George Strait, George Jones, Jonny Cash and Garth Brooks. Garth edges out Hank at honorable mention. Garth completely changed country music and brought it mainstream.
I don’t understand inclusion of Willie Nelson. Popular? Yes. Rebel? Yes. Good singer? IMO…no. Again…just my opinion
The great singers, storytellers, communicators and visionaries of any form of music have one thing in common. They can make every person in the audience feel as if the singer is directing all of his his or her attention at them. Willie can do this.
I have had the good fortune to see Willie more times than I can remember, from a small outdoor picnic pavilion in Kempton Pennsylvania at the base of a Hawk Mountain to opening for the Grateful Dead. He pulls it off every time. They seem reachable.
Adele has this, as does Bruce, Van Morrison is a no. Dylan is a no, you go see Bob for other reasons and know what to expect. Billy Joel, yes, Paul, Yes, on and on it Goes.
I am not a fan of Country Lite Garth Brooks but he sure makes everyone in the crowd feel like he is singing directly to them. It’s remarkable how he can do that in a Football Stadium. While their voices may be different, their ability to deliver the personal moment to their loving fans is very much the same.
I have been To hundreds if not thousands of shows at this point in my life of all genres of music, Classical, Pop, Opera, Pops, Rock, Jazz, Blues, Country, Bluegrass, Punk, Classic Rock, Funk, Rap, jam Band, Jam Grass, jazz Grass, on and on, most of the great ones make you leave feeling they were singing to you.
A few, Van Morrison, Dylan, etc. just overwhelm you with their talent and library of great songs. I have never experienced the singing to me sensation but loved those concerts all the same.
