As many of you know, Austin, Texas is known as “The Capital of Live Music.” When I first moved to Austin I had heard about all the great local events with live music, but I never expected it to be a weekly thing. Growing up just thirty minutes away from Houston, if I wanted live music I had to drive there, and most of the time it was only really famous artists. I love any type of live music, but my favorite, is Texas Country. Texas country, unlike Nashville country, is true to its roots. To me, Texas country brings back the original country music sound. Now I am not saying I do not like the “new country,” otherwise known as country-pop, but something about Texas country brings back the homey feel.
For example, I go to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo every year, which they bring in big performers at the end of every rodeo. I have seen a numerous amount of country artists perform there such as Brad Paisley, Lady Antebellum, Zak Brown Band and even Clay Walker. However, every year in my hometown, we hold the Pasadena Rodeo in September. Not only do they have rodeo fairground events, they also bring in smaller, upcoming country artists, which are usually the “Texas country” bands. Texas country music has always been one of my favorite types on music. From Josh Abbott Band to Cody Johnson, I have always stuck with the little “Texas” bands.
This past weekend, I went to the Nutty Brown Café to see Randy Rogers Band play. Listening to country music, hearing the fiddle play, while in a crowd filled with cowboy boots, I really felt like a true Texan. Along with going to the Nutty Brown Café, I have gone to many festivals and fairs where Texas country bands performed. A few of those are The Strawberry Festival and The Gator Festival. Sounds redneck right? I love getting to wear my boots and listen to some true country music.
Although Texas country bands don’t always make it big, they are considered big to us Texas country lovin’ fans. They may not make it big nationally but here, they seem to be pop-stars. My sister recently moved to California, and says that not many people have heard of bands like Josh Abbott, Randy Rodgers, and Kyle Park. If you look at their tour dates, it seems as if they stay in southern states like Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, and of course, Texas.
Hannah: I am glad you caught a show at the Nutty Brown Café, and I think it is interesting hearing your perspective on “Texas country” since you’re a Texas native. Your post reminds me that there is a long history of musical connections between California and Texas. Jimmie Rodgers, in the song “Waitin’ for a Train”, rides from San Francisco to Texas on a freight train. In the ’50s, Merle Haggard did the same in order to catch performances by stars like Lefty Frizzell. I think Texas (Dallas, Austin) and California (Bakersfield) have long seen themselves as alternatives to the overly commercial scene in Nashville. All this is a long way of saying that it doesn’t surprise me that people in California would be familiar with “Texas country” bands since the two states have long been sharing musical interests. But can you think of any current “California country” bands? I really can’t.
This was very interesting to read. Being from Alabama I had not heard of most of these artists such as Cody Johnson or Josh Abbott Band before I moved to Texas. Once I got here I quickly realized how important Texas Country is to Texans. All of my friends would listen to these bands and after a short time I caught on. I vividly remember riding in the car back home one day listening to sirius radio with my Dad and a song from Randy Rodgers Band came on. At the time my Dad and I had no idea who that was but we enjoyed listening to it. Once I got here and people started talking about Randy Rodgers I remembered that moment and I understood why I had probably not had heard of him. Texas Country is definitely good music to listen to and should be respected.
Thanks for sharing a post about Texas Country, Hannah! Since we just talked about Texas Country in class last week, I looked up some Texas Country musicians and was surprised to see how many there are. Like Will said, being from another state, I had no idea Texas Country was a thing. I just finished listening to a few songs of Kyle Park and Kacey Musgraves (I think they’re both Texas country artists, right?) and I surprisingly like them a lot, especially Kyle Park’s. I’m a big fan of what’s considered “commercial, or highly-produced Nashville country music,” but I got the impression that Texas Country music has more honest lyrics and simpler melody, and it’s nice to hear this “real” music once in a while. I’d have to check out one of those festivals or a performance at Nutty Brown Cafe soon!
Hannah, I could not agree with you more when it comes to Texas Country. I too like pop country for the most part, but this is not the real country music. I never really went to live music shows much in high school, but since moving here I have seen Randy Rogers three times, Josh Abbott once, and Turnpike once. Those concerts are way more fun and fulfilling as opposed to going to a concert in a huge sport arena. I do think it is a shame that these artist do not get as much attention as the big country artist but I think it would possibly change their style of music if they made it big.
I really enjoyed this post Hannah! I’ve only recently started to embrace country music as a whole but I have to say I’m really warming up to Texas country. Normally I would just listen to whatever country songs were popular on the radio at a certain point in time, but all my friends love the smaller bands. I think I’ve seen the Josh Abbott Band at least a handful of times as well as Kyle Park. There just seems to be something a little more authentic and personable about going to smaller venues and really getting to see these artists in their element and having a good time. I think some artists actually prefer to be a little bit more low key so they can play their music and interact with their fans in their own way.
I really love this post and think that everything you said about “Texas Country” is so accurate. I haven’t really gotten the chance to go out to small venues for concerts, but I did see a couple of random country bands at ACL this year that are definitely considered low key Texas Country. I am SO jealous that you got to see the Randy Rogers Band live! They are one of my favorite groups that I have listened to since I came to Austin for college, and I know my friends from the Austin area have been fans of them from the beginning before they were really big, so I think it is so cool that you got to see them!
Sometimes I forget that Texas Country artists get little recognition outside of the state, because they really do mean so much to the fans here. How can Randy Roger’s “Wish You Were Here” not being playing on the radio all the time, everywhere. What really impresses me with a lot of these Texas musicians is their focus on the lyrics, which is usually my favorite part about listening to a song, and that they generally write them themselves. To me that’s a true artist. I respect the Nashville artists too, but I think anyone who writes their own songs is automatically set a little apart. On one hand, I wish Texas artists would get more national recognition ( call it Texas pride), but on the other I selfishly want to keep them to myself at the smaller venues rather than a huge stadium.
I thought your article was very interesting! Texas country music is my favorite. I feel so lucky to come from a small town with two good dance halls within 20 minutes from where I live. I have seen most of the bands you talked about live and compared to the few “new country” artists I have seen live, Texas country concerts are a much better time. A big reason for this is because usually Texas country bands play at dancehalls or fairs, which are places people typically go to two-step. I remember the first time I saw Josh Abbott Band, I didn’t know who they were (they weren’t very popular at the time) but a group of my friends and I were just wanted to go two-stepping! Stoney LaRue and the Casey Donahew Band are also a couple good Texas country artists!
I love your post Hannah because as im sure you remember from class i am a huge Texas country music fan. I love the small time feel that i get out listening to and going to see Texas country music. My favorite Texas country artists are Cody Johnson, Josh Abbott, Randy Rogers, Wade Bowen, etc. and i always dress the part for these shows. You cant go to one of these concerts without boots and blue jeans! its all a part of the fun! And the rowdy crowds that inhabit the area around the stage is always fun to be a part of. i appreciate Texas country for all it is and how it is received by its fans. theres just something about it that is so fun, yet serious and truthful. I’m glad to see that im not the one who feels this way. Thanks again for this post!