Ah hate's Country, (-or do I) Shelby's got me a doubtin'

[Grimmie]

 

Always hated it! - well except Country Rock like Them Eagles boys, oh! and Neil Young 'cept he can't be country 'cos he's Canadian. then there's Little Feet, but I'll deny ever liking them too.

 

Then along came Shelby Lynne and her album Suit Yourself (well OK it was released in 2005 but new to me). Not sure where this one came from, can't remember buying it, and I'm sure I would never consciously fork out good money for a Country album, it's aggin' mah religion. Maybe I found it in the cheap bin and remembered a recommendation on SNA, - who knows. Then today there it was in my CD cupboard and curiosity got the better of me. I do remember playing it some time ago and trying to remain in denial, liking a recording of this genre was not an option but for some reason today, despite the thousands of other CD's and L.P.'s I have collected I chucked it on again and.... here's the rub, do I need therapy?, I really love this thing.

 

I know it ain't Country and Western yee-hah sort of music but closer to Dolly than Blondie that's for sure. The songs are fabulous, all killers (almost) and not at all cloying or sentimental for it's own sake. Superbly recorded too, a joy to attentively listen to rather than just wash the dished in the other room.

 

So I can recommend this one to all and sundry, you don't need a stetson, just an open mind and ears. That said, I still ain't coming out of my C&W hating closet just yet.

[Telecine]

This one is worth a listen too Grimmie, I was spinning it just the other day, dangnabbit:

 

 

Edited April 28, 2021 by Telecine

[ray4410]

1 hour ago, Telecine said:

This one is worth a listen too Grimmie, I was spinning it just the other day, dangnabbit:

 

 

just a little lovin by shelby is a real treat from start to the end(a tribute to the great dusty springfield) sound quality is superbi have had it on audiophile vinyl,now playing it regularly on sacd,as molly would say,
DO YOURSELF A FAVOUR!.

[Grimmie]

 @ray4410 @Telecine - I know I recommended to OTHERS that they should shell-out for Shelby but now I have to take my own advice? Well I may just do that, looks like a good one. If I do buy another of her albums will that make me a fan? If you saw my usual playlist of albums, from electronic and IDM, rock and alternative to world fusion and euro-jazz, artists of the female persuasion are relatively few but start with the incomparable Joni Mitchell with five albums then the one's from Fionna Apple to Amy Winehouse. Shelby will start her own genre, just no Loretta please..

Edited April 29, 2021 by Grimmie

[ray4410]

22 minutes ago, Grimmie said:

 @ray4410 @Telecine - I know I recommended to OTHERS that they should shell-out for Shelby but now I have to take my own advice? Well I may just do that, looks like a good one. If I do buy another of her albums will that make me a fan? If you saw my usual playlist of albums, from electronic and IDM, rock and alternative to world fusion and euro-jazz, artists of the female persuasion are relatively few but start with the incomparable Joni Mitchell with five albums then the one's from Fionna Apple to Amy Winehouse. Shelby will start her own genre, just no Loretta please..

come on now what's wrong with the coal miners daughter,that lil ol girl from butchers holler kentucky

[Grimmie]

I've heard the butcher hollerin' at the Wangara food market. I think I prefer him to her!

[Mutatis Mutandis]

Not a yuge Country fan myself.  BUT - there is some very cool Western in the other half of the equation.  Mary Robbins' ancient Gun Fighter Ballads is a cracking classic.  Even my kid likes "Big Iron" (and no, it not a song about Rio Tinto.)

My favourite or all though must be Asleep at the Wheel.  Fabulous Texas / Western Swing playing over several decades.  I still haven't worked my way through the catalogue.  Will check out this Shelby character but really, as cousin Molly would say, so yourselves a favour and listen to Asleep at the Wheel - 'specially the old stuff

[ray4410]

46 minutes ago, Mutatis Mutandis said:

Not a yuge Country fan myself.  BUT - there is some very cool Western in the other half of the equation.  Mary Robbins' ancient Gun Fighter Ballads is a cracking classic.  Even my kid likes "Big Iron" (and no, it not a song about Rio Tinto.)

My favourite or all though must be Asleep at the Wheel.  Fabulous Texas / Western Swing playing over several decades.  I still haven't worked my way through the catalogue.  Will check out this Shelby character but really, as cousin Molly would say, so yourselves a favour and listen to Asleep at the Wheel - 'specially the old stuff

yea must admit a bit of a fan

[unclemack]

Big fan of Shelby’s. Try this album as well. Superb. 

[emesbee]

I used to think I hated country music, but then I began to realise there was a lot more to it than I used to think. If one judges country music by the likes of 'achey breaky heart' and videos of people boot scooting (as I once did), then they have never really taken the time to delve into the music in any depth.

 

I think my opinions started to change when I began listening to and enjoying Irish music and began to see its influences on American country music through bluegrass, and also the interactions with blues and jazz. There really is so much more to this music than a lot of people think from a casual listen.

 

Check out any of the YouTube videos of the Transatlantic Sessions to see this connection. These were a series of BBC programs featuring musical performances by Irish, Scottish and American musicians performing together at a number of locations in Scotland. They were put together by Scottish fiddle player Aly Bain and American dobro player Jerry Douglas. There were 6 series in all (nothing more since 2013 though, sadly). I really like the way this seamlessly blends American Country and Celtic music.

 

Dan Tyminski : The Boy Who Wouldn't Hoe Corn

 

 

 

More recently I have become quite a fan of Rhiannon Giddens, the more I hear of this lady the more I am impressed. She trained as an opera singer, but her real musical interest is in the music of early African American string bands.  In her early career she was in an Irish band called Gaelwynd, but then became a founding member of The Carolina Chocolate Drops before launching a solo career.

 

Here are a couple of clips. The 'minstrel banjo' she plays is a modern replica of a 19th century instrument (note it is fretless). It is music like this that has finally banished my early prejudices against country music.  There are many more videos of her on YouTube, well worth checking out.

 

 

 

 

 

[Batty]

Still not converted, sorry.

[Guest Old Man Rubber]

19 minutes ago, Batty said:

Still not converted, sorry.

 

Maybe you need to ease yourself into it.

 

Start with Ryan Adams "Heartbreaker".  Hey, who is that singing backup vocals with him?  Oh, Emmylou Harris.

Go get Emmylou Harris' "Wrecking Ball".  Oooh them chills is making be a chillbilly.  Now get "Luxury Liner".

Hmm who is this Gram Parsons fellow?  Oh yeah that's the stuff slide it straight into my veins.  Whose songs are they singing?

Get the Everly Brothers "Songs our daddies taught us".  Suddenly Johnny Cash starts making sense, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, Willy Nelson.  Maybe some Merle Haggard, hey who is this Townes Van Zandt guy anyway...

 

Dang boy, so far down the rabbit hole now I got Faron Young and Hank Williams on rotation.

 

Now, you are a country fan.

 

[Batty]

Nah

[Guest Old Man Rubber]

3 minutes ago, Batty said:

Nah

 

...the dust that Pancho bit down south, ended up in Lefty's mouth.

 

Give it a few plays, get into that story.  Country can be trite and stupid and a lot of the new country stuff is horribly formulaic but there is a long, connected thread of amazing artists you are missing out on.  But hey, you do you!

[Batty]

Closest I get is some of the solo Eric Clapton, I do like some Irish folk rock like Horslips.

Eva Cassidy is good too.

[Guest Old Man Rubber]

2 minutes ago, Batty said:

Closest I get is some of the solo Eric Clapton, I do like some Irish folk rock like Horslips.

Eva Cassidy is good too.

You're half way there already then.

 

Ryan Adams with a couple of famous friends:

 

[RoHo]

15 minutes ago, Old Man Rubber said:

 

...the dust that Pancho bit down south, ended up in Lefty's mouth.

 

Give it a few plays, get into that story.  Country can be trite and stupid and a lot of the new country stuff is horribly formulaic but there is a long, connected thread of amazing artists you are missing out on.  But hey, you do you!

And then go and investigate Townes Van Zandt who wrote Pancho and Lefty.  There's some deep, heavy stuff down there.   And on the way check out Lucinda Williams and Patty Griffin: less polish, more grit than Emmylou but just as good.

[Gambit 1870]

This is probably my limit for country and /or western

 

Ahhh language and content warnings for the easily offended

 

[ray4410]

33 minutes ago, Old Man Rubber said:

 

...the dust that Pancho bit down south, ended up in Lefty's mouth.

 

Give it a few plays, get into that story.  Country can be trite and stupid and a lot of the new country stuff is horribly formulaic but there is a long, connected thread of amazing artists you are missing out on.  But hey, you do you!

love emmylou,and the great buddy miller++++++++++

[Batty]

I can take a little of CCR now and then too.

[Guest Old Man Rubber]

Gordon Lightfoot - Sundown

 

[Clydemount]

When you boys grow up it will likely occur to you that there are many more appropriately risible musical genres for you to  mock. Rap, hip hop, electronica, prog rock etc. The folk blues country stream runs long deep and wide and will doubtless outlast us all. In my most humble opinion and I am the humblest man in the universe.

[ray4410]

 now try and tell me country ain't  hot, he fxxxxn ha. and yes mark knopfler asked gill if he would like to be a member of dire straits,he turned it down as he had just started a new record contract.

 

Edited April 30, 2021 by ray4410

[Grimmie]

13 hours ago, emesbee said:

I used to think I hated country music, but then I began to realise there was a lot more to it than I used to think. If one judges country music by the likes of 'achey breaky heart' and videos of people boot scooting (as I once did), then they have never really taken the time to delve into the music in any depth.

 

I think my opinions started to change when I began listening to and enjoying Irish music and began to see its influences on American country music through bluegrass, and also the interactions with blues and jazz. There really is so much more to this music than a lot of people think from a casual listen.

 

Check out any of the YouTube videos of the Transatlantic Sessions to see this connection. These were a series of BBC programs featuring musical performances by Irish, Scottish and American musicians performing together at a number of locations in Scotland. They were put together by Scottish fiddle player Aly Bain and American dobro player Jerry Douglas. There were 6 series in all (nothing more since 2013 though, sadly). I really like the way this seamlessly blends American Country and Celtic music.

 

Dan Tyminski : The Boy Who Wouldn't Hoe Corn

 

 

 

More recently I have become quite a fan of Rhiannon Giddens, the more I hear of this lady the more I am impressed. She trained as an opera singer, but her real musical interest is in the music of early African American string bands.  In her early career she was in an Irish band called Gaelwynd, but then became a founding member of The Carolina Chocolate Drops before launching a solo career.

 

Here are a couple of clips. The 'minstrel banjo' she plays is a modern replica of a 19th century instrument (note it is fretless). It is music like this that has finally banished my early prejudices against country music.  There are many more videos of her on YouTube, well worth checking out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Daymit! what have I done. I absolutely loved all three video on here, just super music and not AT ALL what I would have expected. The first one though is surely as much Irish jiggery pokery as Country music. Rhiannon Giddens, - now there's a voice to break your heart and fortify your soul at the same time if ever there was one. Beautiful.

[Deepthought]

Here's another entry  level drug -