Categories: Music

County Singers Who Are Actors: From Nashville to Hollywood

In the world of entertainment, we’ve got plenty of multi-talented multi-taskers. Country music is no different. Some country singers have been acting and singing for decades, while some are just branching of from recording and taking up acting. Here is a look at a few country singers who have appeared in movies and on television.

Dolly Parton
When you think of country stars who have also made their mark on Hollywood there is no one who comes to mind quicker than Dolly Parton. In fact, she’s even got a special place Dollywood named for her! Dolly Parton is probably best known for her roles in 9 to 5 (with Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda) and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. She also had the starring role in Straight Talk. More recently she has appeared on shows of her fellow country music stars, Reba and Hannah Montana (which stars Billy Ray Cyrus.)

Reba McEntire
Oklahoman Reba McEntire has been a country music mainstay since the 80s. She had a hit TV show, Reba in recent years. Unbeknownst to many however, she’s been acting long before that. She starred in Tremors, a thriller released in 1990. Other movies to er credit include One Night at McCool’s, The Little Rascals, Charlotte’s Web (voice) and several TV movies. She’s also appeared on Fraiser.

Billy Ray Cyrus
Billy Ray Cyrus had a string of country music hits. He’s gotten plenty of TV time recently with his being cast in Dancing with the Stars, as well as his own reality TV show on CMT. However, his first big acting gig was on the TV show Doc. Today, he stars aside his daughter Miley in the wildly popular Nickelodeon show, Hannah Montana. Miley Cyrus is becoming a household name, just like Dad.

Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson has been making and playing music for a long time. And for almost an equally long time, he has been acting. Since 1979, Willie Nelson has had over 20 roles on TV or movies. He’s been on episodes of Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, Miami Vice, Nash Bridges and more. More recently, Willie Nelson was in Half-Baked as a historian smoker and also in Wag the Dog and Dukes of Hazzard. He will be in the 2008 movie, Blonde Ambition.

Dwight Yoakam
If there was any country singer most noted for his feature film acting roles in recent years, it is Dwight Yoakam (“Fast as You,” “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”). His songs have been heard in movie soundtracks for years, but in the late 90s right on to present day, he’s been seen on the big screen as well. He’s been in Panic Room, Crank, Wedding Crashers, Sling Blade, South of Heaven; West of Hell and more. And can we forget the Gap commercials? Looking back at Dwight Yoakam’s bio material, the acting bug has been with him since high school.

George Strait
George Strait played Dusty Chandler, a country singer looking to return to his roots, in Pure Country. Pure Country also spawned a popular soundtrack, which included one of George Strait’s biggest hits, “I Cross My Heart.” This was a great role for Strait, as he played what he was also in real life: a superstar.

Tim McGraw
Tim McGraw has been pounding out the country hits since the 90s. Now married to Faith Hill, it seems he and his starlet wife are both exploring their careers. Tim McGraw as appeared in several major feature films including Flica, Friday Night Lights, Black Cloud and The Kingdom. In 2008, he will appear in Four Christmases.