Name: Trailblazing Women of Country
Start: 2025-03-27T19:00:00-04:00
Location: Great Lakes Center for the Arts

Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, and Dolly Parton revolutionized country music and paved the way for future generations of female artists. With their chart-topping hits and record-breaking sales, these icons infused contemporary womanhood into the fabric of country music, leading to unprecedented commercial success and earning each of them a place in the Country Music Hall of Fame.
"Trailblazing Women of Country" will entertain and inspire audiences during this pivotal moment in our nation's history. The performance will feature soloists, including GRAMMY® nominee Rissi Palmer and Nashville-based singer Kristina Train, supported by an all-female band consisting of five members.
Cline, Lynn, and Parton harnessed country music’s rich storytelling tradition to express their uniquely empowered— and unmistakably female—perspective on the challenges faced by women of their time. Their shared legacy of musical excellence, earthy glamour, and unapologetic authenticity continues to resonate with listeners of all ages and backgrounds in the 21st century.
Patsy’s assured contralto affirms that a woman can feel heartbroken and yet be sure of herself at the same time, as demonstrated in songs like “Crazy” and “Walkin’ After Midnight.” Loretta Lynn’s music celebrates autonomy gained through contraception in “The Pill” and self-respect in “Don’t Come Home A-Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ on Your Mind).” Dolly Parton illustrates that a woman can climb the career ladder with songs like “9-to-5” while never losing sight of her roots in “Coat of Many Colors.”
Through their singular voices and artistry, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, and Dolly Parton defied restrictive gender norms, proving that women can embody beauty and strength, vulnerability and power.