Kristian Bush of Sugarland released his debut solo album this year, and the buzz on it has been good.
Good enough, in fact, to inspire its own Daily Top Five!
What are your favorite solo singles by artists famous for being in a duo or group?
For my list, I stuck to singles from their first solo projects, but feel free to break that rule!
- Radney Foster, “Nobody Wins” (Foster & Lloyd)
- Wynonna, “She is His Only Need” (The Judds)
- Larry Stewart, “Alright Already” (Restless Heart)
- Ronnie Dunn, “Bleed Red” (Brooks & Dunn)
- Heidi Newfield, “What am I Waiting For?” (Trick Pony)
1. “Bleed Red”: Ronnie Dunn (B&D)
2. “Trailer Hitch”: Kristian Bush (Sugarland)
3. “It’s A Love Thing”: Keith Urban (The Ranch (I mean, technically…))
4. “What Are You Listening To”: Chris Stapleton (The SteelDrivers)
5. “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It”: Darius Rucker (Hootie and the Blowfish)
1. Only Love – Wynonna (The Judds)
2. Bop – Dan Seals (England Dan & John Ford Coley)
3. You Decorated My Life – Kenny Rogers (The First Edition)
4. Good Ole Boys Like Me – Don Williams (Pozo-Seco Singers)
5. I Still Believe In You – Vince Gill (Pure Prairie League)
My five:
1. LONG LONG TIME–Linda Ronstadt (The Stone Poneys)
2. ONLY ONCE–Maria McKee (Lone Justice)
3. BRASS BUTTONS–Gram Parsons (Flying Burrito Brothers; Byrds)
4. THE GAMBLER–Kenny Rogers (First Edition)
5. CAN’T YOU SEE?–Waylon Jennings (The Crickets)
1. Wynonna-She is His Only Need “The Judds”
2. Darius Rucker-Wagon Wheel “Hootie & The Blowfish”
3. Ronnie Dunn-Cost of Living “Brooks & Dunn”
4. Chris Stapleton-What Are You Listening To “The Steeldrivers”
5. Miranda Lambert-Over You “Pistol Annies”
1. Falling – Jennifer Nettles (Sugarland)
2. Bleed Red – Ronnie Dunn (Brooks & Dunn)
3. It’s Never Easy To Say Goodbye (The Judds)
4. Johnny and June – Heidi Newfield (Trick Pony)
5. Free Life – Natalie Maines (Dixie Chicks)
Five that come to mind:
1. When I Call Your Name – Vince Gill (Pure Prairie League)
2. Ball and Chain – Paul Overstreet (S-K-O)
3. Nobody Wins – Radney Foster (Foster & Lloyd)
4. She Misses Him – Tim Rushlow (Little Texas)
5. Traveller – Chris Stapleton (The Steeldrivers)
1. Diamond In The Dust – Mark Gray (Exile)
2. You Ain’t Going Nowhere – Chris Hillman (Desert Rose Band, Flying Burrito Brothers and The Byrds)
3. Change My Mind – Meghan Linsey (Steel Magnolia)
4. Doctor My Eyes – Jackson Browne (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band)
5. This Dirty Little Town – Kieran Kane (O’Kanes)
Kieren Kane had some chart singles before becoming a part of the O’Kanes. I particlarly liked “It’s Who You Love”
Waylon wasn’t really a Cricket – he was part of Holly’s band after Holly split from the Crickets
Jennifer Nettles – That Girl, Me Without You & So Many Love Songs (Sugarland)
Kristen Kelly – He Loves to Make Me Cry & Ex-Old Man (KK & the Modern Day Drifters)
A few of my alt-country favorites:
1. Jason Isbell, “Dress Blues” (Drive-By Truckers)
2. Ryan Adams, “New York, New York” (Whiskeytown)
3. Rhett Miller, “Come Around” (Old 97s)
4. Kelly Hogan, “Papa Was a Rodeo” (The Rock-A-Teens)
5. Maria McKee, “If Love is a Red Dress” (Lone Justice)