| > | | | | (Note, this last month there was a huge three day |
| | | | Texas music festival in Colorado). It’s popularity |
| It is no secret that over the past couple decades | | | | started off with the likes of Willie Nelson, Jerry Jeff |
| country music has struggled with it’s identity far | | | | Walker, and Gary P. Nunn. What really sent it off in |
| more than any other genre in the industry. At this point | | | | recent years was the popularity of Robert Earl Keen, |
| nobody can really claim to be a country music fan | | | | Cory Morrow, Pat Green, and Jack Ingram. It plays |
| without being questioned what kind of country fan? | | | | extremely well in frat houses across the Lone Star |
| The answers being seemingly endless, I’ve | | | | State. While the guys mentioned earlier have taken off |
| broken them down into a few main categories (but | | | | in a different direction, new artists like Max Stalling, |
| really, there could be so many more). | | | | Mark David Manders, and Ed Burleson have started to |
| Pop Country | | | | take their place. If you ever watch this development, |
| This category could really be referred to as | | | | it’s easy to see that the Texas music industry |
| Nashville Country. It hosts probably about 90% | | | | is growing so fast that it will probably soon be just as |
| of the country music out there. I often find people not | | | | big as Nashville’s. |
| wanting to admit in conversation that they’re | | | | Old Country |
| fans of this category. They like to talk about how they | | | | If you can sing the words to three or more Willie |
| love Willie Nelson and mouth the words to Merle | | | | Nelson, George Jones, and Johnny Cash songs please |
| Haggard songs even though it’s obvious their | | | | come in. If you can sing along to Patsy Cline, Charlie |
| faking it. Then they get alone in their cars and unwind | | | | Rich, and Hank Williams please take a seat. If you can |
| by driving down the highway, blasting Shania Twain on | | | | croon all night with Bob Wills please let me get you a |
| the radio, and singing along at the top of their lungs. Let | | | | beer, I’m glad we met. Welcome to the old |
| me just say, there’s nothing wrong with that, like | | | | country category, sadly a lot of people find it boring |
| what you like. Nashville record labels pick very talented, | | | | here. |
| often attractive singers that perform with some great | | | | Real Old Country |
| bands. They also have some of the top songwriters | | | | Most people in this category know how to yodel. |
| and composers in the industry working for them. | | | | They’ve probably witnessed someone play the |
| One criticism I would have against this category
In | | | | bones, if they do not already know how to play them |
| recent years, there has been a rebellion of sorts | | | | themselves. The people in this category refer to each |
| against Nashville music from musicians in both the | | | | other as folks and recognize that |
| Rebel and Texas sub categories (see below) with | | | | country’s roots derived from folk music. This |
| songs booing Nashville and praising the old timers. | | | | category requires being able to enjoy sitting on a front |
| Sometimes this gains them popularity and they get so | | | | porch sipping ice tea in the middle of the summer while |
| popular that they land a big contract with a Nashville | | | | some old man plays Streets of Laredo on an |
| record company and for some reason everybody is | | | | old Gibson. Indulging in campfire banjo playing helps as |
| perfectly comfortable with this phenomenon. This is | | | | well. |
| what I like to refer to as Pat Green Syndrome. | | | | If you’re like me, you probably have your |
| Rebel/Rock Country | | | | favorite category and then like some things out of |
| Very liberal people are who you tend to find in this | | | | each one. There’s not really any one way to |
| category. These artist just do whatever they feel like | | | | define country music, and with it being an |
| doing, and consequently there are not many of them, | | | | ever-changing industry there probably never will be. |
| or at least not many of them that stay popular after | | | | One thing that doesn’t change though, no |
| their initial shock value wears off. They are usually | | | | matter which category, you can still dust of your boots |
| independent and like letting it all hang out. A good | | | | and take just about any country song to the dancehall |
| example currently in the limelight is Gretchen Wilson. | | | | with you. |
| Others that haven’t quite reached her popularity | | | | Sarah Francis |
| level, but have been around for a while include Ray | | | | This article, written by Sarah Francis, was first |
| Wylie Hubbard and Todd Snider. | | | | published at MusicShopper.info - a great resource for |
| Sometimes the guys in this category derive quite a bit | | | | music lovers. Providing information and resources |
| of their rebelness from incorporating rock into their | | | | about music shopping, it also has an extensive range |
| music. Good examples of this are Robert Earl Keen | | | | of music reviews, music competitions and giveaways, |
| and James McMurty (I highly recommend both of | | | | and a popular discussion forum. It is also an important |
| them). | | | | music reference source with a music website |
| Texas Country | | | | directory of more then 1,000 hand-picked sites listed. |
| This category has developed into somewhat of a | | | | MusicShopper forum and newsletters subscribers are |
| music cult, and it stretches all over the United Sates. | | | | entered into monthly draws for Amazon voucher. |