Who is on the Mt. Rushmore of country music?

You can definitely cross Luke Bryan, Florida Georgia Line, and Walker Hayes from the prospective candidates.

My personal would be: Hank Sr., Lefty Frizzell, Marty Robbins and Dwight Yoakam

If I was trying to pick the four biggest stars of country music history that cut across all generations...

Hank Sr.
George Jones
Garth Brooks
George Strait

Hank and Jimmie Rodgers (who seems to be forgot 'round these parts) are the big 2

Others you can argue about. Just keep Willie Nelson and his non-singing voice off.

I might nominate Webb Pierce just to remind people how big he was -- bigger than Hank at the time, in fact. But as his memory faded Hank's legend grew and grew until it basically swallowed Webb whole.

Garth
George Strait
Clint Black
Alan Jackson

Hank
Merle
George Jones
Waylon


I just never got the appeal of Cash. Willie blows when he's not singing with someone else.

Hank Williams
Patsy Cline
Hank Thompson
Willie Nelson

Hank Williams
Lefty Frizzell
Patsy Cline
Bob Wills.

The Carter Family
Jimmy Rogers
Hank Williams

You can pick the fourth from Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, George Jones, or George Strait. Arguments can be made for any of them to be included.

Didn't mean to slight any of the ladies; Loretta Lynne, Patsy Cline, Tammy Wynette, or Dolly. I just don't think any had the impact of the ones mentioned above

This is a great debate topic, because you can go in so many directions with it, and also lends some interesting questions.

Is bluegrass included in "country music" or is it its own separate genre? Do groups count as 1 entity or do you have to pick one person from the group?

If it is included I would say...
Hank Williams (timeless songwriter, tied with Jimmie Rogers as first megastar of the genre)
Bill Monroe (father of bluegrass)
Buck Owens or Merle (Bakersfield sound)
Willie or Waylon (Outlaw movement)

If we can use groups as 1 entity I would probably replace Buck/Merle with the Maddox Brothers & Rose, as they were really the foundation of the Bakersfield sound, and also brought in the flashy clothing. I'd also probably replace Willie/Waylon with the Carter Family, because I feel like they are more important to the genre overall.

Also, if bluegrass is its own area, I'd replace Bill Monroe with either Dolly or Loretta. I hate to leave out Patsy, but she wasn't the songwriter that Dolly and Loretta were.

Johnny Rebel, DAC, hank Jr, Johnny cash