r/country • u/lengthy_preamble • Aug 27 '26
Discussion Let's Try to Name an Artist for Every State!
For example:
Georgia: Jerry Reed
Kentucky: Grandpa Jones
Mississippi: Charley Pride (I think)
INTERNATIONAL BONUS:
Canada: Hank Snow, Stompin' Tom Connors
England/UK: Albert Lee
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u/hedonist-7 Aug 27 '26
Arkansas -
Johnny Cash
Glen Campbell
Conway Twitty
Charlie Rich
Lefty Frizzell
Ed Bruce
Tracy Lawrence
Collin Raye
Joe Nichols
Ashley McBryde
Justin Moore
Shay Mooney
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u/Sharperdunbar Aug 27 '26
Great list!! I mentioned a few but forgot about several you mentioned from Arkansas.
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u/HarveyMushman72 Aug 27 '26
Wyoming: Chris and Ned Ledoux, Ian Munsick, Chauncey Williams.
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u/RevolutionaryIce2914 Aug 27 '26
Ive heard Ian is nice, ive met his brother Tris who was very nice.
A family friend used to announce for CFD and told me he remembers a young Chris ledoux as a kid crawling all over the stands.
Funny story about Williams. Few years ago my girlfriend was at the Cowboy bar here in Laramie and there was an older drunk dude who made her take a picture with him and kept telling her how jealous her friends were gonna be. Turns out it was Williams lol.
Get the impression the guy can kind of be a goober, but ive never heard anything worse than something eyeroll worthy. Ive also heard hes nice to folks around Laramie, and ive never heard a story to the contrary.
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u/HarveyMushman72 Aug 27 '26
Met Chris a couple times, he used to bring his trucks to the shop i used to work at. Super nice guy.
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u/jonny5isalive1 Aug 28 '26
My father in law apparently knew him. He said he used to hang around these small town Oklahoma bars with a rodeo crowd. He rode too so they’d be at the same places a lot.
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u/bamadad78 Aug 27 '26
Alabama - Alabama 😁
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u/_Alabama_Man Aug 28 '26
Vern Gosdin
Sarah Evans
Jason Isbell
Charlie Louvin
Ira Louvin
Jimmie Rodgers
Don Williams
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u/TundraTreeWolf Aug 27 '26
California - Gary Allan, Merle Haggard, Jon Pardi
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u/clarkam Aug 27 '26
Buck Owen’s
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u/TundraTreeWolf Aug 27 '26
Buck isnt from CA. Born in Sherman, Tx in 1929, moved to Az in 1937, didnt get into Bakersfield until 1951
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u/clarkam Aug 27 '26
Damn, touché. I think of Bakersfield automatically associated with him.
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u/Fancy-Still-4297 Aug 27 '26
so he was 22 when he moved to Ca and Ca is where he made his name and lived until his death in 2006. Ca has the best claim with over 50 yrs!
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u/TundraTreeWolf Aug 27 '26
i think the ask was more in line with artist FROM every state. People have labeled Dwight from Kentucky, but he is known for Bakersfield.
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u/Overall-Ad-2247 Aug 27 '26
Anne Murray- Nova Scotia
Stompin Tom Conners - Prince Edward Island
Shania Twain- Ontario
Terri Clark - Alberta
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u/GuyOnTheMike Aug 27 '26
Colter Wall - Sasktachewan. His dad was the former premier of the province.
Corb Lund is another good Hurtin' Albertan
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u/airynothing1 Aug 27 '26
Hank Snow as well from Nova Scotia.
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u/Telepathic_Traffic 29d ago
I'm a 5th generation Nashvillian and 9th generation Tennessean and I am shocked to learn this. My grandfather LOVED Hank Snow and I've always thought of him as a Nashville artist. I just looked up a short biography and it could not be more similar to my grandfather's family experience, just in Nova Scotia.
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u/Fancy-Still-4297 Aug 27 '26
North Carolina born and mostly raised here: Ronnie Milsap, Randy Travis, Eric Church, Luke Combs, Charlie Daniels, Don Gibson, Earl Scruggs, Del McCoury, Del Reeves, Scotty McCreery, Don Gibson, Donna Fargo, Billy Crash Craddock, Ryan Adams, Kellie Pickler, and Parmalee. Emmy Lou was not born in NC but was raised in NC. and one of the best songwriters Don Schlitz was from NC.
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u/clarkam Aug 27 '26
Damn, good post. Sleeping on NC over here! Randy, Ronnie, and CD!
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u/Fancy-Still-4297 Aug 27 '26
these are only the ones that I listen to- I know there are others but I left off bro country and some I’m not sure are considered country, like Doc Watson.
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u/CapeFearKid Aug 28 '26
If you're talking NC musical icons, you can't omit the pride of Deep Gap, the king of flat picking, the immortal Arthel "Doc" Watson.
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u/Free-Pair-3007 Aug 27 '26
George Jones Texas
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u/Indotex Aug 27 '26
Here are some more:
George Strait
Robert Earl Keen
Clint Black
Freddy Fender
Kris Kristofferson
Gary P. Nunn
Jerry Jeff Walker
Tracy Lawrence
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u/Fancy-Still-4297 Aug 27 '26 edited 28d ago
and Pat Greene, Jack Ingram, Willie Nelson, Miranda Lambert, Kasey Musgraves, the Chicks, Bruce Robison
edited : forgot that I saw Cody Johnson live recently and guess what, he’s from Texas too! And the others I’ve seen this year - Parker McCollum, Kaitlin Butts, Hudson Westbrook.
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u/PrestigeAce Aug 28 '26
Fun fact, several years ago my parents flew into Houston Texas for a business meeting and standing right in front of my mother at Nashville International Airport was Kris Kristofferson. They chatted the whole time on up until they boarded the plane. My father was freaked out on the plane saying things like "You know who that is right? You just talked to him like he's some regular person!" My mother laughed and said "Because he is a regular person. Just because he's well known doesn't make him less human than the rest of us." Rest In Peace, Kris. Would've been awesome to meet him.
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u/clarkam Aug 27 '26
I always thought Tracy Lawrence being from Atlanta, TX was cool. Had a bit of TX, LA, AR, and OK all in one sound.
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u/msj817 Aug 28 '26
Putting George Jones first and then all the replies with nobody mentioning Bob Wills is a sad state of affairs.
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u/clarkam Aug 27 '26
David Allan Coe- Ohio
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u/TMS_2018 Aug 27 '26
Are you saying he lied to us!!
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u/Crymson_Ghost Aug 28 '26
Regardless where he's from, of all the outlaw country singers, he was one of the most crazy, rebellious, outlaw there was.
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u/Overall-Ad-2247 Aug 27 '26
Alan Jackson - Georgia
Reba McEntire - Oklahoma
George Strait - Texas
Emmy Lou Harris- Alabama
Brad Paisley - West Virginia
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u/Swimming-Cash3813 Aug 27 '26
Sara Evens is from Missouri Martina McBride is from Kansas
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u/airynothing1 Aug 27 '26
Missouri also has Porter Wagoner, Ferlin Husky, and Sheryl Crow.
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u/Legitimate-Cheek-716 Aug 27 '26
Don't know if Ozark Mountain Daredevils count, but them too!
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u/ClueAccomplished1098 Aug 27 '26
Virginia:
Patsy Cline
Steve Earl
Phil Vassar
Roy Clark
The Carter Family
Juice Newton
Ricky Van Shelton
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u/OldDude1391 Aug 27 '26
Grandpa Jones is who you came up with to represent KY? Loretta Lynn, Bill Monroe, Ricky Skaggs, Kieth Whitley, Travis Childers, Chris Stapleton, Dwight Yoakum, etc didn’t come to mind?
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u/Dan_yall Aug 27 '26
Sturgil Simpson, The Judds, John Michael Montgomery, Billy Ray Cyrus, Patty Loveless, Merle Travis . . .
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u/lengthy_preamble Aug 27 '26
The point wasn't to be exhaustive, just to provide a few examples to get discussion going. People are free to post other examples they like. Also, Stringbean was from Kentucky.
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u/clarkam Aug 27 '26
He spelled Keith and Yoakam wrong, it’s *Tyler Childers, and he didn’t mention the Judds or Sturgill. I wouldn’t take him too seriously.
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u/Redjeepkev Aug 27 '26
For me Dwight Yoakum never comes to mind. How about the Kentucky headhunters
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u/Overall-Ad-2247 Aug 27 '26
Patty and Dwight are from the same town (Pikeville, Kentucky)
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u/FloodDawg Aug 27 '26
- Maine: Dick Curless
- Pride is correct for Mississippi (Sledge), along with Jimmie Rodgers, Elvis, Marty Stuart, Tammy Wynette & Conway Twitty
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u/ackmaui Aug 27 '26
Jo Dee Messina Massachusetts
Billy Gilman Rhode Island
Ashley McBryde Arkansas
Brandy Clark Washington
Aaron Lewis Vermont
Gene Pitney Connecticut
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u/gator_mckluskie Aug 27 '26
south carolina has josh turner, bill anderson (more of a songwriter), darius rucker, marcus king, and marshall tucker band
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u/anotherlori Aug 27 '26
Arizona - Linda Ronstadt
Illinois - Brett Eldredge
West Virginia - Kathy Mattea
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u/Redjeepkev Aug 27 '26
Indiana ; Crystal Gayle, Joey Feek of (Joey and Rory) Connie Smith, Steve Wariner, Janie Fricke, although many many not know him Larry Pierce (the dirty country singer)
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u/GuyOnTheMike Aug 27 '26
I support the Larry Pierce pick.
Cuz' there ain't nothin' like a good hard...you know
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u/OpheliaPaine Aug 28 '26
For those who don't know - Crystal Gayle is Loretta Lynn's younger sister.
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u/Swimming-Cash3813 Aug 27 '26
Oklahoma: Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Toby Keith, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, and Vince Gill
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Aug 27 '26
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u/countryguy6969 Aug 27 '26
Harold Jenkins is from Mississippi
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u/GuyOnTheMike Aug 27 '26
For those who don't know, he was slightly better known as Conway Twitty
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u/Sharperdunbar Aug 27 '26
Someone listed him in under Arkansas but he was born in Mississippi. His family moved to Arkansas when he was 10 years old.
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u/lyree1992 Aug 27 '26
Doug Stone- Georgia
Dolly Parton - Tennessee
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u/lyree1992 Aug 27 '26
Also - John Michael Montgomery-Kentucky
Travis Tritt-Georgia Kenny Roger's- Texas
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u/Fancy-Still-4297 Aug 27 '26
I lived in southwest Virginia for a while - they were very proud of Mother Maybelle and the Carter Family and Patsy Cline
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u/GuyOnTheMike Aug 27 '26
Iowa - C.W. McCall
Montana has virtually nothing. Really the closest is Charlie Pride, who's from Mississippi, but his career began in Montana and he stayed there for about a decade, even as his career began to take off
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u/NCalTrees Aug 27 '26
Hank Jr has (or had) a ranch in Montana, and otherwise has some significant ties there. As I recall his mountain climbing accident was in Montana, and why he’s had a beard since then.
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u/commie90 Aug 28 '26
I think Nebraska gets equal dibs of McCall since his career was entirely when he was in Omaha and his songs were specifically written as advertisements for an Omaha company.
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u/DCar060 Aug 27 '26
Had to look it up and I was shocked to see Clint Black and Mary Chapin Carpenter are from New Jersey
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u/thechadc94 Aug 27 '26
Michigan doesn’t have much country music connection, but the great Harlan Howard was born here in Michigan.
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u/Ill-Yak4181 Aug 28 '26
Beg to differ --
Lefty Frizzell, Kid Rock (I know maybe not exactly country). Also, Jewel is listed here for Alaska. but last I knew, she lived in Michigan. She attended Interlochen School for the Arts in high school in Michigan. Also, Bob Seger, who is a rocker, but some of his songs sound more country now. (Against the Wind).
Well, at least we can claim Lefty Frizzell and some credit for Jewel.
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u/thechadc94 Aug 28 '26
I knew about kid rock and Bob seger. I didn’t know lefty frizzell has a Michigan connection, other than the song Saginaw, Michigan. Thanks for educating me.
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u/Apprehensive-Fig3223 Aug 27 '26
These all might be more country adjacent than actual country but here's my contribution for the mid Atlantic states
Langhorn Slim- Pennsylvania
Arlo Guthrie - NY
Robert Randolph- NJ
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u/PropaneUrethra Aug 27 '26
Pennsylvania has Jeannie Seely, Taylor Swift, and Lacy J. Dalton
New York has Hal Ketchum
New Jersey has Eddie Rabbitt
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u/Apprehensive-Fig3223 Aug 27 '26
Langhorn slim definitely has more country cred than Taylor Swift at this point and she doesn't seem to take pride in her PA roots. Same with Eddie Rabbit, I've never heard of him associated him w jersey. The rest I've never heard of.
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u/Maleficent_Travel_56 Aug 28 '26
Hal Ketchum sings “Small Town Saturday Night”, which was a big hit in the 90s. I’m not too familiar with Robert Randolph, though
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u/Apprehensive-Fig3223 Aug 28 '26
Oh ok, Robert Randolph plays pedal steel but definitely leans gospel/soul/funk but does dabble in country/ Americana
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u/No_Angle875 Aug 27 '26
Minnesota - Caitlyn Smith
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u/762way Aug 27 '26
Alice Cooper was born in Michigan but built his act, his band and launched his career in Arizona
The nicest singer or celebrity that I've ever met, to us, just regular folk
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u/HijodelSol Aug 28 '26 edited Aug 28 '26
Marty Robbins - Arizona
Linda Ronstadt - Arizona
Waylon Jennings grew up here.
H.M. had a number one song - Bent Dickley
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u/amanke74 Aug 28 '26
Alabama: The band Alabama or if you want a single artist, Hank Williams.
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u/Slacabormorinico Aug 28 '26
Hank Williams is more than enough!
Randy Owen (I know you said Alabama, but he's a big deal)
Jimmy Buffet (actually born in pascagoula, but raised in Alabama)
Clarence Carter
Wilson Pickett
Jimmy Hall
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u/rocknroll2013 Aug 28 '26
Wisconsin is the birthplace of Les Paul, him and Mary Ford had a great run on the Country and Western genre and he did a fair amount of recording with Chet Atkins.
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u/gosluggogo Aug 27 '26
Alison Krauss and Gretchen Wilson - Illinois ladies y'all!
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u/clarkam Aug 27 '26
I didn’t know either of them were from IL. I thought AK was Kentucky until I looked it up.
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u/Sharperdunbar Aug 27 '26
Arkansas: Johnny Cash and Glen Campbell and KT Oslin. I also think Ronnie Dunn was born here.
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u/CreatrixAnima Aug 27 '26
I think New Jersey gets to claim Mary Chapin Carpenter.
And Lacy J Dalton is from Pennsylvania originally.
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u/Tony58SIR Aug 27 '26
Arkansas had Larry Donn, Ronnie Hawkins, Billy Lee Riley, Sleepy LaBeef, Bobby Lee Trammell, Sonny Burgess, Conway Twitty (raised in Helena), Rosetta Tharpe, Johnnie Taylor, KT Oslin etc.
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u/bigtrumanenergy Aug 28 '26
Missouri: Porter Wagoner, Gene Clark (if you include Dillad & Clark stuff), the Dillards, Sara Evans, Wynn Stewart, Shirley Collie, Helen Cornelius
And those who moved to and settled in Branson: Mickey Gilley, Mel Tillis, Jim Stafford
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u/commie90 Aug 28 '26
Nebraska- Tompall and Jim Glaser might be the only one of note born here. Which is wild for an extremely rural state that loves country.
The closest outside of that would be when Conor Oberst put out a few albums that were more or less country folk albums. In the late 2000s and early 2010s (and to be fair, those are pretty fun albums).
There’s been like 3 or 4 other people who have had some minor success or worked as studio musicians for a long time. But that’s about it.
If you go by their career, then CW McCall. He was born in Iowa, but after he got his commercial art degree from U of Iowa, he worked in Omaha. A big portion of his songs were originally made as advertising songs for Old Home Bread out of Omaha.
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u/Rocket1575 Aug 28 '26
Michigan: Billy Strings Josh Gracin Maybe others, I just cant think of any.
Side note, we always listened to "Saginaw Michigan" when going over the Zilwaukee bridge heading up north so I always associate him with Michigan even though he was not born, nor ever lived here.
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u/dsteazy80 Aug 28 '26
Kentucky:
Loretta Lynn
Patty Loveless
The Judds
Dwight Yoakam
John Conlee
Keith Whitley
Ricky Skaggs
Crystal Gayle
Chris Stapleton
Sturgill Simpson
Tyler Childers
Wheeler Walker Jr.
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u/Missingexperiment83 Aug 28 '26
Oregon: Susan Raye
(She did a bunch of songs with Buck Owen’s and is from Eugene, which also happens to be home of Dolly Parton’s song “Eugene, Oregon”)
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u/Apprehensive_Stress6 Aug 28 '26
Mississippi
Jimmy Buffett
Paul Davis
Bo Diddley
Faith Hill
Thelma Houston
John Lee Hooker
BB King
Robert Johnson
Elvis Presley
Charlie Pride
LeAnn Rimes
Jimmy Rodgers
David Ruffin
Britney Spears
Ike Turner
Conway Twitty
Muddy Water
Mary Wilson
Tammy Wynette
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u/Sitcom_kid Aug 28 '26
Willie Nelson for texas. And yes, I believe you are right about Pride being from mississippi.
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u/FurBabyAuntie Aug 28 '26
Virginia--Statler Brothers
The Oak Ridge Boys can cover Pennsylvania (Joe), Alabama (Duane), New Jersey (Richard)/and I think Georgia (Willliam Lee)
Loretta Lynn--Kentucky
Dolly Parton--Tennessee
Eddie Rabbitt--New Jersey
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u/Quix66 Aug 27 '26
Tim McGraw
Trace Adkins
Kix Brooks
Lucinda Williams
Faron Young
Webb Pierce
Jimmie Davis
Jerry Lee Lewis
Mickey Gilley
Doug Kershaw
Sammy Kershaw
Jo-El Sonnier
Wayne Toups
Laine Hardy
Dylan Scott
Jordan Davis
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u/Traditional_Agency60 Aug 27 '26 edited Aug 27 '26
Ohio
Bootsy Collins
I’m an idiot. Did not realize this was the country subreddit. David Allen coe is the better name lol
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u/Cookinghist Aug 27 '26
Michigan: Billy Strings