Blazing a Trail Through the Country Music Landscape
Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, and Dolly Parton are trailblazers in the truest sense of the word. Each played their part in revolutionizing country music, paving the way for a generation of talent to follow in their footsteps.
You don’t have to be a super fan to be familiar with Patsy Cline’s iconic and sultry contralto voice, gently teasing out the melodies of “Crazy” and “I Fall To Pieces”. Though her life was cut short by an airplane crash in 1963, she made an indelible mark.
A woman who credited Patsy Cline as her mentor and inspiration, Loretta Lynn forged her own trailblazing path. With 18 GRAMMY Award nominations, and three wins with timelines feminist songs like “The Pill” and “Don't Come Home A-Drinkin' (With Lovin' on Your Mind)" clocked on billboards at a time when women stayed in the home more often than not.
And nothing less than a country music legend, Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” and “Jolene” still hit the radio waves (and not just during the Stampede!) Her bright, bubbly voice is an immortal part of the genre.
This legacy of three of music’s greatest performers will be brought to life on stage with two vibrant vocalists: Southern Soul Songstress Rissi Palmer and Nashville’s Kristina Train.
Called “one of America’s freshest and most compelling singer/songwriters” by Rock and Blues Muse, Palmer has an incredible range with a voice as comfortable with a wailing ballad as a back porch Blues melody. She’s performed at The White House and Lincoln Center and taken her bows on stage with The Eagles and Taylor Swift.
“Country music has fed me creatively since I was a little girl,” says Palmer. “To be able to sing these classics onstage is an honor and I'm really excited to give it my personal twist.”
Kristina Train is thrilled to be performing the songs that inspired her to be the performer that she is today.
“This program and lineup are truly what dreams are made of,” says Kristina Train. “Dolly, Loretta, and Patsy bestowed on me an education in country music, and as a young girl - they helped me dream up what it might feel like to be a fully-grown woman. I owe these women a debt of gratitude. On the Trailblazing Women of Country tour, I imagine our group of fantastic women and musicians, along with everyone present in the room will be experiencing a joyful celebration honoring Dolly, Patsy, and Loretta and all they have given us."
For a country music fan, or any lover of a great live show, Trailblazing Women of Country on March 4 is your ticket to an evening of nostalgic, timeless music in the fabulous Jack Singer Concert Hall at Arts Commons.
