What country music would you recommend to someone who wants to listen to some country that isn’t bro/truck country? I know not all country music is Like That but unfortunately at the moment that’s most of my experience with the genre and I want to broaden my horizons. Maybe some good gothic country or bluegrass suggestions?
(I am, of course, already familiar with Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton. Beyond that feel free to suggest even extremely obvious choices)
Plenty of decent country before the 1990s. Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Charley Pride, Ray Charles, the Statler Brothers, Mel Tillis, Roy Clark, John Denver, Willie Nelson. Later country artists with pop sensibilities like Kenny Rogers, Garth Brooks, Shania Twain, Reba McIntire.
I’d argue that Roy Clark ranks as one of the most talented American guitarists/banjoists of the 20th century, easily in the same class as Jimi Hendrix or Prince.
Today, look for specific types of country music (e.g. Bluegrass) to find more authentic stuff, or just bite the bullet and listen to stuff with different genre labels like “Americana” and “Folk”. A lot of good modern country music ends up in those genre classifications because the marketers can’t figure out how to fit it into the stadium country ecosystem.
Not much of a country music listener but I’ve really liked Townes van Zandt, namely because of a tribute album made by various members of sludge/post-metal bands like Scott Kelly, Steve von Til and John Baizley. It’s more on the introspective and melancholic side but I think it’s also a bit different from a lot of other recommended artists/bands on this thread.
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Sturgill is a badass.
Ween has 12 Golden Country Greats.
This album doesn’t have 12 songs, but legend has it that the “12” refers to the session musicians recruited from Nashville to provide the excellent music.
However Ween being Ween, this album is likely to be very offensive, lyrically-speaking, to a lot of folks’ sensibilities in 2023 — just a heads up for folks not listening on headphones!
The line “Big booty bitch start suckin” from the song Piss Up a Rope was crafted by true poets.
It’s also the most country song on the album lol
I think the most offensive song on this album is Mister Richard Smoker; which as far as I can tell, is about a gay pedophile meth addict.
Boodeliboppo!
Ignoring the element of satire, I think that by today’s standards, Japanese Cowboy would be considered by most audiences to be racist, Piss Up a Rope to be sexist, and Mr. Richard Smoker to be homophobic.
From my experiences growing up in the rural south, I interpreted Mr. Richard Smoker as riffing on the obviously wrong-headed fear about gay men being “drug addled, cross-dressing dick smokers who want to ‘convert’ my teenage boy”.
Not to say that 12 Golden Country Greats isn’t an excellent album with an all-star ensemble of players and clever satirical takes on country music, just that it’s not something I’d recommend to people without a heads up lmao
Chris Stapleton, Whiskey Myers, Sturgill Simpson, Tyler Childers, The Highwomen, Sierra Farrell, Turnpike Troubadours, Trampled By Turtles
Since you mentioned bluegrass, I’m particular to Trampled by Turtles but you also can’t go wrong with Union Station.
Some of the classics beyond cash and dolly, I’ll exclude the more countrypolitan stuff, these are mostly more honky tonk, also some modern people
Hank williams (all three of 'em) merle haggard, willy nelson, waylon jennings, kris Kristofferson, Buck Owens, wayne hancock, Orville peck, marty robbins, nick shoulders
Bluegrass earl scruggs, osborne brothers, ricky skaggs, billy strings
Gothic? Bridge City sinners, rhiannon Giddens, Amigo the Devil, Shawn James
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The Petersons a very wholsome and talented family blue grass band. They are one of Bransons biggest attractions going. They do their own music , but cover many popular songs across all genres of music on thier youtube channel.
The Girls are all lead vocals, and their brother matt sings lead ocasionally Katy (fiddle), Ellen (banjo), Julianne (mandolin), Matt (guitar, Emmet (dobro), Karen “mom” (Bass).
They are obviously a christain family and sing gospel blue grass, but it was their Cover of The Beatles - Here comes the sun sung by Julianne the youngest daughter that really got me into them. Their music is diverse and targets a wide audience.
Heres a couple of my favs but their entire channel is one of those you’ll be compelled to keep clicking through
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DF5emO1X0HA Here Comes the Sun- (Beatles cover)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skWKV8VzLUA Mamma Mia (ABBA cover)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joUwy8lpvP0 LandSlide - (Fleetwood Mac Cover)
I’ll second Sturgill Simpson and add some others, some of which are definitely more country-adjacent: The Cactus Blossoms, Jason Isbell, Orville Peck, Shakey Graves, Punch Brothers, and The Milk Carton Kids.
Sierra Ferrell
Kassi Valazza
YouTube channels
Western Af and GemsOnVHS
Also
Rev peyton’s big damn band
I will always love Willie Nelson. A great human being, and amazing singer and guitar player, and one of the best country songwriters ever.
Red Headed Stranger is just such an amazing album. I’d recommend that first. It’s a concept album, and it’s really beautiful and sad.
I also recommend Townes Van Zandt as others have here. A really haunting singer. Waiting Around To Die is amazing. Maybe the first song about lean ever.
The Highwaymen — the ultimate country supergroup: Johnny, Willie, Waylon, and Kris. Highly recommend their live album, American Outlaws .
John R. Miller — his newest album, Heat Comes Down, is maybe a little less straight-up country, but it is excellent songwriting.
Colter Wall — Western Swing & Waltzes; Little Songs
Wilco - in the early years, they had some more “traditional” country sounds A.M.
As others have said, you can’t go wrong with John Prine or Townes van Zandt.
Bonus NRPS, Gram Parsons, and Merle Haggard
Reba McEntire! Love me some Reba
Alabama are another favorite of mineMary Chapin Carpenter is great too
The Judds
Loretta Lynn
Hank Williams Sr.
Kenny Rogers
Rosanne Cash
Waylon & Willie, baby (Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson)
Brooks & Dunn
Charlie Daniels BandIn a more modern iteration, I’ve been really enjoying The Dead South recently
