Celebrating Country Music Women On International Women's Day

Dollyverse Powered By Blockchain Creative Labs on Eluv.io Music Festival Showcase - 2022 SXSW Conference and Festivals

AUSTIN, TEXAS - MARCH 18: Dolly Parton performs on stage at ACL Live during Blockchain Creative Labs’ Dollyverse event at SXSW during the 2022 SXSW Conference and Festivals on March 18, 2022 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for SXSW)Photo: Getty Images

Today is International Women's Day. To help you celebrate with our listeners, here are some milestones achieved by the women of country music.

Kitty Wells became the first woman in country music history to top the U.S. country charts with "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels." (1952)

Anne Murray was the first Canadian to reach number-one on the U.S. Billboard country charts with "I Just Fall in Love Again." (1979)

Patsy Cline was the first female country artist to headline a Las Vegas residency (1962) and perform at Carnegie Hall. She's also the first woman to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame (posthumously in 1973). 

Carrie Underwood made history when she released her album Cry Pretty, making her the first woman to have four country albums reach the top spot on the Billboard 200 chart.

Carrie Underwood tied for the ACM's Entertainer of the Year title, making her the first woman in ACM history to win the award three times. (2008, 2009, 2019)

2022 American Music Awards - Show

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 20: Carrie Underwood performs onstage during the 2022 American Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on November 20, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for dcp)Photo: Getty Images

Dolly Parton is the only country artist who has had a Top 20 hit on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart for six decades in a row.  

Jeannie Seely is the first woman to regularly host 30-minute segments of the Grand Ole Opry. 

Crystal Gayle became the first female country artist to have an album, We Must Believe in Magic, sell a million copies. The album featured her smash hit "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue."

SiriusXM + Pandora Present: Storme Warren Welcomes Crystal Gale on Prime Country

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - AUGUST 23: Crystal Gayle performs at SiriusXM studios on August 23, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for SiriusXM)Photo: Getty Images

Kelsea Ballerini is the only female country artist whose debut album produced three chart-toppers. She is also the youngest member of the Grand Ole Opry (2019).

In 1972, Loretta Lynn became the first woman to win the CMA's Entertainer of the Year Award. Three years later, she became the first woman to win the ACM's Entertainer of the Year award. In 1975, she became the first woman to host the show. Roger Miller was her co-host. Dolly Parton was the first woman to host the show solo in 2000.

In 1967, Bobbie Gentry is the first woman to host the CMA Awards. She co-hosted with Sonny James. In 1968, Dolly Parton was the first female to host the show solo.

Jenee Fleenor was the first woman to be nominated for the CMA's Musician of the Year and the first woman to take home the award. (2019)

In 2020, Mickey Guyton became the first Black woman to sing an original song at the ACM Awards.

Miranda Lambert has won 38 ACM Awards -- the most in ACM history to date. She's also the most-awarded woman in CMA Awards history with 14 total wins and the most-nominated woman with 61 nominations. Miranda won the CMA's Female Vocalist of the Year for seven times.

#iHeartWomensDay

65th GRAMMY Awards - Arrivals

Photo: Getty Images

At age 19, Taylor Swift became the youngest person to with the CMA's Entertainer of the Year award. (2009)

Seven women have won the CMA's Entertainer of the Year. They are Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Barbara Mandrell (twice), Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, The Chicks and Taylor Swift (twice).

Eight women have won the ACM's Entertainer of the Year. They are Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Barbara Mandrell, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, The Chicks, Carrie Underwood,Taylor Swift and Miranda Lambert.

The 56th Annual CMA Awards - Show

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - NOVEMBER 09: Carrie Underwood, Reba McEntire and Miranda Lambert perform onstage at The 56th Annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena on November 09, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)Photo: Getty Images

CMT Giants Honoring Reba McEntire - Arrivals

HOLLYWOOD - OCTOBER 26: Singer Barbara Mandrell arrives at the Country Music Television's CMT Giants honoring Reba McEntire at the Kodak Theatre on October 26, 2006 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images)Photo: Getty Images


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