School me on GOOD country music

**dark_star** · 06-20-2013, 05:03 AM

So over the past few years I been gradually listening to more and more country and country-ish (no easy task, considering I live in Boston) and alt country music, and I really dig it. I was hoping some folks who've been listening longer than I can might be able to recommend some good, classic albums I should check out and/or really good albums by new artists. I have pretty varied taste in music overall, so I'll listen to anything. Here, grouped in no particular order or way, are some artists who fall on the country spectrum to whom I've enjoyed listening:

Johnny Cash
Son Volt
Neko Case (love it)
Wilco
Alan Jackson (some stuff a little too cheesy for me, but some stuff I really like)
George Jones

...and country music stations (but a lot of the new stuff on the radio is waay too "pop" for me). Feel free to make fun of me and say "that's not country you poser jong."

In any case I still don't know the scene that well. Can anyone make some good recommendations? I'd like to get a bunch more classic albums and get to know the greats.

EDIT: Forgot to add one of my all-time favorite bands, Little Feat. Not country but definitely their own style of southern rock.

**brice618** · 06-20-2013, 07:22 AM

http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...d.php?t=235674

Go to pandora and start a station called:

Hello Walls by Faron Young

Don't do the Willie version lest you end up mired in pop country and the Willie bad years.

**MontuckyFried** · 06-20-2013, 09:26 AM

While I can't stand much Nashville country music, I love Texas Country. It's a bit more rock, a bit more swing (great for dancing!), and is way less depressing. Check out:

The Randy Rogers Band
Ray Wylie Hubbard
Kevin Fowler
Mickey and the Motorcars
Pat Green
Reckless Kelly
Stoney Larue
Two Tons of Steel
Larry Joe Taylor

and many, many more. You missed it by a couple of months, but you really need to make this one of your life goals to make it to the Texas Music Festival to really get indoctrinated into some great music. http://www.larryjoetaylor.com/texas_...sic_lineup.htm
It is one of the best parties you could ever dream of going to.

**Chugachjed** · 06-20-2013, 09:47 AM

Eleven hundred springs
John Prine
Townes Van Zandt
Steve Earle

**Rico in Flag** · 06-20-2013, 11:17 AM

Lots of good ones so far, +1 for Steve Earle & Townes van Zandt.
Some others;
Todd Snider, cuts through conventional country like a machete.
Uncle Tupelo, if you like Wilco (and by that I assume you mean the really old Wilco) Uncle Tupelo was the precursor to Wilco and Son Volt. It's old but still relevant.
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, he's formerly of the Drive by Truckers. More country, less rock.
I can't stand contemporary country, but all of this stuff I like. And if you have XM/Siruis, check Outlaw Country, ch. 60.

**Chainsaw_Willie** · 06-20-2013, 11:30 AM

Hank III, his daddy and grandaddy too.
Billy Joe Shaver
Waylon Jennings (Billy Joe wrote a lot of his songs)

Most anything with the "outlaw country" label.

**rideit** · 06-20-2013, 11:43 AM

If you like complicated time signatures (kinds like prog-country) there is no finer technique wise than Danny Gatton.

Try a pandora station with
Danny Gatton
Duane Eddy
Chet Atkins
Marty Stuart
Brad Paisley (yes, he is a MONSTER player)
Speedy West
Les paul

And see what comes out.

Oh, and watch some of these:

http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...ght=Telecaster

**SubV** · 06-20-2013, 12:04 PM

Turnpike Troubadours
Corb Lund
The Highwaymen - classic

**Man Jerk** · 06-20-2013, 12:14 PM

HANK III
/thread...

**Man Jerk** · 06-20-2013, 12:15 PM

Scott H Biram!!!

**Danno** · 06-20-2013, 01:50 PM

Robert Earl keen is a favorite of mine.
Lyle Lovett is another.

Buddy Miller is good.
Kelly Willis

You won't really find them on mainstream country radio. One mainstream artist I really like is Dwight Yoakam.

**Man Jerk** · 06-20-2013, 03:39 PM

James McMurtry

**rideit** · 06-20-2013, 03:46 PM

McMurtry is great, but he isn't country...

**Man Jerk** · 06-20-2013, 08:20 PM

"Americana" I suppose is more accurate...

Sounds pretty country to me, but I'm just a city boy so what do I know..

**dark_star** · 06-20-2013, 08:59 PM

Thanks guys, this is great. Super psyched about having some new tunes to listen to, now I gotta go out and find me some albums! Thanks again. TGR rules.

**Man Jerk** · 06-20-2013, 10:11 PM

David Allen Coe ladies and gentlemen...

**hatchgreenchile** · 06-20-2013, 10:24 PM

Jamey Johnson is as good as it gets for newer country music. He's not some record label pansy singing recycled rock music that happens to have a banjo. He's a guy from the Deep South, served in the Marines and can write some damn good songs that is maintains that authentic sound:

Playing the Part, cool music video

One of his first songs

And some old George Jones covers

**Man Jerk** · 06-20-2013, 10:47 PM

Features the lead guitar play of the metal band Lamb of God

**bodywhomper** · 06-20-2013, 11:39 PM

centric to one individual:
these albums are classics:
Sweetheart of the Rodeo
The Gilded Palace of Sin
Burrito Deluxe
GP
Grievous Angel

**dark_star** · 06-21-2013, 05:21 AM

Awesome, just bought The Guitar Song by Jamey Johnson, all great recommendations but gotta start somewhere. Also Les Paul, Brad Paisley?

**ShoNuff** · 06-21-2013, 07:18 AM

I'll echo a few and add a few. You can't go wrong with Texas outlaw country. David Allen Coe, Haggard, Willie. John Prine is one of the finest songwriters ever. Jerry Jeff Walker, Robert Earle keen, Guy Clark, Charlie Daniels, Steve Earl, and the beat goes on...

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using TGR Forums

**RootSkier** · 06-21-2013, 10:32 AM

Originally Posted by bodywhomper

centric to one individual:
these albums are classics:
Sweetheart of the Rodeo
The Gilded Palace of Sin
Burrito Deluxe
GP
Grievous Angel

This. Gram Parsons was the man. Amazing amount of songs for someone who died at 27.

**rideit** · 06-21-2013, 10:34 AM

Originally Posted by dark_star

Awesome, just bought The Guitar Song by Jamey Johnson, all great recommendations but gotta start somewhere. Also Les Paul, Brad Paisley?

Yes.
Put them on your pandora.
(Paisley is 70% real country, and 30% schlock...ignore the schlock. He is currently one of the best country guitar players alive)

**Flounder** · 06-21-2013, 12:39 PM

Lots of great artists mentioned thus far. Agree with most of them. Here's a few more off the top of my head that are mostly alt country and not mentioned yet.

Old 97's
BR-549
Southern Culture on the Skids
Shooter Jennings (Merle's kid)
Jay hawks
Golden smog
Silos