Texas country music (more popularly known just as Texas country or Texas music) is a rapidly growing subgenre of
country music
Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...
from
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...
. Texas country is a unique style of
Western music and is often associated with other distinct neighboring styles,
including
Red Dirt from
Oklahoma,
the
New Mexico music
New Mexico music ( es, música nuevo mexicana) is a genre of music that originated in the US state of New Mexico, it derives from Pueblo music in the 13th century, and with the folk music of Hispanos during the 16th to 19th centuries in Santa F ...
of
New Mexico
)
, population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano)
, seat = Santa Fe
, LargestCity = Albuquerque
, LargestMetro = Tiguex
, OfficialLang = None
, Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ke ...
,
and
Tejano in Texas,
all of which have influenced one another over the years, and are popular throughout Texas, the
Midwest, the
Southwest
The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each sepa ...
, and other parts of the
Western United States
The Western United States (also called the American West, the Far West, and the West) is the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. As American settlement in the U.S. expanded westward, the meaning of the term ''the We ...
. Texas Country is known for fusing
neotraditional country
Neotraditional country (also known as new traditional country and hardcore country) is a country music style that emphasizes the instrumental background and a traditional country vocal style. Neo-traditional country artists often dress in the fash ...
with the outspoken, care-free views of
outlaw country. Texas Country blends these sub-genres with a "
common working man" theme and witty undertones, these often combine with a stripped down music sound.
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 as the genre tends to be anti-Nashville. The genre differentiates from Nashville country with its rejection of pop influences that is found in Nashville Country recently, but does not necessarily mean the artist/group is Texas-based. For example,
Chris Knight is considered by some to be a Texas Country musician, despite his
Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...
ties.
Adam Hood
Adam Hood is a singer-songwriter from Opelika, Alabama. His music is in the style of Roots), Americana, and roots rock.
Career
Hood's 2007 album ''Different Groove'' was produced with Pete Anderson. In 2007, Hood opened for Taylor Hicks, p ...
, an
Alabama
(We dare defend our rights)
, anthem = "Alabama"
, image_map = Alabama in United States.svg
, seat = Montgomery
, LargestCity = Huntsville
, LargestCounty = Baldwin County
, LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham
, area_total_km2 = 135,765 ...
native, also has had success in the genre. Even international musicians, such as
Alberta, Canada
Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Territ ...
native
Corb Lund
Corb Lund is a Canadian country and western singer-songwriter from Taber, Alberta, Canada. He has released eleven albums, three of which are certified gold. Lund tours regularly in Canada, the United States and Australia, and has received several ...
, have been successful in the Texas Country scene.
Instrumentation
The
acoustic guitar is essential in Texas Country Music. However, the use of
electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that requires external amplification in order to be heard at typical performance volumes, unlike a standard acoustic guitar (however combinations of the two - a semi-acoustic guitar and an electric acoustic gu ...
s,
steel guitars or
pedal steel guitars in the genre is not uncommon.
Bass and
percussion
A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Ex ...
are used in live performances. The sounds of
piano
The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keybo ...
,
baritone guitar,
banjo,
accordion,
fiddle or
harmonica on studio recordings are the norm for the genre.
Vocals
The line of delineation for vocals is unclear. Traditionally, the Texas Country scene has been a male dominated genre, however many women have had chart success in recent years. The Texas "anthem" is a common song type, referencing and sometimes embellishing on the different positive characteristics of the state. Many of these types of songs have been popular on the Texas Music Charts.
Live performances
The live performance is at the very root of the Texas Country scene. 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
Wranglers two-stepping next to the mosh pit, where
college boys or "Man Fans" in khakis and college girls 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.
Popular venues include,
Gruene Hall
Gruene Hall, built in 1878 by Henry (Heinrich) D. Gruene and located in the historical town of Gruene, Texas (now a part of New Braunfels), bills itself as "the oldest continually run dance hall in Texas". By design, not much has physically change ...
(Gruene),
Billy Bob's (Ft. Worth)
Cowboys Red River(Dallas and San Antonio), John T. Floore's Country Store (Helotes),
Luckenbach Dance Hall (near Fredericksburg), and Blue Light Live (Lubbock).
In addition to local and state wide venues hosting live performances, the Texas Regional Radio Report hosts the annual Texas Regional Radio Music Awards Show where the Texas Red Dirt artist and radio stations are recognized for the outstanding achievements throughout the year. The winners in 25 categories are nominated and voted on by fans, friends and industry professionals and are awarded the night of the show. The voting membership has grown to over 32,000 voting members in five years and continues to expand every year. The awards show is open to the public and fans alike who cheer on their favorite artist/entertainers and radio stations. Information about the show and voting procedures can be found at https://trrma.net/
Themes
Lyrical content is the backbone of Texas country music. Legendary Country Music Outlaw
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American country musician. The critical success of the album '' Shotgun Willie'' (1973), combined with the critical and commercial success of '' Red Headed Stranger'' (1975) and '' Stardust'' (1 ...
was inspired by his friend
Waylon Jennings
Waylon Jennings (June 15, 1937 – February 13, 2002) was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. He pioneered the Outlaw Movement in country music.
Jennings started playing guitar at the age of eight and performed at age f ...
, a country legend and inspiration to present Texas country musicians himself, when he said “Your melody goes where the words take you”.
There are 4 different types of themes in Country Music. These themes include the following categories: "It's All Over" (songs with a core theme of loss or regret), "It's Not Working Out" (songs with a focus on frustration over a relationship), "Love and Devotion" (sappy love songs) and "The Right Way to Live" (songs with a dominant theme of pride and homespun wisdom).
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".
History
Origination
Country Music from Texas has been popular since the spread of the cowboy culture in the late 1800s. Texas helped popularize Country Music through the world and the state’s rich and varied traditions continue to redefine Country Music.
Texas Country's roots lie in the
Outlaw country movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Texan artists such as
Waylon Jennings
Waylon Jennings (June 15, 1937 – February 13, 2002) was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. He pioneered the Outlaw Movement in country music.
Jennings started playing guitar at the age of eight and performed at age f ...
,
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American country musician. The critical success of the album '' Shotgun Willie'' (1973), combined with the critical and commercial success of '' Red Headed Stranger'' (1975) and '' Stardust'' (1 ...
,
George Strait,
David Allan Coe
David Allan Coe (born September 6, 1939) is an American singer and songwriter. Coe took up music after spending much of his early life in reform schools and prisons, and first became notable for busking in Nashville. He initially played mostly i ...
retreated from the Nashville Country Music scene to
Austin,
Luckenbach,
College Station and
Houston
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 i ...
. Other artists who were inspired by this movement included performers like
Guy Clark
Guy Charles Clark (November 6, 1941 – May 17, 2016) was an American folk and country singer-songwriter and luthier. He released more than 20 albums, and his songs have been recorded by other artists, including Jerry Jeff Walker, Jimmy Buffet ...
,
Jerry Jeff Walker
Jerry Jeff Walker (born Ronald Clyde Crosby; March 16, 1942 – October 23, 2020) was an American country music and folk singer-songwriter. He was a leading figure in the progressive country and outlaw country music movement. He was bes ...
, Gary P. Nunn
Steve Young
Jon Steven Young (born October 11, 1961) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons, primarily with the San Francisco 49ers. He also played for the Tampa Bay Buccane ...
,
Kris Kristofferson
Kristoffer Kristofferson (born June 22, 1936) is a retired American singer, songwriter and actor. Among his songwriting credits are " Me and Bobby McGee", " For the Good Times", " Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", and " Help Me Make It Through the ...
,
Joe Ely,
Terry Allen,
Steve Earle, and
Townes Van Zandt
John Townes Van Zandt (March 7, 1944 – January 1, 1997) was an American singer-songwriter. . 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
Patrick Craven Green (born April 5, 1972) is an American Texas Country artist. Active since 1995, he has recorded a total of seven studio albums, including several independent works, three for Republic Records and two for BNA. Fifteen of his si ...
,
Robert Earl Keen
Robert Earl Keen (born January 11, 1956) is an American singer-songwriter and entertainer. Debuting with 1984's ''No Kinda Dancer'', the Houston native has recorded 20 full-length albums for both independent and major record labels. His songs ha ...
,
Radney Foster
Radney Muckleroy Foster (born July 20, 1959) is an American country music singer-songwriter, musician and music producer. Initially a songwriter in Nashville, Tennessee, Foster made his recording debut as part of the Foster & Lloyd duo, recording ...
,
Max Stalling
Max Stalling is a Texas country music singer-songwriter.
Early life
Stalling is from Crystal City. He attended kindergarten through high school in Carrizo Springs. He studied at Texas A&M University, where he earned an undergraduate and a m ...
,
Wade Bowen
Paul Wade Bowen (born 1977) is an American Texas Country/Red Dirt (music), Red Dirt singer from Waco, Texas, United States.
Bowen was a member of the band West 84 with friend Matt Miller until 2001 when the group became known as Wade Bowen and ...
George Ducas
Voivode George Ducas (Greek: ''Γεώργιος Δούκας'', Romanian: ''Gheorghe Duca'') (c. 1620 – 31 March 1685) was three times prince of Moldavia (September 1665 – May 1666, November 1668 – 20 August 1672, November 1678 – Januar ...
,
Randy Rogers,
Rich O’Toole &
Cory Morrow.
While the genre has roots in Texas, Oklahoma artists such as
Jason Boland,
Stoney LaRue
Stoney LaRue (born Stoney Larue Phillips in 1977) is an American Texas Country/ Red Dirt artist.
Life and career
Born in Taft, Texas, LaRue was raised in Yanush/Buffalo Valley, Oklahoma where he still visits regularly and began playing country ...
,
Mike McClure
Mike McClure (born July 6, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, and producer from Tecumseh, Oklahoma. He is currently the frontman for the Mike McClure Band. McClure is a founding member of The Great Divide, and was a member until he and the b ...
, and
Cross Canadian Ragweed
Cross Canadian Ragweed was an American rock band formed in Yukon, Oklahoma in 1994. The band consisted of Cody Canada (lead guitar/vocals), Grady Cross (guitar), Randy Ragsdale (drums), and Jeremy Plato (bass guitar). The group released five s ...
have had a major influence on Texas Country. For this reason, "Red Dirt Music" is becoming a more popular term for the genre to pay homage to its Oklahoma influence. The term was coined in reference to the miles of red dirt that is common throughout the two states.
1990s
Robert Earl Keen
Robert Earl Keen (born January 11, 1956) is an American singer-songwriter and entertainer. Debuting with 1984's ''No Kinda Dancer'', the Houston native has recorded 20 full-length albums for both independent and major record labels. His songs ha ...
'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
issongs 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”.
2000s and the Texas influence in Nashville
Cory Morrow, a
Houston
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 i ...
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
Patrick Craven Green (born April 5, 1972) is an American Texas Country artist. Active since 1995, he has recorded a total of seven studio albums, including several independent works, three for Republic Records and two for BNA. Fifteen of his si ...
, 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 Country 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 (born May 11, 1966) is an American singer-songwriter. He has released five studio albums, and has charted four singles on the '' Billboard'' Hot Country Songs charts, including the top 40 hit "Pound Sign (#?*!)". In addition, he wr ...
, 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
Amarillo ( ; Spanish for " yellow") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the seat of Potter County. It is the 14th-most populous city in Texas and the largest city in the Texas Panhandle. A portion of the city extends into Randall Cou ...
, he self-released his country debut album ''One For The Road'' in 1997. This followed with his smash independent follow-up 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 Owen Ingram (born November 15, 1970) is an American country music artist formerly signed to Big Machine Records, an independent record label. He has released eleven studio albums, one extended play, six live albums, and 19 singles. Although ...
, who had already established a name for himself in Texas Country, who won a
CMT Music Award
The CMT Music Awards is a fan-voted awards show for country music videos and television performances. The awards ceremony is held every year in Nashville, Tennessee, and broadcast live on the CMT (Country Music Television) channel. Voting takes p ...
in 2007 and the 2008
Academy of Country Music
The Academy of Country Music (ACM) was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California, Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Among the founders were Eddie Miller (songwriter), Eddie Miller, Tommy Wiggins, and Mickey and Chris ...
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
"Lips of an Angel" is a song by American rock band Hinder, produced and co-written by Brian Howes and Joseph Lombardo. It was released in July 2006 as the second single from their 2005 debut album, '' Extreme Behavior''. It was their breakthroug ...
". Another one of his singles, "
Wherever You Are", went to number one on the Billboard Chart.
Many independent artists, which is the fastest growing segment of the global recorded music business, have gained commercial success through the Texas music scene, such as albums debuting in the Top 5 of Billboard's Top Country Album sales.
Radio stations
Texas Country is unique in that radio stations throughout Texas have embraced the subgenre and regularly mix Texas country into a Country radio format:
Internet
*Texas Country Mix (Internet Radio)
*GotRadio Texas Best (Internet Radio)
Terrestrial (AM/FM)
*
KBSO 94.7 Corpus Christi, Texas
*
KFLP 106.1 Floydada/Plainview/Lubbock, Texas
*
KFWR 95.9 Fort Worth, Texas
*
KFYN 104.3 Paris, Texas
*
KILT 100.3 HD3 Houston, Texas
*
KKBQ 92.9 HD3 Pasadena, Texas
*
KNBT 92.1 New Braunfels, Texas
*
KOLI 94.9 Wichita Falls, Texas
*
KOKE 99.3/98.5 Austin, Texas
*
KORA 98.3 Bryan/College Station, Texas
*
KPLX 99.5 Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas
*
KPUR 95.7 Amarillo, Texas
*
KRMX 92.9 Waco, Texas
*
KRVA 107.1 Campbell, Texas
*
KSLI 1280 Abilene, Texas
*
KTEX 106.1 Brenham, Texas
*
KTWL 105.3 Brenham, Texas
*
KWHI 101.7 Brenham, Texas
Syndicated radio programs
Several
regionally syndicated programs feature the format:
*CDTex Radio Show
*Official Texas Countdown
*Scotty Bennett's Texas Nights
*The Red River Radio Show with Bryson
Tracking and charts
Radio play in Texas music is tracked and reported digitally by the Texas Country Music Chart and TractionTX using the highest level of technology. Radio airplay is still physically reported by the Texas Regional Radio Report.
Many of Texas country artists maintain a yearly membership with the Texas Country Music Association, a community of touring and recording artists, songwriters, and many other contributors to the Texas music industry.
Royal Caribbean International
Royal Caribbean International (RCI), also formerly known as Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (RCCL), is a cruise line brand founded in 1968 in Norway and organised as a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Caribbean Group since 1997. Based in Miami, Flo ...
and Luxx Vacations have partnered with various sponsors to host a Texas Country Music Cruise on the
Liberty of the Seas
''Liberty of the Seas'' is a Royal Caribbean International which entered regular service in May 2007. It was initially announced that she would be called ''Endeavour of the Seas'', however this name was later changed. The 15-deck ship accommod ...
, featuring many Texas music artists such as Cory Morrow, William Clark Green, and Bri Bagwell.
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
Texas A&M University Press (also known informally as TAMU Press) is a scholarly publishing house associated with Texas A&M University. It was founded in 1974 and is located in College Station, Texas, in the United States.
Overview
The Texas A& ...
, 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
The Texas Tech University Press (or TTUP), founded in 1971, is the university press of the American Texas Tech University, located in Lubbock, Texas.
See also
* List of English-language book publishing companies
* List of university presses ...
, 1995,
* Dawidoff, Nicholas. ''In the Country of Country: People and Places in American Music''. New York:
Random House
Random House is an American book publisher and the largest general-interest paperback publisher in the world. The company has several independently managed subsidiaries around the world. It is part of Penguin Random House, which is owned by Germ ...
, 1997,
* Fox, Aaron A. ''Real Country: Music and Language in Working-Class Culture''. Durham, NC:
Duke University Press
Duke University Press is an academic publisher and university press affiliated with Duke University. It was founded in 1921 by William T. Laprade as The Trinity College Press. (Duke University was initially called Trinity College). In 1926 D ...
, 2004,
* Harrington, Ann Marie. ''Roger Creager - Long Way to Mexico''
*
Jennings, Waylon and
Lenny Kaye. ''Waylon: An Autobiography''. New York:
Warner Books
Grand Central Publishing is a book publishing imprint of Hachette Book Group, originally established in 1970 as Warner Books when Warner Communications acquired the Paperback Library. When Time Warner sold their book publishing business to Hachet ...
, 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
McGraw Hill is an American educational publishing company and one of the "big three" educational publishers that publishes educational content, software, and services for pre-K through postgraduate education. The company also publishes referen ...
, 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
Texas A&M University Press (also known informally as TAMU Press) is a scholarly publishing house associated with Texas A&M University. It was founded in 1974 and is located in College Station, Texas, in the United States.
Overview
The Texas A& ...
, 2003.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Texas Country Music
Country music genres