I’m sure you know the song. It’s on Lainey Wilson’s Whirlwind and it’s a clever lyric which, in the best tradition of the genre, allows country music to hold a conversation with itself.
Once you get a taste, you’ll lick the spoon
Learn every word to The Dance and Neon Moon
And next thing you know
You’ll hang a swing on a piece of land
Start sayin’ things like hell naw, hot damn
Even as that song was being written the peak of country music’s popularity was some way off on this side of the Atlantic. Surprisingly, it may still not have peaked. But one thing is for sure: country music is more popular now than at any time I can remember in my long life.
If you look at the BBC Radio Scotland Social Media you can see and hear me alluding a little to this phenomenon. As we were filming the short links to our Luke Combs special Cheyne, (RS’s ace Social Media guru) and I were thinking aloud at the reasons for country music’s recent polularity. There’s the Taylor Swift factor, the Nashville TV series and Yellowstone too but even that doesn’t explain the astonishing career success of Zach Bryan or Charley Crockett.
So, help me out. If you’re someone who wouldn’t have listened to Country Music ten years ago I’m very interested in why you like it now? Please answer in the blog and we’ll try to give some time to your thoughts on future shows.
Thank You All
In keeping with this theme I got a welcome note from our boss here at BBC Radio Scotland last week. It explained that Another Country has almost doubled the numbers listening to the show over the last year. I’m so delighted new listeners are tuning in and, should you not already have heard the show, you are always welcome. You don’t have to like country music to enjoy what we play as we like to think we are simply playing great songs by some very talented artists. Way back in the 90’s and 2000’s the late Rab Noakes with Bryan Burnett set the path which we still follow with a show called Brand New Opry. Rab liked to say they played music which had been ‘touched by country music.’ On this week’s show we’ll play Lambchop, Brenna Wedl and Humbird to continue that great tradition. So thank you for listening.
Everyone Loves Charlie Worsham
Everyone loves Charlie Worsham and its not difficult to know why. He’s Nashville’s go-to guitar guy and despite playing on a million other records he’s finally released his third solo album just the nine years after the last one! Charlie was a standout guest at last year’s C2C and not only featured as part of headliner Dierks Bentley’s band but played a solo show earlier in the day at King Tuts. No one has a bad word to say about Charlie and you even feel better for spending twenty minutes in his company. Last week Vince Gill announced that Charlie had become a member of The Grand Old Opry live on the Opry stage. Charlie, who was playing in Vince’s band on the night, declared that this was the happiest moment of his life. We’ll tell you more about that moment and play you some great new music from Charlie on this week’s Another Country. As ever we start from five past eight on BBC Radio Scotland and BBC Sounds. Join me if you can.
Ricky, your inserts/intros with Deacon Blue, your recommendations on your radio shows, the support acts for your solo tours have opened my world to lots of new songs/artists, I’m loving Springsteen by Eric Church – that song gets me through my gym workouts, Hannah White, Ashley Cooke to name a few – so thank you for making my music life bigger and better.
From Amelia on the Isle of Wight x
I watched Nashville and loved it, which got me really interested in country music and now Brandon Flowers of the Killers is releasing the songs from his country album one by one before the big day on August 21st. It’s called Thrasher and the first few songs have been great Having taken my now grown-up daughters to see Deacon Blue live a few times and The Killers, I promised them that we would see Brandon live when he next does a solo tour. It’s been a long wait (12 years I think) but we’re looking forward to this next venture into the world of country music.
Yes, me too. Brandon’s new song was on my list for this week too. Sometimes I just can’t squeeze everything into the show that I’d like. But we’ll certainly get it in soon. Thanks for your story Helen. Ricky x
That’s so good to hear Amelia. It’s great to be able to share music. Thank you for coming and for listening. All the best. Ricky x
The major increase in popularity of country music is such an interesting phenomenon.
My own love for country music has been a slow burner. Maybe others have experienced similar gradual growth in their listening leanings.
When I was younger, (I was born in 1957 to give time perspective) my dad would play Jim Reeves and
Frank Ifield amongst some Victor Sylvester and the vaguely country related Seekers (not the New ones!).
Listening to those country tunes when he played them I rebelled, and decreed them, mainly because they were my dad’s music, if truth be told. The songs also seemed a bit mournful and unexciting. Country music seemed a very narrowly defined genre too.
I was a Beatles man, still am, then Steely Dan, Yes, Argent Roxy Music, Average White Band, Stevie Wonder and others grabbed my interest and I could play them on my own record player!
Over the years what I would label as my musical prejudices have softened. Also, the boundaries between country music and other sounds such as soul and folk have blurred considerably. The result is that I love the vast vast majority of what falls under the Country Music umbrella!
It’s true that I like some types of country music more than others, however that’s also true of rock music, indie and all other categories into which tunes are placed.
The tracks played on Another Country are perfect examples of the different shades which can be found within the wide spectrum of country music. Mon Rovia, Teddy Thompson, Allison Russell, The Lone Bellow. Landon Smith, Bayker Blankenship and Kashus Culpepper all sit easily with Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash and other instantly recognisable country greats. Years ago however, there might well have been less fluidity, with stricter boundaries. Listening to a mix of the different aspects of country music opens the ears to older and newer styles.
Musicians seem more prepared to venture into country music rather than locked into one particular style. That helps widen the appeal of country music too. Bob Harris has done his bit and C2C creates chances to ‘try out’ different new artists as well as here established ones. More opportunities to become submersed in, or ar very least to dip a toe into, country music.
I love the stories within country music songs, even the more melancholy ones – as I get older a guid greet is something to which I’m more prone!
What I’m uncertain of is why country music appeals so much to younger people nowadays. 2 of my granddaughters were with us the weekend Luke Combs was playing in Edinburgh. They would have gone in a heartbeat! They love Ella Langley too! Maybe they don’t feel the need to rebel against their parents’ music quite so much as those of my vintage did, perhaps because there is not the great divide between generational music tastes as there once was. Who knows? Country music is cool, for sure, rather than square! Long may it thrive!
Hi Ricky,
Really enjoyed your last AC show and heard you mention your blog and was interested to read your thoughts on why Country is Cool again.
I’m 37 and was introduced to Steve Earle and Old Crow Medicine show by a country daft friend when we were teenagers and so I’ve always listened to country music since then but I too have been swept along on this recent Country juggernaut over the last 7 years or so.
For me Covid made a big difference and I wonder if that was a factor for others? On song that got me through Covid was Good Day by Brett Eldridge, as I think Covid really focused the mind on realising what’s important in life, the simple everyday things.
I wonder too if economic stagnation has led to love of country music. One song I am listening to a lot at the moment is 40 Hour Week by Alabama and I think its a long a long of people can relate too.
For what ever reason behind its recent success in the UK, I certainly can’t get enough of country music and find that it has a lot in common with my other great love, soul music. When explaining to confused friends and family why I love it so much, I often quote this line from Ray the biopic about Ray Charles – “I love country music, I love the stories”. Its the great stories for me every time 🙂