Texas Country/Red Dirt

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What is it about this style that makes it better?

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Because it's real men singing about real issues. Tough times with your lady, losing your favorite dog, drinking beer with your buddies down by the river, things that everyday gents can relate to. It's a damn shame BR doesn't get much Red Dirt shows anymore.

I never really knew about the red dirt genre until I stumbled across the Bayou Country Superfest one year. Amazing fest, with some really under-appreciated red dirt acts.

If you like Texas Country, IMO there is no one better than Jerry Jeff Walker.

The difference is its genuine.
Nashville Country acts today are largely manufactured pop stars that sing the songs nashville writes for them with the same set of buzzwords and chord progressions, with just enough steel guitar, fiddle, and/or banjo to give it a twang.

Red Dirt is to Nashville as a real hamburger is to McDonald's. Once you taste both, it's hard to believe people think they could be remotely the same thing.

After the obligatory "outlaws" (Willie/Waylon), Start with Jerry Jeff, Gary P. Nunn, Rodney Crowell, move on to REK, Bruce/Charlie Robison, then to early Pat Green, early Jack Ingram, then CCR, Randy Rodgers Band, Jason Boland, Stoney Larue, Roger Creager, Kevin Fowler, Corey Morrow.


Others you might enjoy Steve Earle, Chris Knight, Lucinda Williams, Son Volt, Old 97's, although I wouldn't put them in that genre.

Pop your cherry the right way and go to this event. I've been several times and it's awesome.

The Music Fest in Steamboat Springs, CO

Jubal Lee Young
Jason Boland
Kevin Deal
Rodney Rice
Two Tons Of Steel
Randy Houser
Bourbon Crow
Honky Tonk Hustlas
Red Eye Junction
Eleven Hundred Springs
Jarrod Birmingham
Ward Davis
Cooder Graw
Fifth On The Floor
Kevin Fowler
Zachariah Red
Mo Robson Band
Willie Heath Neal
Country Lips
The Lonesome Billies
Dalton Domino
Jesse Dayton
The Shivering Denizens
Six Market Bvld.
Deryl Dodd
Drunken Prayer