Country artists who weren't always country

[vamp111]

Who are country artists who weren't originally country and likely never planned on being country singers but are now? They may have originally been in other genres or maybe grew up with something that wasn't remotely country.

Here are some I know of, feel free to say your own.

Darius Rucker- Probably the most obvious one. Was originally part of the rock band Hootie and the Blowfish and even did an R&B album before he went country.
Dan Smyers(from Dan + Shay)- Was originally part of a pop-rock band.
Cassadee Pope- Was part of a pop/rock/punk band "Hey Monday." Was on Warped Tour which obviously isn't country
Jana Kramer- Didn't necessarily sing a different genre before, but was still part of the "Hollywood scene" for awhile which may scream "not country!"
Jamie Lynn Spears
Jessica Simpson(Has gone back to pop I think?)
Danny Gokey(But he has since gone back to Christian)
Sheryl Crow

[onebuffalo]

Good thread. The #1 example of all time would be Conway Twitty. Rock and roll between 1957-1964 and then country between 1965-1993.

[Verisimilitude]

Sheryl Crow

[sabre14]

Damien Horne of The Farm was a pop artist when he had his solo career and made a pop album in 2008 called Somebody's Hero in 2008. He has co-written and collaborated with John Legend, Bon Jovi, 3 Doors Down, Robert Randolph and Jewel. He was a member of the Muzik Mafia, so that's how he had a Nashville connection and soon would meet Krista Marie and Nick Hoffman.

[rgreen0625]

Aaron Lewis
Dallas Smith

[someguy]

Pam Tillis released some pop singles in the early 80s.

[avalyn]

Kristian Bush was apart of Billy Pilgrim. That duo was signed to Atlantic around the time Hootie and the Blowfish and Jewel was signed.

[.indulgecountry]

Two people have mentioned Jewel without looking like they intended to for thread purposes, so: Jewel.

(She's my personal favorite. Both of her country albums are fantastic and I just love her voice.)

[Deleted]

*Jay Demarcus was one half of Christian duo East To West years before Rascal Flatts was formed
*Casey James was Pop on American Idol before his first single was released to Country

[onebuffalo]

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Exile, Dan Seals, and John Denver come to mind. The Denver example is puzzling because he had success in pop and adult contemporary charts first then he had his big country run with the 1974 album, Back Home Again, the 1975 album, An Evening With John Denver, and the 1975 album, Windsong. Even after he died in 1997, a lot of people said he sang some of the finest country songs ever. Too bad the Nashville community was wary of him between the time he signed with RCA in 1969 until he hit his stride in country in 1974.

[Ten Pound Hammer]

Billy Joe Royal, Dan Seals, and Dickey Lee come to mind. Dan had songs as one half of England Dan and John Ford Coley, and a few by himself too.

[wonderstruck]

Kimberly Perry - she did Christian music for a couple years.

[Ten Pound Hammer]

^ I wonder if that's why she covered Chris Tomlin's "My Chains Are Gone" when my sister and I saw TBP in concert a few years ago.

[ej]

Jun 25, 2014 13:42:08 GMT -5 onebuffalo said:

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Exile, Dan Seals, and John Denver come to mind. The Denver example is puzzling because he had success in pop and adult contemporary charts first then he had his big country run with the 1974 album, Back Home Again, the 1975 album, An Evening With John Denver, and the 1975 album, Windsong. Even after he died in 1997, a lot of people said he sang some of the finest country songs ever. Too bad the Nashville community was wary of him between the time he signed with RCA in 1969 until he hit his stride in country in 1974.

John Denver was an amazing singer and song writer. However, other than "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" and "Country Roads" I wouldn't classify him as a country singer. He belongs in the Folk Music genre.

[onebuffalo]

Jan 5, 2015 3:36:18 GMT -5 ej said:

Jun 25, 2014 13:42:08 GMT -5 onebuffalo said:

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Exile, Dan Seals, and John Denver come to mind. The Denver example is puzzling because he had success in pop and adult contemporary charts first then he had his big country run with the 1974 album, Back Home Again, the 1975 album, An Evening With John Denver, and the 1975 album, Windsong. Even after he died in 1997, a lot of people said he sang some of the finest country songs ever. Too bad the Nashville community was wary of him between the time he signed with RCA in 1969 until he hit his stride in country in 1974.

John Denver was an amazing singer and song writer. However, other than "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" and "Country Roads" I wouldn't classify him as a country singer. He belongs in the Folk Music genre.

First, welcome to Pulse Music Board, ej.
Second, I agree with your post. Milt Okun, John Denver's producer said that after his death, Denver would classify himself as a folk artist. As you know, Denver defied categories and genres. He just wanted to sing for the people. However, some of his big hits on the pop chart and adult contemporary chart would have fit the country mold of the early 1970s:

1. Take Me Home, Country Roads-1971-#50 country, #2 pop, and #3 A.C.
2. Rocky Mountain High-1973-#9 pop and #3 A.C.-why this one did not appear on the country list surprises me. It did get a ton of recurrent airplay after it peaked on the other two charts.
3. Sunshine On My Shoulders-1974-#42 country, #1 pop, and #1 A.C.

Annie's Song was the one that finally got Denver a major country hit at #9 in 1974. However, it remains his biggest pop and A.C. hit (2 weeks at #1 on the former while 3 weeks at #1 on the latter).

[bjer127]

Jan 5, 2015 8:50:32 GMT -5 onebuffalo said:

Jan 5, 2015 3:36:18 GMT -5 ej said:

John Denver was an amazing singer and song writer. However, other than "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" and "Country Roads" I wouldn't classify him as a country singer. He belongs in the Folk Music genre.

First, welcome to Pulse Music Board, ej.
Second, I agree with your post. Milt Okun, John Denver's producer said that after his death, Denver would classify himself as a folk artist. As you know, Denver defied categories and genres. He just wanted to sing for the people. However, some of his big hits on the pop chart and adult contemporary chart would have fit the country mold of the early 1970s:

1. Take Me Home, Country Roads-1971-#50 country, #2 pop, and #3 A.C.
2. Rocky Mountain High-1973-#9 pop and #3 A.C.-why this one did not appear on the country list surprises me. It did get a ton of recurrent airplay after it peaked on the other two charts.
3. Sunshine On My Shoulders-1974-#42 country, #1 pop, and #1 A.C.

Annie's Song was the one that finally got Denver a major country hit at #9 in 1974. However, it remains his biggest pop and A.C. hit (2 weeks at #1 on the former while 3 weeks at #1 on the latter).

Don't forget "Back Home Again". That was a good song, still play that one every now and then. Probably my favorite John Denver song

[onebuffalo]

Jan 5, 2015 13:39:28 GMT -5 bjer127 said:

Jan 5, 2015 8:50:32 GMT -5 onebuffalo said:

First, welcome to Pulse Music Board, ej.
Second, I agree with your post. Milt Okun, John Denver's producer said that after his death, Denver would classify himself as a folk artist. As you know, Denver defied categories and genres. He just wanted to sing for the people. However, some of his big hits on the pop chart and adult contemporary chart would have fit the country mold of the early 1970s:

1. Take Me Home, Country Roads-1971-#50 country, #2 pop, and #3 A.C.
2. Rocky Mountain High-1973-#9 pop and #3 A.C.-why this one did not appear on the country list surprises me. It did get a ton of recurrent airplay after it peaked on the other two charts.
3. Sunshine On My Shoulders-1974-#42 country, #1 pop, and #1 A.C.

Annie's Song was the one that finally got Denver a major country hit at #9 in 1974. However, it remains his biggest pop and A.C. hit (2 weeks at #1 on the former while 3 weeks at #1 on the latter).

Don't forget "Back Home Again". That was a good song, still play that one every now and then. Probably my favorite John Denver song

That was the follow up to Annie's Song. It became John Denver's first (of three) country chart toppers while claiming a #5 peak at pop and topping the A.C. chart.

[ej]

Jan 5, 2015 8:50:32 GMT -5 onebuffalo said:

Jan 5, 2015 3:36:18 GMT -5 ej said:

John Denver was an amazing singer and song writer. However, other than "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" and "Country Roads" I wouldn't classify him as a country singer. He belongs in the Folk Music genre.

First, welcome to Pulse Music Board, ej.
Second, I agree with your post. Milt Okun, John Denver's producer said that after his death, Denver would classify himself as a folk artist. As you know, Denver defied categories and genres. He just wanted to sing for the people. However, some of his big hits on the pop chart and adult contemporary chart would have fit the country mold of the early 1970s:

1. Take Me Home, Country Roads-1971-#50 country, #2 pop, and #3 A.C.
2. Rocky Mountain High-1973-#9 pop and #3 A.C.-why this one did not appear on the country list surprises me. It did get a ton of recurrent airplay after it peaked on the other two charts.
3. Sunshine On My Shoulders-1974-#42 country, #1 pop, and #1 A.C.

Annie's Song was the one that finally got Denver a major country hit at #9 in 1974. However, it remains his biggest pop and A.C. hit (2 weeks at #1 on the former while 3 weeks at #1 on the latter).

[ej]

Thanks, BC. It is good to be here. This forum is full of friendly and well informed people and it is a pleasure to be welcomed to the group. You make great points about John Denver. I agree completely with your response. John Denver's death saddened me, I attended a couple of his concerts and they were very enjoyable. He could sing, he could play - his technique and use of 12 string acoustic guitars was fabulous, and his song writing was deep, with a very ethereal sense of spirituality. bjer, thank you for commenting, too. Back Home Again is another favorite. Annie's Song is definitely his signature piece, and it is beautiful. I don't think he ever wrote a substandard song.

Thanks for the warm welcome.

Oops, I posted just before this without a response. LOL

[Markus Meyer]

Parmalee was a rock band before they went country. (In before "they still are" jokes)