The musicians I researched for this project have had a wide impact on the development of country music and music in general.  From Maybelle and Sara Carter to Shania Twain, these women have profoundly influenced our culture in many ways.  This list is only a partial one; to list all the women who have been important in country music would be an impossible undertaking.

            Each woman discussed here had very different experiences in the music business, for instance Patsy Cline had to be boisterous and foul-mouthed to prove she could make it in a man’s world, whereas Martina McBride’s soprano voice was readily accepted and lauded as she sang about women’s issues like domestic violence.

            Generally, there is more diversity among the women included as “contemporary musicians” than those in the “pioneers” section.  Contemporary musicians hail from all over North America, where as pioneers were all from the rural south.  This reflects the trend of country music spreading throughout the world and reaching a wider audience.

            These women have provided an example of excellence that all women could do well to follow.  Many have overcome the hardships of poverty and bad home situations to become superstars who will be remembered for years to come.

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