Kitty Wells

One of the first modern superstars of country music, Kitty Wells' proto-feminist persona and songwriting paved the way for artists such as Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette. Married to country singer Johnnie Wright, Wells got her start singing with Johnnie and Jack, a very popular duo Wright had with the singer Jack Anglin. After setting out on her own in the 1950s, Wells hit the big time with the song "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky-Tonk Angels," a response to Hank Thompson's "Wild Side of Life." The song was a No. 1 hit and lead to her induction into the Grand Ole Opry. Wells had hit after hit in the charts throughout the '50s and '60s; she was a popular live attraction after the chart success ended in the mid-'70s. Her records combine tough Honky-Tonk with the lush Nashville Sound characterized by sweeping strings and banks of backing vocals.