Country Music

A new user of Country Music (whatever flavour) could look through the section at the All Music Guide and compare it with the recomendations made by forum members. This may give an idea of what is happening in the country music world.

I've just looked and horror of horror most of the names I favour seem to be from the last millennium!

Roy

Most people can listen to Johnny Cash I reckon, and I've seen Eva Cassidy and even Elvis Costello on a Country Greats Compilation my Dad owns.
Boundaries overlap sometimes.
I'm not sure "Country" and "Great" should be in the same sentence though!
Steve.

Mainstream "Pop Country" produced by the Nashville Executives is poo. I agree with above posters about Alt country and early country pioneers Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, etc.
I have not seen mention of Emy Lou Harris. Anything thing by her is recommended. She has been doing some very interesting stuff lately.
Also highly recommend anything by Gram Parsons, Emy Lou made her debut on "Greivious Angel"
Gram was the impetus behind the Byrds album "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" also highly recommended. It was the first "Country Rock" album. After the Byrds, he co-founded the Flying Burrito Brothers.
The Rolling Stones were influenced by Gram as well. "Wild Horses" was supposedly influenced by him, as well as some other Stones tunes of that "country" period.
A couple of others:
Kevin Welch
Gillian Welch (no relation)
Jimmie Dale Gilmore
Hank Williams III
Albert Lee
Shelby Lynne
Kelley Willis

This thread is good:

http://forums.naim-audio.com/eve/forums?q=Y&a=tpc&s=67019385&f=38019385&m=9211902354&p=2

I also like Cowboy Junkies (Trinity Sessions got me into hifi, i.e. wanting more than a boombox), Gram Parsons, and Emmylou Harris (who did backup vocals on Ryan Adams' "Heartbreaker", as did Gillian Welch, just to bring it all full circle. )

I saw Johnny Cash (and members of his family) in concert in the late 90's. To my surprise his fans weren't cowboys, but hardcore Harley bikers and college kids. Seeing him was really, really special.

Mike Sae

Your local scene produces some nice female alt.country folky goodness- Po' Girl and The Be Good Tanyas (the former being a derivative of the latter). There's another one- Twin something, or nuts- I totally forget but my local station plays a lot of this stuff.

It's Ludwig-tested, Robinson-approved.

Error Correction

You all didnot spot my mistake or were too polite to point out the error of my ways - I had Crowells name wrong it should be

Rodney Crowell
so my post should have said
"I like the tortured vowels, the predictably sad stories of grand plans gone wrong eg Rodney Crowell's "Highway 17" which is a whole movie in 3 minutes-

often played artists

Rodney Crowell
Nanci Griffiths
Reba McEntire"

Derek

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quote:

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However I would be interested in some country recommedations, just in case there is a slim chance there is some good music of this nature out there.

BTW I would really like it if there was web links to samples so that I am not forced to pay for this stuff, snigger.

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So, Garyi what will you be downloading, borrowing, ripping or buying this weekend?

Roy

Steve O.

I'm originally from your part of the world. I escaped because it's parochial, small-minded etc. etc. However, let's try "Wales is a great country" and move on from there now I've given you your sentence.

Then again, how about you all just stopping to consider some of the more considered posts in this thread i.e. what you hear on the radio is generally (not always) commercially oriented and repeated sufficiently until you are deceived into thinking it might be good. Every musical genre contains a substantial proportion of such music. That isn't a reason to dislike a genre. It's a reason to dislike commercial motives.

Virtually everybody I know who has dismissed country music has never sat through a single album by a significant artist. So, why don't the more open-minded amongst you go away and listen to

Gram Parson solo albums
early or recent Emmylou Harris
Hank Williams
any period of Johnny Cash bar some of the 70s and 80s
early Cowboy Junkies
Calexico
early Nanci Griffith

Plenty there to start with.

If I'd only heard ***** I wouldn't like hard rock
If I'd only heard Level 42, Shakatak or lift muzak I wouldn't have discovered Coltrane or Miles.
If I'd only heard Robert Cray I would never have loved Robert Johnson.
If I'd only heard The Style Council I would never have loved The Jam.
If I'd only heard Peter, Paul and Mary I would never have got Woody Guthrie.
If I'd not heard it on Naim I would never have discovered classical music after 30 years of serious listening!!!
If I'd only heard... whatever. Don't pick up on these as they're just 'off the top of my head' examples. The point is if you just close your minds why are you bothering???

Agree with Mike about with early Nanci songs so why not consider these if you get the chance.

Nanci Griffith
Once in a very blue moon - 1985
Last of the true believers – 1986
Lpne start state of mind - 1987
One fair summer evening (live) – 1988 *my favourate*

Michelle shocked
The Texas camp fire tapes – 1986 *rough, rasping and from the heart*
Short sharp shocked – 1988 *I like Anchorage and so does she, compare with TTCFT*

Cowboy Junkies
Caution horses – 1990

Roy

Garyi

You can get both the First Two Flying Burrito Brothers albums on a Two fer' at a cheap price. (Gilded palace of sin, and Burrito Delux?)

The first album is more country (but the better of the two and considered a classic). The second is rockier so if you don't get on with the first album you may well like this.

I picked this up for £5 a few months ago.

I think this would be a good place to start.

I just bought two Emmy Lou Harris CDs, Luxury Liner and Roses in the Snow. She's great and has a beautiful voice and great taste in music. No wonder she's on the board of so many Nahville organisations.

Her later stuff is beautiful but a bit glossy sounding due to Daniel Lanois production.

glenn

Life is analogue

Here´s two more:

Willie Nelson: "Across the borderline"

Includes a beatiful version of Gabriel´s "don´t give up" in a duet with Sinead O´connor.

And ; Neil Young: "Harvest"
a classic young album

Gunnar

“I like the tortured vowels, the predictably sad stories of grand plans gone wrong eg Tom Crowell's "Highway 17" which is a whole movie in 3 minutes-"

Is that the one where he buries his stash, then having done his 10 years behind bars gets out to find it concreted over by highway 17?

Yeah that’s a great country song and not at all stereotypical.

Gary,
Try some Chet Atkins or Dan Penn.

Mr Tibbs

For the love of god everyone need to get the soundtrack to Paris, Texas. Ry Cooder on slide guitar dripping with foggy atmosphere.

Oh Oh would Ry Cooder by country then? I have about ten of his albums.

quote:

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Originally posted by Mike Sae:
For the love of god everyone need to get the soundtrack to Paris, Texas. Ry Cooder on slide guitar dripping with foggy atmosphere.

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I agree, definately a must have.

Gunnar

What about Steve Mandell's Dueling Banjos from "Deliverance" IMO almost as good as "Paris, Texas" for atmosphere and slipping into mainstream memory - a sign of good music no matter the flavour. Is it Country or Blue Grass, does it matter as long as people get intrested and explore something new and diffrent?

Roy

Mr Tibbs - Highway 17 yes that is the story

Perhaps I am selective with C&W but I find that quite a few of the songs are good heart rending stories about life in the trailor parks

Derek

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Mike Hughes,

Well, you have passed sentence but I do have the right of appeal.
I can appreciate some of the points you make, but do take exception to you accusing me of not being open minded, merely from a couple of lines of text.
I mentioned Johnny Cash, Eva Cassidy and Elvis Costello in particular because I own albums by them - and in the case of Johnny Cash, who I consider to be a legend, half a dozen. In the case of Costello I wanted to illustrate that a single artist can cross musical boundaries. He is now very much a jazz musician.
My record collection is not merely a single genre. I'm prepared to give everything a chance. From your list I can say I also own Nanci Griffith's "Other voices other rooms". I'm afraid it just doesn't do it for me. It could well be somebody's favourite album, but it isn't mine.
And my remark about country music and great appearing in the same sentence was done with tongue very firmly in cheek.
If you want to champion country or any other form of music then be my guest.
Just don't call me narrow minded for not liking it.

Steve O.

hi garyi,
I have bop till you drop and the paris texas cd's by ry cooder. Are there any better in his back catalogue?
cheers,
Steve O.

SteveO in my opinion Jazz is an essential Ry Cooder album to own, its a lot of instrumental but great stuff.

Bought a job lot of 200 LP's for a tenner some weeks ago, (yeah, quality stuff), of which 70 odd were C&W. Most went straight to the charity shop, the only ones I saved were the older one's by the likes of Chet Atkins and Carl Belew and a couple of Johnny Cash. The rest was utter Poo.

Paul.

Sean2 and garyi - thanks for the tips. Jazz and Chicken Skin Music winging their way from play.com as I write.
Steve O.

Whilst it is not my cup of tea, I saw in Rough Trade that the Rough Trade label has a alt.country double CD compilation out now.

I am sure it will suit all you Calexico fans & other types, as thier previous genre roundup efforts have been pretty comprehensive.

DS

OTD - Chic - Believer