by David Harris Several years ago I was shocked when I heard that a Texas country singer whose music I really enjoyed was a Beto O’Rourke-supporter (Ryan Bingham). For the life of me, I couldn’t understand how someone associated with rural West Texas could be on the left. Around the same time, I heard Kacey Musgraves’ breakout album. I loved (and still do) her western sound and style, as well as her songwriting ability, but the final track on the album (“Follow Your Arrow”) made her leftist persuasions plain. Over the next few years, a number of country artists (many mainstream) revealed the ..read more

Join us as we sit down with Louis Michot (best known as the fiddle player and lead-singer for the Grammy award winning Lost Bayou Ramblers, but blowing minds on the sonic masterpiece that is his solo record “Rêve du Troubadour”) and discuss all things Cajun, Zydeco, Old Timey Music, Race Music, the birds of the air and the beauty of precise Louisiana French. “Rêve du Troubadour” was objectively without a doubt one of the finest album releases of the last 10 years and so it was a delight to talk with this humble genius. Michot’s passion for Louisiana French and local folklore, and sustainabili ..read more

by Benji Magness Shane Smith and the Saints just released a new single “It’s Been Awhile” ahead of their forthcoming album “Norther” (dropping March 1st).  “It’s Been Awhile” captures the universal sadness and desire of the human heart to “go home.”  “I’m gonna take a train back to Texas Freight-liner, won’t you call my name Cause it’s been a while Yeah, it’s been a while Since I’ve seen your face” Several years in the making (‘cause sometimes songs need time to “cook”), this is the tale of a man who misses his love, misses his home, but can’t scrape together enough cash to get there ..read more

by Amos White How Important Is Authenticity? Most country music fans, and certainly the classic country fans, will remember Tammy Wynette’s heartbreaking song “Til I Can Make It On My Own” which was one of her many #1 hits. Making this song a duet implies the relationship is between the singers, and this isn’t about friendship. These are lovers, not buds.  Sam Williams and Carter Faith are up and coming “Nashville Stars” competently singing covers and originals in the New Nashville Sound. That just means it is very clean contemporary adult pop country, and yes it is just as plastic as it ..read more

by Donald Jacobs Ecclesiastes 1:9-10 9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. 10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us. “Wish a buck was still silver. It was back when the country was strong.”, opines the first line of a lamentation from Merle Haggard backed by The Strangers that describes the United States’ “hangover” after the “revolution” of the 1960s and the “Me Decade” of the 1970s. Written by Merle Haggard ..read more

PART 1: PART 2: Started by the National Life and Accident Insurance Company in 1925, WSM became one of the most influential and exceptional radio stations in the history of broadcasting and country music. WSM gave Nashville the moniker “Music City USA” as well as a rich tradition of music, news, and broad-based entertainment. With the rise of country music broadcasting and recording between the 1920s and ‘50s, WSM, Nashville, and country music became inseparable, stemming from WSM’s launch of the Grand Ole Opry, popular daily shows like Noontime Neighbors, and early morning artist ..read more

We are all our parents children, for better or for worse. We all must come to terms with this at some point. I (Amos) never did until listening to Stephen Wilson Jr. Sometimes in topics this deep and difficult, having a wise guide will help you understand the relations of parent and child. Stephen Wilson Jr. is deceptively simple, but he can turn a phrase that can grasp your soul and squeeze; the tree never grows to far from the apple.       I grew up a poor child of a single mother. All I had was a radio and of course all the books the library would let me take. So the b ..read more

by Donald Jacobs …shuffle…shuffle…shuffle…THUD!  Hello wall… I didn’t see you standing there… Thus begins the song Hello Walls no 2 (a parody of the hit country western tune Hello Walls written by Willie Nelson and first recorded by Faron Young). Performed by Ben Colder the comedic alter ego of Sheb Wooley, the song goes on to describe the drunken Colder’s experience of entering the wrong house after a night of hard drinking. This novelty song is part and parcel of the many and varied career of the man known as both Sheb Wooley and Ben Colder. Shelby Fredrick “Sheb” Wooley (April 10, 19 ..read more

What do goat testicles and a radio station in Mexico in the 1930’s have to do with country music legends The Carter Family, the popularization of country music, and O Brother, Where Art Thou? A lot! And it’s all due to one man: John R. Brinkely, the notorious quack doctor of the 1920-30’s, who made millions of dollars implanting goat testicles into impotent men, all the while implanting country music into the hearts of radio listeners around the world. Join us as we sit down at the table to talk about Mr. Brinkley with Pope Brock, author of Charlatan: America’s Most Dangerous Huckster, th ..read more

by Amos White My man William Orville Frizzell was born March 31st, 1928. Where? You guessed it: Texas. When you talk to fans of honky tonk and hard country, there is no doubt that Lefty will come up. He didn’t just play honky tonk, he was excellent with traditional country as well as being a pure vocalist. He truly became the definitive honky tonk frontal when he coupled his smooth and smart vocal deliveries with his honky tonk and hard country, which before him had lass storytelling, less depth, less power, emotion, and feeling. The roots of honky tonk was very jarring and boot stomping, but ..read more