Texas Country
Encyclopedia
Texas country music is a rapidly growing sub-genre of American country music
. Texas country is known for fusing traditionalist root sounds (similar to neotraditional country) with the outspoken, care-free views of outlaw country
. Texas country blends these sub-genres by featuring straightforward, truthful lyrics, a "take it or leave it" approach, a "common working man"
theme, comical, witty undertones, intense live performances, and loyal fan-bases. These often combine with stripped down music, increasing the intimate connection between a singer and audience.
Although it is often anti-Nashville, neither the location of birth nor the location of upbringing seems to calculate in the definition of a Texas country artist, as long as the origin is not in the corporate Nashville scene. Though many are Texas natives, many outside the state lines have tested the Texas waters. Artists such as Chris Knight
are often considered Texas country musicians, despite his Kentucky
ties. Adam Hood
, an Alabama
native, also has had success in the Texas country market. Perhaps the most distinguishing characteristic of a Texas Country artist is that they hold majority of their concerts in Texas venues and their music is charted in one of the two Texas Music Charts as opposed to the Billboard chart.
s are not uncommon, and the use of steel guitar
s or Pedal steel guitar
s is also prevalent. Bass
and percussion usually round out the essentials for a bar-touring band, but a piano
, baritone guitar
, banjo
, fiddle
or harmonica
on studio recordings (or in larger shows) are the norm for the genre.
two-stepping next to the mosh pit, where college boys or "Man Fans" in khakis and college girls(or Diesel Sniffers) in Juicy Couture and Bumpits are pressed up against the stage". An important factor Texas Country's success is in the frequency of live performances. It is not uncommon for a Texas Country band to tour 200+ dates a year, all, or nearly all, in the State of Texas. This allows the fan to attend a band's show more often, thus interacting with the music on a more personal level.
Songs about traditional dance halls, open roads, family farms and hometown bars, along with other illustrations of Texas landscape, are all found in present-day Texas country artists' catalogs. The ties of landscape and music seem to serve as remembrance and gratitude, as evident in most songs. Appreciation for surroundings is not the only limitation for this theme. The "average man" and his struggle with nature do appear as well. "The songs definitely incorporate a spirit of the times and constitute a spontaneous and fairly comprehensive record of life".
movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Texan artists such as Waylon Jennings
, Willie Nelson
, and David Allan Coe
retreated from the Nashville Country Music scene to Austin
, Luckenbach
, and Houston. Other artists who were inspired by this movement included performers like Guy Clark
, Jerry Jeff Walker
, Steve Young
, Kris Kristofferson
, Joe Ely
, Terry Allen, Steve Earle
, and Townes Van Zandt
. All these stars have rated higher than 43 on the Texas Music Scene charts.
These artists were followed in turn by the work of singer-songwriters such as Pat Green
, Robert Earl Keen
, Max Stalling
, and Cory Morrow
.
's No. 2 Live Dinner
, released in 1996, had it all; comedy accompanied with "a sharp wit, a laid-back cowboy style, and an eye for detail... combined in [his] songs that are as easy on the ears as they are packed with insight". Keen's home calling came after a short stint in Nashville, where he quickly became uncomfortable. His 1996 live album release truly showcased the “wide range” of the talented Texas musician and popularized the single "The Road Goes On Forever", a song many music fans regard as the paradigm for Texas 'Country anthems'. Joe Ely
and other Texas musicians have recorded cover versions of “The Road Goes On Forever”.
, a Houston native, had been on the Texas scene since the mid-90s. With the release of his fourth album Outside the Lines, Morrow found more mainstream success on the country music charts.
Pat Green
, also an artist from Texas, began his career as part of the Texas country scene later went on to widespread commercial success with gold album Wave on Wave
after switching to a "Shania Twain/ Garth Brooks" Nashville style of county music. The album's title track hit No. 3 on the U.S. Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart and won a Grammy nomination for Best Country Song.
Kevin Fowler
, a former hair-metal/glam rocker was Dangerous Toys
guitarist from the late 1980s until 1993, followed by his own founding of Thunderfoot, a Southern rock band based out of Austin. Originally from Amarillo, he self-released his country debut album One For The Road in 1997. This followed with his smash independent followup album, Beer, Bait, and Ammo. He has since found national success, on a major label.
Texas country's influence continues to be felt in the mainstream music genre with artists such as Jack Ingram
, who had already established a name for himself in Texas country, who won a CMT Music Award in 2007 and the 2008 Academy of Country Music
award for New Male Vocalist of the Year. He has also scored top 25 singles on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart with songs such as "Love You
" and his cover of Hinder's
"Lips of an Angel
". Another one of his singles, "Wherever You Are
", went to number one on the Billboard Chart.
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
. Texas country is known for fusing traditionalist root sounds (similar to neotraditional country) with the outspoken, care-free views of outlaw country
Outlaw country
Outlaw country is a subgenre of country music, most popular during the late 1960s and the 1970s , sometimes referred to as the outlaw movement or simply outlaw music...
. Texas country blends these sub-genres by featuring straightforward, truthful lyrics, a "take it or leave it" approach, a "common working man"
Common People
"Common People" is a song by English alternative rock band Pulp. It was released as a single in 1995, reaching number two on the UK singles chart. It also appears on the band's 1995 album Different Class. The song is about those who were perceived by the songwriter as wanting to be "like common...
theme, comical, witty undertones, intense live performances, and loyal fan-bases. These often combine with stripped down music, increasing the intimate connection between a singer and audience.
Although it is often anti-Nashville, neither the location of birth nor the location of upbringing seems to calculate in the definition of a Texas country artist, as long as the origin is not in the corporate Nashville scene. Though many are Texas natives, many outside the state lines have tested the Texas waters. Artists such as Chris Knight
Chris Knight (musician)
Chris Knight is a singer and songwriter from Kentucky. He only recently came to national attention, but has written songs for Confederate Railroad, John Anderson, and Randy Travis among others...
are often considered Texas country musicians, despite his Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
ties. Adam Hood
Adam Hood
Adam Hood is a singer-songwriter from Opelika, Alabama, who has released studio albums, "The Shape of Things" , Adam Hood" EP , "6th Street " EP , 21 to Enter and Different Groove . He had played as a musician for years before his breakthrough around 2001...
, an Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
native, also has had success in the Texas country market. Perhaps the most distinguishing characteristic of a Texas Country artist is that they hold majority of their concerts in Texas venues and their music is charted in one of the two Texas Music Charts as opposed to the Billboard chart.
Instrumentation
The acoustic guitar is essential in Texas country music. While the acoustic guitar is the most often used, electric guitarElectric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
s are not uncommon, and the use of steel guitar
Steel guitar
Steel guitar is a type of guitar or the method of playing the instrument. Developed in Hawaii in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a steel guitar is usually positioned horizontally; strings are plucked with one hand, while the other hand changes the pitch of one or more strings with the use...
s or Pedal steel guitar
Pedal steel guitar
The pedal steel guitar is a type of electric guitar that uses a metal bar to "fret" or shorten the length of the strings, rather than fingers on strings as with a conventional guitar. Unlike other types of steel guitar, it also uses pedals and knee levers to affect the pitch, hence the name "pedal"...
s is also prevalent. Bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
and percussion usually round out the essentials for a bar-touring band, but a piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, baritone guitar
Baritone guitar
The baritone guitar is a variation on the standard guitar, with a longer scale length that allows it to be tuned to a lower range. It first appeared in the classical music realm...
, banjo
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
, fiddle
Fiddle
The term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...
or harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
on studio recordings (or in larger shows) are the norm for the genre.
Vocals
The line of delineation for vocals is also unclear. Artists considered Texas country each have diverse and distinctive voices. While traditionally a male dominated genre, women have had chart success in recent years, allowing more diversity in the genre and concert venue tour circuit. The Texas "anthem" is a common song type, referencing and sometimes embellishing on the different positive characteristics of the state. Many of these have been popular on the Texas Music Charts.Live performances
Enthusiasm is the best descriptor for both band and crowd at a live Texas country performance. "It is not an uncommon sight to see clubs all over Texas packed to the rafters; girls and boys in cowboy hats and WranglersWrangler Jeans
Wrangler is a manufacturer of jeans and other clothing items. The brand is owned by the VF Corporation, who also own Lee, JanSport and The North Face, among others. Its headquarters is in downtown Greensboro, North Carolina, with production plants in a variety of locations throughout the world...
two-stepping next to the mosh pit, where college boys or "Man Fans" in khakis and college girls(or Diesel Sniffers) in Juicy Couture and Bumpits are pressed up against the stage". An important factor Texas Country's success is in the frequency of live performances. It is not uncommon for a Texas Country band to tour 200+ dates a year, all, or nearly all, in the State of Texas. This allows the fan to attend a band's show more often, thus interacting with the music on a more personal level.
Themes
Lyrical content is the backbone of Texas country. Willie Nelson a legendary Country Music Outlaw inspired his friend Waylon Jennings, an outlaw country music legend himself, who is sometimes cited as an inspiration to present day Texas country musicians, once said, “Your melody goes where the words take you”.Songs about traditional dance halls, open roads, family farms and hometown bars, along with other illustrations of Texas landscape, are all found in present-day Texas country artists' catalogs. The ties of landscape and music seem to serve as remembrance and gratitude, as evident in most songs. Appreciation for surroundings is not the only limitation for this theme. The "average man" and his struggle with nature do appear as well. "The songs definitely incorporate a spirit of the times and constitute a spontaneous and fairly comprehensive record of life".
Origination
Texas country's roots lie in the Outlaw countryOutlaw country
Outlaw country is a subgenre of country music, most popular during the late 1960s and the 1970s , sometimes referred to as the outlaw movement or simply outlaw music...
movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Texan artists such as Waylon Jennings
Waylon Jennings
Waylon Arnold Jennings was an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician. Jennings began playing at eight. He began performing at twelve, on KVOW radio. Jennings formed a band The Texas Longhorns. Jennings worked as a D.J on KVOW, KDAV and KLLL...
, Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
, and David Allan Coe
David Allan Coe
David Allan Coe is an American outlaw country music singer who achieved popularity in the 1970s and 1980s. He has written and performed over 280 original songs throughout his career...
retreated from the Nashville Country Music scene to Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, Luckenbach
Luckenbach, Texas
Luckenbach is an unincorporated community thirteen miles from Fredericksburg in southeastern Gillespie County, Texas, United States, part of the Texas Hill Country. It consists of between South Grape Creek and Snail Creek, just south of U.S. Highway 290 on the south side of Farm to Market Road...
, and Houston. Other artists who were inspired by this movement included performers like Guy Clark
Guy Clark
Guy Clark is an American Texas Country artist. In his career, he has released more than twenty albums, primarily on major labels. He has also written singles for other artists, including Ricky Skaggs, Steve Wariner and Rodney Crowell....
, Jerry Jeff Walker
Jerry Jeff Walker
Jerry Jeff Walker is an American country music singer and songwriter. He is probably most famous for writing the song "Mr. Bojangles.-Biography:...
, Steve Young
Steve Young (musician)
Steve Young is an American country music singer, songwriter and guitarist, known for his song "Seven Bridges Road"...
, Kris Kristofferson
Kris Kristofferson
Kristoffer "Kris" Kristofferson is an American musician, actor, and writer. He is known for hits such as "Me and Bobby McGee", "For the Good Times", "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", and "Help Me Make It Through the Night"...
, Joe Ely
Joe Ely
Joe Ely is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist whose music touches on honky-tonk, Texas Country, Tex-Mex and rock and roll....
, Terry Allen, Steve Earle
Steve Earle
Stephen Fain "Steve" Earle is an American singer-songwriter known for his rock and Texas Country as well as his political views. He is also a producer, author, a political activist, and an actor, and has written and directed a play....
, and Townes Van Zandt
Townes Van Zandt
John Townes Van Zandt , best known as Townes Van Zandt, was an American Texas Country-folk music singer-songwriter, performer, and poet...
. All these stars have rated higher than 43 on the Texas Music Scene charts.
These artists were followed in turn by the work of singer-songwriters such as Pat Green
Pat Green
Patrick Craven "Pat" Green is an American Texas Country artist. Active since 1995, he has recorded a total of ten studio albums, including several independent works, three for Republic Records and two for BNA...
, Robert Earl Keen
Robert Earl Keen
Robert Earl Keen, Junior is an American Texas Country singer-songwriter. He is popular with fans of traditional country music, folk music, college radio, and alt-country. Keen currently resides in Kerrville, Texas and maintains a ranch in Medina, Texas.-Early life:Growing up in Houston, Texas,...
, Max Stalling
Max Stalling
Max Stalling is a Texas Country singer/song writer, who had no expectation of ever being in the music business. He was born in Uvalde, TX and raised in Crystal City, TX. After attending kindergarten through high school in Carrizo Springs, TX, Stalling studied at Texas A&M University, where he...
, and Cory Morrow
Cory Morrow
Cory Morrow is a Texas Country singer/songwriter who has gained popularity throughout the Southwest. Morrow started playing guitar at Memorial High School in Houston. He continued to develop as a musician while attending Texas Tech University, where he was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity...
.
1990s
Robert Earl KeenRobert Earl Keen
Robert Earl Keen, Junior is an American Texas Country singer-songwriter. He is popular with fans of traditional country music, folk music, college radio, and alt-country. Keen currently resides in Kerrville, Texas and maintains a ranch in Medina, Texas.-Early life:Growing up in Houston, Texas,...
's No. 2 Live Dinner
No. 2 Live Dinner
No. 2 LIVE Dinner is an album of live music by Texas-based folk singer-songwriter Robert Earl Keen, released in the United States in 1996) on Sugar Hill Records. The performances are from two different dates, the first fourteen tracks were recorded at Floores Country Store in Helotes, TX on August...
, released in 1996, had it all; comedy accompanied with "a sharp wit, a laid-back cowboy style, and an eye for detail... combined in [his] songs that are as easy on the ears as they are packed with insight". Keen's home calling came after a short stint in Nashville, where he quickly became uncomfortable. His 1996 live album release truly showcased the “wide range” of the talented Texas musician and popularized the single "The Road Goes On Forever", a song many music fans regard as the paradigm for Texas 'Country anthems'. Joe Ely
Joe Ely
Joe Ely is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist whose music touches on honky-tonk, Texas Country, Tex-Mex and rock and roll....
and other Texas musicians have recorded cover versions of “The Road Goes On Forever”.
2000s and the Texas Influence in Nashville
Cory MorrowCory Morrow
Cory Morrow is a Texas Country singer/songwriter who has gained popularity throughout the Southwest. Morrow started playing guitar at Memorial High School in Houston. He continued to develop as a musician while attending Texas Tech University, where he was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity...
, a Houston native, had been on the Texas scene since the mid-90s. With the release of his fourth album Outside the Lines, Morrow found more mainstream success on the country music charts.
Pat Green
Pat Green
Patrick Craven "Pat" Green is an American Texas Country artist. Active since 1995, he has recorded a total of ten studio albums, including several independent works, three for Republic Records and two for BNA...
, also an artist from Texas, began his career as part of the Texas country scene later went on to widespread commercial success with gold album Wave on Wave
Wave on Wave
Wave on Wave is the seventh studio album released by American country music artist Pat Green. Released in 2003 on Universal/Republic Records in association with Mercury Records, it produced two singles for Green on the Billboard country charts. The title track, the first of these two singles,...
after switching to a "Shania Twain/ Garth Brooks" Nashville style of county music. The album's title track hit No. 3 on the U.S. Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart and won a Grammy nomination for Best Country Song.
Kevin Fowler
Kevin Fowler
Kevin Fowler is an American Texas Country artist. He has released five studio albums, and has charted three singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, including the top 40 hit "Pound Sign "...
, a former hair-metal/glam rocker was Dangerous Toys
Dangerous Toys
Dangerous Toys is an Austin, Texas-based hard rock band with often humorous lyrics. Founded in 1987, Dangerous Toys put out four full-length albums and one live album before unofficially disbanding at the turn of the millennium....
guitarist from the late 1980s until 1993, followed by his own founding of Thunderfoot, a Southern rock band based out of Austin. Originally from Amarillo, he self-released his country debut album One For The Road in 1997. This followed with his smash independent followup album, Beer, Bait, and Ammo. He has since found national success, on a major label.
Texas country's influence continues to be felt in the mainstream music genre with artists such as Jack Ingram
Jack Ingram
Jack Owen Ingram is an American Texas Country artist signed to Big Machine Records, an independent record label. He has released eight studio albums, one extended play, six live albums and eighteen singles. Although active since 1992, Ingram did not reach the U.S. country Top 40 until the late...
, who had already established a name for himself in Texas country, who won a CMT Music Award in 2007 and the 2008 Academy of Country Music
Academy of Country Music
The Academy of Country Music was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Whereas the Country Music Association, founded in 1958, was based in Nashville, the Academy sought to promote country music in the western states. Among those involved in the...
award for New Male Vocalist of the Year. He has also scored top 25 singles on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart with songs such as "Love You
Love You (Jack Ingram song)
"Love You" is a country music song by Texas country music artist Jack Ingram. The song was the second single from his Live: Wherever You Are album, and is one of the two studio tracks on the album, which is otherwise a live compilation.-Content:...
" and his cover of Hinder's
Hinder
Hinder is an American rock band from Oklahoma that was formed in 2001 by drummer Cody Hanson, guitarist Joe Garvey, and singer Austin Winkler. The band was inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame in 2007.-Formation and early history:...
"Lips of an Angel
Lips of an Angel
"Lips of an Angel" is a power ballad by Oklahoma rock band Hinder written by Brian Howes, Austin Winkler and Cody Hanson. It was released as the second single from their album Extreme Behavior. It was their breakthrough hit, charting in the Top Ten on several Billboard trade charts in the United...
". Another one of his singles, "Wherever You Are
Wherever You Are (song)
"Wherever You Are" is a Number One song by American country music artist Jack Ingram. It was Ingram's first Top 40 single on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs charts...
", went to number one on the Billboard Chart.
Radio
Texas country is unique in that radio stations throughout Texas have embraced the sub-genre and regularly mix Texas country into a Country radio format. Two Texas music charts exist to track radio play throughout the state, the Texas Music Chart and the Texas Regional Radio Report, respectively. Several radio stations across Texas have adopted a "Texas Country Only" format. These stations include:- KHYI 95.3 The Range - Dallas, TexasKHYIKHYI is a radio station with an alternative country music format, focusing on Texas music. The station's city of license is Howe, Texas; it serves the areas between the Metroplex and the Sherman/Denison area, making it a rimshot station....
- KFWR 95.9 The Ranch - Mineral Wells/Fort Worth, TexasKFWRKFWR is a country music FM radio station in the Dallas/Fort Worth area in Texas, transmitting on 95.9 FM and playing a Texas Country format. This station is owned and operated by LKCM Radio Group.-History:...
- KRVF 106.9 The Ranch - Kerens/Corsicana and Cedar Creek Lake, TexasKRVFKRVF is a country music formatted radio station licensed to Kerens, Texas. This station transmits on rimshot frequency 106.9 FM and is owned and operated by LKCM Radio Group....
- KRVA 107.1 The Ranch - Campbel/Commerce, Greenville and Sulphur Springs, TexasKRVA-FMKRVA-FM is a radio station broadcasting a Oldies format.Licensed to Campbell, Texas, USA, the station serves the Paris area. The station is currently owned by Lkcm Radio Group, L.P..-History:...
- KFLP 106.1 Flip-FM - Floydada/Plainview/Lubbock, TexasKFLP-FMKFLP-FM is a radio station licensed to Floydada, Texas, USA, the station serves the Lubbock area. The station is currently owned by Anthony L. Ricketts.-History:...
- KJDL 105.3 True Country, The Red Dirt Rebel - Levelland/Lubbock, TexasKJDL-FMKJDL-FM is a radio station broadcasting a Texas Country format. Licensed to Levelland, Texas, USA, the station serves the Lubbock area. The station is currently owned by Walker FM Holdings, LLC and features an all Texas Country format.-History:...
- KBSO 94.7 Badlands - Corpus Christi, TexasKBSOKBSO is a radio station broadcasting a Country music format. and licensed to Corpus Christi, Texas, USA. The station is currently owned by Reina Broadcasting Inc.-History:...
- KTWL 105.3 Texas Mix - Houston, TexasKTWLKTWL is a radio station that is licensed to serve the community of Hempstead, Texas, USA. Formerly an adult hits station known as "Bob FM", the station broadcasts a country music format branded as "Texas Mix 105.3 FM".-BOB-FM:...
- KVET 98.1 The Genuine Austin Original - Austin, TexasKVET-FMKVET-FM is an Austin, Texas radio station operating a Country format. It is licensed to Austin, Texas with an ERP of 49,800 watts from a transmitter site near West Lake Hills, TX, and is owned by Clear Channel Radio....
- KOLI 94.9 The Outlaw - Wichita Falls, TexasKOLIKOLI is a radio station serving Wichita Falls, Texas and Vicinity with a country music format. It operates on FM frequency 94.9 MHz and is under ownership of Cumulus Media. It is the radio flagship station for the Wichita Falls Wildcats hockey team....
- KORA 98.3 Texas Country - Bryan/College Station, TexasKoraKora may refer to:* Kora , a stringed musical instrument of West African origin* Kora , a New Zealand reggae band** Kora , Kora album released in 2007* Kora , a type of pilgrimage in the Buddhist tradition...
- KNRG 92.3 Texas Renegade - La Grange, TexasLa Grange, TexasLa Grange is a city in Fayette County, Texas, near the Colorado River. The population was 4,478 at the 2000 census. The 2006 estimated population was 4,645. But a 2010 census estimated that the city had a population of 4,923...
/Columbus, TexasColumbus, TexasColumbus is a city in Colorado County, Texas, United States, west of Houston along Interstate 10, on the Colorado River. In 1890, 2,199 people lived in Columbus, Texas; in 1900, there were 1,824 residents. The population was 3,916 as of the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Colorado County... - KOOK 93.5 The Real Deal - Junction, Texas
Progression
The following artists are often classified as members of the Texas country movement:- Aaron WatsonAaron WatsonAaron Watson is an Texas country music singer.Watson was born in Amarillo, Texas and attended Abilene Christian University, where he began learning guitar, after playing junior college baseball in New Mexico. He gigged around Texas before releasing his debut album, A Texas Cafe; the follow-up,...
- Adam HoodAdam HoodAdam Hood is a singer-songwriter from Opelika, Alabama, who has released studio albums, "The Shape of Things" , Adam Hood" EP , "6th Street " EP , 21 to Enter and Different Groove . He had played as a musician for years before his breakthrough around 2001...
(Originally from Alabama.) - Billy Joe ShaverBilly Joe ShaverBilly Joe Shaver is a Texas country music singer and songwriter. Shaver's 1973 album Old Five and Dimers Like Me is a classic in the outlaw country genre.-Biography:...
- Bleu Edmondson
- Brandon RhyderBrandon RhyderBrandon Rhyder is an American Texas Country/Red Dirt singer from Carthage, Texas.Rhyder graduated from the University of Texas at Tyler with a degree in industrial technology....
- Bruce RobisonBruce RobisonBruce Robison is an Austin-based Texas country music singer-songwriter. Bruce and his brother, fellow singer-songwriter Charlie Robison, grew up in Bandera, Texas near San Antonio, and he currently resides in Austin, Texas...
- Casey DonahewCasey DonahewCasey Donahew is a Texas country music singer and songwriter noted for his lively performances and real-world lyrics.- Early life :...
- Chris KnightChris Knight (musician)Chris Knight is a singer and songwriter from Kentucky. He only recently came to national attention, but has written songs for Confederate Railroad, John Anderson, and Randy Travis among others...
(Originally from or still resides in Kentucky) - Charlie RobisonCharlie RobisonCharles Fitzgerald "Charlie" Robison is an Texas Country singer/songwriter, who was raised in Bandera, Texas. His brother is singer/songwriter Bruce Robison...
- Cody Johnson
- Cory MorrowCory MorrowCory Morrow is a Texas Country singer/songwriter who has gained popularity throughout the Southwest. Morrow started playing guitar at Memorial High School in Houston. He continued to develop as a musician while attending Texas Tech University, where he was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity...
- Cross Canadian RagweedCross Canadian RagweedCross Canadian Ragweed was an American Red Dirt/Texas Country/Country rock band. The name of the band came from the combination of three band members' names, Grady Cross , Cody Canada , and Randy Ragsdale . Jeremy Plato's name was not involved in the band naming...
(Originally from Yukon, Oklahoma; rose to fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma) - Dale WatsonDale Watson (singer)Dale Watson is an American alternative country/Texas Country singer, guitarist and songwriter based in Austin, Texas. He's positioned himself as a tattooed, stubbornly independent outsider who is interested in recording authentic country music...
- Deryl DoddDeryl DoddDeryl Dwaine Dodd is an American Texas Country artist. Originally a regular on the Texas club circuit, he moved to Nashville, Tennessee, soon finding work as a background vocalist and songwriter...
- Dustin Sanchez
- Django WalkerDjango WalkerDjango Walker is a Texas Country singer-songwriter and the frontman for the Django Walker Band.-Biography:Named after Belgian guitarist Django Reinhardt, Walker is the son of country music artist Jerry Jeff Walker and Susan Walker. He began learning to play guitar at age 15...
- Eastan West Band
- Ed BurlesonEd BurlesonEd Burleson is a Texas Country singer/songwriter from Denison, Texas.Ed Burleson is a baby-faced, sixth-generation Texan who works construction by day and crafts traditionally minded honky tonk by night. He has counted among his supporters the late Texas legend Doug Sahm, who served as Burleson's...
- Eleven Hundred SpringsEleven Hundred SpringsEleven Hundred Springs is a Texas Country rock band from Texas. Their influences include Willie Nelson, Buck Owens and Doug Sahm. They are known as one of the few remaining outlaw country bands....
- Eli Young BandEli Young BandEli Young Band is an American country music band based in Denton, Texas. The band is composed of Mike Eli , James Young , Jon Jones , and Chris Thompson . They released their self-titled debut album in 2002, followed by the Carnival records release Level in 2005...
- Gary P. NunnGary P. NunnGary P. Nunn is a Texas Country singer/songwriter. Nunn was born in Oklahoma and moved to Brownfield, Texas as a sixth grader. He was a member of Lubbock, Texas rock band The Sparkles during the 1960s. In 1995, Nunn was inducted into the West Texas Walk of Fame, and in 2004, into the Texas Hall of...
- George StraitGeorge StraitGeorge Harvey Strait is an American country music singer, actor, and music producer. Strait is referred to as the "King of Country," and critics call Strait a living legend. He is known for his unique style of western swing music, bar-room ballads, honky-tonk style, and fresh yet traditional...
- Guy ClarkGuy ClarkGuy Clark is an American Texas Country artist. In his career, he has released more than twenty albums, primarily on major labels. He has also written singles for other artists, including Ricky Skaggs, Steve Wariner and Rodney Crowell....
- Hayes CarllHayes CarllJoshua Hayes Carll , known as Hayes Carll, is a Texas Country singer-songwriter from The Woodlands, Texas ....
- Hogg Maulies
- J.R. Castillo
- Jack IngramJack IngramJack Owen Ingram is an American Texas Country artist signed to Big Machine Records, an independent record label. He has released eight studio albums, one extended play, six live albums and eighteen singles. Although active since 1992, Ingram did not reach the U.S. country Top 40 until the late...
- Jackson Taylor and the Sinners
- James McMurtryJames McMurtryJames McMurtry is a Texas rock/Texas Country singer, songwriter, guitarist, bandleader and occasional actor...
- Jerry Jeff WalkerJerry Jeff WalkerJerry Jeff Walker is an American country music singer and songwriter. He is probably most famous for writing the song "Mr. Bojangles.-Biography:...
- John David Kent and the Dumb AngelsJohn David Kent and the Dumb AngelsJohn David Kent is a Texas Country band based out of Celeste, TX. Consisting of John David Kent, formerly of the late 90's Rock band Radish, and other North Texas natives Michael Graska, Jamey Gleaves, Jason Andrew, and Tony Kent.- Background Information :...
- Jason Boland & the StragglersJason Boland & the StragglersJason Boland & the Stragglers are an American Texas Country/Red Dirt group featuring Harrah, Oklahoma native Jason Boland , Roger Ray , Brad Rice , and Grant Tracy...
(Originally from or still resides in Oklahoma) - Jesse BrandJesse BrandJesse Brand is a Songwriter and Recording Artist for FiveSlumpRecords, in the Texas Country Music genre. His 2010 album release "Back Here On The Floor " was recorded at the home of Loretta Lynn at Coal Miner's Daughter Recording Studio, in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee.- Personal life :Brand was...
- Joe ElyJoe ElyJoe Ely is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist whose music touches on honky-tonk, Texas Country, Tex-Mex and rock and roll....
- Jolie Holliday
- Josh AbbottJosh Abbott BandJosh Abbott Band is an American Texas Country band from the state of Texas. It is composed of Josh Abbott , Preston Wait , Edward Villanueva , James Hertless and Caleb Keeter ....
- Junior BrownJunior BrownJamieson "Junior" Brown is an American country guitarist and singer. He has released nine studio albums in his career, and has charted twice on the Billboard country singles charts. Brown's signature instrument is the "guit-steel" double neck guitar, a hybrid of electric guitar and lap steel...
- Kelly WillisKelly WillisKelly Willis is an American country music singer-songwriter, whose music has been described as contemporary country, alternative country and new traditionalist.-Early life:...
- Kevin FowlerKevin FowlerKevin Fowler is an American Texas Country artist. He has released five studio albums, and has charted three singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, including the top 40 hit "Pound Sign "...
- Kinky FriedmanKinky FriedmanRichard S. "Kinky" Friedman is an American Texas Country singer, songwriter, novelist, humorist, politician and former columnist for Texas Monthly who styles himself in the mold of popular American satirists Will Rogers and Mark Twain. He was one of two independent candidates in the 2006 election...
- Kristen Kelly and the Modern Day Drifters
- Kyle Park
- Lucero (band)Lucero (band)Lucero is an American punk/Texas Country infused rock band that is based in Memphis, Tennessee.-Biography:Lucero's punk rock roots flavor their now "country-ish" music, while their Southern roots give them the twang that they have come to be known by. They had their start in Memphis, TN. The band...
- Micky & the MotorcarsMicky & the MotorcarsMicky & the Motorcars is an Alternative Texas Country band formed in Challis, Idaho before moving to Austin, Texas.The band has released five mainstream albums, including a live album....
(Originally from Idaho, now based in Austin Texas. Brothers Micky and Gary Braun are the younger siblings of Willy and Cody Braun of Reckless Kelly.) - Mike McClure Band (Originally from or still resides in Oklahoma)
- Max StallingMax StallingMax Stalling is a Texas Country singer/song writer, who had no expectation of ever being in the music business. He was born in Uvalde, TX and raised in Crystal City, TX. After attending kindergarten through high school in Carrizo Springs, TX, Stalling studied at Texas A&M University, where he...
- Michael Anthony Rodriguez and The Broken Duckfeet
- Miranda LambertMiranda LambertMiranda Lambert is an American country music artist who gained fame as a finalist on the 2003 season of Nashville Star, where she finished in third place and later signed to Epic Records. Lambert made her debut with the release of "Me and Charlie Talking", the first single from her 2005 debut...
- No JusticeNo justiceNo Justice is a Red Dirt/Texas Country band which is originally from Stillwater, Oklahoma. Stillwater has also produced musical talents such as Jimmy LaFave, Garth Brooks, The Great Divide, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Stoney LaRue, Mike McClure and Jason Boland & the Stragglers...
(Originally from or still resides in Oklahoma) - Pat GreenPat GreenPatrick Craven "Pat" Green is an American Texas Country artist. Active since 1995, he has recorded a total of ten studio albums, including several independent works, three for Republic Records and two for BNA...
- Paul Eason
- Radney FosterRadney FosterRadney Foster is an American Texas Country artist. Initially a songwriter in Nashville, Tennessee, Foster made his debut in 1986 alongside Bill Lloyd in the duo Foster & Lloyd...
- Randy Rogers BandRandy Rogers BandThe Randy Rogers Band is an American Texas Country group from the state of Texas. The band is composed of Randy Rogers , Geoffrey Hill , Jon Richardson , Brady Black , and Les Lawless . They have recorded four studio albums and two live albums, and have charted six singles on the Billboard Hot...
- Ray Wylie HubbardRay Wylie HubbardRay Wylie Hubbard is an American Texas Country singer and songwriter.-Early life:Hubbard grew up in southeastern town of Hugo, Oklahoma. His family moved to Oak Cliff in south Dallas, Texas in 1954. He attended W. H. Adamson High School with Michael Martin Murphey, who had his own band at the time...
- Reckless KellyReckless Kelly (band)Reckless Kelly is an Austin, Texas based Americana/Texas Country band. The band was formed in Bend, Oregon, but moved to Austin in January 1997...
(Originally from Idaho, now based in Austin Texas) - Rio GrandRio GrandRio Grand is an American Texas Country group. Tommy Rennick , Danny Rivera , and Fred Stallcup . All three members are natives of the state of Texas. In addition, Tommy Rennick was previously a member of 37 South and the Allison Paige band...
- Robert Earl KeenRobert Earl KeenRobert Earl Keen, Junior is an American Texas Country singer-songwriter. He is popular with fans of traditional country music, folk music, college radio, and alt-country. Keen currently resides in Kerrville, Texas and maintains a ranch in Medina, Texas.-Early life:Growing up in Houston, Texas,...
- Roger CreagerRoger CreagerRoger Creager is an award-winning Texas Country singer and songwriter.-Biography:Roger aspired to become a country music singer since he was six years old. He started learning how to play piano in the second grade, but didn't learn guitar until he was a student at Tuloso-Midway High School...
- Rusty WierRusty WierRussell Allen "Rusty" Wier was an American singer-songwriter from Austin, Texas.Wier's career dates back to the 1970s and covers multiple music genres...
- Ryan BinghamRyan BinghamRyan Bingham is an Americana singer-songwriter currently based in Los Angeles, California.After garnering critical acclaim for his first two studio releases on Lost Highway Records, 2007's Mescalito and 2009's Roadhouse Sun, Ryan Bingham went on to collaborate with Grammy-winning producer T Bone...
- Sam Riggs Band (Vocalist Sam Riggs originally from Saint Cloud, Florida, now resides in Austin, TexasAustin, TexasAustin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
) - Steve EarleSteve EarleStephen Fain "Steve" Earle is an American singer-songwriter known for his rock and Texas Country as well as his political views. He is also a producer, author, a political activist, and an actor, and has written and directed a play....
- Stoney LaRueStoney LarueStoney LaRue is a Texas Country/Red Dirt artist. Born in Taft, Texas, LaRue was raised in Southeastern Oklahoma and began playing country music at a young age....
(Originally from or still resides in Oklahoma) - Sunny SweeneySunny SweeneySunny Michaela Sweeney is an American country music artist. She is signed to the Republic Nashville label. Her debut album, Heartbreaker's Hall of Fame, was issued in 2007. Although it produced three singles in "If I Could", "Ten Years Pass" and "East Texas Pines", none of these singles have charted...
- Tejas Brothers
- The GourdsThe GourdsThe Gourds are an American alternative country band that formed in Austin, Texas during the summer of 1994.-Career:Primarily evolving from the Picket Line Coyotes and the Grackles, The Gourds original line-up consisted of Kevin Russell , Jimmy Smith , Claude Bernard , and Charlie Llewellin...
- The Great DivideThe Great Divide (band)The Great Divide was an American Red Dirt/Texas Country music group, originally from Stillwater, Oklahoma. The Great Divide formed its own record label, publishing company and operating company, and began recording. The group's first two albums, Goin' For Broke and Break In The Storm, were...
(Originally from Oklahoma) - The Justin Merritt Band (Originally from Louisiana)
- Tommy AlversonTommy AlversonTommy Alverson is a Texas Country musician from Fort Worth, Texas. He attended and played varsity football at Itasca High School with Austin’s Sam Baker...
- Townes Van ZandtTownes Van ZandtJohn Townes Van Zandt , best known as Townes Van Zandt, was an American Texas Country-folk music singer-songwriter, performer, and poet...
- Two Tons of SteelTwo Tons of SteelTwo Tons of Steel is a "rockabilly"/Texas Country band from San Antonio, Texas.The band has performed live at Gruene Hall, and has appeared in the IMAX film Texas: The Big Picture...
- Wade BowenWade BowenWade Bowen is an American Texas Country/Red Dirt singer from Waco, Texas.Bowen was a member of the band, West 84, with friend Matt Miller, before the band was re-aligned 2001. He released his first album in 2002, Try Not To Listen, which became a regional hit in Texas. He released his first live...
- Walt Wilkins
- Waylon JenningsWaylon JenningsWaylon Arnold Jennings was an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician. Jennings began playing at eight. He began performing at twelve, on KVOW radio. Jennings formed a band The Texas Longhorns. Jennings worked as a D.J on KVOW, KDAV and KLLL...
- Whiskey Myers (East Texas)
- William Clark Green
- Willie NelsonWillie NelsonWillie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
- Zane WilliamsZane WilliamsZane Williams is a native of Abilene, Texas. He is now a Texas Country singer/songwriter in McKinney, Texas.Zane's 2003 collection of music prompted a string of national awards for the relatively unknown artist. Zane was a finalist in an unprecedented three categories at MerleFest's Chris Austin...
- Zona JonesZona JonesZona Jones is an American country music singer and attorney. Signed to D/Quarterback Records in 2004, he released his debut album Harleys & Horses and charted three singles from it, including the #47 "Two Hearts." In 2008, he signed to Rocky Comfort Records, a label owned by Tracy Lawrence, to...
Further reading
- Abernethy, Francis E. "Texas Folk and Modern Country Music." Texas Country: The Changing Rural Scene. Ed. Lich, Glene. College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press, 1986.
- Barr, Gregory. "Randy Rogers Band: Just A Matter of Time." Best In Texas Music Magazine.
- Carr, Joe and Allan Munde. Prairie Nights to Neon Lights. Lubbock: Texas Tech University Press, 1995.
- Dawidoff, Nicholas. In the Country of Country: People and Places in American Music. New York: Random House, 1997.
- Fox, Aaron A. Real Country: Music and Language in Working-Class Culture. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2004.
- Harrington, AnnMarie. Roger Creager-Long Way To Mexico.
- Jennings, Waylon and Lenny KayeLenny KayeLenny Kaye is an American guitarist, composer and writer who is best known as a member of the Patti Smith Group.- Early life :...
. Waylon: An Autobiography. New York: Warner Books, 1976. - Malone, Bill C. "Growing Up With Texas Country Music." What’s Going On? (In Modern Texas Folklore). Ed. Abernethy, Francis E. Austin, TX: The Encino Press, 1976.
- Middleton, Richard. Studying Popular Music. Philadelphia: Open University Press, 2002.
- Specht, Joe W. "Put a Nickel in the Jukebox." The Roots of Texas Music. Ed. Clayton Lawrence. College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press, 2003.