Let's talk about country music (warning Andy, list itt)

[andy]

I am in a state of shock (as well as being in Virginia on a bluegrass/old time trip), A THOUGHTFUL DISCUSSION ABOUT COUNTRY MUSIC HERE!!
Well done guys.
Anyone mention Dale Watson yet?

[Stuart W]

As much as I like Dale as a person and think he's a great live performer, I don't think his recorded output is fantastic. Also, I think it's probably a little too derivative to be retrospectively appreciated, say, ten years from now. To a degree he's Hag for people who don't know/remember Hag.
If we had a separate list (aaargh! That word again) for 'Top..... Live Country Artists' he'd be up there for me though.

How's the trip to Virginia btw? Ran into any snake-kissing cults yet?

[simon2307]

I would add;-

Blaze Foley - Live At The Outhouse
Little Rock - Hayes Carll
&
Broke Down - Slaid Cleaves

to any country list. All three, in my opinion, will be regarded as classics in twenty years time when someone starts a thread somewhere about country albums. Blaze is a legend, a genius of both heartfelt ballads and savvy political observation. Carll is the epitome of old-school barroom country, whilst Cleaves is, for me, one of the best songwriters to emerge over the last twenty years in any genre.
Mooney9

Blaze is indeed a legend for the uninitiated here’s a link to some collected Blaze info………

http://del.icio.us/blazefoley

[simon2307]

I was a "I hate all country" guy for years but eventually I saw the light and some country stuff is at good as it gets to my ears.

I'll 'fess up to that too

[Stuart W]

Blaze is indeed a legend for the uninitiated here’s a link to some collected Blaze info………

http://del.icio.us/blazefoley

Great link Simon, thanks. I'd often wondered if Blaze was the inspiration for Lucinda's "Drunken Angel" and, it appears, so he was!

[mooney]

This is great too!
Blaze and Townes...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ir4GLUa ... re=related


Mooney

[CraigA]

I would add;-

Blaze Foley - Live At The Outhouse
Little Rock - Hayes Carll
&
Broke Down - Slaid Cleaves

to any country list. All three, in my opinion, will be regarded as classics in twenty years time when someone starts a thread somewhere about country albums. Blaze is a legend, a genius of both heartfelt ballads and savvy political observation. Carll is the epitome of old-school barroom country, whilst Cleaves is, for me, one of the best songwriters to emerge over the last twenty years in any genre.

Mooney9

Love the Blaze & Slaid records. While i think Slaid is fantastic, he only actually wrote about half of Broke Down didn't he?

[mooney]

I think he wrote seven of the 10 songs, with Del McCoury, Karen Polston and Woody Guthrie providing the other three. Ok, fair point.

[CraigA]

There's at least a couple of co-writes with Rod Picott on there too. Either way it's still a damn fine record.

[Steve Roberts]

I was brought up on country music (along with The Beatles and all that), it was pretty well known stuff; Hank Williams, Hank Locklin, Jim Reeves, Tammy, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard and the like.
I didn't listen for a long time until Costello's Almost Blue album reminded me of my childhood. I don't really dig out new 'old country' but I loved John Miller when he came to play in Liverpool.

[paulv]

I was brought up on country music (along with The Beatles and all that), it was pretty well known stuff; Hank Williams, Hank Locklin, Jim Reeves, Tammy, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard and the like.

So was I - probably why I still fucking loathe it now

[paulk]

Tom T. Hall is an amazing songwriter, I was going to link to the comp that the atruersound blog put up awhile back but the link is dead, instead here's some great covers of his stuff, it's OOP as far as I can tell.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=26HRGRNQ

Excellent, I've been wanting to hear this for years after someone sent me the calexico track. Regarding country music I reckon you can't beat hank. First really investigated him after seeing The Last picture Show, an excellent film by the way.

[Ol' Time Phelan]

I think it was Hank that got me hooked on country.

I discovered Hank through Mike Ness' cover of "You Win Again".

I also never knew that his name was actually Hiram 'til I discovered that comp I mentioned in the New Music section.

[Ol' Time Phelan]

Here's another Blaze Foley clip:

[Monty]

'Clay Pigeons' is the best song ever written.

I have a lot of wise thoughts on country music. I just can't get 'em out