We need to be honoring our heroes while they’re still around.
As we’ve unfortunately learned all too often this year, the legends of country music aren’t going to be around forever. Just in 2026 we’ve lost icons like Dolly Parton, David Allan Coe and, most recently, ’90s country icon John Anderson.
While it sucks to think about, we’re barreling towards 1990 being 40 years ago. And there’s no doubt that the nostalgia factor is part of the reason that ’90s country is still so popular, but there’s also another much more simple explanation: It was one of the best eras of country music, with so many incredible superstars who helped define the genre for a decade.
Obviously there are superstars like Garth Brooks and Reba McEntire who are still front and center, but there are many, many others who were massive in the ’90s and still remain staples of every ’90s country playlist that don’t get the recognition they deserve for providing the soundtrack to a decade.
The 60th annual CMA Awards are coming up on November 18, and ahead of the ceremony the CMA announced plans to honor ’90s country during the show:
“We’ll reach back some to the early days of the CMAs, but really, the hot artists today, their heroes are the stars of the ’90s. So the ability in this show to really focus on reaching back to there.”
That all sounds well and good, but their words stand in an apparent stark contrast to their actions after ’90s country legend Sammy Kershaw revealed last night that his request to walk the red carpet at this year’s awards was denied:
“After more than 50 years in this business, many millions of records and singles streamed and sold, more than two dozen Billboard charted hits, a CMA Horizon Award nomination, being a lifetime CMA member, that they presented to me in 1992, and being asked to donate my time to play CMA Fest, I would hope I’ve earned the opportunity to walk the red carpet alongside my wife, as we’ve done before.”
We haven’t heard from the CMA Awards yet, but the online outrage shows just how misguided the decision is.
And of course the whole thing is about more than Sammy Kershaw.
It’s easy to say that he’s no longer a mainstream hitmaker, and that they have to limit the number of people on the red carpet and “make difficult decisions” or however they decide to explain it (if they do). But Sammy Kershaw, along with countless others, have paved the way for the artists who are nominated for these awards.
Sammy himself says he doesn’t get to make it to many awards shows, so when he’s willing and wanting to make time to walk the red carpet, to interact with artists who grew up listening to his music and talk to the media to promote country music, why wouldn’t you not only let him but enthusiastically embrace him?
And of course there are a long list of ’90s country artists who deserve to be recognized while they’re still around. So if the CMA Awards really want to honor the heroes of ’90s country, I figured I’d put together a list to give them a good starting point.
(Before I get into it, I want to get this out of the way: There are dozens and dozens more who deserve to be on here, so this is by no means an exhaustive list. Just because somebody isn’t on here doesn’t mean I think they don’t deserve to be recognized. And I’m also not mentioning artists like George Strait, Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson and Brooks & Dunn, who are regularly recognized as legends of country music, or artists like Tanya Tucker who had massive success in the 90s but whose career spanned decades).
So here we go, in no particular order:
Tracy Lawrence
An anchor of the ’90s neo-traditional movement with one of the most recognizable twangs in country music history, Tracy Lawrence racked up 18 #1 singles, a CMA Award, two ACMs, and a Grammy nomination. Massive hits like “Time Marches On,” “Alibis,” “Sticks and Stones,” and “If The Good Die Young” remain some of the most classic songs of ’90s country.
Doug Stone
With one of the most expressive and emotionally rich voices of the ’90s, Doug Stone scored eight #1 hits, received one Grammy nomination along with multiple ACM and CMA nominations. Iconic songs like “I’d Be Better Off (In a Pine Box),” “In a Different Light,” “Why Didn’t I Think of That,” and “A Jukebox with a Country Song” made him a master of the classic country ballad.
Patty Loveless
Blessed with one of the most soulful, mountain-rooted voices in country music, Patty Loveless scored five #1 hits, won two Grammy Awards, two ACM Awards, and five CMA Awards—including Female Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year. Hits like “Blame It on Your Heart,” “Timber, I’m Falling in Love,” “Lonely Too Long,” and “How Can I Help You Say Goodbye” made her an undeniable titan of ’90s country, and to me one of the most underrated artists of the decade – and maybe of any decade.
Aaron Tippin
Known for his distinctive vocal twang and hard-working anthems, Aaron Tippin charted three #1 singles and received multiple ACM and CMA nods. Defining hits like “You’ve Got to Stand for Something,” “There Ain’t Nothing Wrong with the Radio,” “Kiss This,” and “Where the Stars and Stripes and the Eagle Fly” solidified his place as a blue-collar country favorite.
Jo Dee Messina
A powerhouse vocalist who defined the late-90s country sound, Jo Dee Messina secured six #1 hits, won both the ACM Award and CMA Award for best new artist, and received two Grammy nominations. Hits like “Heads Carolina, Tails California,” “Lessons Learned,” “Bye Bye,” and “I’m Alright” made her one of the biggest hitmakers of the era.
Mark Chesnutt
A steadfast traditionalist who dominated ’90s country radio, Mark Chesnutt racked up eight #1 singles, won two CMA awards, and earned an ACM nomination for Top New Male Vocalist. Memorable tracks like “Too Cold at Home,” “Bubba Shot the Jukebox,” “Brother Jukebox,” and his (in my opinion) most underrated song “Old Country” highlighted the deep neo-traditional roots of the ’90s.
Tracy Byrd
Delivering a string of infectious honky-tonk favorites and touching ballads, Tracy Byrd achieved two #1 hits, the ACM Award for Song of the Year, along with multiple CMA nominations. Classic hits like “Watermelon Crawl,” “Keeper of the Stars,” “Ten Rounds With Jose Cuervo,” and “Holdin’ Heaven” make him an ongoing staple of ’90s country playlists.
Lorrie Morgan
One of the most compelling female vocalists of the decade, Lorrie Morgan accumulated three #1 hits, won two CMA Awards, and received numerous Grammy and ACM nominations. Timeless songs like “Five Minutes,” “What Part of No,” “Except for Monday,” and “Something in Red” highlighted her dramatic storytelling and emotional depth.
Neal McCoy
Renowned for his dynamic stage presence and uplifting singles, Neal McCoy scored back-to-back #1 hits, was honored by the ACMs for his humanitarian work in 2005, and has racked up multiple ACM and Grammy nominations. Fan favorites like “No Doubt About It,” “Wink,” “The Shake,” and “They’re Playing Our Song” showcase his signature high-energy country style – and he still happens to be one of the funniest guys out there touring today.
Mark Wills
With a knack for delivering big, emotional ballads, Mark Wills achieved two #1 singles, won an ACM Award for Top New Male Vocalist, and earned multiple ACM and CMA nominations. Hits like “Jacob’s Ladder,” “19 Somethin’,” “Wish You Were Here,” “Don’t Laugh at Me,” and “Places I’ve Never Been” showcase just some of the incredible storytelling that made up a large part of the appeal of ’90s country.
Deana Carter
Bursting onto the scene with a refreshing, rootsy singer-songwriter style, Deana Carter scored three #1 hits, won a CMA Award for Single of the Year, and earned five Grammy nominations. Classic hits like “We Danced Anyway,” “Count Me In,” and “How Do I Get There” perfectly captured the nostalgia that largely defined ’90s country, while “Strawberry Wine” remains one of the defining songs of the decade.
Clint Black
A cornerstone of the famed “Class of ’89,” Clint Black amassed 13 #1 singles, a Grammy Award, four CMA Awards, and five ACM Awards. Era-defining tracks like “A Better Man,” “Killin’ Time,” “When I Said I Do,” and “Nothin’ But the Taillights” established him as one of country music’s top singer-songwriters and multi-instrumentalists.
Trisha Yearwood
Possessing one of the most celebrated voices in American music, Trisha Yearwood secured five #1 hits, three Grammy Awards, three CMA Awards, and three ACM Awards along with nearly 60 total nominations across all awards shows. Hits like “She’s in Love with the Boy,” “Walkaway Joe,” “How Do I Live,” and “The Song Remembers When” made her an undeniable pillar of ’90s country music, along with her now-husband Garth Brooks.
Clay Walker
A dominant force on ’90s radio from the moment he hit the scene, Clay Walker achieved 11 #1 singles, multiple Gold and Platinum albums, and multiple awards show nominations. Defining hits like “What’s It to You,” “Live, Laugh, Love,” “If I Could Make a Living,” and “Rumor Has It” established him as one of the most consistent hitmakers of the era, and his inspiring story as he battles MS while still continuing to tour today is all the more reason that he deserves to be honored for the legend he is.
Travis Tritt
Bringing a gritty, Southern rock edge to traditional country as a key member of the “Class of ’89,” Travis Tritt scored five #1 hits, won two Grammy Awards and three CMA Awards while racking up 35 nominations among the two country music awards shows alone. Hits like “Here’s a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares),” “Help Me Hold On,” “Anymore,” and “T-R-O-U-B-L-E” showcased his powerful voice and electrifying showmanship – and he also had one of the greatest mullets of the ’90s that’s worthy of recognition in and of itself.
Pam Tillis
Combining clever songwriting with sophisticated vocal chops, Pam Tillis logged two #1 hits, a Grammy Award and the CMA Award for Female Vocalist of the Year. Essential ’90s tracks like “Mi Vida Loca (My Crazy Life),” “Maybe It Was Memphis,” “Shake the Sugar Tree,” and “Cleopatra, Queen of Denial” established her as one of the era’s most creative and enduring artists.
Sammy Kershaw
Obviously.
There are so many more I could add to this list. Originally I started out with 10, added three more before I even started writing, and along the way kept adding more until I finally decided to cut it off at 17. But artists like Dwight Yoakam, Wynonna Judd, Vince Gill, John Michael Montgomery, Shenandoah, Sawyer Brown, Alison Krauss…there really are too many to count, which is all the more reason that we should be recognizing all of these incredible artists while they’re still around.
