For more than 30 years, Mary Chapin Carpenter has helped define country music. From her debut album in 1987 to 2020’s The Dirt and the Stars, Carpenter’s voice has shaped generations of listeners, and her talent has been celebrated by everyone from Don Schlitz to Joan Baez.
Throughout her career, Carpenter has garnered five Grammy Awards, including a record-setting four-year streak of trophies for Best Female Country Vocal Performance (from 1992 through 1995). Also a decorated songwriter, Carpenter is a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and has penned tracks for and with fellow artists including Trisha Yearwood, Cyndi Lauper and Wynonna Judd.
From No. 1 albums to award-winning performances, scroll through the gallery below to see some of Carpenter’s best moments: