Why is country music so depressing?

[kskboys]

Tom T Hall had some great tunes.

One of my all time favorites!!!

"Faster horses, younger women, older whiskey, and more money!!!"

 

[Runwildboys]

Don't understand the hatred toward the Dixie Chicks........Is it their political views? They have excellent harmonies, good lyrics, and very good instrumental talent.

 

[kskboys]

"Well, I'd like to meet that man who invented coin machines
He must've hated mankind, n every other living thing
I bet he had a motto on his wall in prose n rhyme
Sayin' you get nuthin' fer a nickle, twice as much fer a dime!!!!!

 

[kskboys]

Don't understand the hatred toward the Dixie Chicks........Is it their political views? They have excellent harmonies, good lyrics, and very good instrumental talent.

Terrible whiny voices, crapp songs. I didn't like them before they brought their political views on stage. While I do believe it was a very poor choice to do so, it didn't affect my impression of their music.

 

[Runwildboys]

Terrible whiny voices, crapp songs. I didn't like them before they brought their political views on stage. While I do believe it was a very poor choice to do so, it didn't affect my impression of their music.

Definitely different opinions. Don't get me wrong, I don't listen to them a lot...but I have a couple of their CDs, and I do enjoy them on occasion.

 

[Roadtrip635]

It's the marriage of real country and roadhouse blues and the natural evolution of the Outlaw Country started by Waylon, Willie, Coe, etc. These players like Mike McClure, the founder of Red Dirt at the Wormy Dog in Stillwater, Cross Canadian Ragweed and Pat Green created a more interesting genre than today's country because they don't have a formula.

Cross Canadian and Pat Green are interesting stories because right after Nashville discovered their popularity, they signed them and the first album of both wasn't even like them because Nashville produced them. Cody Canada was so unhappy with how much power they'd given to Nashville, his only way out of the contract was to disband. Success ended up ending a great band and Pat Green still performs more of his "prior to Nashville" material. And you ask any of these artists, and I have asked most of them, who most influenced them and one name is almost always mentioned first, Steve Earle.

Red Dirt is the direct result on what these artists grew up on and some real country was always in there but not this Nashville Pop they push so much. They became the new Outlaw.

Country is a tough sell for many because it is often defined by what people don't like about it, they don't approach it to sell themselves on what they might like. The best artist of the last 10 years to me is the one most influenced by his idol, Steve Earle. While he does have one of those patented country voices, I have yet to have anyone I have suggested they spend some time alone with Eric Church's music not come away a fan. His is the mixture of lyrics that cut into you and a fresh approach to music just like his mentor had.

The "Red Dirt" sound began much earlier with people like Terry Allen, The Flatlanders, Joe Ely, Butch Hancock, Jimmy Dale Gilmore, etc. then to guys like Jimmy Lafave. It just wasn't coined "Red Dirt" until much later. I think you're right about Red Dirt becoming the new Outlaw

I do agree about how Nashville tries changing these artists, you always hear these type stories after they sign with a big label. I know Robert Earl Keen wasn't happy about all the oversight and changes they wanted to make, even in how he wrote new songs. Steve Earl was surely a big influence on on a lot of those guys and so were guys like REK, Guy Clark and of course Townes.

 

[Roadtrip635]

"If I hit that fishing hole today
She'd be packing all her things
And she'd....be gone by noon.

Well, I'm gonna miss 'er'
When I get home
Right now I'm on that lakeshore
Sittin' in the sun
I'm sure it'll hit me
When I walk thru that door tonite
That I'm gonna miss 'er
Looky there....I've got a bite!!!!!"

That's a 5lb bass son!

 

[kskboys]

Definitely different opinions. Don't get me wrong, I don't listen to them a lot...but I have a couple of their CDs, and I do enjoy them on occasion.

Which is what I was trying to tell you earlier. It's to each his own. IMO, Shania has much better music in general than they do.

 

[CouchCoach]

Don't understand the hatred toward the Dixie Chicks........Is it their political views? They have excellent harmonies, good lyrics, and very good instrumental talent.

Want some melt you heart harmonies, try the Forrester Sisters.

 

[CouchCoach]

The "Red Dirt" sound began much earlier with people like Terry Allen, The Flatlanders, Joe Ely, Butch Hancock, Jimmy Dale Gilmore, etc. then to guys like Jimmy Lafave. It just wasn't coined "Red Dirt" until much later. I think you're right about Red Dirt becoming the new Outlaw

I do agree about how Nashville tries changing these artists, you always hear these type stories after they sign with a big label. I know Robert Earl Keen wasn't happy about all the oversight and changes they wanted to make, even in how he wrote new songs. Steve Earl was surely a big influence on on a lot of those guys and so were guys like REK, Guy Clark and of course Townes.

Red Dirt even had it's own boy band with the Eli-Young Band from Denton.

Few of these artists get "the break" of getting signed and are resigned to the life they lead. It's on the road constantly because that's the only way to make it and hope to sell CD's and merch to cover the expenses. I booked almost all of these guys and the one thing 95% of them had in common is they were real, very few "stars". But that is a wear you out fast lifestyle.

From what I know, McClure actually coined that as a connection to the soil of OK but as it grew most thought it originated in Texas since they are so many of the Red Dirt artists from there. And some erroneously use Red Dirt and Texas Country interchangeably and they're not the same.

 

[Roadtrip635]

Red Dirt even had it's own boy band with the Eli-Young Band from Denton.

Few of these artists get "the break" of getting signed and are resigned to the life they lead. It's on the road constantly because that's the only way to make it and hope to sell CD's and merch to cover the expenses. I booked almost all of these guys and the one thing 95% of them had in common is they were real, very few "stars". But that is a wear you out fast lifestyle.

From what I know, McClure actually coined that as a connection to the soil of OK but as it grew most thought it originated in Texas since they are so many of the Red Dirt artists from there. And some erroneously use Red Dirt and Texas Country interchangeably and they're not the same.

Artists like The Flatlanders, Terry Allen, Red Dirt Rangers, Bob Childers, Jimmy Lafave were all Red Dirt before Red Dirt became it's own genre. Texas Country is a lot broader term that encompasses different genres, but I usually think of the Guy Clark, Townes, Jerry Jeff, Ray Wylie types
I think everybody knows few artists get that big break. Some of those that do, also find that it's not as cracked up as they thought it would be and are happier being independents. It's a lot easier to be an independent these days, that's for sure. I was born and raised in the shadow of Gruene Hall and worked in and managed at a few music venues from the 80's to early 2000's, so I've known and met my fair share of artists in various stages of their careers.