10 Women Who Made Cool Albums in 2000s
Approaching the end of this year I compiled a whole bunch of lists, such as indie albums you might have missed, women in country music with Christmas albums and my favorite country albums of the decade. So I figured I'd stir that all together and come up with this hodge-podge ranking: 10 women who made cool albums in the 2000s. I'd have to start with Loretta Lynn, who won two Grammys for the lively Van Lear Rose, which she and Jack White recorded in my neighborhood. And because I'm always drawn to songs about the myriad frustrations in life and love, there's no telling how many times I listened to Lori McKenna's Bittertown or Allison Moorer's Miss Fortune. None of them received substantial radio airplay, but they were all in heavy rotation at my place.
Earlier in the decade I also carried high hopes for Julie Roberts' self-titled debut because she could wring such emotion from her voice. And I wish Cyndi Thomson hadn't thrown in the towel after the sweet My World and that Holly Williams had found an audience to appreciate the smart songwriting on her debut, The Ones We Never Knew.
The best-selling album of the bunch goes to Gretchen Wilson who captured all kinds of rewards in the wake of "Redneck Woman," although I considered Here for the Party to be an all-around solid effort, especially for a debut -- and just when we needed some feisty women around these parts. However, many of country music's more established women struggled to sell records. Yet I believe that Lee Ann Womack's complex Call Me Crazy, Wynonna's soulful What the World Needs Now Is Love and Trisha Yearwood's soaring Heaven, Heartache and the Power of Love will stand out as some of their most artistically satisfying work in the decades to come.
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brian griffin says:
Lee Ann Womack’s “There’s More Where That Came From” was the best cd by a female this decade and “I May Hate Myself In The Morning” is one of the best songs of the decade. Her sales difficulties are a sad commentary on country music today.
Sofia says:
I love Trisha
Joe says:
I bought Loretta Lynn’s Album and was impressed by it, and it’s sad that most of these albums didn’t get played more on radio
Peacock Queen says:
Personally, I have loved Miranda Lambert’s music. She is a shining new star, and will be around for a long time, at least I hope so because she is very talented and very country. Love her music.
Ashton Shepherd is another one of my absolute favorite new artists. She is very “twangy” so I can understand how she might not appeal to everyone, but I loved “Taking Off This Pain” and “Sounds So Good.” Loved those songs, and she is cute as a button, too.
Loretta Lynn will always rock, no matter what she sings or who she sings with. Dolly put out a new album, and although Dolly has written many beautiful country songs, radio doesn’t seem to care. I miss Tammy Wynette, too.
mand14 says:
I like the song “Country Bumpkin” by Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn haha…I’m young, but I do like a lot of those old country songs.
Leon says:
Country Bumpkin is by Cal Smith
mand14 says:
well Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn have a version I guess cause I have it.