Kitty Wells

Kitty Wells was an amazing vocalist who paved the way for women in country music for more than seven decades. She'll be missed, but she leaves a tremendous legacy behind.

My Bitch Tapes mix this week is a celebration of the punkest women out there: the women of country music. While other genres largely excluded female musicians, women country singers back in the day were a dime a dozen (thank god!) Not even poverty, abusive husbands and managers, substance abuse issues, or a male-run music industry could keep these ladies away from the mic. It was hard to whittle my list down to eight of my favorite songs, but here it is.