13. Kathy Mattea

As with a lot of other people on this list, Kathy began singing by being a part of her parents’ church choir. She joined a bluegrass band while in University, which she says helped to shape her sound and roots as an artist. After dropping out of school, she moved to Nashville. She took odd jobs while trying to make her way in the business: waitress, secretary, and tour guide at the Hall Of Fame itself. Signing her record contract in 1983, it took a few years for her radio singles to start taking off. Throughout her song catalogue, she enjoyed trying out some different sounds like honky-tonk, country-pop, bluegrass, and even Celtic ballads. Being loved by fans and critics alike, she was able to have a decade of radio hits, get 15 CMA nominations/8 Grammy nominations, and continues to record music today. After working at the Hall Of Fame, could she eventually get a plaque on the wall someday?