(Left) Michael Ochs Archives / Stringer / Getty Images / (Center) Paul Natkin / Contributor / Getty Images / (Right) Michael Ochs Archives / Stringer / Getty Images
Many country stars have been (or were) in the business for decades. Those who started their careers long before the prevalence of the internet didn’t have their photos circulating like modern artists do.
Many country artists emerged on the scene with a different “look” than they’re known for today. For example, Willie Nelson started his career with short hair and no beard, and he wore a suit. He adopted his now-famous braids, bandana, and scruffy beard later in his career.
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Below, we’ve included photos of 20 beloved country stars in their younger years. Take a look at the photos, and see if you can recognize who they are. We’ll also provide a clue below each artist’s photo. Then, we’ll reveal everyone’s identities at the end of the list.
This lovely lady was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2009, several years after she retired from performing.
The young fella in this photo may be clean-shaven here, but he was known for rocking a mustache in the later years of his career!
The handsome outlaw in this photo formed his first band when he was only 14 years old. He’s obviously a little older in this picture here, but it was still taken early in his career!
This young man was born into a country music family. Both he and his father are in the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Now who is this well-dressed gentleman? He’s quite young in this picture, but he just celebrated his 90th birthday in 2023!
This artist was only 13 years old when her debut single was released. Now, she’s set to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame later this year (2023).
We sadly lost this fiddle-playing star in 2020, just four years after he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
It may be a little easier to identify the young country star in this photo. But we don’t blame you if you’re stumped, because this artist looks quite different without his signature mustache and white hat.
This young country singer was photographed in 1956 when he would have been 24-25 years old. He went on to become a country music icon, and died in 2013 at the age of 81.
The handsome fella in this picture is known as a country singer-songwriter and actor. This particular photo was taken in December 1970 when he was 34 years old.
The young artist in this photo was known for sporting a more rugged appearance for most of his career. He passed away on April 6, 2016, which was also his 79th birthday.
This beautiful young lady was only 13 when this picture was taken. She was the same age when she broke into the country music scene with the release of her debut single.
The fiddle-playing singer in this picture was born to be a star. Her artistry has been recognized with tons of accolades, including 27 Grammy Awards.
This good-lookin’ guy didn’t start his career as a country artist. He made the shift into country in later years, and passed away in 2020 at the age of 81.
The stunning star in this photo was 27-28 years old at the time. She was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2008.
This country star was just 21 years old when this picture was taken. She released her first single nine years later (in 1997) and scored her first #1 hit three years after that (in 2000).
The country singer in this snapshot achieved an even greater level of fame after starring in a movie with Burt Reynolds in 1977.
It may be pretty easy for y’all to figure out who the young artist is in this photo. But in case you’re stumped, here’s your hint. She was only 13 years old when she recorded what many consider to be her signature song!
The country star in this photo is hardly recognizable without his now-signature hat, long hair, and beard! He had a huge breakthrough in 2015, but was a highly respected and sought-after songwriter for years before that.
The above photograph of this country music legend was taken in 1960. He became a member of the Grand Ole Opry one year later. He is now the longest-serving member of the Opry and will celebrate his 63rd Opry anniversary this year (2024).
Now that you’ve looked through the photos and read the clues, here’s who all of the artists are/were.
Star #1 – Barbara Mandrell
Star #2 – Marty Robbins
Star #3 – Waylon Jennings
Star #4 – Hank Williams Jr.
Star #5 – Willie Nelson
Star #6 – Tanya Tucker
Star #7 – Charlie Daniels
Star #8 – Alan Jackson
Star #9 – George Jones
Star #10 – Kris Kristofferson
Star #11 – Merle Haggard
Star # 12- LeAnn Rimes
Star #13 – Alison Krauss
Star #14 – Kenny Rogers
Star #15 – Emmylou Harris
Star #16 – Lee Ann Womack
Star #17 – Jerry Reed
Star #18 – Brenda Lee
Star #19 – Chris Stapleton
Star #20 – Bill Anderson
How many of these artists did you recognize from their younger photos? Let us know if you got them all correct, and enjoy a performance from a young Willie Nelson below.
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