That down-home accent might be from way down under.
Country music is a quintessentially American art form, born in the heartland and telling stories of small-town life, dirt roads, and pickup trucks. The genre’s biggest stars, with their signature twang and cowboy boots, seem like they are all from places like Nashville, Texas, or Kentucky. The reality is that the genre’s appeal is now global, and some of its most successful artists are not American at all.
Many of the stars you hear on country radio today actually hail from Canada or Australia, a surprising fact that proves the universal appeal of a great country song.
1. Shania Twain is a proud Canadian.
She is one of the best-selling female artists in history and the undisputed “Queen of Country Pop,” but Shania Twain is not from Nashville. She was born and raised in Ontario, Canada. She got her start singing in bars in her hometown of Timmins to support her family before moving to Nashville to pursue her recording career in the early 1990s.
Her 1997 album “Come On Over” became a global phenomenon, selling over 40 million copies and producing hits that dominated both country and pop charts. Despite her international superstardom, she has always maintained her Canadian roots and is one of the country’s most beloved musical exports.
2. Keith Urban hails from down under.
With his string of number-one hits, his role as a judge on “American Idol,” and his high-profile marriage to Nicole Kidman, Keith Urban seems like a fixture of the American country music scene. However, he was actually born in New Zealand and raised in Queensland, Australia. He was a successful artist in Australia before he made the move to Nashville in the 1990s.
His unique blend of country, rock, and pop, along with his incredible guitar skills, eventually made him one of the biggest stars in the genre. He holds dual citizenship but has never lost his Aussie accent or his connection to his homeland.
3. K.D. Lang is a Canadian musical icon.
Kathryn Dawn Lang, known professionally as k.d. lang, is a critically acclaimed and influential singer-songwriter who got her start in the Canadian country music scene. Hailing from Alberta, Canada, her powerful and emotive voice made her a standout performer. Her early work was a tribute to classic country stars like Patsy Cline.
While she later moved into a more adult contemporary and pop sound, her roots in country music are deep, and she is celebrated as a trailblazer in the genre. Her 1992 album “Ingénue,” featuring the hit “Constant Craving,” made her an international star and a proud Canadian musical ambassador.
4. Terri Clark is a Canadian Grand Ole Opry member.
With her signature cowboy hat and a string of hits in the 1990s like “Better Things to Do” and “Girls Lie Too,” Terri Clark’s image and sound are pure country. She was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, and later moved to Alberta before heading down to Nashville to chase her dream. She became a huge star in the “hat act” era of country music.
Her success was so profound that in 2004, she was inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry, the prestigious heart of the country music establishment. She is one of only a handful of non-U.S. citizens to receive this honor, a testament to her impact on the genre.
5. Orville Peck has a unique global background.
The enigmatic, masked country star Orville Peck is known for his deep, crooning voice and his blend of classic country sounds with modern shoegaze and alternative rock. While his persona is rooted in the imagery of the American West, his background is far from it. He was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and spent much of his life in Canada.
His true identity is a closely guarded secret, but it is known that he was a part of the Canadian punk rock scene before he created the Orville Peck character. This global background contributes to his unique and cinematic take on country music, which has earned him a passionate following.
6. Morgan Evans is a rising star from Australia.
Morgan Evans has become a familiar name in Nashville, known for his upbeat, pop-infused country hits like “Kiss Somebody” and “Day Drunk.” He is not from the American South, however, but from Newcastle, New South Wales, in Australia. He was already a major country star in his home country, winning numerous awards, before he relocated to Nashville in 2017 to pursue a career in the U.S.
His infectious energy and songwriting talent quickly won over American audiences, and he has become a prominent member of the growing contingent of successful Australian artists making their mark on Music City.
7. Lindsay Ell is a guitar virtuoso from Calgary.
A native of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Lindsay Ell is a rising country star known for her incredible skills as a lead guitarist, a rarity for a female artist in the genre. She was discovered by fellow musician Randy Bachman of The Guess Who and Bachman-Turner Overdrive fame when she was just a teenager. He co-wrote and produced her first album.
She later moved to Nashville and has since toured with major stars like Brad Paisley and Keith Urban. Her unique blend of country with blues and rock, all driven by her powerful guitar playing, has made her a respected and dynamic new voice in the genre, proudly representing her Canadian roots.
8. Tenille Townes also hails from Alberta, Canada.
Another rising star from the seemingly endless well of Canadian country talent is Tenille Townes. She grew up in Grande Prairie, Alberta, and has been a powerful force in the Nashville scene for several years, known for her deeply empathetic and story-driven songwriting. Her debut single, “Somebody’s Daughter,” was a major hit and won numerous Canadian Country Music Association awards.
Her music often tackles serious subjects with a grace and maturity that has earned her comparisons to legends like Patty Griffin and Lori McKenna. She is a prime example of the new generation of thoughtful singer-songwriters who are pushing the boundaries of the genre.
9. The Reklaws are a beloved Canadian duo.
The brother-sister duo of Stuart and Jenna Walker, known as The Reklaws, are superstars in their home country of Canada. Their band name is cleverly their last name, Walker, spelled backward. They grew up on their family’s farm in rural Ontario and have become one of the most popular acts in Canadian country music, known for their high-energy live shows and catchy, relatable songs.
While they have made inroads in Nashville and have collaborated with American artists, they remain a distinctly Canadian act. They are a great example of a country music group that has achieved massive success without having to fully relocate to the United States.