Many country fans have referred to classic artist the late Kitty Wells as "Queen of Country" and a case could be made for Mother Maybelle Carter or even Patsy Cline to have the title. There are a few current princesses like Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift but if we consider living female country performers then there are three ladies that would be in the running as the Queen of Country Music -- Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn and Reba McEntire.

Dolly Parton
Keystone, Hulton Archive / Getty Image
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Dolly would qualify on the basis of 20 number one country hits as a solo artist plus a couple of #1 duets with Kenny Rogers and Porter Wagoner. If you add her starring role in movies, her books, TV appearances, her business ability with Dollywood and the countless songs she has written there is a very good case made for her being the Queen of Country

loretta lynn walk of fame
Hulton Archive, Getty Images
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Considering Loretta Lynn-she has 38 top 10 hits with 12 of them being chart toppers.Loretta also wrote a book about her life that became a hit movie. The photo is from a rare 45 rpm Loretta single "We've Come a Long Way". She also had six number one hits and several top ten hits as a duet partner with Conway Twitty. She has operated her Hurricane Mills Ranch and has performed thousands of concerts since her first hit in 1960.

54th Academy Of Country Music Awards Host Press Conference
Jason Kempin, Getty Images for ACM
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Reba McEntire has had 32 number one hits ( the most ever by a female country singer), She also holds the record for the most top 10 country hits. She was a rodeo star, had a hit TV sitcom for five years, starred in several movies, was an award winning Broadway star in “Annie Get Your Gun” and she is one of the best-selling artists of all time, having sold more than 75 million records worldwide. The facts stack up and point to Reba as the “Queen of Country Music” but you may have a different view. Please feel free to share you opinion.

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