John Anderson, who has died aged 71, reinvigorated country music in the 1980s by returning the genre to its unvarnished roots.

His breakthrough came at a time when country was in a lull, with lush productions that made its stars sound increasingly soporific. By contrast, Anderson harked back to the simpler days of the 50s, purveying strong songs with feeling.

His adoption of what became known as “New Traditionalism” was so successful that he scored 40 hits on the Billboard country charts in the US, five of which made No 1 – and his work inspired a new generation of singers in Nashville , including George Strait, Randy Travis and Dwight Yoakam, all of whom followed his credo and went on to enjoy great success.

Although he never won a pop/rock crossover audience, Anderson’s sales were impressive.…