The 1990s ushered in a golden age of country music, with stars like Garth Brooks, Shania Twain, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw hitting mainstream audiences and bringing the genre to new heights.
The decade also saw a country-pop crossover with hits like LeAnn Rimes' "How Do I Live", as well as the rise of arena-style concerts and theatrical performances à la Garth Brooks.
While a seemingly constant stream of country artists released music well into the next decade, a handful disappeared from the scene altogether and left to live quiet lives away from their adoring fans.
Join HELLO! as we explore some of these artists who surprisingly disappeared from public life.
Ricochet
© Ron Galella Collection via GettyThis country band was formed in the early '90s and consisted of Heath Wright on vocals and guitar, Jeff Bryant on drums, Junior Bryant on the fiddle and mandolin, Greg Cook on bass and vocals, Teddy Carr on steel guitar and Eddie Kilgallon on keyboard and vocals.
The group hailed from Oklahoma and released their self-titled debut album in 1996 a year after signing with Columbia Records. Their hit song "Daddy's Money" shot to number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
Ricochet's blend of traditional country and contemporary sound brought them success, and they followed their first album up with Blink of an Eye in 1997.
Over the years, several band members left for various reasons and they largely faded into obscurity, though they continue to tour and release music today, granting them a lasting presence in the industry.
The Chicks
© FilmMagicThe Chicks (formerly the Dixie Chicks), were one of the most successful country acts of all time, going on to win 13 Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year in 2007 for Taking the Long Way. Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, the group consisted of Natalie Maines, Emily Strayer and Martie Maguire. They became known for their smash hits, like "Cowboy Take Me Away" and "Goodbye Earl", and went on to sell millions of albums.
At the height of their fame in 2003, the Chicks called out then-President George Bush ahead of the Iraq War. "Just so you know, we're on the good side with y'all," Natalie said during a London concert. "We do not want this war, this violence, and we're ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas."
Following this moment, the band was effectively blacklisted; they faced radio bans and public outrage, although they refused to back down and released the song "Not Ready to Make Nice" in 2006 about their experience. The group then took a 14-year hiatus, not releasing any new music until their album Gaslighter in 2020.
Their return to the industry was met with excitement and several think-pieces about how their political comments aged well. They also dropped 'Dixie' from their name to distance themselves from any associations with the antebellum South. They have embarked on two sold-out tours since, and continue to be a presence in the industry.
Ricky Van Shelton
© Getty ImagesThe Virginian native rose to fame in the late '80s and early '90s after moving to Nashville to pursue a country music career in 1984. He signed a deal with Columbia two years later and went on to release nine albums until his retirement in 2006.
Known for his chart-topping singles like "Somebody Lied", "Life Turned Her That Way" and "I'll Leave This World Loving You", Ricky enjoyed immense acclaim at the peak of his career and achieved platinum status for four of his albums.
His success began taking a turn in the mid-'90s with the rise of a contemporary country sound. He continued to release music, including a gospel album, until 2006, when he announced that he was officially retiring.
Jeff Carson
© Ron Galella Collection via GettyThis country star hailed from Oklahoma and rose to fame in the mid-1990s after working as a demo-singer in Nashville. He hit the big time with his single "Not On Your Love" in 1995, which shot to number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts.
He also nabbed the Video of the Year prize at the Academy of Country Music Awards for his song "The Car". Despite his strong start, Jeff's success waned in the following years and he opted to leave the industry altogether in the early '00s.
The singer instead became a police officer in Tennessee and worked for two decades before making a comeback in 2019. Sadly, Jeff passed away in 2022 from a heart attack at just 58 years old.
Lila McCann
© Ron Galella Collection via GettyLila looked poised to become a star in the '90s with hits like "Down Came a Blackbird", "I Wanna Fall in Love" and "With You". Originally from Washington, she grew up following her father's country music band around and occasionally joining them on stage.
After years of performing locally, she released Lila in 1997 and became the name on everyone's lips with the highest-selling debut album for a country artist that year.
She then released 1999's Something in the Air, which was certified gold; Lila followed that with her third album, Complete, before parting ways with her label. The star signed with another label and released a string of singles before leaving in 2008 and going independent.
Despite appearing in a slew of TV shows like Walker, Texas Ranger, Lila largely disappeared from public life in the '00s and pursued a photography career instead. She released an EP in 2017, Paint This Town, marking her return to the scene, but has since become a real estate broker and married her wife in 2019.
Ty England
© NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal viaTy started out as a backing vocalist and guitarist for Garth Brooks in the late '80s before pursuing a solo career in 1995.
He released his self-titled debut album that same year, and his track, "Should've Asked Her Faster" shot to number five on the country charts. Unfortunately he couldn't maintain his streak, and his second album failed to achieve success.
The "Smoke In Her Eyes" singer stepped away from country music after his third album was released in 1999, yet returned to the industry in 2007 with an independent album, Alive and Well and Livin' the Dream. Since then he performed occasionally, but has largely retired from the scene.
Tracy Byrd
© RedfernsTracy rose to fame in the early '90s thanks to his traditional country sound and hits like "Holdin' Heaven", "Watermelon Crawl" and "The Keeper of the Stars".
Born and raised in Texas, Tracy released his self-titled debut album in 1993 and went on to drop ten studio albums throughout his prolific career. Four of his albums hit gold certification, while one received a double-platinum honor.
After enjoying modest success in the '00s, he went on hiatus between 2010 and 2013 to be with his family and rest after years of touring.
Tracy returned to the scene in 2016 with All American Texan, which helped to re-establish his presence in the industry. He has several upcoming concerts scheduled in the US amid his tour and enjoys a loyal fan base.
Chris Cagle
© WireImageThe Louisiana star rose to fame in the early '00s after a prolific songwriting career. His track "I Breathe In, I Breathe Out" hit number one on the country charts in 2000, becoming his only song to do so.
Chris then released his next album in 2002, and this as well as his subsequent records achieved moderate success.
He retired from music in 2015 to focus on spending time with his family, however Chris returned to performing in 2019, with a slew of tour dates lined up in 2025 as well as festival slots.
