# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2004, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516/61 "2004-05-19T20:17:04Z")
Haven’t read the whole thread, but the ones I’ve read recommended some tasty stuff. Did anyone mention Nancy Griffith? I like her material better than Emmylou Harris, for some reason. Rounder records has put out some really good Bluegrass compilations. Or you could go for a whole album of Jim and Jessee. Will the Circle be Unbroken - the 1st collaboration album from the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band with the Grand Ole Opry types has some good material for a country music introduction. Enjoy! ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2004, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516/62 "2004-05-19T22:13:49Z")
> [@OpalCat](#): > > Bluegrass, based on that description, does not sound like something I’d be interested in. “Bluegrass” covers a pretty wide genre. Hayseed Dixie, who I mentioned on the previous page, plays bluegrass covers of rock hits. As **Quercus** said, The “[O Brother](http://www.towerrecords.com/product.aspx?pfid=2260775)” soundtrack is a good cross-section of the genre. I think you’ll find [Red Star Express](http://www.towerrecords.com/product.aspx?pfid=2929109) accpetable. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2004, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516/63 "2004-05-19T22:28:05Z")
> [@](#): > > Garth Brooks - Rodeo --I like this song. I remember it from back when I was a dancer, when the girls who liked country would play it for their stage sets. I like “The Thunder Rolls” better though. What other Garth Brook songs do you recommend? Garth has some great songs. Here are a few more: Callin’ Baton Rouge Papa Loved Mama Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old) The River Two Pina Coladas [ie, Garth’s Margaritaville ;)] Friends in Low Places The Dance > [@](#): > > Another song I have liked for a while is “Travelin’ Soldier” by Dixie Chicks. I heard it on tv at some awards thing or something and thought it was really pretty. More like that? Then you’d like anything by the Dixie Chicks (or much of it): Goodbye Earl Cowboy Take Me Away Wide Open Spaces I Can Love You Better Sin Wagon If I Fall You’re Going Down With Me Ready to Run ---
**Author:** ![WernhamHogg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a587f6/32.png) [@WernhamHogg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WernhamHogg)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2004, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516/64 "2004-05-19T22:34:24Z")
Hayseed Dixie is more in line with Weird Al Yankovic than legitimate bluegrass bands. They are a novelty act, not a real band. I’m not saying that to put them down, it’s just a fact. I love Nanci Griffith, especially **The Flyer**. ---
**Author:** ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2004, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516/65 "2004-05-19T23:35:13Z")
Hey, **skutir** , I’m on Allison Krauss’ email list, and they just sent out a tour dates email. Included in that email were the reviews you linked to - INCLUDING YOURS! You’re a star! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![WernhamHogg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a587f6/32.png) [@WernhamHogg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WernhamHogg)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516/66 "2004-05-20T00:10:07Z")
> [@scout1222](#): > > Hey, **skutir** , I’m on Allison Krauss’ email list, and they just sent out a tour dates email. Included in that email were the reviews you linked to - INCLUDING YOURS! > > You’re a star! 🆒 Yeah, I know… I just have to figure out how I can use this honor to meet Alison and jam with Union Station. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516/67 "2004-05-20T01:18:54Z")
> [@skutir](#): > > Hayseed Dixie is more in line with Weird Al Yankovic than legitimate bluegrass bands. They are a novelty act, not a real band. I’m not saying that to put them down, it’s just a fact. Quite right. I mentioned this on the previous page as well. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516/68 "2004-05-20T01:36:24Z")
> [@Sam Stone](#): > > **Hurt** - Johnny Cash > **Portland, Oregon** - Loretta Lynn and Jack White > **Sam Stone** - John Prine > **Amanda** - Waylon Jennings > **Crazy** - Patsy Cline or Willie Nelson > **Tear Stained Eye** - Son Volt > **I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow** - Union Station > **The Lucky One** - Allison Krause > **Maybe** - Allison Krause > **There’s Your Trouble** - The Dixie Chicks > **Long Time Gone** - The Dixie Chicks > **Passionate Kisses** - Lucinda Williams > **Lake Charles** - Lucinda Williams > **You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive** - Patti Loveless > > That’d be a pretty good start. These are all ‘accessible’ for non-country fans. Great list, **Sam Stone**! But of course I have a few additions: **Let Him Fly** - Patty Griffin (_not_ the Dixie Chicks version) **The Tenessee Stud** - Doc Watson with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band **Come Around** - Kim Richey **Don’t Fence Me In** - Willy Nelson & Leon Russell ---
**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 20, 2004, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516/69 "2004-05-20T04:43:06Z")
Hey, no one has mentioned **Ray Charles**. Not normally known as a country singer, he sang some absolute classics. “Georgia on my Mind”, “I Can’t Stop Loving You”, “Born to Lose”. ---
**Author:** ![Nightime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Nightime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightime)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516/70 "2004-05-20T06:18:16Z")
Neko Case and Johnny Cash. I don’t like country music, but these two are fantastic. ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516/71 "2004-05-20T10:05:14Z")
Here’s a few country music song suggestions that I don’t think have been covered so far–I’m not sure about their availability on iTunes. (Oh, and has anybody recommended Wayne “The Train” Hancock yet? He’s great.) Fred Eaglesmith: Carmelita (this was covered by the Cowboy Junkies) Cumberland County 105 Time To Get a Gun Lucille Pretty Good Guy 49 Tons Water in the Fuel (I think Kasey Chambers did a good cover of this) Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter: Reckless Burning Doralee Lonely Still Don’t Let Me Go Love Me, Someday Wayne Hancock: Juke Joint Jumping 87 Southbound Alejandro Escovedo: Five Hearts Breaking Pissed Off 2 A.M. Rhapsody Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys: Stay All Night (Stay a Little Longer) The Magnetic Fields: Papa Was a Rodeo (Hey, it’s at least as much a country song as “Hurt”) Bobby Bare Jr.'s Young Criminals Starvation League: I’ll Be Around Johnny Dowd (bear in mind that this guy is not a typical country artist): A Picture from Life’s Other Side Worried Mind No Woman’s Flesh But Hers ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516/72 "2004-05-20T10:13:59Z")
Well, if you are really somewhat of a rocker and need something to get you interested in country, I would suggest **Dwight Yoakum**. ---
**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 20, 2004, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516/73 "2004-05-20T14:53:23Z")
Which reminds me… If you’re looking for individual songs on iTunes, **Warren Zevon** wrote a few great country songs. Two off the top of my head would be **Heartache Spoken Here** with Dwight Yoakim, and **Renegade**. Both are fantastic songs. ---
**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 20, 2004, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516/74 "2004-05-20T17:06:33Z")
In addition to my earlier suggestion, two Dopers recommened The Be Good Tanyas to me in a thread about music. Sorry guys, I really can’t remember who but I went and bought the album and am very happy with it. It’s really more acoustic and rustic sounding than I think **Opal** would like, but just in case someone else is viewing the thread for some nice sounds. ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516/75 "2004-06-03T20:22:50Z")
I’ve got another recommendation: Carolyn Mark. She’s played with Neko Case, but also does good solo work. I saw her last weekend on her tour for her new album “The Pros and Cons of Collaboration”. It took a couple of listens to the CD before I decided that I liked it, but her live show was great. She would also be a good choice if you don’t really like the tear-in-your-beer school of country–she’s kind of goofy (in a cool alterna-chick kind of way), and she’s got a lot of humor. The opening act was Purty Mouth, which is a _very_ gay country band. They were a real hoot. No CDs yet, though. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2004, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516/76 "2004-06-18T23:37:18Z")
Finally found the name of another Aussie country artist that I like. [Kevin Johnson](http://rocknrolligaveyou.com) has a great voice, you have _got_ to find his cover of “Rock n’ Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life)”! ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2004, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516/77 "2004-06-19T00:06:22Z")
Another vote here for Lyle Lovett. He’s got this sort of bluesy gospel thing mixed into his country, and I for one simply love it. ‘Lyle Lovett and his Large Band’ and ‘Joshua Judges Ruth’ are both very good - though each has a single twangy track that simply have to be intended as parody - “She’s Leaving Me (Because She Really Wants To)” and “I Married Her Just Because She Looks Like You”. Those songs crack me up. ---
**Author:** ![SolGrundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@SolGrundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SolGrundy)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2004, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516/78 "2004-06-19T00:13:19Z")
They’ve been mentioned a few times already, but they need to be mentioned again: **Alison Krauss + Union Station** Their “Live” album is on iTunes and it’s just outstanding. Without question, the best recorded version of any of their songs is on that Live album. More mature, better playing, more energy. My favorite songs: “Baby, Now that I’ve Found You” – try this one even if you’re not interested in the rest “Every time You Say Goodbye” “Take Me For Longing” “Maybe” “Stay” “Oh, Atlanta” and, depending on whether you like the instrumentals or if you’re just into Alison’s voice: “Chocataw Hayride” (instrumental) “We Hide and Seek” (instrumental) “I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow” (sung by Dan Tyminski) “Tiny Broken Heart” (Dan T) Ah, hell. Just buy the whole album. ---
**Author:** ![SolGrundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@SolGrundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SolGrundy)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2004, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516/79 "2004-06-19T00:15:21Z")
Also, I forgot. _Absolute Torch and Twang_ by k.d. lang and the Reclines is a pretty good album. “Pullin’ Back the Reins” is my favorite track. It’s on iTunes. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516/80 "2004-06-21T19:57:20Z")
Just ran across [a CD of a John Fogarty country album](http://www.towerrecords.com/product.aspx?pfid=1027617) that was originally recorded 30 years ago. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-music-for-dummies-or-recommend-something/245516.md?page=5)