Yep, I hit 44 and some kind of switch flipped and I’m well into sad cowboys now….always enjoyed Jason Isbell, I’m aware he’s closer to Springsteen than Cash but he was definitely a gateway to stuff that doesn’t usually cross the Atlantic very well
The best I’ve found recently would be Charles Wesley Godwin, Morgan Wade and the absolutely stellar Shane Smith and the Saints
I don't know how old you are, but I'm now in my mid-forties and I can say I hate this new "country" music even more than the old stuff.
That said, I had the same question about Jazz a couple years ago — the main difference being: for the most part, I still don't like the Jazz I was exposed to when I was younger — but there really does seem to be something different about the specific Jazz I was getting into... especially considering that old heads seem to not be into it at all. On the other hand, the new "country artists" just seem like cos-players — Jazz seems to actually be evolving, it's not just pop-star puppets putting on cowboy hats and singing a song their manager told them would be hot.
And can we just acknowledge something for once: Country music being popular in the mainstream isn't anything new. Remember that one particular song that "changed" the direction of rock music because "everyone" was sooooooooooo into it, cultural shift, yadda, yadda? Well, it was knocked out of first place on Billboard *twice* by Garth Brooks — and he stayed in first place for about 20 times longer than Teen Spirit ever did (and longer than Nirvana ever spent at number one for all their singles combined)... and yet, we only talk about one of those songs/artists (because it was all engineered hype... but that's a different convo). Truth is: in 1992, Country music was faaaaaaar more popular than grunge/alternative was, but it seems like everyone has completely forgotten about that.
So, yeah... country music is popular again [for like the 3rd time in my life] — but it's not because people are suddenly into country music [again]... but because, as usual, with the industry... it's manufactured nonsense. Oh, look! Someone who normally wouldn't be associated with Country music is wearing a cowboy outfit now. Wow.
Not to shit on something you might genuinely like — I get it.. *no one* likes the Jazz music I've been getting into. After posting my "Is Jazz Having A Moment?" article, I even asked Ted Gioa about how this stuff was different from what one might consider "traditional Jazz", and... he didn't even acknowledge my question, and instead sent a link to one of HIS articles that didn't address my question in any way. I dunno... I just think this Country phase is corny on multiple levels, and you did say "Let us know what you think". So... I did. lol... sorry!
Yep, I hit 44 and some kind of switch flipped and I’m well into sad cowboys now….always enjoyed Jason Isbell, I’m aware he’s closer to Springsteen than Cash but he was definitely a gateway to stuff that doesn’t usually cross the Atlantic very well
The best I’ve found recently would be Charles Wesley Godwin, Morgan Wade and the absolutely stellar Shane Smith and the Saints
Good stuff!!
"Is it maturing into my age?"
I don't know how old you are, but I'm now in my mid-forties and I can say I hate this new "country" music even more than the old stuff.
That said, I had the same question about Jazz a couple years ago — the main difference being: for the most part, I still don't like the Jazz I was exposed to when I was younger — but there really does seem to be something different about the specific Jazz I was getting into... especially considering that old heads seem to not be into it at all. On the other hand, the new "country artists" just seem like cos-players — Jazz seems to actually be evolving, it's not just pop-star puppets putting on cowboy hats and singing a song their manager told them would be hot.
And can we just acknowledge something for once: Country music being popular in the mainstream isn't anything new. Remember that one particular song that "changed" the direction of rock music because "everyone" was sooooooooooo into it, cultural shift, yadda, yadda? Well, it was knocked out of first place on Billboard *twice* by Garth Brooks — and he stayed in first place for about 20 times longer than Teen Spirit ever did (and longer than Nirvana ever spent at number one for all their singles combined)... and yet, we only talk about one of those songs/artists (because it was all engineered hype... but that's a different convo). Truth is: in 1992, Country music was faaaaaaar more popular than grunge/alternative was, but it seems like everyone has completely forgotten about that.
So, yeah... country music is popular again [for like the 3rd time in my life] — but it's not because people are suddenly into country music [again]... but because, as usual, with the industry... it's manufactured nonsense. Oh, look! Someone who normally wouldn't be associated with Country music is wearing a cowboy outfit now. Wow.
Not to shit on something you might genuinely like — I get it.. *no one* likes the Jazz music I've been getting into. After posting my "Is Jazz Having A Moment?" article, I even asked Ted Gioa about how this stuff was different from what one might consider "traditional Jazz", and... he didn't even acknowledge my question, and instead sent a link to one of HIS articles that didn't address my question in any way. I dunno... I just think this Country phase is corny on multiple levels, and you did say "Let us know what you think". So... I did. lol... sorry!
https://ifrqfm.substack.com/p/is-jazz-having-a-moment
Haha gotcha!