Country music aint dead....you just got to dig deeper than the mainstream

[Docreed2003]

This dude won a Grammy but was ignored at the CMA’s....this Guy is singing real country music.

And for those that say “I’ll never listen to country music because of deplorables”! Well i’d just say you never like country anyway! So here, enjoy my friends! From your liberal redneck:

[bobbieinok]

1. Is this today?? Sounds like 40s.

[Docreed2003]

2. Yep it sure is...

And Sturgill and Jason Isbell and Chris Stapleton are continuing that tradition!!

[bobbieinok]

9. Thanks for your posts. Appreciate the info about them

[Docreed2003]

11. You are most welcome! Im so happy to share!

[bmbmd]

3. Mr. Simpson

is a United States Navy veteran.

[Docreed2003]

4. Yep..a fellow shipmate

And I’d be a damn liar if I didn’t allow him that shoutout!!

[hurl]

5. Did you know?

Speaking of out of the mainstream, there's actually an atheist country song:

Love the message, but the music isn't worthy IMO. Maybe it could make a deplorable think?

[Docreed2003]

6. Oh I know...

Check out my other posts recently...specifically Sturgill Simpson “Turtles all the way down”. If that’s not an atheist hymn I don’t know what is!

[hurl]

7. That's awesome!

Thanks!

[Docreed2003]

8. You are most welcome...glad to share!!

[cemaphonic]

21. I saw a Facebook post of his where he was responding to fundies who didn't like his bad language.

(He's talking about "Living the Dream" here, but it seems to fit "Turtles..." just as well.

Been some folks coming to my page to chastise (judge) me for taking the Lord’s name in vain on Conan so figured I should address it.

Ironically, the song is actually a metaphor comparing the soothing yet completely addictive and damaging effects of hard narcotic opiates to the negative sociological impact of organized religion and blind faith when forced upon society and used as a political tool by self-righteous, thinly-veiled bigots to control and manipulate the masses and enhance the suffering of impoverished, lower class citizens. Also, since I’m self-funding/self-releasing my art instead of shooting for ACM awards and taking it up the ass from the music row man, I have the right to write and sing and say whatever I choose just as you have the right to not buy or listen to my music and stay away from my page if you don’t like it.

So with that said…
1. I sang it like I wrote it
2. Censorship is bullshit
3. This is America and people can say anything they want including “Goddamn” at the top of their lungs on national TV

I've liked what I've heard from Courtney Marie Andrews too. She's sorta between country and 70s singer-songwriters like Joni Mitchell and Kate Wolf:

[Docreed2003]

22. Awesome song....thanks for sharing

And, yes, Sturgill is an unbound firebrand that, thankfully, happens to be on our side!

[Sneederbunk]

10. Reminiscent of Waylan Jennings.

[Docreed2003]

12. Yeah he has that tone definitely!

[RandomAccess]

76. YES!! Great voice.

Meghan McCain mentioned him on The View the other day.

[MiltonBrown]

13. Charlie Thompson is my favorite. He's like 1920s-early '60s country, a top rockabilly cat too

when he does that style. He sounds like some long lost American c & w singer but in fact is an active recording artist from England. Discovering this guy, who makes zero effort at hype or publicity, has been a revelation. I think he is coming to America for a few shows this year which is very rare for him. I like the guys you posted too. Great stuff!

[Docreed2003]

14. Very cool....thanks for sharing!!

If you like Charlie Thompson, I’m pretty sure you’ll like Sturgill Simpson as well. Give him a shot!

[MiltonBrown]

15. For sure. I enjoyed the song you posted here and am about to check out the one from the other

thread. I like Isabell and Stapleton too. It's great to have an alternative to the utter crap coming out of Nashville for the most part.

I'm going to see country guitar wizard Albert Lee next Saturday night so am excited about that. I plan on posting a hillbilly music thread sometime soon so look for that one.

[MiltonBrown]

16. I wanted to add that Simpson indeed sounds a lot like ol Waylon who of course was Buddy Holly's

bass player on his last tour. Albert Lee is playing at the same venue (Surf Ballroom) as Buddy's last show. It's an annual event honoring Buddy Holly.

[Docreed2003]

18. Lol...

Yep..I’ve heard Sturgill sing a many Waylon cover...here’s him totally “tongue in cheek” responding to the “that dude sounds like Waylon” crowd:

[Docreed2003]

19. Also...

I’m extremely jealous you’re getting to watch the show at the Surf Ballroom! I’ve loved Buddy since I was a small kid and I actually went to the Surf Ballroom as a teenager to have my picture taken. Hope you enjoy the show! Feb 4, the day after the music died is my birthday!!

[MiltonBrown]

24. That's awesome. I go to the Surf every year for the Buddy Holly weekend. They call it the

Winter Dance Party now and it's been going on every year since 1981. Freddy Cannon, Brenda Lee, Albert Lee and many more this year. It's a 3 day event. I set up for the record show during the day and see the shows each night.

Hoping to make it to the Nashville Boogie this year. They always have a huge line-up of great country and Americana type artists.

Are you the Liberal Redneck? If so I really enjoy your stand-up comedy and your porch rants. I'm kind of a liberal redneck too! Nothing better than Country Cosmopolitans and woodshed wisdom!

[Docreed2003]

25. Man...Im liberal and Im what some would consider redneck

But sadly I’m not the “liberal redneck”, although I love his comedy!!

It’s funny,as a kid, because I liked unusual music and was more inclined to “liberal” ideas I was viewed as queer by many of my classmates. Having lived in the north east, I was viewed as red neck up there!! I suppose there’s a hefty bit of both!!

[MiltonBrown]

26. The LR is great- kind of like the comedy compatriot to the more enlightened country singers like

Simpson, Isabel and Stapleton. It's a trend I most definitely enjoy!

[Docreed2003]

27. So I have seen all three in the last year and a half

Stapleton has and will always have the best voice in Nashville, but his concert was a bit meh. Sturgill put on an incredible show, I mean unbelievable....but my vote for best goes to Isbell! His show was phenomenal, it was Oct 13 and the whole show is on YouTube, plus they had a table in the lobby of the Ryman for the local chapter of the ACLU, endorsed by Isbell and his wife Amanda Sires!!

[MiltonBrown]

28. lol That's what I'm talkin' bout!

Those guys are super cool. Hope I get to see 'em too. I just missed Pokey LaFarge couple of weeks ago. He's super old timey country. It's a great time to be a liberal country music fan!

[Docreed2003]

29. Riight???

That’s why I get miffed when some folks here say “I hate the deplorables and I could never love country music”.

That’s a huge mistake in my mind. Music has been and always will be an outlet for the common man. To turn a back on that is just foolishness, plus you miss out on some great music!

[MiltonBrown]

32. It is foolish to stereotype and generalize. It's their loss to miss out on the long and storied

history of country music. I especially like the really early stuff like Jimmie Rodgers, Carter Family and Emmett Miller. But there's great stuff all the way through and so many interesting and incredible subgenres like Western Swing, Bluegrass, Doug Kershaw type Cajan country, black country rural blues, fiddlin' families and squaredance hoedowns.

My all time favorite music, even above God and Emperor rock-n-roll is Western Swing and my favorite WS artist is my screenname Milton Brown.

[Docreed2003]

46. I have actually wondered if that was the origin of your name!

And you’re absolutely correct in your point. There’s a reason that some of the early names you mentioned were included in the “Anthology of American Folk Music”.

[MiltonBrown]

54. Haha yup Milton Brown is my ultimate favorite artist.

Not too many people know of ol Milton. Since he doesn't get the love others receive, I have to love him all the more to make up for it!

[Docreed2003]

58. He and Bob Wills are freaking icons of western country

I love Bob Wills, but the two of them created the “Texas swing” sound and Brown arguably was headed to more fame before his tragic death! (I know you know that...just sharing the info for others in the thread)

[MiltonBrown]

79. You really know your country music!

It's hard to quantify taste in music but Milton Brown's suits me just right. Bob Wills is right there too, my #2 greatest of all time.

[Docreed2003]

80. Lol..thanks...

My wife would argue that I’m a music snob obsessed with what I like...there may be truth in both claims!

[mr_lebowski]

39. Jason's 'House of Blues' show on Youtube is friggin' incredible ... start to finish ...

Can't tell you how many times I watched it at this point, in awe. In particular, the trio of Never Gonna Change (from his Drive-By Truckers days) and Children of Children ... both of which just tear the roof off ... and sandwiched between them is a breathtaking version of Cover Me Up ... him and the 400 Unit ... they just kill it, man.

Not to be downplayed, the fact that the other guys have been with him through all his early solo work and drunken days (aside from Sadler, the guitarist who joined a bit later) has made them incredibly tight as a band.

Watching them play, esp. when you know the backstory, how close Jason was to killing himself with drugs and booze, and then how Amanda pulled him from the brink ... and seeing them on-stage together, now enjoying so much success ... and this being the first song on the breakthrough album, the deeply personal song he wrote for her ... you cannot buy this kind of authenticity, I don't care how talented you are or how great your voice ... this is some REAL SHIT ... I never tire of it.

?t=1h6m41s

[Docreed2003]

41. Awesome post...agree 1000%

[Docreed2003]

49. Also..

Learned recently that Amanda called up their mutual friend Ryan Adams when Jason was at his lowest and needed to go to rehab and they were able to help him get the help he needed.

Ryan may be many unflattering things, but I love his music. In fact, it’s infuriating to me he’s not more well known...I get so tired of saying “no it’s Ryan not Bryan Adams”

[mr_lebowski]

61. I have read that ... believe he also helped Justin Townes Earle in a similar capacity ...

Given your general tastes I'd assume you've heard his work? His first two albums (esp the very first The Good Life, and to a lesser extent Midnight at the Movies) are chock-full of old-timey chestnuts ... originals (apart from a Replacements cover ... Can't Hardly Wait) but many of the songs sound like they're plucked from a 50's country album. Of course, he's Steve's son though they're apparently not close.

And yeah, had that same convo bout Ryan Adams. All the cool kids know of him though

Heartbreaker, Gold, and Cold Roses are my faves of his but he's put out a ton of great work.

[Docreed2003]

62. Yeah man, I love Justin

He’s a great songwriter, didn’t know that he and his dad weren’t close.

As for Ryan, agree on all of those albums. His live album in NYC is awesome, also, if you’re so inclined and want a change of pace, check out 1989...it’s a complete cover of Taylor Swift’s 1989 and it’s freaking EPIC!! No lie!

[Docreed2003]

17. Wow...thats awesome and Im so jealous!

BTW: Stugill, Isbell, and Stapleton are good friends if you didn’t know!

[mr_lebowski]

34. 3 badasses, for sure ...

I absolutely love me some Jason, and Stapleton and Simpson are also phenomenal talents ...

Lotta great non-mainstream country music (aka Americana) and great artists making it have been around for many years ... everyone from Gram Parsons & EmmyLou and Nitty Gritty Dirt Band to Jay Farrar and (early) Ryan Adams and Lucinda Williams and Lyle Lovett and Steve and Justin Townes Earle and these 3 dudes and Kasey Musgraves and ...

[crazycatlady]

50. Kacey Musgraves is pretty good

Not sure if she's considered mainstream or not, but I like her music.

[mr_lebowski]

38. That second one is straight-up 'Travellin' Band' by CCR ... which I'm sure was itself a rip-off ...

Perhaps of 'Good Rockin' Tonight' ... covered by Robert Plant in his 80's project The Honeydrippers ...

It don't get much more nostalgic, that's for sure ... good stuff, thanks for sharing

[MiltonBrown]

53. 'Come On Little Mama' was an old Sun record, i forget the original artist.

Glad you liked it!

[MiltonBrown]

55. Charlie Thompson is totally stuck in the distant past. His LP covers look old

country and western LPs you'd find at Goodwill and the clothes he wears are all true vintage or made to look like it. Most all of his songs are covers of old country songs that all seemed to fall through the cracks since I don't remember and cant even find the origins of many of them.

He's an Englishman but can yodel like Slim Whitman, hiccup like Johnny Burnette and sing like Jimmie Rodgers. Please check out his song 'Model A Ford'. I literally cannot figure out where he got it but it sounds like some long lost late 1940s hillbilly boogie song.

[ornotna]

20. Yes, absolutely

Got to see these guys twice several years ago. So good.

[Docreed2003]

23. Nice! Thanks for sharing!!

[Upthevibe]

31. I first came to know of him when I heard "Turtles all the Way Down..."

He's not your typical country singer. I really like this guy! Great post

[lunasun]

30. I posted this Isbell one @DU in video group Monday because I know you are not suppose to get

too political in the DU Lounge and it is
Hey, but maybe let's just listen to it here in the lounge because it fits your OP , you mentioned him
& it's a good tune for the times by Isbell

[mr_lebowski]

35. Allow me to continue your DU Jason Isbell preachin' ... the dude is pure gold ...

Another track from the same album (The Nashville Sound) ... it just don't get much better than this in my book ... and it's arguably the only 'country' song on the entire album ... despite the name. This song is absolutely a future classic and will have been covered more than anything else on TNS 20 years from now, mark my words.

[mr_lebowski]

36. This is still my favorite Isbell song ... an amazing version from his fat/drunk/pre-fame days

Now this is one friggin' COUNTRY-ass song ... and DAMN he sounds phenomenal for a drunk playing in a bar in front of like 100 people ... easy to see how sobering up led him to where he is today ... honestly ... Jason is my hero.

?t=13m59s

[Docreed2003]

48. Cant imagine...

Seeing him in that venue or coming back from the brink like he did...

The closest I’ve come to the first was seeing him at the Ryman during his five night stent there in the fall, with Amanda opening for him the night I saw him!

[yallerdawg]

67. Isbell just did a great 'Austin City Limits' broadcast...

along with his wife, Amanda Shires.

Both are very, very good songwriters, entertainers and musicians!

[Docreed2003]

69. Awesome!

Thanks for the reminder...I had totally forgotten I had DVR’d that!!

[Docreed2003]

45. I agree, Tupelo is a transcendent song

That and “If We Were Vampires” Are my favorites on the album!

[Docreed2003]

42. Thats a great song!

And it’s perfect for the present moment!

[ornotna]

33. Here's a good country girl

[mr_lebowski]

37. NICE ... never heard of her, but I like it ... nice Emmylou vibe there & love the guitar tone (nt)

[Docreed2003]

47. Returning the favor..;-)

Here’s her aigning backup with Jason:

[mr_lebowski]

64. NICE ... reminds me of a number of 90's Steve & Emmylou collaborations ...thanks mate!

[Docreed2003]

81. Dont know if you saw or not

But Jason nabbed two Grammys last night...Americana album for “Nashville Sound” and Americana song for “If we were vampires”

[mr_lebowski]

82. I did not! SWEET, good for Jason. Did he come up and grab the trophies? Get to do a speech?

I'm very happy and didn't even know there was an 'Americana' grammy...

[Docreed2003]

83. Lol...me either actually

I follow him and Amanda on Instagram and they posted some great video of them getting ready for the awards. They best though is their daughter singing about the Grammy

[Docreed2003]

43. Shes incredible

She could sing the phone book, and sounds like a young Emmylou. I love hearing her talk too because she sounds country as a stick, and she makes no bones about it!

[DFW]

40. A southerner myself, I don't play much country music

Because when I do, this is what comes out:

[Docreed2003]

44. Hahahahaha!! Thats great!

[DFW]

51. That is my one and only recorded attempt at the genre

Probably just as well.

[Miles Archer]

52. Zac Brown Brand

I grew up listening to every old-school "traditional" country artist you can name.

Can't stomach "Bro Country" at all...artists like Luke Bryan and Jason Aldean.

Zac Brown does a little bit of everything. He's been a favorite of mine since for the last five years. His violin / fiddle player is the ultimate badass. He plays that sucker like a lead guitar.

[Docreed2003]

60. Cant stand Aldean or Bryan or their so called genre

I do love Zac Brown because he’s a massively talented musician, as you’ve highlighted, and he’s got respect for the past, just look at how he purchased and has preserved an old historic studio in Nashville and made it into his own!

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

56. Oh yes!

Thanks for making me aware!

[Hoyt]

57. Mostly stuck in 60s, or stuff by likes of Steve Earle, but fave past few years -- Mandolin Orange.

[Docreed2003]

59. Awesome choices

[mr_lebowski]

65. I absolutely adore Steve Earle, seen him a few times, Copperhead Road tour was the 1st time ... but

I'm pretty sure he's suffering from emphysema at this point ... you hear him struggling to breath throughout the song? He can't help doing that anymore, it's not an affectation for effect I'm afraid. And it just saddens me to hear him struggling like that. He's also lost so much of his vocal power since his Train A Comin'/I Feel Alright/El Corazon/The Mountain apex ... you could hear it starting to change on Transcendental Blues and it's been in a steady decline ever since ... it bums me out, man.

Thus ... although I've heard all of his records at least a few times through, The Revolution Starts Now is the last one of his I still listen to regularly. After that ... they sorta sadden me to listen to. I actually bad that I even think that way but it is what it is. I'll always love Steve though.

I'd have loved this here Mississippi tune if it was 1996 Steve singin' it. Pretty good stuff, I like when he does this style and love the message. Now all we need is for like Lynryd Skynyrd ... to write a 'fuck you Steve' song in reply ...

[Hoyt]

68. I survived bush's regime because of Revolution Starts Now and tour. I was in deep depression and

and anger after Kerry lost.

Had been a big fan of Earle for years, but that tour was timed perfect for me. Went a month or so after election and yelled/screamed anti-bush stuff with the rest of the crowd. Well, there was one vocal bush-lover, but the crowd shamed him so that he left. It was so cathartic.

I hear you on the voice, but I like the lyrics, acoustic work on guitar and octave mandolin, band, and he sounds like an old folksinger, even a bit like Guthrie.

[mr_lebowski]

70. Right with you my friend ...

I have a signed copy of the Jerusalem CD from when I saw him play at Amoeba records down in the Haight, circa 2001. Then I saw him on that tour with the Dukes a little later at the Fillmore in SF.

The Revolution Starts Now was indeed timed beautifully and helped me through those dark days, no question. I'd been into him for a LONG time at that point though. Couple of the songs are a bit on-the-nose and heavy-handed like "Condi, Condi" but most of the rest, esp. the one about the struggles of coming home from war and the title track are just so good it makes up for it.

Oh, also .. yeah, watched that perf on Letterman a few times, it's great.

So I'll see your Steve, and raise ya his boy, along with a familiar face on the Guitar ... on Dave ...

[mr_lebowski]

71. Also ... while I really like that first Mandolin Orange song overall ...

Good lyrics, nice arrangement, great tone ... and this is probably gonna sound nit-picky, but ... if you wanna push an unchanging 5 minute I-IV-V dirge over the top ... I kinda think you need to pick it up a bit from what he's got going here on the vocals ... if he had a bit more fire and passion in his delivery, this song would be friggin' great ... but that's just my own personal preference/taste. I'll be checking out more of their stuff though, I like it. Thanks for sharing

[Hoyt]

72. Listen to their live shows, there are a bunch. I like mandolins and the young lady

is really good too.

[mr_lebowski]

73. I'll definitely do that ... here's one for ya ... probably heard the song ...

I'm pretty EVERYONE heard the album that this song is from, but I love watching Colin play it solo on acoustic w/harmonica. And if you haven't heard 'The King Is Dead' by the Decemberists ... you are in for a serious treat. Pretty close to my favorite album of the decade thus far ...

This one is jaw-droppingly AWESOME ... from the same album, with the full band ...

And I have to post the June Hymn lyrics cause they're so freaking good ... but a bit hard to make out at times ...

June Hymn

Here's a hymn to welcome in the day
Heralding a summer's early sway
And all the bulbs all comin' in
To begin
The thrushes' bleating battle with the wrens
Disrupts my reverie again

Pegging clothing on the line
Training jasmine how to vine
Up the arbor to your door
And more
Standing on the landing with the war
You shouldered all the night before

... Once upon it
A yellow bonnet
Garland on the lawn
You were waking
Day was breaking
A panoply of song
And summer comes to Springville Hill

A barony of ivy in the trees
Expanding out its empire by degrees
And all the branches burst abloom
In the boom
Heaven sent this cardinal maroon
To decorate our living room

And years from now
When this old light isn't ambling anymore
Will I bring myself to write
I give my best to Springville Hill

[Hoyt]

74. Excellent. My kind of stuff. I used to have a bunch of electric guitars, lap steels, etc. But now,

except for a Precision Bass, I pretty much play acoustic guitar, mandolin and mandola, if you call it playing.

There are a lot of young folks into this kind of music, so I think we'll hear a lot of good stuff coming out.


I'll leave it with a song written by my avatar/Guthrie in 1950s called Old Man Trump, performed by Ryan Harvey, Ani DiFranco, and Tom Morello.

[mr_lebowski]

75. Holy crap, so you've never heard that album? SWEET! ... it's one of those discs

that I get really excited to share with people who've not heard it.

Like, one of those where I wish I could hear it again for the very time ... just to relive going 'WOOOOOOOW! I cannot even believe how brilliant that was!!!" ...

Just type Decemberists King Is Dead and you'll find the whole album on youtube ...

But here's the opener ... to me it's like 'The Liberal National Anthem' ... and all I had to hear was this one song, one time ... really loud ... and I knew I'z gonna like the rest. And I wasn't wrong.

And I'll sweeten the pot a little ... Peter Buck plays guitar on a handful of songs, and I'm talking ... like "Murmur/Reckoning-Era Peter Buck" ... you're gonna love this album, brother ...

Don't Carry It All
Here we come to a turning of the season
Witness to the arc towards the sun
A neighbor's blessed burden ... within reason
Becomes a burden borne of all and one

And nobody, nobody knows

Let the yoke fall from our shoulders
Don't carry it all, don't carry it all
We are all our hands and holders
Beneath this bold and brilliant sun
And this I swear to all

A monument to build beneath the arbors
Upon a plinth that towers towards the trees
Let every vessel pitching hard to starboard
Lay it's head on summer's freckled knees

And there a wreath of trillium and ivy
Laid upon the body of the boy
Lazy will the loam come from it's hiding
Return this quiet searcher to the soil ...

So raise a glass to turnings of the season
And watch it as it arcs towards the sun
And you must bear your neighbors burden within reason
And your labors will be borne when all is done

[Drahthaardogs]

63. This is good!

I miss Buck Owens, Mel Tillie, Conway Twitty, and of course Marty Robbins.

[Docreed2003]

66. Glad you enjoyed it!

[yallerdawg]

77. So, guess who is on 'Saturday Night Live' last night?

Chris Stapleton accompanied by Sturgill Simpson on both songs!

No, country ain't dead!

[Docreed2003]

78. lol!

I damn near bumped my own thread to say the same, but I didn’t want to seem self aggrandizing! I sat through the sadly disappointing episode just to listen to both songs! Thanks for giving everyone the head’s up!

[TuxedoKat]

84. Good music

His voice/style reminds me of Waylon Jennings.