Country music stars of the ’70s — their lives since

Willie Nelson has been a country star for decades. He got his start in the ’50s, and by the ’70s, solidified his outlaw status. Willie moved to Austin, Texas and released an impressive 17 albums during the decade.

At 93 years old, the “Whiskey River” singer is still performing. Willie and his wife, Annie D’Angelo spend most of their time on his sprawling, 700-acre ranch outside Austin. The country icon has eight children, many of whom are musical. He told Texas Monthly in 2012: “Playing onstage with my kids is the biggest thrill I can get.”

Loretta Lynn was nominated 18 times at the Grammy Awards, winning three times. The “Coal Miner’s Daughter” singer was country through and through. Born in 1932 in Kentucky, Loretta began singing in the 1950s. The singer was close friends with Dolly Parton and the two recorded the album, Honky Tonk Angels, with Tammy Wynette in 1993.

Loretta married her husband Oliver Lynn when she was just 15-years-old. The couple had six children and spent their time on their ranch in Tennessee. After suffering several health complications, the “Blue Kentucky Girl” singer died in 2022 at 90.

Crystal Gayle, 75, broke into the country music scene with her debut single “I’ve Cried (The Blue Right Out of My Eyes).” For a few years, she was pinned under her big sister, Loretta Lynn’s shadow, and was even managed by Loretta’s husband. But, Crystal pivoted to country pop and became a star in her own right.

The “When I Dream” singer married her high school sweetheart Bill Gatzimos in 1971. The couple are parents to two children, daughter Catherine and son Christos. Crystal and Bill spend most of their time in Nashville when the singer isn’t on tour.

John Denver started playing music when he was 11 years old and became a country music star in the ’70s. He released the iconic song “Take Me Home, Country Roads” in 1971. The country hit, which has gone on to become a bit of an American anthem, has sold over 1.5 million digital copies and was certified platinum in 2017.

John was married to Annie Martell for 15 years until the two divorced in 1982. The couple shared two children, who they adopted in the ’70s. After his divorce with Annie, John was briefly married to Australian actress Cassandra Delaney, who he split with in 1991. When John was just 53, he died in a plane crash in California.

Lynn Anderson was a powerful voice in country music during the ’70s. The “Rose Garden” singer was born in North Dakota and was named the Top Female Vocalist by the Academy of Country Music twice, first in 1967 and again in 1970.

Outside of singing, Lynn was also a professional equestrian and horse racer. She won 16 national championships and eight world championships throughout her career. In 2015, Lynn died from a heart attack after being hospitalized with pneumonia. She was 67 years old.

Waylon Jennings started playing guitar at eight years old and performed on the local radio when he was just 14. The singer left high school early to focus on his career, which turned out to be the right decision. Waylon and his friend Willie Nelson pioneered the outlaw movement, and even joined the country supergroup the Highwaymen with Willie, Kris Kristofferson, and Johnny Cash.

The singer was married four times and had six children throughout his life. Near the end of his life, Waylon developed Type 2 diabetes, underwent heart bypass surgery in 1988, and had his left foot amputated in 2001. A short while after, he passed away at 64 from complications of diabetes.