Monthly Archives: April 2015

by | April 11, 2015 · 8:00 am

Darius Don’t Go

This past Monday morning I turned on my TV as an attempt to mentally escape my online government class, and to my surprise I saw Darius Rucker on the screen. He wasn’t on CMT or another program about country music, but he was on ESPN’s Mike and Mike, something I thought was out of the ordinary. I remember seeing Rucker perform at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in high school- and I know his cover of Old Crow Medicine Show’s “Wagon Wheel” was a huge hit- but since then I haven’t heard much about him, which left me to assume his popularity declined. Well, after watching him talk about sports, current events, and his own career, I gained some insight as to why Darius Rucker has been more popular in the media lately.

The following day after appearing on ESPN, Rucker released his fourth country album Southern Style, an album which he was excited to talk about with Mike Golic and Mike Greenberg. From this album, the single “Homegrown Honey” reached number one on the country music charts just last week. Originally, I thought his appearance was for him to self-promote his own album, as well as talking about his recent success, however as the interview went on I realized that this was not the case. The big announcement came when Rucker later stated that sometime in the near future Hootie and the Blowfish will reunite, and, in turn, the discussion of Southern Style faded away. While he admitted it may be a year before the band starts making music again, it seemed that the news of Hootie and the Blowfish’s comeback entirely trumped the release of his new country album and number one single. Hearing this raised the question, is Darius Rucker done with country music?

As much as I want him to continue making country music, it seems that he’s transitioning back to his rock roots. Darius Rucker has been the most prominent African-American figure in country music since Charley Pride, and it’s saddening to see him return back to rock. Although he has not has the success of people like Brad Paisley or Tim McGraw, Rucker has done well in transcending traditional boundaries of what is considered country, expanding the fan base of country music along the way. In a time of racial tension, Darius Rucker has been able to thrive as a black artist in a genre of music that primarily targets a white audience. Some of this success can be directly attributed to his likable personality, seen in his appearance on Mike and Mike. His quick-witted humor, cheerful disposition, and social nature were all exemplified throughout his interview, and I truly believe him going back to Hootie and the Blowfish is a loss for country music. Who knows, maybe with his recent success of Southern Style Rucker might change his mind about the move back to rock. I like Darius Rucker as a person and as an artist, so wherever he winds up I hope he does well. With that being said, I have my fingers crossed he doesn’t stop with country music altogether, as I think he has a potentially long career ahead of him.

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by | April 10, 2015 · 8:00 am

Discovering Texas Country’s Roots

Screen Shot 2015-04-05 at 4.53.34 PMWhen it came time to head home to Dallas for the Easter weekend, I made the easy decision to take scenic Highway 281 instead of dreaded I-35. For me, trading in concrete and construction for bluebonnets and an open road was a no-brainer, even if it meant adding thirty minutes to my drive.

As I drove through the hill country, the images of so many of my favorite “Texas Country” songs filled the windshield: ranches, back roads, and a Texas-sized sunset. Seeing all of this made me wonder if any of the great Texas artists got their start along this stretch of highway, or if they just used the popular hill country scenery as inspiration for their songs.

Once I got home, I researched each town along the route, including those on connecting Highway 67, to see if any notable country music stars had their roots planted there. After striking out in Lampasas, Hamilton, Glen Rose, and other towns along the way, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that one of my favorite country artists was born and raised in Cleburne, TX. Randy Rogers, lead vocalist and namesake for the Randy Rogers Band, built his musical foundation in the town of about 20,000 people.

Even though the Randy Rogers Band has been a favorite of mine for a few years now, I knew little about the background of the band and how their life stories helped develop the songs they sang. Growing up, Rogers said he took the country music direction simply because the lyrics he wrote and the twang in his voice fit best in the genre. Combined with his guitar playing, which he started at the age of 11 or 12, Randy Rogers and his music encompass the true definition of Texas Country.

While a lot of artists claim to be Texas country, Rogers’ small town Texas roots give him the authenticity to back up his claim. In a 2010 interview, he touched on some of the topics that are most debated in this class, especially the tension between Nashville and Texas Country. In this interview, I believe Rogers explains the divide clearer than anyone else I have heard. While he argues that Texans are proud and admittedly cocky, he says this really does not factor into the standoff with Nashville. And while Texas country bands might tour more days out of the year than those from Nashville, he says this does not affect the divide too much either. According to Rogers, people make blind generalizations that blow the split out of proportion and stray from the truth.

While many artists that associate themselves with the Texas Country movement might have similarities including lyrical topics, instrumental accompaniments, or even merely large levels of Texas pride, Rogers argues that for these similarities, there are just as many differences. He believes that there is great and equally as varying music coming from Texas and Nashville. Some artists in Texas are adopting more of a Nashville feel and vice versa. For Rogers, he is proud to be a Texan for whatever people decide that means. In addition, this simple feature of variety within the genre is why he believes country music is so great. According to him, country music has always rocked from its balancing point thanks to people that push the boundary, but somehow it always finds its way back onto it’s path.

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by | April 9, 2015 · 8:00 am

A George Song for Everyone

While I was home for Easter, we ate at one of my all time favorite restaurants – Babe’s Chicken Dinner. Who doesn’t love good fried chicken? Babe’s entertained diners with classic George Strait songs, which started a lively discussion about my family’s favorites.

“The Chair”

“The Chair” is my mom’s favorite George Strait song and is the first Strait song she remembers hearing. The song eavesdrops on a conversation between two strangers. The man approaches the woman and tells her “I think you’ve got my chair.” The song progresses along with their conversation. At the end, the man throws listeners for a loop, confessing “that wasn’t my chair after all.” My mom enjoys how “The Chair” plays with the conventions of conversation.

“Marina Del Rey”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTHztKRHfVQ

Apparently, George Strait makes a great first impression because my dad’s favorite song is “Marina Del Rey,” the first song he heard on his first George Strait CD. This song about a vacation love affair ends with the couple’s goodbye. My dad says this song is timeless, catchy and “vintage George Strait.” Critics say that Strait didn’t have the vocals to pull off the performance, but after watching his performance from The Cowboy Rides Away Tour, it is obvious his vocals are well suited for the song.

“Amarillo by Morning”

My grandma was born in Amarillo, Texas, so she feels a personal connection to “Amarillo By Morning”. It reminds her of driving to Colorado and stopping in Amarillo, the halfway point. Terry Strafford originally recorded “Amarillo By Morning” and George Strait covered it in 1982. “Amarillo By Morning” is very recognizable as George Strait’s because he paints a picture with the lyrics and instrumentals.

“You Look So Good in Love” 

“You Look So Good in Love” is my favorite Strait song. It is a unique break-up song. The narrator watches his ex-lover fall in love with someone else. However, instead of wanting to steal her back he realizes that he is not the guy to make her happy. He knows they weren’t meant to be. The sappy side of me loves that he lets his ex-lover have her happiness. The musical side of me recognizes that this is a very well written, catchy song.

There is no denying that the “King of Country Music” will forever be legendary. The ability of country music fans to immediately name a favorite George Strait song reflects the personal nature of his songs and his status as “King of Country Music.” Strait is a symbol of talent and consistency, a symbol that has propelled to the top. However, now that he is not touring and is taking a lower profile, new fans might not discover their favorite George Strait song – and they’ll be missing out.

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Filed under Country Symbols, Lists, Live Music, Music Videos, New Traditionalism, Reflection, Texas

by | April 8, 2015 · 8:00 am

Older Artists Releasing New Albums

While doing my album analysis essay on Willie Nelson’s most recent album, Band of Brothers, released in 2014, I noticed a phenomenon in country music of older country stars releasing albums later in life that perform extremely well on the charts. Band of Brothers was one such example: it was released in 2014, and was his 67th studio album. It was also only his third album to ever crack the Billboard Top 10, debuting at #5, and #1 on country charts, his best debut performance in 28 years. So why was this album so popular? One reason is that it contains mostly Nelson-penned songs, something his other recent albums haven’t contained, so this could appeal to his loyal fans. Another reason is young people: people who may have not heard his music before are hearing it now on these later albums, and liking it and buying it, making Nelson reach a whole new fan base.

Dolly Parton's Blue SmokeAnother example is Dolly Parton, and the release of Blue Smoke, her 42nd studio album, in 2014. This album performed amazingly for a Dolly solo album. It was her first top 10 solo album ever, had the best first week sales of all of her solo projects, and it was her highest Best Country Albums debut, debuting at #2. The album got critical review too, with critics raving that she just gets better with age. Unlike Nelson’s Band of Brothers, Blue Smoke is a traditional Dolly Parton album, with both upbeat songs and ballads, dealing with love and heartache. So why did it perform so well? Part of the reason is that lately in Parton’s albums, she has kept the whole album focused on one sound, and in this one she mixes genres, like she used to. She puts a lot of heart and soul into the album, and many critics agree that it is her best album in years, with nothing really new coming from Parton, but the songs being solid and just nice to listen to, which is probably why it performed so well on the charts and got such great reviews.

Johnny Cash's American VFinally, Johnny Cash is much different than these two. Towards the end of his life, he began releasing a series of albums called American III, IV, and V, that included covers of popular 20th century rock songs. He sang them in a very stripped down style, and though old and sick, his voice still sounds great and as deep and soulful as ever. He recorded these albums because he knew he was dying, and wanted to record some more before he was gone, giving the world a few last great albums. Indeed, American V was a posthumous release, released 3 years after his death, and it reached #1 on the Top Albums and Top Country albums. This could have been a reason for its popularity, as well as the covers of songs that people know and love. His version of Nine Inch Nails’s “Hurt” won a MTV Music Video Award for Best Cinematography, which made the album appeal to a younger generation that watches MTV. He also won a Grammy for Best Country Male Vocal Performance for another song on the album “Give My Love to Rose.” All of these factors contribute to why his album was so popular, because winning awards and charting high all add visibility to Johnny Cash, who people my age might not have known about if not for these immensely popular albums.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vt1Pwfnh5pc

There is a string of older artists releasing new albums in later life, and them charting very well. We don’t really know why, but doing so has proven a very smart career move for these three that I have talked about. They all enjoyed great album sales, and a lot of increased publicity, and interest by young people who might not have listened to their music otherwise, deeming it music their parents listened to. Releasing these albums keeps them fresh and relevant to everyone, new fans and old.

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Filed under Classic Country, Country Symbols, Countrypolitan, Outlaw, Reviews, USA

by | April 6, 2015 · 9:45 pm

Hall of Fame’s Class of 2015

In class, I mentioned that the Country Music Hall of Fame would be announcing its 2015 inductees soon. Turns out, the announcement arrived at the end of March. I thought y’all might want to learn a little more about the new members.

Most years, the Hall of Fame honors people in three categories: (1) a “veteran” artist who has been around for 45+ years, (2) a “modern” artist who has been around for 25+ years, and (3) either a songwriter, musician, or someone else involved in the music business. As usual, I am getting my information from Trigger over at Saving Country Music, who shares additional information about who has been honored in the past and how the decisions are made.

This year’s “veteran” inductee is the Browns, a family trio that had a number of crossover hits in the 1950s and early 1960s. Their best known song is probably “The Three Bells,” which was adapted from a French song (“Les Trois Cloches”) and was a #1 hit on the country and pop charts and — most surprisingly for a country song — a top 10 R&B hit as well. The group’s success coincided with the heyday of the Nashville Sound, which explains the crossover appeal and lush orchestration — and also probably the reason it has taken the group so long to be canonized. If you watch the video, you’ll understand why people criticize the Nashville Sound for not sounding authentically country.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcENEHz5U00

After the group disbanded in the 1960s, the male singer, Jim Ed Brown, enjoyed some success as a solo artist. His best known song is “Pop A Top,” which Alan Jackson covered in 1999. Jim Ed has continued to perform at the Grand Ole Opry, and in January of this year he made waves for releasing his first studio album in 40 years (called In Style Again). That same month he underwent a series of treatments for cancer, and it could be a combination of the new album and frail health that led the Hall of Fame to choose to recognize the Browns with its highest honor after ignoring the group for so long.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpW8t1mAP_c

The “modern” inductee is the Oak Ridge Boys, whose Christmas music I am familiar with but who otherwise are pretty unknown to me. Trigger points out the irony that the Oak Ridge Boys actually formed in the 1940s, which makes their induction as a “modern” act kind of suspect. Anyway, they got their start as a gospel quartet before enjoying a series of country hits — including many #1s — in the 1970s and 1980s. One of their best known hits is 1981’s “Elvira,” which hit #1 country and #5 pop.

The musician being inducted is the late Grady Martin, who played guitar on Marty Robbins’s “El Paso,” Loretta Lynn’s “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” and handfuls of other Rockabilly, Nashville Sound, and Classic Country recordings.

Of course, as soon as the inductees were announced, discontented fans took to social media to say who really “should” have been recognized instead of these three. Since it’s pretty hard to get into the Country Music Hall of Fame, there are a number of people who have been eligible for a while who still aren’t in, and every year there are younger stars who are newly eligible.

Some eligible performers who haven’t yet been invited to join include the Maddox Brothers and Rose, Ralph Stanley, Hank Williams, Jr., Charlie Daniels, June Carter Cash, Lynn Anderson, Tanya Tucker, David Allen Coe, Johnny Paycheck, Ricky Skaggs, Rosanne Cash, Dwight Yoakum, Randy Travis, Alan Jackson, Brooks and Dunn, Tim McGraw, Toby Keith, and Kenny Chesney.

What do you think about the new inductees? Are you familiar with any of them? Who do you hope makes it in, in the next couple of years? I would love to know!

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Filed under Awards, Classic Country, Countrypolitan, Nashville Sound, News