Category Archives: Blog Post 5

by | December 2, 2015 · 7:00 am

Gaining Knowledge Through Experience

Over the course of the past few months I have had the opportunity to expand my knowledge on country music, not only through my class about country music but through my own personal experiences. Throughout the semester I have watched the movie Walk the Line, went two-stepping at Mercer Street Dance Hall in the good ol’ town of Dripping Springs, and my favorite was seeing the talented Ryan Bingham at Stubbs! All three of these things have changed my outlook on country music in a positive way and here is exactly why:

1.Walk the Line

Walk-the-Line-movie-01Around a month ago, I sat down and watched the movie, Walk the Line. This is by far one of my favorite movies, it’s the perfect example of a classic love story. Not only am I a fan of Johnny Cash’s music, I absolutely love Reese Witherspoon. I recently read an article over her about how she only accepts roles that have strong leads, and June Carter is just that. Since the movie, I’ve been hooked on Johnny Cash’s hit, “Get Rhythm”.

2. Two-Stepping at Mercer Street Dance Hall

mercerOne random weekend, a friend invited a group of us to go see his step-dad play at this teeny tiny dance hall in the town of Dripping Springs. His step-dad is the guitarist in a band called The Warhorses. This small town Texas band has an EP of five songs, with my favorite one being “Leave Me Alone”. Throughout the night, they played their five songs and the rest of the songs were dedicated to playing cover songs. Songs included artists like Randy Rogers Band, George Strait, and Wade Bowen. This night filled with two-stepping was the perfect getaway, especially because two-stepping is one of my favorite hobbies!

3. Ryan Bingham at Stubbs

binghamOn Halloween night, I spent my time seeing one of my favorite artists, Ryan Bingham. This Americana songwriter was a blast to see for the second time in concert! I was fortunate enough to gather some good friends and spend time with them as well as have pretty good spots to enjoy the live music! My favorite song by him is, “The Poet” on his album, Junky Star. He puts on an awesome show because he is naturally a good performer and his authenticity makes him enjoyable to listen to.

Over the semester, I found it actually pretty easy to complete some of the things on the list. I think this is because sometimes we don’t realize how much country music is naturally incorporated into our lives. Seeing Walk The Line was something I enjoyed watching during my free time and I learned a little bit about one of country music’s finest. The last two, two-stepping and seeing a live concert, was also something I thoroughly enjoyed.  With all of this, this semester has helped me realize how much I really do enjoy country music and how this class has helped me appreciate the love I have for it.

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Filed under Austin, Blog Post 5, Reflection, Texas, Uncategorized

by | December 1, 2015 · 7:00 pm

My Country World in Austin, Texas

When looking into my degree plan, I saw that I had to take one last rhetoric class in order to fulfill my core requirement. Now I have to be honest, I have never been been a fan of any sort of English class, but I am happy to say that is no longer the case. I actually looked forward to this class every week and will be sad when it is over. Unfortunately, however, all great things must come to an end… And may I now present to you: my country music experiences outside of the classroom..

  1. Coupland Dance Hall

So coming from Fort Worth, I have been toGetImage.ashx my fair share of Billy Bob’s concerts. After coming to Austin I was wondering if I
would ever get to experience the same kind of country music culture. Let me tell you, the Coupland Dance Hall out in Coupland, Texas is all of that and more. When my sorority had a date function there, I was so excited to check it out. From the stringed lights to the country two step this place has it down to a T.

  1. Austin City Limits1501734_10203808627229961_2094592200129301172_n

Even before I applied to the University of Texas, I had always dreamed of going to ACL Festival. As soon as I got in I knew that was my first order of business, I bought a ticket. One year later and I was still just as excited for my second time. There is really nothing like going to a big field with all of your friends listening to awesome live music. Because the names were somewhat familiar to me at the time, I attended both the Dwight Yoakam and Sturgill Simpson concerts. My dad had recently introduced me to Sturgill Simpson and encouraged me to attend his concert. He was right on about his unique and traditional country sound.

  1. Nashville

My roommates have always told me to sit down and watch an episode of the hit ABC show Nashville, but I could never find the time. When I found out that I could write about this show for my blog post. I sat right down on the couch and started the pilot episode. Little did I know that pressing play on that remote would have me completely compelled by a tv show. I understand that some people think that the drama is unrealistic or the acting is bad, but the music will change their mind on the overall perception of the show. In a previous post I looked further into the duo Lennon and Maisy, but they are just one example of the talent on the show. I encourage anyone who loves a drama filled tv series to give it a try.

NashvilleS4415Overall I have really enjoyed this past semester. I not only learned about the history of country music, how to analyze it, and what it means, but I learned how to appreciate it for more than just a twangy sound.

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Filed under Blog Post 5, Concert, Live Music, Movies and TV, Nashville Sound, Texas

by | · 1:00 pm

My Country Music Adventure

Throughout the semester I have noticed a huge dominance of country music in both the Austin culture, and my own culture overall that I had no idea was really there. My sister and I share a Spotify account, and she has been both shocked and confused at the different types of country music that I have found myself downloading throughout the past few months. It’s crazy to think how ever- present the country world really is, and it has definitely made me more appreciative of the music and everything that comes with it. Here are a few of my adventures that document the change I have experienced.

  1. Two- stepping in Luckenbach

image2One Saturday some friends and I decided to go two- stepping in Luckenbach, Texas. It was definitely a drive, but we wanted to get the full country effect of country dancing. The dance hall was completely wooden, very rustic and genuine. I felt like a Southern belle in the era of Waylon Jennings just by being there. There was a band performing, with people dancing the night away. Much to my dismay, they never played the famous track, “Luckenbach, Texas,” but it still was a night to remember.
2. Willie Nelson Statue

image1Another thing I did as part of my country adventure was visit the ever famous statue of Willie Nelson. There on the corner of 2nd and Lavaca Street stands the American icon himself. 2nd street is now known as Willie Nelson Boulevard. The massive statue sits right outside the Austin City Limits studios. Seeing as Austin is known as a music capital, and of course a proud advocate for the, “Keep Austin Weird” culture, it’s only fitting that a musical superstar with a hippy lifestyle praised by his fans be constructed in bronze right outside the studios. He is now even a resident of Austin, and continues to excite the Austin community with his performances consistently.

3. Cowgirl Hall of Fame

The Cowgirl Hall of Fame is one of my favorite parts about my hometown, Fort Worth. Since it was built in 2002, I have been visiting ever so often, especially when we have our touristy family members in town. It wasn’t until I took this course that I realized how the brave outlaw cowgirls were connected with country music. The HOF is an empowering place for women in the country culture, as it, “celebrates women, past and present, whose lives exemplify the courage, resilience and independence that helped shape the American West.” To me, the abundance of Cowgirl HOF’s across the country have instilled a sense of pride and honor among country women, especially musical artists. Women have come a long way in country music, and it’s places like this that could have inspired women to make their mark in country music. It made me feel proud of both country music and its culture to honor women in such a noble manner.

I highly recommend taking a trip to any of these places. It might not be your usual weekend agenda, but they are sure to be worth your while!

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by | · 7:00 am

Finding the Country in Austin, Texas

From the day I started to discover music, country music has undoubtedly been my favorite genre. Whether I was with my friends back in Colorado or just putting in my earbuds for a long flight, country music was always my go-to genre. While searching through the long list of classes to take for my fall 2015 semester at the University of Texas, I saw “Rhetoric of Country Music” and immediately knew it was a class I needed to take. As I have discovered this semester, Austin is much more than just the capital of Texas, but an amazing country music town as well. This class has taught me how to take advantage of many of the amazing opportunities in the country music realm that Austin has to offer. Here are just a couple activities that Rhetoric of Country Music opened my eyes to!

  1. Seeing a Zac Brown concert at Austin 360 Amphitheatre

I have always been a big fan of concerts, and this semester I was able to learn about Austin’s incredible music scene. Artists from all over the nation travel here to perform and there is never a lack of concerts in the Texas capital. This past semester, Tyler and I both bought tickets to see The Zac Brown Band after the release of their newest album Jekyll and Hyde. I had no idea how popular Austin was for live performances for big artists such as Zac Brown, and I won’t ever forget the show they put on. Being surrounded by friends in such a great city was an awesome experience I never would have had if it weren’t for Rhetoric of Country Music!

2. Watching the CMAs

My family has always casually watched music and movie awards shows, but this last year Tyler and I continued our tradition of sitting down and intently watching the CMAs. From the great performances to watching artists earn awards they have worked towards for their entire lives, it’s a really great program to watch if you take the time to actually sit down and pay attention to what’s happening on the screen. Rhetoric of Country Music piqued my interest in the country music industry as a whole, and helped me learn that what’s going on behind the songs can be just as interesting, if not more interesting, than the actual songs themselves

3. Watching the movie “Walk the Line”

Most listeners simply forget about the artists themselves in favor of the music they perform, but watching the movie “Walk the Line” has helped me realize the trials and tribulations that some artists must endure throughout their lives. We often see artists not as people, but as icons who release some of our favorite songs, but we forget that they are much more than that. “Walk the Line” is a great movie which goes in to the details of Johnny Cash’s personal life and struggles, and it helps the audience realize that he is much more than a famed performer. Rhetoric of Country Music helped me discover that these artists are simply just talented people, and that there is always more than just one dimension to the people featured on album covers. This class was more than just listening to country music, it was about exploring the industry and artists as a whole.

There is no better town to take a class such as Rhetoric of Country Music in, and the class a truly helped me expand my horizons when it comes to country music. The class showed me many different subgenres aside from the normal, popular “Nashville country” and how deep the industry really goes. From songwriters to Hall of Fame inductees and artist’s personal lives, there is so much to learn and know about country music. If nothing else, the class really opened my mind to how big a genre of music can really be and taught me to take advantage of my surroundings. I had an amazing time learning about the country music industry and Austin as a music town, and I never would have been able to gain the knowledge that was readily available to me in Rhetoric of Country Music.

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by | November 30, 2015 · 7:00 pm

How Austin Changed My Perspective of Country Music

Coming from a small town in southern California, I never really understood the impact that country music has had on numerous people and places all across the U.S. Since coming to Texas, I almost had no choice but to integrate myself within the country culture that this state is so proud of sharing. I was hesitant at first to give up my California roots, but after experiencing country music’s influence in Austin by participating in two-step dancing, attending a country concert, and watching the a country music award show, it has really furthered my appreciation and knowledge of this genre, and ultimately changed my perception of country music overall.

IMG_0841First off, I have been a dancer my entire life, but two-stepping was something I never knew how to do. When I went to Broken Spoke here in Austin for a chapter wide mixer, it was my first time really learning this style of dance. I remember not knowing any of the songs that I was dancing to that night, unlike everyone else. But since dancing and listening to the variety of country songs that played that night, it really increased my interest, and intrigued me to learn more about this genre. With that said, this night definitely marks the foundation of where my appreciation for country music all began.

Also, about a month later, my friends convinced me to go to the Josh Abbot Band concert with them. It wouldn’t have been my first choice to go see them in concert, but since tickets were cheap and I was beginning to like country music I decided why not! I never realized how big of fans my friends were of the Josh Abbot band until I heard them belting at the top of their lungs to “She Likes Texas.” Unfortunately, I didn’t join in, as I was unfamiliar with the song after only being minimally exposed to country music thus far. But, after seeing the whole crowd sing along to several of the band’s songs, it really showed me what I am missing out on when it comes to this genre of music. Since this concert, I have taken a greater interest in the genre by familiarizing myself with other popular country artists, and expanding my music library to create a more diverse array of songs.

Lastly, after experiencing both these events, as well as taking this class, I was inspired to watch the 2015 Country Music Awards. It was amazing for me to see just how many country artists I recognized that performed, were nominated, or won awards, such as Kenny Chesney, Luke Bryan, Hank Williams Jr., and Chris Stapleton. Because I am now familiar with country artists and have an appreciation for the history of the genre, watching this show was a much more enjoyable experience for me. Since watching this show, it really made me realize just how much my knowledge of this genre has progressed since being first exposed to country music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3swFUK1Xxg

Overall, my perception of country music has tremendously evolved over the course of this class. I originally came with stereotypical thoughts regarding this genre, and since have really come to appreciate what this genre has to offer. Not only was I able to learn about the history and techniques behind country music by taking this class, but I was also able to experience this genre first hand through interactive events that have ultimately expanded my knowledge of the genre, and influenced me to take an active role in furthering my appreciation for country music.

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Filed under Austin, Blog Post 5, Concert, Dancing, Movies and TV, Reflection