There typically aren't a lot of great indie success stories in country music, but 2017 brought with it one of the hottest newcomers, a time-tested Texan, a reality show winner and, oh yeah, the Entertainer of the Year.

Yes, Garth Brooks is a nominee in the Top Indie Artist category in the 2017 Taste of Country Fan Choice Awards. He's on his own Pearl Records, and while his impressive back catalog and massive influence do give him an advantage, he's still an independent artist.

So too is the Grammy-nominated Jason Isbell and American Idol winner Scotty McCreery. Both are up for this category — remember that McCreery did spend most of the year as an indie artist before signing with Triple Tigers, which is affiliated with Sony.

Taste of Country RISERS Kalie Shorr and Farewell Angelina earn nominations. So does Texan Aaron Watson, a singer enjoying his first radio hit with "Outta Style" and an independent artist with two No. 1 country albums on his record. Finally, find the controversial Wheeler Walker Jr. on this list. He's proven there's always a way if you have the will.

Scroll through all seven choices and then vote often for your favorites. The 2017 Taste of Country Fan Choice Awards wrap at 11:59PM ET on Dec. 7.

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