When I saw Rhetoric of Country Music as a class option last spring during registration, I immediately signed up. I figured, I listen to country music a lot of the time, so this class should be fun and interesting. I totally underestimated how much I would learn about the different kinds of country music, improve my blogging and rhetoric skills, and genuinely enjoy learning about older artists who I previously had no knowledge of. Since acquiring more knowledge on the genre, experiencing different “country” activities has had a whole new meaning.
- Two-Stepping the Night Away
In September, my friends and I boarded a bus to an unknown destination. All we knew was to wear a country looking dress and cowboy boots (my favorite shoes.) The bus ride was long, about 45 minutes, but we entertained ourselves blaring country music and dancing the whole way there. We arrived at Coupland Dance Hall in Coupland, Texas, which had a southern-comfort atmosphere and a HUGE dance floor. While I had a great time at Coupland, there are many other options closer to Austin for people wanting to two-step:
- Broken Spoke– 3201 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704
- Donn’s Depot– 1600 W 5th St, Austin Tx 78703
- The White Horse– 500 Comal St, Austin, TX 78702
- The Little Longhorn Saloon– 5434 Burnet Rd, Austin, TX 78756
- I’ve Always Wanted To Go To Nashville…
But it looks like for now I will have to stick with Nashville the TV show. I first heard about the show a few years ago, and my sister watched it religiously as it aired on ABC every week, so I ventured to watch a few episodes. The cast list has two of my favorite actresses as stars in the show: Rayna Jaymes and Hayden Panettiere. While I fell in love with Rayna during her time on Friday Night Lights, I love her as Connie Britton on the show. Hayden was introduced to me as a Disney actress, I think it was Ice Princess, and how typical of a young Disney star to emerge as a talented singer as well as actress. While I didn’t know about Lennon and Maisy before the show, their cover of “Ho Hey” by the Lumineers is better than the real version in my opinion. This show does a great job of producing songs with a nice country twist to them.
- Kacey Musgraves…. I Feel Like I Know Her Personally
As I did some browsing through Texas Music Magazine’s online site, I came across a feature written about Kacey Musgraves and I felt a sense of pride. Something about dedicating 2 weeks worth of research into one person connects you on a weird, personal level with them, even though it is definitely one-sided, I feel like I know everything about her and coming across an article written so positively about her makes me feel like one of my good friends is being honored. The article described why she was deserving of being the magazine’s artist of the year, and many of the points the author hit were running right along with mine! It felt cool knowing that I had similar thoughts with an artist who gets paid to write for a famous magazine.
Rhetoric of Country Music will be one of those classes that I will specifically remember as a favorite college class. It was a class I looked forward to every day because I knew I would learn something new that interested me every time I went to class. I learned more about a genre I thought I was an expert in and I learned how to be a better writer. Classes like these are the most valuable in my opinion because they combine the interests of students with academic progression, which is the most beneficial for learning.
Arguably one of the most famous and successful country artists to come out of Oklahoma, Carrie Underwood has definitely proven herself as worthy of being bragged about. In 2008, she was inducted into the Grand Ol Opry and into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame the next year only three years after winning season 4 of American Idol. She has won seven Grammy’s, 17 Billboard Music Awards, 11 Academy of Country Music Awards, and eight American Music Awards. Other than being heavily decorated in the awards department, Underwood has had 12 singles reach the number one spot, including her first country release “Jesus Take the Wheel.” Its safe to say Oklahoma gets a point for Carrie.
A legend in country music for decades, George Strait has produced songs and albums that will go down in history as some of the best country music ever written, especially if you are talking to a Texan. Strait was born in the small town Poteet, Texas. His first album, Strait Country, focused on the more traditional country sound instead of the pop country that was popular during the 80s. Since the beginning of his career, Strait has produced 44 number-one hits on Billboards Hot Country Songs chart, which smokes the previous record that was held by Conway Twitty at 40. Selling more than 100 million records in his career, Strait is recognized as one of the best-selling artists of all time. With the nickname “King of Country,” I think Texas has earned themselves a point for having claim on George Strait.
Another artist who identifies their roots in Oklahoma is Toby Keith. Keith’s first album, produced in 1993 went platinum; “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” was released has been one of his greatest hits. Another accomplishment and what many attribute as one Keith’s most notable releases was his song “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue (The Angry American.)” He was named Entertainer of the year by the Academy of Country Music in the two years following the release of his patriotic response to the 9/11 disaster. Keith is also decorated with many other awards, including ACM’s Album of the Year and Top Male Vocalist. He has had 20 singles that have reached #1 in the country charts over his career thus far, and I am sure more are coming. Point Oklahoma.
In 1933, the next country artist from Texas who has had an undeniably impressive career was born in Abbott, Texas. Willie Nelson, one of the most famous names in country music in history, has been a leader in outlaw country and a reason for the country music scene in the state of Texas. After producing over 100 singles since the start of his career, 33 of those singles have taken the number one spot in overall charts, meaning Nelson’s music is appealing to people from all over the world. A multi-time Grammy award nominee and winner, three time recipient of Single Record of the Year from the ACMA’s, American Music Award’s Country Artist of the Year multiple times, and winner of AMA’s Favorite Country Single (also multiple times,) Nelson has won substantial awards an impressive amount of times. I’m throwing another point to Texas on behalf of Willie.
