Upon further review, I find that Yoakam identifies himself as a little-l “libertarian.”
Well, Willie Nelson has recently given an endorsement and pledged to support Dennis Kucinich’spresidential ambitions.
[Marge Simpson] You don’t say no to the red haired stranger. [/Marge Simpson]
Although most of the main-stream C&W fans reject her, in my mind she is one of the best singers in the genre and she is definitely of the prevailing winds – k.d. lang.
Should have read “left of the prevailing winds”
sorry!
He’s also just recorded a pro-lynching song, so you’ve got to wonder. (You’d think that in 2003 it would be pretty safe to say that most people were against lynch mobs, but you’d have underestimated country music fans)
Garth Brooks (my secret shame) is fairly lefty, dunno if real country fans consider him country though. He has a fairly old-school folky anthem called “We shall be free”. Lyrics:
http://www.lyricsstyle.com/g/garthbrooks/weshallbefree.html
including:
When we’re free to love anyone we choose
When this world’s big enough for all different views
When we all can worship from our own kind of pew
Then we shall be free
The video is really nice 
K D Lang, during her country phase, did pretty well 'till she hugged that cow.
Peace,
mangeorge
Although I can’t think of any overtly political songs of his, Robert Earl Keen seems pretty left of center. Regardless of his politics, he’s darn good artist. (Plus, he was Lyle Lovett’s college roommate, which is just cool.)
Mary Chapin Carpenter–is she still considered country? She’s another great singer and pretty left-wing.
amarinth, can you elaborate on Willie Nelson’s “pro-lynching” song? It doesn’t square with anything else I’ve heard about him.
Damn hamster ate a long post.
Cliffnotes version: CW stars from the south. Southern Democrats are pretty conservative people. Populist is a more apt label for most of the acts listed above. Alabama has specific populist/farmer appeal. Farmer Democrats don’t listen to NPR or drink Chardonay.
Here you go
I apologize for the pop-ups.
Patty Loveless has played some Democratic functions.
This site includes some dicussion of politics and country music. In line with watsonwil’s observation about the populist thread in country music, there is this…
There is also some discussion of the association of country music with the right of late.
The Willie Nelson song is pro-vigilante justice, not pro-lynching. Not that I’m applauding the former, but it’s not at all the same thing.
Is it? I don’t think it’s clear in the song whether the justice in question is being carried out by vigilantes or by a combination of elected lawmen and the courts. The song might be merely advocating prompt and decisive capital punishment of murderers.
Also, I think Willie is much given to recording any song that he likes the tune of. I doubt if he can be considered to be endorsing the lyrics of any of them.
A bunch of people going, rounding up those they think might be guilty (or have heard rumors about) without the benefit of a legal trial?
That’s a lynch mob.
It sure is. Too bad for your scenario that it has very little to do with the lyrics of the song.
Three words*:
“9 to 5”
*actually two numbers and one word
Upon further review, I agree with RikWriter. It’s just a song about getting drunk and having a good time with your horse.
Upon further review, I agree with Marley23. Except that it’s a song about getting drunk and having a good time with your horse hanging people who probably are guilty of crimes not limited to murder.