Over the past week, I’ve had the pleasure of discovering that I prefer honky tonk to modern country. But i still don’t much about it.
I’m currently listening to the Hank Williams channel on Last.fm. Willie Nelson’s ‘Mama, don’t let your babies grow up to be cowboys’ was just on. I do dig that one. But I don’t dig that An Evening With Willie Nelson – amongst the throngs, mind, not on your own – costs £50 a ticket. Highway robbery. Appropriate for a man who came out of the outlaw school of country in the 1970s (see what I learned?).
Also enjoying Waylon Jennings (reminds me of the 1970s and Elvis circa the Trilogy. His ‘It doesn’t matter anymore’ has a good example of what I like to refer to as ‘truckers key change’) and very much Charley Pride’s ‘I’ll be leaving alone’. Not liking Conway Twitty’s ‘Julia’. Too much synthesiser and drum machine
On this week’s Bob Ross Country, Bob interviewed a Canadian band called Great Lakes Swimmers who to me sounded more like indie than country. But then what do I know. Not a lot about country, or clearly the boundaries between musical genres.
Musical adventures people have recommended over the past week:
- Ren has recommended The Handome Family and Beyond Nashville: The Twisted Heart of Country Music.
- Sam has suggested I “start by listening to ‘Jimmy’ by Moriarty. Your life will be better afterwards.”
- Nicky thinks “Dixie Chicks rule!”
And several friends have offered to hook me up with their country-loving mates. Feel free to comment on my 2008 New Years Resolution on my Facebook page. I need all the help I can get!
