Wyoming native Ian Munsick has real cowboy roots and talent fueling his career as a rising star in Nashville. He also boasts having something else no other artist can claim — the “greatest hair in country music.”
At least that’s what he says.
Munsick ranks himself No. 1 for his long, luscious locks, and it isn’t even close, he says.
He makes the claim in a social media post ranking the “top five greatest hair in country music, all time.”
Munsick is from Sheridan, Wyoming, and in his recent post he heaps praise on anyone with a mullet, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson and Marty Stuart.
“If you don’t know who Marty Stuart is, then you don’t listen to country music,” insists Munsick, praising “The Whisky Ain’t Working” star.
Standing in front of a bathroom mirror with a brush in hand, Munsik opines about those stars and his own long, dark mane of hair.
Munsick says his place atop the list is “non-negotiable,” but Cowboy State Daily reached out to country music hair experts to fact check whether or not Munsick truly boasts the best country music hair.
Wyoming native Ian Munsick has real cowboy roots and talent fueling his career as a rising star in Nashville. He also boasts having something else no other artist can claim — the “greatest hair in country music.” 
Wyoming native Ian Munsick has real cowboy roots and talent fueling his career as a rising star in Nashville. He also boasts having something else no other artist can claim — the “greatest hair in country music.” (Getty Images) 
Wyoming native Ian Munsick has real cowboy roots and talent fueling his career as a rising star in Nashville. He also boasts having something else no other artist can claim — the “greatest hair in country music.” (Getty Images) 
Wyoming native Ian Munsick has real cowboy roots and talent fueling his career as a rising star in Nashville. He also boasts having something else no other artist can claim — the “greatest hair in country music.” (Getty Images)
She Wrote The Book On It
Erin Duvall, author of the book “Country Music Hair,” happens to know Munsick. They went to the same university and collaborated while Duvall worked for Warner Music Nashville.
“He came from Wyoming and went to Belmont,” Duvall told Cowboy State Daily.
Duvall now teaches at Belmont University in Nashville.
Despite their connection, Duvall wouldn’t confirm Munsick’s claim on the greatest hair title. But she agreed that Munsick’s long, dark hair is beautiful and so well presented, it avoids any suggestion of mullet.
When thinking of greatness, Duvall thinks of Reba McIntire’s red blaze of hair. She also thinks about Willie Nelson, flashing back to his clean-cut years writing songs like “Crazy” for Patsy Cline.
And then there’s Marty Stuart.
“There’s a joke, something that got around Nashville quite a bit,” said Duvall, “And that is some people believe in Santa Claus. I believe that Marty Stuart wakes up every morning and his hair looks like that.”
By “that,” she means stage-ready — all swept back in a shaggy chic pompadour that’s equal parts evangelist and hair metal band.
When asked if country great Conway Twitty deserved a place in Munsick’s “Top Five Greatest Hair In Country Music,” Duvall paused to reflect.
She remembers the star known for “Hello Darlin’” as a shapeshifter who adapted with the times, but maybe never showed us the real Conway.
“Conway was just more of a fad, when it went well,” said Duvall about Twitty’s perm years.
“By the ’80s, he’d let the hair grow long on top and the sides, letting the curls make the distinct look for which he became known,” Duvall writes in her book.
Wig-Apocalypse Averted
If Duvall was researching her book today, she said a photo of Munsick’s hair now in 2025 would accurately represent the pinnacle of “Country Music Hair” in this moment.
Munsick, said Duvall, is at the top of his game — hair and all.
“I have never worked with anyone who is as genuine and just driven,” said Duvall. “When you work at a record label, sometimes you're working with people that are very focused on one aspect of their career. Like, for instance, they just want to be in the studio and they just want to make music.”
Duvall said Munsick wasn’t like that, but instead always saying, “I'm here, what do you need me to do?”
As Munsick makes clear in his recent social media video, it takes some time to brush his long hair.
This only adds to his genuine appeal, said Duvall, who unearthed all kinds of dirt about the artificial aspects of “Country Music Hair.”
She credits Conway Twitty with being one of the first male country stars to embrace hair spray.
Then there was the wig-apocalypse that nearly took Tammy Wynette from us.
Wynette’s stylist shared this story with Duvall, recalling how Wynette’s tour bus broke down.
“Then it starts to catch fire,” remembered Duvall. “Nobody cared about anything else. They immediately dove into the storage area and got Tammy’s wigs. Like, that’s the one thing we had to save.”
Why do we care so much about country music hair?
“Hair is the most universal way we tell the world who we are,” she said.
Hair Moments
Billy Ray Cyrus rocked a mean mullet and his daughter Miley Cyrus loved it so much that when he cut it, 5-year-old Miley threw a fit.
Duvall recounts how, “Tears flowed as the locks were cut.”
Amanda Padilla, a stylist and instructor at Cheeks Beauty Academy in Cheyenne, said she remembers when Faith Hill cut her hair with the 1995 release of “You Can’t Lose Me.”
“It was wonderful,” remembered Padilla, reflecting on how Hill’s trimmed modern look caused a stir. “Everybody wanted that style after she did that.”
And now it’s Munsick’s moment.
“Country boy, long dark hair,” said Padilla. “He’s definitely got some hair.”
Munsick was tapped to headline Cheyenne Frontier Days this summer. Cowboy State Daily reported in March that he will be the first Wyoming native to achieve that, and the chart-topping, singer-songwriter will be joined on stage by the real star — his hair.
“That will be the biggest achievement in my book of things that I’ve done,” Munsick previously told Cowboy State Daily about headlining CFD being a bucket-list item for him. “I’m just very, very, very, very excited to play it. It’s gonna be a blast.”
The “Long Live Cowgirls” and “Horses are Faster” songwriter told Cowboy State Daily he’s already thinking about how to make his concert appearance at CFD one-of-a-kind.
In the months leading up to Munsick’s performance July 18, Padilla expects hairstyles in Cheyenne to grow larger and grander in scale with each passing day leading up to Frontier Days.
“Yeah, absolutely,” said Padilla, who has seen customers swept up in the majesty of Munsick’s hair.
“We got a lot of long-haired gentlemen here that come in to get their hair cut,” said Padilla. “And they just don’t have any ideas.”
In these moments of truth, said Padilla, the male customers will pull out their phones and show the stylist a photo of Munsick. (Or Warren Zeiders, whose hair projects a slight viking vibe.)
Under no circumstances, however, does Padilla expect anyone to ask for a Conway Twitty.
But mullets, those are back.
“Yes,” said Padilla, “Mullets are a thing right now.”
David Madison can be reached at david@cowboystatedaily.com.
