Country for non-country fan? (1 Viewer)

[Joel Mack]

Also, check out Alison Krauss (& Union Station). They've sort of created their own style of bluegrass and Alison has an amazing voice.

Seconded.

Also, one of my all-time favorite country singers is Suzy Bogguss, although she's probably closer to the "new" country than the old...

 

[Kirk Gunn]

I just caught Suzy Bogguss' Christmas show at a local pub and she can belt it out ! Most of her smaller shows are acoustical folk and it's a great change from her albums.

She performs a lot of John Prine, John Hyatt and Steve Goodman whom she met living in Chicago.

She gives a great show, but expensive at the local brewery pub (38.50 for a 1.25 hr show....)

 

[Scott H]

As much as I would strongly recommend Son Volt, Wilco, The Jayhawks, The Bottle Rockets, Whiskeytown, Calexico, et al, this is technically not country music, and won't be found classified as such. What Uncle Tupelo and some of these folks started admittedly owes greatly to traditional country music though.
There's much to discover. Some names mentioned that are musts include recent Steve Earle, all Junior Brown, Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson, Bill Monroe, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline...
Early Gram Parsons' country rock is a very important.
Listen to Townes Van Zant, Merle Haggard, The Carter Family, Buck Owens, 1970's Jerry Jeff Walker, The Flatlanders (and Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Butch Hancock, and Joe Ely solo work), Lucinda Williams, early John Hiatt, Gillian Welsh, 1960's Dolly Parton, 1970's Kris Kristofferson, maybe Eddy Arnold... More...
Then there's cool country delves like Poor Little Critter On The Road from The Knitters (members of X), and much more

 

[Steven B]

Aside from the obvious outlaw country references, I have a few cd's you must buy. They are generally only available online, but that is ok.

Robert Earl Keen - Live #2 Dinner

Lyle Lovett - Anthology: Cowboy Songs

Jerry Jeff Walker - Great Gonzos (already referenced)

Phil Pritchet - The Live Album

These albums will hopefully open up a whole new world to you, changing your view of country music. If so, I know many other great songwriters you need to hear.

 

[Rob P S]

Start with Steve Earle's Ain't Ever Satisfied collection-an excellent summary of his first five years. Then pick up any and all of his other discs. Others I recommend:

Gary Allan - Used Heart for Sale, It Would Be You, Smoke Rings in the Dark, and Alright Guy. He's easily the best of the mainstream guys.

Jack Ingram - Live at Adair's, Livin' or Dyin', and Hey You.

Chris Knight - self-titled debut and A Pretty Good Guy.

Whiskeytown - Faithless Street, Stranger's Almanac, and Pneumonia.

Ryan Adams - Heartbreaker and Gold

Mike Ness - Cheating at Solitaire and Under the Influences

The Backsliders - Throwin' Rocks at the Moon(out of print, but well worth hunting down).

Bonepony - Stomp Revival(also out of print)

Gillian Welch - Revival and Hell Among the Yearlings

The Mavericks - all of them, but start with What a Crying Shame.

Wilco - A.M.

Son Volt - Trace

The Jayhawks - Hollywood Town Hall and Tomorrow the Green Grass.

BR5-49 - debut and Big Backyard Beat Show.

The Derailers - any

Kelly Willis - What I Deserve

Wayne "the train" Hancock

Buddy and Julie Miller

Lonesome Strangers - Land of Opportunity

Old 97's - any

Bottle Rockets - The Brooklyn Side and 24 Hours a Day

Junior Brown

Dave Alvin/The Blasters

The Delevantes

Alison Krauss

Tim and Mollie O'Brien

 

[Andrew 'Ange Hamm' Hamm]

Allison Krauss is amazing.

For artists with a country flavor who are not part of the whole Nashville mess, look up Mark Heard's last album Satellite Sky, T-Bone Burnett's eponymous album, and anything by John Hiatt but especially Bring the Family and Little Head. Also pick up some Lyle Lovett; a true original.

NP: Bruce Cockburn - Inner City Front

 

[KeithH]

Mike, I am no country fan, but I recently picked up Mary Chapin Carpenter time*sex*love* on CD and SACD. Carpenter discs are filed under "Country" in stores, but I don't feel that time*sex*love* is overly "countryish". It's a good album. The recording certainly isn't the best, but it is a good album.

 

[David Lawson]

I would also recommend - Jolene-Hell's Half Acre

Well, I'll be damned. Someone else has heard of them.
I also wholeheartedly agree with the Uncle Tupelo and Son Volt recommendations above. I notice that no one is recommending anything later than Being There from Wilco, which makes sense from a "country" standpoint. Don't think for a moment that Summerteeth isn't a fine album, though.
I haven't seen mention of Southern Culture On The Skids, a band that everyone needs to experience at least once. They've released several albums; Ditch Diggin' is my favorite.
You might consider adopting the Beastie Boys' "Country Mike's Theme" as your personal theme during this period.

 

[Josh Dial]

Though I don't really put these guys in the country category, some do..."Blue Rodeo" is my favourite band, and if you're after a country sounding CD..pick up "Five Days in July"

cheers!

Josh

 

[Karl_Luph]

You might try out Asleep At The Wheel, alot of their music is inspired by The King Of Western Swing, Bob Wills.

 

[isobel meldar]

i think you'd enjoy the band Freakwater.

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

Others have mentioned Gram Parsons. The two absolutely essential albums from him are The Flying Burrito Brothers' "Gilded Palace of Sin" and his solo swan song "Grievous Angel". The former is currently only available on the 2-disc "Hot Burritos! The Flying Burrito Bros. Anthology 1969-1972" in the US, but it is included in its entirety. The latter is only available as a "twofer" with his first solo album "GP" which is almost as good.

Regards,

 

[Scott H]

LA Times article on the great Townes Van Zandt (Sunday 04/07):
http://www.calendarlive.com/top/1,14...-55544,00.html
I met him not long before he died.

 

[John Beavers]

Anything by Alan Jackson, Clint Black or Travis Tritt.

 

[Gordon Wakim]

Mike,

I feel as you do about country music, but I have made one exception. Chet Atkins. His music is mostly instrumental and you can pick up an old album from the 50's or a newer album from the 90's and be equally amazed at his guitar playing ability. He was a pioneer in guitar playing. He has a huge library of music to choose from (about 120 albums). My recommendations for his older music is Mister Guitar and Guitar Monsters (with Les Paul) and for his newer music try Almost Alone, Read My Licks & The Day The Finger Pickers Took Over The World with Tommy Emmanuel. I can's say enough good things about the man, definitely one of the most talented musicians I have ever listened to.

 

[Mike Broadman]

Don't ya just love it when an old thread of yours comes back from the murky depths of the archives?

I must say, I totally forgot about this. Ever since I started this thread, I haven't bought a single country album. Not because of the replies- on the contrary, many look quite interesting. I dunno, I guess I got too caught up with jazz collecting and SACD, and put the country interest on the back-burner. And now, the fact that there are new SACDs coming out and my newfound interest in 70s Miles Davis, I don't think I'll be able to spread the wealth around to hit country.

However, I'll keep this thread tucked away somewhere for when I do get around to it.

I have heard of Chet Atkins and was curious to hear his stuff. I know he's a big influence on Steve Howe and Steve Morse, two of my faves.

Thanks, all.

NP: Rachmaninoff, 3rd Piano Concerto, SACD

 

[Grant B]

Yes 12 Golden Country Greats (which only has 10 songs)is Great

Piss up the Rope is the song you want to leave repeating on the stereo if you want a Divorce (I hate you and your 2% milk so hit the F#$%&*ng Road and piss up a Rope)

From AMG:The Knitters was a one-off country side project of the famed Los Angeles punk band X featuring the group's vocalist Exene Cervenka, singer/bassist John Doe, and drummer D.J. Bonebrake, as well as the Blasters' guitarist Dave Alvin. The Knitters' lone LP, 1985's Poor Little Critter on the Road, was a collection of originals, covers and acoustic revampings of earlier X material, redone in a variety of country-based styles running from swing to traditional.

 

[Mike Hutman]

I only have one country cd, and that is JOHNNY CASH.

 

[Scott H]

Anything by Alan Jackson, Clint Black or Travis Tritt.

John, this is exactly what this thread is adverse to. No offense.
Grant, The Knitters stuff is great. A bit tongue in cheek, but great fun.
Mike, Chet was a big influence on more people than we could ever list in a thread.

 

[Danny Tse]

I actually quite enjoy Clint Black's cover of Aretha Franklin's "Chain of Fools" with the Pointer Sisters.

I would strongly recommend Mary Chapin Carpenter's greatest-hits album "Party Doll and Other Favorites" to start. Although this is a greatest-hits album, it really doesn't do her music justice. I've always considered her music more power pop than country. Also get her "Come On Come On" album; almost every song on this album was a hit single, including a cover of Dire Straits' "The Bug". Everyone of her albums is great; can't go wrong with her.

Also recommend "Fly" by the Dixie Chicks.