# Country Music for Dummies (or, "recommend something") **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 17, 2004, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516 "2004-05-17T01:40:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![GraceTX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c4cdca/32.png) [@GraceTX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GraceTX)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516/21 "2004-05-17T04:20:14Z")
I’d try Robert Earl Keen, Pat Green, Charlie Robison, Corey Morrow, Chris Knight, Ed Burleson, and Kelly Willis. Plano has a really good alt-country/america radio station. If you go to their [website](http://www.khyi.com/), you can listen to it over the internet. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516/22 "2004-05-17T04:38:21Z")
If you’re getting into country try picking up **Drive** by Alan Jackson, which is an incredible album from front to back. Is ‘pop-country’, but not too much so (you can hear the twang). And if you liked Garth, go for some of his stuff two. **Double Live** may appeal to you, since it’s got a nice selection of his work. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516/23 "2004-05-17T04:45:47Z")
> [@Big Bad Voodoo Lou](#): > > I love the real twangy, honky-tonky classics, like Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline. You can’t go wrong with them! > > **OpalCat** , you mentioned liking Siouxsie and the Banshees on another thread, if I’m not mistaken. While Neko Case doesn’t have much in common with Siouxsie musically, I can see how a fan of one might appreciate the other, particularly if you like Tom Waits, Nick Cave, or similar “dark” artists. The twanginess is the main thing I dislike about country music, so I’ll stay away from Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline. Yes I love Siouxsie, Nick Cave, etc. It may help you undertstand my music scene to note that when I go out dancing, I look like [this](http://tinyurl.com/2edkc), and so does everyone else there–I’d probably look out of place in a C&W bar. I’m saving this thread as a reference for next time I head over to itunes. This “alt-country” thing sounds promising… ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516/24 "2004-05-17T05:06:05Z")
If you want a great start, run out and get **Loretta Lynn’s** new album, _Van Lear Rose_. It’s the best album of the year so far. Produced by Jack White of the White Stripes, it’s simply amazing. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516/25 "2004-05-17T12:09:45Z")
> [@OpalCat](#): > > The twanginess is the main thing I dislike about country music, so I’ll stay away from Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline. Before you write Cash off completely, you ought to listen to his haunting cover of “Hurt” by nine inch nails. That song has done a lot to turn Goths, punks, hipsters, and assorted country-haters on to the greatness of Johnny Cash. He also does a beautiful cover of “One” by U2 that you need to hear. Again, if you like Nick Cave, there’s no reason why you wouldn’t love Johnny Cash, particularly his last four albums produced by Rick Rubin. He even has several “murder ballads”! ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516/26 "2004-05-17T12:11:11Z")
I would say that if you don’t like country (and I don’t), the best entry point is Lyle Lovett. Get his **Live in Texas** for a sampler. ---
**Author:** ![PookahMacPhellimey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pookahmacphellimey/32/3175_2.png) [@PookahMacPhellimey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PookahMacPhellimey)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516/27 "2004-05-17T12:47:40Z")
Townes van Zandt. ---
**Author:** ![Kaitlin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/59ef9b/32.png) [@Kaitlin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaitlin)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516/28 "2004-05-17T13:32:29Z")
I don’t listen to country music and I don’t really like most of what I’ve heard (especially recently), but there’s one song that has always stuck with me: **Clint Black** ’s “State of Mind.” It’s got a great melody, and the lyrics, while a bit sappy, are nice. The part I really like is the harmonica solo in the beginning (cut out of radio versions I heard) and the violins throughout the song. Incidentally, that song has a line, “Mind drifts like a big balloon.” I always hear it as “I’m dressed like a big balloon.” ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516/29 "2004-05-17T15:44:19Z")
Didn’t Garth Brooks come out with a non-country album many years ago? What was it and was it any good? ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516/30 "2004-05-17T16:02:52Z")
Three perfect albums with absolutely no wasted tracks: **Lyle Lovett and His Large Band** Lyle Lovett **Come On, Come On** Mary Chapin Carpenter \*\* Shadowland: The Owen Bradley Sessions\*\* k.d. lang Steer clear of Shania Twain, though. You’ll buy it for the sexy photo album cover, play it once, and fob it off on some unsuspecting relative. ---
**Author:** ![peculiar\_hailstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/46a35a/32.png) [@peculiar\_hailstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peculiar_hailstone)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516/31 "2004-05-17T16:08:32Z")
David Allen Coe didn’t write “you never even call me by my name”. John Prine and Steve Goodman wrote it. They’re both great for getting into some folk/country. Also, Fred Eaglesmith, Robert Earl Keen, Gillian Welch, Adam Carroll, Richard Shindell and Old Crow Medicine Show ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516/32 "2004-05-17T17:26:27Z")
Being a youngun, I wasn’t raised on traditional Country. Most of it is much too Country for me. I prefer stuff after 1990. Clint Black, Alan Jackson, Alabama, Lonestar, Reba, Martina McBride - all great singers. You really should listen to Toby Keith and Trace Adkins. Some of their stuff is very Country but not in the same way as the traditional stuff. Chances are pretty good that you’ll like even those songs. A lot of their stuff is just plain funny. You should also try out Big and Rich. I’ve heard about 5 of their songs so far and they’re all great. Trick Poney is another good relatively new group. Bluegrass is great. AKUS or Nickel Creek are good places to start. ---
**Author:** ![ShelliBean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@ShelliBean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShelliBean)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516/33 "2004-05-17T19:10:32Z")
> [@peculiar hailstone](#): > > David Allen Coe didn’t write “you never even call me by my name”. John Prine and Steve Goodman wrote it. Well, \*\*peculiar \*\* **hailstone** , a friend of mine named Steve Goodman wrote that song. He told me it was the perfect country and western song. I wrote him back and told him it was not the perfect country and western song because it hadn’t said anything about momma, or trucks, or trains, or prison, or getting drunk. _may be admittedly bad since it’s from memory_ ---
**Author:** ![Reloy3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c68b51/32.png) [@Reloy3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reloy3)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516/34 "2004-05-17T19:25:43Z")
I’m a fan of another sub-genre of Country - very traditional western. Esentially a hearkening back to the kind of music sang in the Rocky Mountain west before and during the early days of recording. The only widely known group of this style is probably Sons of the Pioneers, but I would suggest Don Edwards and maybe Sons of the San Juaquin (sp?). Riders in the Sky has some good stuff, too, but they are mostly a parody. Be careful, though, sometimes you run into yodeling. I don’t mind yodeling in small doses myself, but yodeling is to western as twang is to country. Seconds on Gillian Welch, Union Station and Nickel Creek. ---
**Author:** ![thwartme](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@thwartme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thwartme)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516/35 "2004-05-17T20:00:44Z")
I basically second **Zoe’s** entire list. And as **Voodoo Lou** mentioned, a nice primer album is the O Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack. Some original-artist classics, and some covers by the best of today. Kind of a roots-country 101. I’m a big fan of the old stuff, by which I mean pre 1970. Most of the more modern songs make me cringe. There are plenty of exceptions, but as a whole, the ‘new country’ genre is pretty terrible. If you’re at all a fan of roots rock’n’roll, like Elvis, Bill Haley, Buddy Holly or the Everly Brothers, you’ll probably get a kick out of a lot of the older acts. The late 50’s and early 60’s saw a lot of crossover hits on both the pop and country charts. That was a great time for music. Billboards hit charts often featured Elvis, Sinatra and Johnny Cash in the same week. The segregated charts of today bore me. thwartme ---
**Author:** ![thwartme](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@thwartme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thwartme)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516/36 "2004-05-17T20:04:16Z")
**OpalCat** Garth Brooks did a concept album called In The Life Of Chris Gaines. I only ever heard one track, but it was pretty bad. Of course, I don’t like Garth’s regular music… thwartme ---
**Author:** ![WernhamHogg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a587f6/32.png) [@WernhamHogg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WernhamHogg)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516/37 "2004-05-17T20:12:31Z")
For those of you recommending the Oh Brother soundtrack, you might want to see if [this tour](http://thegreathighmountaintour.com) is coming to a town near you… I caught the act in Minneapolis, and, well, you can see what I thought on the front page under user reviews. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kepi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kepi/32/7251_2.png) [@Kepi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kepi)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516/38 "2004-05-17T21:57:19Z")
> [@pepperlandgirl](#): > > Mary Chapen-Carpenter has some great songs–my personal favorite is **The Song Remembers When**. Tricia Yearwood and Patty Loveless also have some decent songs that don’t have too much twang or too much pop. I also enjoy John Anderson– **John Deere Green, Seminole Wind, Straight Tequila Night, and Black Sheep** are my favorite. Just a couple of corrections:[ul][li]_ **The Song Remembers When** _ is by Trisha Yearwood[/li][li]_ **John Deere Green** _ is by Joe Diffie[/li][/ul] Just like rock, country music has lots of flavors. Without knowing the flavor you prefer, it’s difficult to recommend artists/songs to you. My preference is the country of the early-to-mid 1990s, which had a tendency to be more pop influenced. Some of the artists/songs I really like are: [Trisha Yearwood](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=UIDMISS70405061357351800&sql=Bkxk9ikp6bb39) - Trisha is my all-time favorite country artist. She has a sound and style that’s remniscent of Linda Ronstadt, and usually chooses smart material that highlights her wonderful voice. My favorite albums are [_The Song Remembers When_](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=UIDMISS70405061357351800&sql=A0nfpxqygldte) and [_Thinkin’ About You_](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=UIDMISS70405061357351800&sql=Aw1uh6jp871q0), on which Trisha does a cover of Melissa Etheridge’s _You Can Sleep While I Drive_ which I really love. I also love _On a Bus to St. Cloud_ on the same album. [Patty Loveless](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=UIDMISS70405061357351800&sql=Bbyeq97y7krst) - Patty is a remarkable artist with the ability to sing everything from bluegrass classics to pop-influenced country. My favorite album is [_Only What I Feel_](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=UIDMISS70405061357351800&sql=Addqvad4kt8w6) and my favorite song is _Nothin’ But the Wheel_ on that album. Another favorite song is _The Last Thing on My Mind_ from her [_Strong Heart_](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=UIDMISS70405061357351800&sql=As06jtr6eklmx) album. [Wynonna Judd](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=UIDMISS70405061357351800&sql=Bo1tqoatabijx) - The daughter half of the phenomenal mother-daughter Judds duo, Wynonna made an easy transition to solo artist. My favorite song is _Only Love_ from her [_Tell Me Why_](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=UIDMISS70405061357351800&sql=A4kjw7ia8g76r) album. Girl can rock too! [Clint Black](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=UIDMISS70405061357351800&sql=Bb9b8b5z4tsqg) - One of the so-called “Hat Acts” of the late 80s/early 90s, Clint helped bring back the traditional sound of country, but updated it with modern production values. My favorite album is a toss-up between [_The Hard Way_](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=UIDMISS70405061357351800&sql=A70qog4hbtv2z) (favorite songe _We Tell Ourselves_) and [_No Time To Kill_](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=UIDMISS70405061357351800&sql=At0jw7i58g74r) (favorite song _A Bad Goodbye_ duet with Wynonna). [Steve Wariner](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=UIDMISS70405061357351800&sql=B0mozefekhgf3) - Steve is a great singer and even better guitar player. He’s performed studio work for some of the biggest names in country music (Clint Black, Garth Brooks), as well as producing 29 Top Ten country hits of his own. He was more successful during the 80s than he was during the 90’s, but his work I like most overall is his 90’s stuff (it reminds me of a really happy time in my life!) My favorite songs include _Some Fools Never Learn_ and _Drivin’ and Cryin’_. [Mary Chapin Carpenter](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=UIDMISS70405061357351800&sql=B4jjc7i3jg7or) - Mary is a singer-songwriter whose songs can be poignant, humorous, and thought-provoking, sometimes all at once. She injects a little bit of feminism in the otherwise conservative world of country music. My favorite songs include _He Thinks He’ll Keep Her_ and _Down at the Twist and Shout_. [Sawyer Brown](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=UIDMISS70405061357351800&sql=B1fq4g44ttv8z) - Believe it or not, this band was able to parlay it’s win on _Star Search_ into a long-lived and successful career. Their brand of country can best be described as a one part country and one part rockabilly, with a layer of pop slathered on top. My favorite songs include _All These Years_ and _Hard To Say_. These are just a few of the country artists I like. Whether or not you will like them depends on your tastes and what appeals to you. But my recommendation is to keep an open mind (too many people dismiss country music as unworthy of their time or interest) and expose yourself to a variety of artists and styles. You may find that you like “New Country” or “Alt Country” or “Bluegrass” or “Classic Country” or all of the above! But don’t expect to hear these artists on your local country station much. Just like in other genres, country artists have a “life cycle” and most of these artists are on the downside of their “radio careers”. (The exception seems to be Clint Black.) ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_Bowe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@Doug\_Bowe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_Bowe)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516/39 "2004-05-17T22:12:47Z")
Just adding my two cents. I DJ’d Country for 23 years. Most of the suggestions here are excellent. Recommending Country music for the person who hates Country… Stay with the crossover acts…Don Williams has been mentioned, The Columbia records version of Charlie Rich (stay away from the RCA version) and Johnny Lee come to mind. And if you’re going to pay money for a Chet Atkins instrumental–double the value and get Chet paired with Jerry Reed. ---
**Author:** ![c\_r\_y\_s\_t\_a\_l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f9b8f/32.png) [@c\_r\_y\_s\_t\_a\_l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/c_r_y_s_t_a_l)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516/40 "2004-05-17T23:45:24Z")
i used to hate country music, but after years of managing a music store you kinda get to like everything, even things you thought youd never listen to. bluegrass is fun happy music, alison krauss is amazing. johnny cash and emmylou harris are great too! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516.md?page=3)