alt.country Primer from The Fat Guy?
Category: Music...
Posted Tuesday, November 09, 2004 at 04:04 PM [GMT-6]

Update: Well, we now know what Scott was doing while he wasn't watching the CMA broadcast tonight. He was busy creating one of the most amazing posts about country music I've ever laid eyes on. Read it if you like country music; read it even if you don't. In either case, it won't be wasted time.

He's more than met my challenge, laid out below; the rest is up to me, I guess. Maybe I should add a PayPal button to help me pay for what I've gotten myself into...

Scott has a burr under his saddle about tonight's Country Music Awards, apparently believing that the genre took a wrong turn somewhere around 1954 and has been wandering through an MTV-like wasteland ever since.

Well, that's not an entirely fair characterization, as I'm not sure exactly where Scott thinks mainstream country music went bad, and I'm certainly not qualified to hold an opinion on the matter anyway. I haven't bought a country CD in about 10 years (although I did just download "I Like My Women A Little On The Trashy Side" from the iTunes Music store).

That being the case, I'd like to pitch a challenge to Scott (and to anyone else caring to help educate the unwashed masses of which I'm a part): what are the twenty "essential alt country" albums that any self-respecting afficionado should have in his or her collection, in order to not be embarassed when showing up at the next fiesta musica at Buck's?

I'm serious as a snake in a sleeping bag; I'd really like some guidance in this matter. And I think it would be good for Scott; after all, recent events have shown us that just being against something isn't really sufficient anymore. We need to know what you're for.

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Comments

Oh, man -- I've had these challenges before, and I'm miserable at them. I'll see if I can round something up. Keeps me off the p-k-r tables at least.

Posted by: Scott Chaffin at November 9, 2004 07:20 PM

If you get jammed, ask your wife.

Posted by: Eric at November 9, 2004 08:12 PM

Anything Robert Earl Keen, for sure. And Pat Green. And Willis Alan Ramsey. Willis Alan is never far from my turntable.

I am for Kinky Friedman for Guv! Yay, Kinkster!

Posted by: Cowtown Pattie at November 9, 2004 08:41 PM

I'd like to put in a vote for "AnotherCountry" by The Chieftains, along with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson, Chet Atkins, Bela Fleck, Sam Bush and Ricky Skaggs.

The album is a wonderful tribute to the traditions of country-western music past and present ... not to mention the influence Scots-Irish and British folk tunes had on that music. It wraps-up with an all-hands performance of "Will the Circle Be Unbroken?"

I'd also like to second Cowtown Pattie's motion about Kinky Friedman.

Posted by: Jeff at November 10, 2004 09:44 AM

Seconds on Robert Earl Keen and Pat Green.

Also add Dwight Yokum, Lyle Lovett, Chris LeDoux and Steve Earle. All these men have been around for years and seem to purposly fly under the radar. Better than CMA material.

I once heard a lady describe Dwight was an aquired taste.

Posted by: shannon at November 10, 2004 10:08 AM

This is going to be Texas heavy, but we ARE in Texas, so here goes:

You can't leave out Joe Ely -- Letter to Laredo is a great CD, but also some of his live stuff and earlier stuff (and of course Flatlanders). He's just darn good. What else to say?

Definitely Keen and Earle. And don't forget Billy Joe Shaver!

Throw in some younger guys -- there hasn't been a better debut cd from a Texas alt-country indie since Reckless Kelly came out with Millican (don't give me any of that Pat Green I Like Texas crap, which is good drinking around a campfire music that we all can use sometimes -- except I can't tell that he even makes that sort of stuff anymore). In fact, RK never quite lived up to Millican I don't think, but their newer stuff is still OH SO GOOD. Just different.

Cross Canadian Ragweed brings the Oklahoma rockier side of country to the mix.

Son Volt's Trace better be on any alt-country list Top Five list.

Some folks swear by Wilco, but it doesn't do much for me. I do think if you want punkish alt-country from Texas, though, you could do worse than Slobberbone.

Randy Rogers is a name to keep in mind. There are 3-4 songs on that Like It Used To Be cd (and a few others written before and since) that are gonna be Texas country standards in ten years, if some Nashville idiot doesn't convince him to change his ways and sell out (they've tried, but he's resisted so far).

That's a start for ya! I haven't been out much lately, but this has me revved for a trip to the Firehouse. Or somewhere!

Posted by: kevin whited at November 10, 2004 10:25 AM

I gave up on "new" country when Brooks and Dunn arrived. They pretty much killed country for me. I still like to sit down and listen to Clint Black or some old, old Hank, but mostly I just put the cable box on the Bluegrass channel and leave it there.

Posted by: Phelps at November 10, 2004 12:49 PM

I worked like a dog and slave over a hot keyboard for two hours and 8 beers and I don't even get a link back? I swear, you bloggers in your pyjamas...

Posted by: Scott Chaffin at November 10, 2004 07:45 PM

I swear, you commenter's and your inability to read updates.

And I did that with only two beers under my belt. Feel free to delink the ingrate...

Posted by: Scott Chaffin at November 10, 2004 07:48 PM

Scott, I think my pinger's busted...it keeps timing out prematurely.

Posted by: Eric at November 10, 2004 07:56 PM
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