Can anyone help me? What I want is real country music, like honky tonk and bluegrass. I’m looking for some more alternative type of singers, but not ones that sound too ‘far out’ or ‘artistic’. Something along the lines of Dale Watson, Marty Brown, the Derailers, Matt King, like that. Not the more rock type alternative country, but real traditional, hardcore country by younger artists. It’s hard to find and I’m really fed up with most ‘radio’ country singers. I’ve gone to listening to mostly older singers like George Jones, Merle Haggard, Buck Owens, and Hank Williams. I still like Alan Jackson, George Strait, and guys like that, but I just can’t take any more Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, Shania Twain, and these other losers.
Frank , if it’s bluegrass you want, then go to http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=91696 and read about my link for free on-line bluegrass.
If you want to hear some old time country, go to http://www.wamu.org/index.html Which is the homepage of WAMU, the Public station in Washington, DC. They have live streaming music. Some of their shows are early country music. Play around til you find what you want. At least it’s free. They also have bluegrass every afternoon during the week, I think from 3-6.
Good luck.
That’s good, I’ll check it out. I was sort of hoping for some CD’s or tapes that I can carry around with me. I’m not always online anymore, I need an alternative to the crap on the radio so I can listen at work(I work in a warehouse, and I farm).
For bluegrass, there’s an Australian band called Uncle Bill who I recommend without reservation.
There was also a very nice Australian compilation record from a few years ago called Where Joy Kills Sorrow, which may be available elsewhere, but is an excellent record of so called ‘alternative’ artists covering country tunes, but, unlike some other comps, not covering them as ‘alternative’ songs, but fairly faithfully.
The last two Dolly Parton records are also more than worthwhile listening, in the bluegrass/folky country style.
Frank:
I’ve gotten some good CD’s just by watching those inane offers on TV. Once you get one of them, they usually send you a booklet with all their wares. 
I actually prefer older artists, many of whom aren’t even around anymore: Little Jimmy Dickens, Maddox Brothers and Rose, Spade Cooley, Sons of the Pioneers, and of course as you mentioned, the sainted Hank Williams. 
I live in Bakersfield and believe me, Buck Owens isn’t the same. He’s ok, but he seems to be going for the newer sound, which i hate, and feel you do also. His older records are good tho, and he can still sing. Hear he’s looking for his fifth (or is that sixth) wife. :rolleyes:
Disclaimer: I am, by no means, a country music expert.
That said, you might want to check out Neko Case and Her Boyfriends. Her album Furnace Room Lullaby and her EP Canadian Amp are both excellent. Neko started out in a punk band in the pacific northwest, but started singing country music a few years ago. She’s written a lot of her own stuff, but also covers people like Loretta Lynn.
Her earliest country album, The Virginian, is good, but not the songwriting tour-de-force that the later albums are. She’s got a wicked heartbreaking twang to her voice, though.
FRL is available through any major CD store. For Canadian Amp, you’ve got to go to the Bloodshot Records website.
Last week I saw a double-bill of Robbie Fulks and BR5-49. Both of them would be exactly what you’re looking for.
Others to check out: Junior Brown, Hank Williams III (the talent apparently skips generations), the Old 97s, Whiskeytown/Ryan Adams.
As for bluegrass, check out the Del McCoury Band, the Lonesome River Band, or Alison Krauss.
Dr. J
I’ll second Hank 3. (Although some of the strangest music I’ve ever heard was his punk band.)
Also consider Bruce Robison (his brother Charlie’s pretty good too), and how do you feel about Dwight Yoakam? I’m partial to Jack Ingram, too. Ingram and the Robisons aren’t traditionalists but they’re not “out-there” alt.country, either, nor are they pop-country (although Tim McGraw’s new single “Angry All The Time” is a Bruce Robison cover).
You say that like it’s a bad thing! Hell, I haven’t heard one of them youngsters yet improve on Jimmy Rodgers.
As for some of the more recent artists you mentioned, well, I won’t begrudge a Canadian the chance to make a living in a more prosperous nation, but Hank Williams did indeed make childhood aqauintanceship with the south end of a north-bound mule a prerequisite to a career in country music. Some would also add to that requirement a family connection to the losing side of the Civil War and its attendant heartburn.
I like Lucinda Williams, Chris Knight, Ed Burleson, and Tommy Alverson (although Tommy’s not exactly a young artist). I listen to an americana station out of Dallas and they don’t play any real high-profile country music singers. Lots of old stuff and new guys/gals who haven’t gone Nashville.
Just about anything by Steve Earle, but especially “Train ‘a Comin’.”
Sir Rhosis
Buddy Miller’s recordings are highly recommended: deeply embedded in country tradition, but with the added kick of a well-assimilated gospel/soul influence. He is also a fine guitarist, & his work as a producer (all of his albums are self-produced) is absolutely first-rate. Cruel Moon is his best disc–& with a fantastic band & cameos by Emmylou Harris, Joy Lynn White, Jim Lauderdale & Steve Earle!–but all of them are extremely good. – Buddy’s wife Julie Miller is also worth checking out, though the one disc of hers I have (Broken Things) could hardly be classified as “country” in the narrow sense.
I’m also fond of Iris DeMent, who put out three superb albums in the mid-1990s & then has gone inexplicably rather quiet, beyond cameos on a few albums by Tom Russell & Steve Earle. The one to get is My Life. This is straight old-time country/folk music–a small band, no drums, & a mix of well-crafted originals & some carefully chosen covers (notably Lefty Frizell’s “Mom and Dad’s Waltz”): it’s a gentle, sometimes harrowingly personal album.
Emmylou. 'Nuff Sed.
2nd that!
If you are looking for titles, try:
‘Best of Lefty Frizzel’.
‘Hank and Lefty’ - Merle’s tribute to them…Ummm, good.
Any Bob Wills stuff.
Asleep at the Wheel, especially their tribute album (CD) to Bob Wills. It’s got everybody on it! GREAT stuff.
And if you’re lucky find some REALLY old George Jones.
Now, pass me a cold one…
I didn’t mean it like that, it’s just that I’d like to listen to some younger people too.
I should have also mentioned Paul Burch’s Blue Notes, which combines a 1950s country feel (on “Long Distance Call”, vibrant rockabilly) with a slight flavouring of 1960s sounds–notably the Dylan-tinged “Isolda”, which could almost be off Blonde on Blonde. I like Burch’s voice a lot, warm & sliding (& admittedly sometimes only approximate in pitching, but what the hell, it fits the aesthetic). He plays drums, guitar & vibes, & the vibes give the disc a nicely moody atmosphere on tunes like “Tonight, Tonight” (great opening lines: “Tonight, tonight / I saw the one I’m gonna lose you to.”)
GOD ALMIGHTY!!! Someone else knows Neko Case and Her Boyfriends. Glory Hallelujah!! Usually people look at me like I’m some punk cat begging milk off their back porch.
I heartily re-iterate the recommendation for Furnace Room Lullaby and The Virginian. She’s got a beautiful voice (echoes of Loretta Lynn), catchy hooks and a funky attitude.
I’ll go hunt up the link for her record label but they have a lot of newer bluegrass sort of bands (tomorrow though, I’m way tired).
However I can recommend another artist…Oh Susanna. Albums: Sleepy Little Sailor, Johnstown and Self-Titled. Another Canadian-although this is more roots music than hardcore bluegrass. Another phenomenal voice, though.
DoctorJ has some good recommendations. I hereby endorse his list.
I would add Iris DeMent, Gillian Welch and Robert Earl Keen.
Try this also: Pick up the CD Tulare Dust: A Songwriters’ Tribute to Merle Haggard. This is a great CD which features several good “real country” artists. See which ones strike your fancy.
Finally, I’m sure you are very familiar with Dwight Yoakam already, but it’s hard to beat his Guitars Cadillacs Etc. for some good old genuine country/honky-tonk.
Oh yeah, definitely one of my favorites of the more mainstream country singers. I love his remake of Johny Horton’s “Honky Tonk Man”.
By the way, if anybody else is looking for some good real country on this thread, Get Alan Jackson’s “Under the Influence”. It’s a tribute album of his personal favorites of older country songs, (and Margueritaville, done with Jimmy Buffett. Came out good.) It’s an excellent real country album containing some great stuff. I actually like his remake of Jim Ed Brown’s “Pop a Top” better than the original! After hearing Alan Jackson’s remake, the original sounds pretty stiff. Alan Jackson has done his share of “radio” country, but most of his stuff is about as close as you’re gonna get to pure country on the radio today. (well, him and George Strait, and maybe a few others)
I found some Charlie Robison. I think it’s from his first CD. Man, is it some good stuff! Gotta love “You’re Not the Best (But You’re the Best That I can Do)”! I’ve had Junior Brown’s CD “Guit With It” for a little while now, and I highly recommend it too( the only thing I don’t enjoy is the 9 minute song, which name escapes me. Not because it’s bad, I just am not crazy about really really long songs.)
There’s a fellow named Johnny Paycheck, who most famously sang that his boss should “Take This Job and Shove It”, who sang quite a repertoire of good, non-whiny, non-slickened, plain old song in the country tradition.
If this here rocker can appreciate the dude, c’mon, give a listen.