Although our seats were pretty much right next to the entrance, I was analyzing him from the big screen. He is a magnificent performer and took a maximum of two breaths between every song. He sang non-stop for 90 minutes while flawlessly playing the guitar and throwing multiple bandanas to those lucky fans in the front row. His voice was a balance of smooth and\u00a0nasally with a smoky age to it, while his music offered flavors of bluegrass, Nashville, and folk.<\/p>\n Willie Nelson Statue His concert led me all the way to his statue in Austin. I was hungry for more information on Willie Nelson and his impact. The singer\u2019s acclaimed musical talent is what prompted the creation of the statue in the first place. The bronze statue was \u201cinadvertently<\/a>\u201d unveiled on\u00a04\/20,\u00a0which further denoted the stoner reputation Nelson has. His thriving musical career as an outlaw in the country music industry has permanently,\u00a0pun intended, made him a legendary icon.<\/p>\n Dixie Chicks\u2019 Documentary<\/strong><\/p>\n After discussing the outlaws of country music in class, I thought about the Dixie Chicks and wondered if they belong under this category after their scandal. I decided to revisit the band\u2019s political mishap and watch their documentary, \u201cShut Up and Sing\u201d. The main singer, Natalie Maines<\/a>, decided to disclose a small comment during one of their shows, \u201c\u2026we\u2019re ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas\u201d. This left their career severely wounded and caused families, fans, and American citizens to trash their various Dixie Chicks CDs. Although The Dixie Chicks voiced their honest opinion, they disrespected a large quantity of people in the US and were reprimanded by and removed from multiple radio stations. This same mindset of \u2018doing what you want and not caring what others think\u2019 can be found in many prevalent country artists in the \u201870s that are viewed as outlaws. However, such artists, like Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson, were fighting against Nashville, while the Dixie Chicks were fighting against a bigger and more political problem. Still, such rebelliousness, even though not in the same boat as Jennings and Nelson, can somewhat be considered outlaw. Since the beginning of the 2015 fall semester, I have done a complete 180 and learned so much about the most popular and historic music genre in Texas. I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to take this class and the chance to understand country music in a new light. Watching documentaries about famous country artists, attending a concert of a legendary country icon, and seeing 2000 pound statue of a country singer in the center of downtown, Austin, all help process the impact country music has had on Texas and the people who live in it. I am truly excited to continue my learning and apply what I know to future events.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I have grown up in a house that absolutely does not believe in country music. My dad always said, \u201cI would like country music, but I don\u2019t drive a pick up truck or sleep with my sister.\u201d A little extreme … Continue reading ![\"IMG_3927\"](\"http:\/\/sites.dwrl.utexas.edu\/countrymusic\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2015\/11\/IMG_3927.jpg\")
<\/a>This man is a legend, and I got to see him live! The turnout at Billy Bobs was unbelievable. It was amazing to see generations of people there. There were kids my age, their parents, their parents\u2019 parents, and quite possibly their parents\u2019 parents\u2019 parents. Everybody was singing along, dancing, and screaming \u201cWillie Nelson!!!\u201d as he sung some of his famous hits like, \u201cOn the Road Again<\/a>\u201d, \u201cAlways on My Mind<\/a>\u201d, and \u201cMammas, Don\u2019t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys<\/a>\u201d.<\/p>\n![\"IMG_3934\"](\"http:\/\/sites.dwrl.utexas.edu\/countrymusic\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2015\/11\/IMG_3934-225x300.jpg\")
<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"IMG_3936\"](\"http:\/\/sites.dwrl.utexas.edu\/countrymusic\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2015\/11\/IMG_39361-300x155.jpg\")
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