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I'm dipping a toe (or an ear) into the country music world, something I've avoided previously. What should I listen to?
The closest I've gotten before was rockabilly, Eagles and Lynyrd Skynyrd, that sort of thing. I like Randy Travis' "Before You Kill Us All" for the silliness of it, and I liked Leann Womack's "I Hope You Dance" before it got played every 15 minutes on the radio.
I lean towards acoustic guitars and ballads, fun-lovin' songs, and anything funny. I do not want any of the stereotypical "lost my dog, my truck and my wife" songs.
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I'm very partial to George Strait. I like anything by him. Some great ones: "Carrying Your Love With Me", We Really Shouldn't be Doing This", "The Best Day", "Adalida", "Living and Living Well", I Cross My Heart", "All My Ex's Live in Texas"(this is not a heartbreak song), "Check Yes or No", "Heartland", "The Chair", "Amarillo by Morning", I Found Jesus on the Jailhouse Floor", "Honk if You Honkytonk", "Heaven's Missing an Angel", and "Carried Away". Unfortunately he still has quite a few heartbreak songs. He has an amazing voice.
I also like Brooks and Dunn. They have songs such as: "My Maria", "Hard Workin' Man", "Rock My World (Little Country Girl)", "Mama Don't Get Dressed up for Nothing", "That's What It's All About", "Ain't Nothing 'Bout You", "You Can't Take the Honky Tonk Out of the Girl", and "Only in America."
Just to list a couple .
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You might want to go with alt country classics to wet your palate: The Duhks, Jerry Jeff Walker, etc. The folks that are "hard to categorize" yet usually lumped into country.
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I admit I'm a big Garth Brooks fan, at least of his older stuff. He's the one that got me hooked on country. He's got some 'lost my truck' songs, yes, but a lot of other kinds as well. Alan Jackson is great too, and Alabama has some good fun stuff. So do the Dixie Chicks. Good luck on your musical adventure!
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I am partial to Trisha Yearwood, Martina McBride, Rascal Flatts and Brad Paisley. I like many more, but these are my favorites.
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Who sang "There's Something Women Like About A Pick-Up Man" - and, "Daddy's Hands", and what was that song "Hard to Say Goodbye" about the girl saying good-bye to friends and then ending with saying goodbye to mom . . . there were some other very funny ones during this era of both funny and heart-rending . . .
*spends a little time in memory land*
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I like Tim McGraw. He sings "Just to see you smile" Which is a cute nice sweet song. I also like, "She thinks my tractor's sexy" and this song where this guy sings, "You're the reason why I drink, swear, steal and lie." Then there is the old old old old old song "I'm so Lonesome I could Cry" by Hank Williams. I love that song.
quote: I lean towards acoustic guitars and ballads, fun-lovin' songs, and anything funny.
I'd suggest someone like Charlie Robison or even his brother Bruce (who's better known, but I'm not as familiar with him). Charlie will do the stereotypical "I've lost everything I own" song, but it's all done with irony. Also, you've got to love a guy who'll twist nursery rhymes into a drinking song.
I also agree with Liz about alt-country and would recommend the Old 97s as a good place to start. They're also one of the best live acts I've ever seen and I get to see them again tonight. *does happy dance*
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Patty Loveless is Lovely. Saw her a few times at GrassRoots, where she reached down and patted my little boy's head.
Also, Jim Lauderdale. Ha ha. Funniest doofus ever. He was actually on Prairie Home Companion a few weeks ago, and you can listen to a song there. If you send me your address(edob63@yahoo.com) I would be happy to send you a cd. http://www.jimlauderdale.com/ He has a new cd out with Robert Hunter(Lyricist for the Grateful Dead) Incredible piece of art.
He also happens to be stomach-painfully funny. One of those people who just makes you grin from ear to ear.
"Man it's hot in here. I feel like Rush Limbaugh at an Ani DiFranco concert..."
Old Crow Medicine Show They have a sort of poppy song on CMT, which I adore, but they are really an old time band of the highest caliber.
[ March 12, 2005, 09:27 PM: Message edited by: Elizabeth ]
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quote:The early to mid-90's was a truly glorious and golden era in C&W.
YES!
I'm looking at the recommendations above, and people seem to have ignored your preferences and basically listed for you every famous country act of the last thirty years . . .
I recommend, first and foremost, Mary Chapin Carpenter. She is fantastic (or at least she was in the early nineties before her music got boring). I bet you love her. Her best albums are Come On, Come On and Stones in the Road.
I also like Martina McBride, particularly the song "Independence Day."
Reba McEntire is great. She has that great combination of all the things that are good about the South . . . her attitude, her music, the works.
For God's sake, stay away from anything by Toby Kieth!
-o-
Why do I like country? Two main reasons. First of all is country's breadth of subject area. 90% of anything you here in pop is either "I love you" or "I used to love you but you treated me like crap so now I hate you." Rock's not much better. Same couple of themes, plus "You parents are stupid" and "My life sucks." With rap, add to that "Everything wrong with my life is YOUR fault." In country, you get plenty of "I love you" and "I hate you," and of course, the stereotypical "My truck broke and my dog died," (although the incidence of this is greatly exagerated). But you get a lot of songs about being a parent, or being a spouse (no, not being a lover, being a spouse), being a son/daughter, being a woman in the modern world, and, yes, God. There are a lot of themes I don't particularly respond to. For instance, I'm not particularly religious at this stage in my life. I also don't like the current wave of nationalism sweeping through country music, for their constant implication that if you question our nation's actions you must sympathize with the Taliban or have forgotten 9/11. But that's exactly my point. They talk about so much more than just sex and breakups, so they're bound to say a few things I won't especially care for.
It's really pretty absurd how people make fun of country music with the whole mother/truck/dog thing, when country really has a greater thematic breadth than just about any other kind of music.
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Oh hey, I forgot the second reason. Country's sense of humor. Country music does not tend to take itself seriously (look at Jimmy Buffet for evidence of this), and country artists don't mind making fun of themselves. There are a lot of songs that are downright funny, but even the ones that aren't intended to be over-the-top funny have clever turns of phrase in their titles and refrains. This used to be more common in pop--think "She Blinded Me With Science"--but not so much anymore.
If you want, I can throw together a CD of things I think you might like and lend it to you next time I see you.
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Personally, I can take or leave most modern, Nashville country. There's some good stuff coming out of Texas, though. I love bluegrass, newgrass, classic country, and other real country. I don't agree there's that much difference in subject matter between pop, rock, and mainstream country, though. That's why I stick to the good stuff. Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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quote: Personally, I can take or leave most modern, Nashville country. There's some good stuff coming out of Texas, though.
The Nashville vs. Texas country is a distinction that I've only recently become aware of, but I agree that I tend to like Texas country better. There are still a number of Nashville artists that I like and listen to (Tim McGraw, Diamond Rio, The Warren Brothers, etc.) but so much of it sounds the same.
And Mason Jennings definitely counts as country.
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I bought, on a whim, the Loretta Lynn cd produced by that guy from the white stripes. And, I have to say I enjoyed it all the way through.
The title-track is hooky (not hokey). Some of the songs aren't "exactly" what you'd think of as country. There's some nice stories, and, I felt, some inspiration in the "looking back on my life in country music" reveries.
exquisite!
On the other hand, while I think the White Stripes are mostly pose and pretense, that dude did one helluva job producing this album.
Posts: 551 | Registered: Mar 2005
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I like Lonestar's choice of material. It is very easy to relate to their songs and the songs don't get too maudlin.
This is from "My Front Porch Looking In"
quote:The only ground I ever owned was sticking to my shoes Now I look at my front porch and this panoramic view I can sit and watch the fields fill up With rays of glowing sun Or watch the moon lay on the fences Like that's where it was hung My blessings are in front of me It's not about the land I'll never beat the view From my front porch looking in
There's a carrot top who can barely walk With a sippy cup of milk A little blue eyed blonde with shoes on wrong 'Cause she likes to dress herself And the most beautiful girl holding both of them And the view I love the most Is my front porch looking in
Believe it or not, Uncle Cracker is considered a country act. The last concert I saw, he was wearing sweats and a baggy T-shirt, but the boy can belt out a tune.
I love Tim McGraw's "She's My Kind of Rain". That song just melts me.
Sorry to disagree with you Joe, but I really like Toby Keith's voice and he's writing some of the funniest country stuff out there, ie: "I Wanna Talk About Me". Granted, he is right-wing and does his share of truck songs, but I like his material in general. I love "American Soldier" - both the words and the timber of his voice as he sings it, and "Who's That Man" is one of the best anti-divorce anthems I've ever heard.
quote:If I pulled in would it cause a scene There not really expectin me those kid's have been thru hell I hear they've adjusted well
Turn around in the neigbors drive I'd be hard to recognise in this pick-up truck It's just an old fixer up
Drive away one more time Lot of things runnin' thru my mind I guess the less things change The more they never seem the same
That's my house and that's my car That's my dog in my back yard There's the window to the room Where she lays her pretty head I planted that tree out by the fence Not long after we moved in That's my kids and that's my wife Who's that man, runnin' my life
I think that what I enjoy most about modern country is that it has a huge spectrum of sound and mood. It is as common to hear a saxiphone as it is to hear a fiddle in most of the artists I listen to. The range of emotion is from the sarchastic/funny, to the achingly romantic, to the religious, to the politic. It's all fair game in country music and I'm comfortable letting my kids listen to the country music stations because I know that these stations are playing to a PG audience at worst.
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Having listened to country music all my life, I would probably second the recommendations for Martina McBride (a Kansas girl, by the way) and Lonestar. Also Kenny Chesney. For current artists, at least.
I used to be a huge fan of Alabama, and ones like the Statler Brothers and the Oak Ridge Boys, but they haven't done anything in years.
But I also love the really old country like Marty Robbins, Sons of the Pioneers, etc.
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Hank Williams. No one has mentioned Hank Williams???? (Sr., of course.) I love "Hey, Good Lookin'". That's, like, the best country song ever.
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Chris, I tend to have similar tastes, but sadly, I don't listen enough to know the songs I occasionally hear that I like..
I second the Reba McEntire and basically all of what Icarus said.
I own Deana Carter's Did I Shave My Legs for This as well as Shania Twain's first cd. Patsy Cline is another old country favorite.
Posts: 1777 | Registered: Jan 2003
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This is kind of funny to me. About three years ago I began what amounts to a conversion to country music (I was dating someone who liked country -- isn't it always about a girl?). Within the next few months I put together a CD of music specifically geared to show my friends and family who don't like country music that there is some really great music in the country world.
So, on that note, here are some recommendations by song (and be warned, I am an admitted sap):
Ballads: "The River" and "The Dance" both by Garth Brooks. They're both songs about life with enough to say that they're considered classics. When Garth is on, he writes really good music (I listened to Garth on the entire drive to the Duran Duran concert I saw last night -- I'm finally coming to terms with the fact that I'm a closet Garth fan). Lyrics for The River and The Dance .
"Little Rock" by Collin Raye and "I'm Movin' On" by Rascal flats are songs about redemption, about someone who knows they've made some serious mistakes and are taking the painful road of change. Rascal flats is almost cheating, because they often don't really sound much like country -- with a couple minor changes in instrumentation they could live quite comfortably on the pop charts. Lyrics for Little Rock and I'm Movin' On
"Bring On the Rain" by JoDee Messina. It's kindof a breakup song, but touchingly done.
And there's always "Austin" by Blake Shelton. It was way overplayed for awhile and has trace elements of cheese, but listen to it once and see if it isn't an extremely cleverly written song that still has the power to tug at your heartstrings.
Funny: "Me Neither" by Brad Paisley. I'm not going to say anything. You'll just have to listen to it. It's pretty twangy, but it's also the funniest country song I've ever heard.
"10 Rounds with Jose Cuervo" by Tracy Bird. Pokes fun at drinking.
Just for the Music: "Long Time Gone" by the Dixie Chicks. To this day I still don't know what this song is about, but their instrumentation is reminiscent of that good ol' homegrown backwoods country bluegrass. The Dixie Chicks seem to take a lot of criticism, but I often go back to them for the banjo and the fiddle and the mandolin.
"If That Ain't Country" by Anthony Smith. Tons of fun.
"Run" by George Strait. It's a ballad with pretty cheesy lyrics, but the orchestration is so well done that the song packs a real emotional punch in spite of the lyrics.
Also, if you like the folksy, accoustic sound, "Riding With Private Malone" by David Ball is a good one.
(I know I've gone on way longer than you wanted, so . . .)
Pick-Me-Ups: "American Child" by Phil Vasser. It falls into the patriotic family, but in a much gentler way than Toby Keith or Alan Jackson. And the actual music is again worth a the song.
"Sweet Summer" by Diamond Rio.
And since country begins and ends with Garth Brooks , my last suggestion is one of his that I stumbled on by accident browsing through my cousin's CD collection, and I've never heard it mentioned or played anywhere else. It's called "Ireland" and I think it's my favorite thing he has ever done.
A friend who has also recently begun to appreciate country music (thanks to his girlfriend) has been giving me mp3s to get me started. So far I have a selection of Dixie Chicks, Reba, George Strait, and Brooks & Dunn. I'm still poring over his collection.
I didn't know Allison Krauss is considered country (if she is), but I like her songs on the Buffy soundtracks so I grabbed some of those, too.
As far as country comedy goes, I'm already a huge Tim Wilson fan and Jim Stafford has been in my music files since day one.
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For some good old-style country, you can get the first two albums from The Corb Lund Band here .
EDIT: In mp3 format for free (legally, it's the bands site).
Corb is from southern Alberta and used to play bass for a heavy punk band called "the smalls". He wrote a lot of the music for the smalls and there was definitely a tinge of country influencing the punk.
He is definitely more in "The Highwaymen" school of country (Waylon Jennings, Willy Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, and Johnny Cash) then the more pop-influenced modern country.
Last year the Corb Lund Band won two Canadian Country Music Association Awards for "Independent Group or Duo of the Year" and "Roots Artist or Group of the Year".
[ March 13, 2005, 10:36 PM: Message edited by: solo ]
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I suggest Lyle Lovett. I'm not a huge fan, but I've never heard a song of his that I didn't appreciate.
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Many consider Bright Eyes's newest CD I'm Wide Awake It's Morning to be country. It's one of my favorite CDs, although I don't think he himself could be considered a country artist.
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I wouldn't call myself a country fan, but I tend to jump around a lot on the radio with no discrimination for genre.
There's a song by Clint Black..maybe? Maybe it's George Strait. Anyway, there's a bit in it that always makes me teary-eyed. It goes something like...something something something...the kids grow up and move away...we won't be sad, we'll be glad, for all the life we've had... I think the song is called "Remember When." I totally blame the pregnancy hormones. Every time that darn song comes on I find myself singing/mumbling those lines in a quavery voice and fretting over the fact that one day my kids will grow up and move away.
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I am a lifelong country music fan and I'm thrilled you're getting into it. I mostly like bluegrass. Some of my favorites are:
Emmylou Harris
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (Will the Circle Be Unbroken is a great album to start with)
Gillian Welch
Anna & Kate McGarrigle
Josh Turner
Jessi Colter
The Cox Family
Ricky Skaggs
Bill Monroe
Earl Scruggs
Waylon Jennings (yes, the balladeer from The Dukes of Hazzard)
Hazel Dickens
Marie Burns
I also love Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, and Kenny Rogers, but I assume you're familiar with them already.
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What kind of music did you expect me to like, Primal Curve - gangster rap? Jazz fusion? German techno? I don't dress like country singers (mostly), I just like their music. Although, a lot of couture lines have been inspired by country style. So there. Posts: 3037 | Registered: Jan 2002
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Clint Black Conway Twitty Confederate Railroad Chris Ledoux Charlie Daniels Bellamy Brothers Hal Ketchum John Berry seconds the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (and others on Mrs.M's list) Kentucky Headhunters Merle Haggard Sammy Kershaw Shenandoah
There, I think I've exausted myself of my favorites that fit your criteria.
Posts: 2208 | Registered: Feb 2004
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Mrs. M, did you see my Vassar Clements thread?
(Edit: Hey! I did not mean to use a smilie, I did that colon-parentheses thin, and it converted it to this. I feel that I have been forced into smilie use, but I will keep it because it is needs to be there)
[ March 14, 2005, 08:52 AM: Message edited by: Elizabeth ]
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I believe the antidote for enjoying Country Music is living in Nashville. When it gets to the point that you can't eat a simple meal in McDonalds without having the latest, "greatest" country songs blaring into your ears, well, it can become a struggle to maintain your appreciation.
I have always felt that Country is a unique genre. Having grown up in the south, I feel that Country captures southern living in a beautiful and artistic way. Just like everyone else has said, a lot of the new guys/gals seem to be investing more in hair gel than in music composition, but the tradition of country music remains in my mind as one of integrity for its genuineness and original musicality. I'd give you specific artists/songs, but everyone else has already given you great ones!
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For more off-the-beaten-path "country", try R.E.M.'s 2nd-4th albums (Reckoning, Fables of the Reconstruction, and Life's Rich Pageant). Not all country, but definitely some heavy southern influence. Notable songs are "Driver 8", "Maps Legends", "Little America". My favorite REM song is the ultra-depressing "Country Feedback", off of Out of Time.
Also, while the Magnetic Fields is considered indie rock, for all intents and purposes, the first 7 or 8 songs on their album "Charm of the Highway Strip" are country, if with a little edge. My favorites are "Lonely Highway", "Long Vermont Roads", "Two Characters In Search Of A Country Song", and especially "Fear Of Trains".
Of course, these probably are [EDIT: not] useful suggestions if you want to appreciate C&W proper.
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That's funny, Bok, because one of my favorite bands, The Horse Flies, are sort of a mix of old time, country, and REM. Go figure.
Posts: 10890 | Registered: May 2003
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An update: I've started going through some of the songs I got from my friend and I'm thinking of doing artist-by-artist updates on my journal just to see whatb kind of feedback I get. If I do I'll post the link here. Also have tons of suggestions from friends I never suspected were C&W fans, and that means this has to become a column soon ("Psst! I understand you're looking for some fiddle work...")
One friend and co-worker listened to my descriptions and said I was looking for Southern Rock or country without the "twang," which is probably about as close as I've heard yet.
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, my last suggestion is one of his that I stumbled on by accident browsing through my cousin's CD collection, and I've never heard it mentioned or played anywhere else. It's called "Ireland" and I think it's my favorite thing he has ever done.![[Taunt]](graemlins/taunt.gif)
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