20 Country Singers Who Are From Texas
on May 10, 2024
Ever Wonder How Many Country Singers Are From Texas?
Many country singers have recorded songs about Texas. Those songs include classics such as “Texas (When I Die)” and “Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love).”
Fittingly, three Texas-born artists recorded those tracks…Tanya Tucker, Waylon Jennings, and Willie Nelson
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Today, we’re sharing a list of 20 country singers who are native Texans like Tucker, Jennings, and Nelson.
For starters, this list only features artists who were born in the Lone Star State. Also, we obviously couldn’t include every Texas-born country singer. But these 20 artists are some of the most notable figures to emerge from there!
Keep Scrolling To See 20 Country Singers Born In The Lone Star State
Miranda Lambert
Future country music superstar Miranda Lambert was born in Longview, Texas on November 10, 1983. But she spent most of her childhood in Lindale.
One of Lambert’s earliest songs is titled “Texas as Hell.” She’s continued to honor her home state through her work. Her 2021 album, The Marfa Tapes, was recorded in Marfa, Texas.
Waylon Jennings
Country music outlaw Waylon Jennings was born on June 15, 1937, near Littlefield, Texas. He spent much of his young life in Littlefield, where he formed his first band, the Texas Longhorns.
In addition to “Luckenbach, Texas,” Jennings recognized his home state in the song “You’ll Never Take Texas Out of Me,” which includes these lyrics:
“I may sing my songs the whole world over. I may live in Tennessee. You can take the music out of Texas, but you’ll never take Texas out of me.”
Willie Nelson
Jennings’ “Luckenbach, Texas” duet partner Willie Nelson is a native Texan as well. Nelson was born on April 29, 1933 in Abbott, Texas.
Nelson got his start singing in dance halls and honky tonks throughout the Lone Star State. As his career progressed, he honored his roots in songs such as “Beautiful Texas” and “No Place But Texas”
Kacey Musgraves
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Kacey Musgraves was born on August 21, 1988, in Golden, Texas. She started her music career by singing with a classmate in a duo named Texas Two Bits, and they toured throughout the state.
Musgraves’ hometown later inspired the title of her Grammy-winning album Golden Hour.
Kenny Rogers
Kenny Rogers was born on August 21, 1938 in Houston, Texas. He spent his entire childhood in the state.
Rogers first proved to be a skilled singer when he won a talent show at the Texan Theatre in 1949. As he became one of the most successful crossover acts of his era, Rogers nodded to his home state in songs such as “Planet Texas” and “No Good Texas Rounder.”
George Jones
George Jones was born on September 12, 1931, in Saratoga, Texas. He and his six siblings were raised in Colmesneil, which is located in the Big Thicket region of southeast Texas.
Jones left home at the age of 16 and started singing on a radio station in Jasper, Texas. As his career progressed, he mentioned his home state in songs such as “You Can’t Get the Hell Out of Texas” and “It Hurts as Much in Texas (As It Did in Tennessee).”
Tanya Tucker
Tanya Tucker was born in Seminole, Texas on October 10, 1958. Tucker’s family left the Lone Star State when she was young, and they lived in Arizona, Utah, and Nevada while she was growing up.
After her country music career took off, Tucker honored her Texas origins by covering the Ed Bruce song “Texas (When I Die).” Tucker re-recorded the track for her 2020 live album Live from the Troubador.
Lee Ann Womack
LeAnn Womack was born in Jacksonville, Texas on August 19, 1966. She first fell in love with music after going to work with her father, who was a DJ at a local radio station.
Womack spent her entire childhood in Texas before moving to Nashville to attend Belmont University. She is proud of her Texas roots and shared a “Throwback Thursday” photo referencing her love for her home state in January 2024.
Barbara Mandrell
Barbara Mandrell was born in Houston, Texas on Christmas Day in 1948. Her family later moved to Corpus Christi, where Mandrell first fell in love with music.
The Mandrell family moved again to Oceanside, California. That’s where Mandrell spent most of her childhood and developed her talents as a singer and musician, leading to her becoming a country music performer as a teenager.
Don Williams
Country music legend Don Williams was born on May 27, 1939, in Floydada, Texas. But a young Williams spent most of his early years in Portland, Texas.
Williams went on to become known as country music’s “Gentle Giant,” who recorded beloved songs such as “Lord, I Hope This Day Is Good” and “She’s In Love With a Rodeo Man.”
Tracy Byrd
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Tracy Byrd was born on December 17, 1966 in Vidor, Texas. He spent his entire childhood in the city, and graduated from high school there.
Byrd started singing in a band while attending Texas State University. The band also featured a fellow future country star and native Texan, Mark Chesnutt.
Later, Byrd mentioned his home state in songs such as “Back to Texas” and “Texas Truck.”
Mark Chesnutt
Country singer Mark Chesnutt was born in Beaumont, Texas on September 6, 1963. He dropped out of high school to start playing music in clubs throughout the southeast region of the state. As mentioned previously, Chesnutt was a member of a band that also featured Tracy Byrd.
Chesnutt’s dad started taking him to Nashville to record music at the age of 17. Since then, Chesnutt has offered nods to Texas in his songs such as “Texas Is Bigger Than It Used to Be” and “Blame It On Texas.”
Kris Kristofferson
Kris Kristofferson is the third member of The Highwaymen born in Texas, the others being Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings. The fourth Highwayman, Johnny Cash, was born in Arkansas.
Kristofferson was born on June 22, 1936 in Brownsville, Texas. His father was in the military, so they moved around a lot while he was young, and the family eventually settled in San Mateo, California.
After serving in the Army, Kristofferson moved to Nashville and became one of country music’s most prolific singer-songwriters.
Ronnie Dunn
Brooks & Dunn’s Ronnie Dunn was born in Coleman, Texas, on June 1, 1953. He moved around a lot as a child, and started school in New Mexico. He later returned to Texas to attend college at Abilene Christian University.
Dunn started playing in clubs in the Abilene area. He later gained more experience in the country music scene after moving to Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Dunn has recorded lots of solo music about his home state, including songs such as “Ain’t No Trucks in Texas,” “How Far to Waco,” and “Road to Abilene.”
Cody Johnson
Cody Johnson was born in Sebastopol, Texas on May 21, 1987. His father performed in their local church, and taught Johnson everything he knew about music.
Johnson started singing at the age of 12. While his passion for music grew, so did his love for bull riding and the rodeo scene.
He eventually devoted himself to music full-time. His songs often mention Texas, including tracks such as “That’s Texas” and “What’s Left of Texas?”
Parker McCollum
Country singer Parker McCollum was born in Conroe, Texas on June 15, 1992. He grew up listening to music from fellow Texas natives such as Willie Nelson and George Strait.
Now, McCollum nods to his home state in his own music, including songs like “Dallas” and “Galveston Bay.”
Holly Dunn
Holly Dunn was born in San Antonio, Texas on August 22, 1957. As a teenager, she performed in a band called the Freedom Folk Singers, which toured in the South.
She attended Abilene Christian University and moved to Nashville after she finished her classes. Her fourth studio album was titled The Blue Rose of Texas.
Clay Walker
Clay Walker was born in Beaumont, Texas on August 19, 1969. Young Walker lived in Vidor, Texas, when his stepfather gave him his first guitar.
He spent his teen and early adult years playing at local talent competitions and clubs. This led to him landing a gig as a performer in the house band at a Beaumont bar called Neon Armadillo.
Walker has recognized Texas in his music many times, most notably in the title of his 2021 album, Texas to Tennessee.
Mickey Guyton
Mickey Guyton was born in Arlington, Texas on June 17, 1983. Her father worked as an engineer, so her family moved throughout the state while she was young.
Guyton told The Wall Street Journal in 2015 that she felt inspired to pursue a singing career after watching LeAnn Rimes sing The National Anthem at a Texas Rangers Game.
Years later, Guyton performed the National Anthem at Super Bowl LVI.
George Strait
When anyone thinks of famous celebrities from Texas, George Strait is one of the first people to come to mind. “The King of Country” was born in the small city of Poteet, Texas on May 18, 1952.
Strait grew up in the city of Pearsall, in Frio County, Texas. His father owned a 2,000-acre cattle ranch outside of Big Wells.
Young Strait started playing music while attending Pearsall High School. But surprisingly, he was in a garage rock band called The Stoics.
Strait didn’t turn to country music until later in life, after he eloped with his high school sweetheart, Norma, and enlisted in the Army. He started singing again in an Army-sponsored country music band…and the rest is history.
Today, Strait has more #1 country songs than any other artist. Many of those songs reference Texas, including “Amarillo by Morning,” “Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind,” and of course, “All My Ex’s Live in Texas.”
If you liked this list, you’re sure to enjoy our lists of 20 Country Singers Who Are From Kentucky and 7 Country Singers Born In Oklahoma.
