.

Loretta and Tammy are great. But Dolly - like Willie - is in an entirely separate league.