[Martinman]

Kaeli did a wonderful job with the Alt-Female Country thread. I, for one, got some great artists and albums out of it, but it seems to have slowed down. I'd like to go on a hunch that if we broadened the scope a bit, we might get some more great music from the genre Country and perhaps some good artist in the sub-genres of male alternative country/country rock

I think there's some good folks hiding out there with a few aces up their sleeve. I'm going to bounce a few names here and see if we can get the steel guitars, fiddles, harmonies and acoustic guitars going. Here's three of my definite long time favourites:

Waylong Jennings (Honky Tonk Heros; Dreaming My Dreams);
Gram Parsons (GP Grevious Angel; Sacred Hearts and Fallen Angels); and
Pure Prairie League (Bustin' Out; Two Lane Highway).
Oh make it four; I HAVE to include Hank Williams (The Legend of Hank Williams; The Very Best of Hank Williams).

Anyone want to comment or add to this list? For gender equity, you can still list female artists if they're at the top of your list!

Martinman

[Ashleyj]

Originally Posted by Martinman

Kaeli did a wonderful job with the Alt-Female Country thread. I, for one, got some great artists and albums out of it, but it seems to have slowed down. I'd like to go on a hunch that if we broadened the scope a bit, we might get some more great music from the genre Country and perhaps some good artist in the sub-genres of male alternative country/country rock

I think there's some good folks hiding out there with a few aces up their sleeve. I'm going to bounce a few names here and see if we can get the steel guitars, fiddles, harmonies and acoustic guitars going. Here's three of my definite long time favourites:

Waylong Jennings (Honky Tonk Heros; Dreaming My Dreams);
Gram Parsons (GP Grevious Angel; Sacred Hearts and Fallen Angels); and
Pure Prairie League (Bustin' Out; Two Lane Highway).
Oh make it four; I HAVE to include Hank Williams (The Legend of Hank Williams; The Very Best of Hank Williams).

Anyone want to comment or add to this list? For gender equity, you can still list female artists if they're at the top of your list!

Martinman

Thanks for starting this thread James.

I will not be able to contribute much as I have always tended to favour female artists but I am looking forward to listening to some of the suggestions in this thread.

The only male artist that I have listened to in any quantity would have to be John Denver, I think every one of my generation must have got some of his recordings over the years.
I have also looked at Willie Nelson, and I keep saying to myself that I ought to listen to more of his stuff. Perhaps now that you have started this thread I will get around to it.

[petra.blanke]

Hmmmm - now - WHERE do I start here ?

ALAN JACKSON - ' THE VERY BEST OF ' - good intro. to one of the most consistent modern Country artistes....

BIG AND RICH - ' HORSE OF A DIFFERENT COLOUR ' - this really shook-up the Country scene when it came out a few years back, utilising rock themes, and even some very mild rap - amazing disc !

BROOKS AND DUNN - very popular Country duo - ' Steers and Stripes ' is probably their most consistent album, but their latest ' Cowboy Town ' is also worth checking out, as are their 2 ' Best Of 's '...

DWIGHT YOAKAM - Influenced by Buck Owens and one of many who avoids Nashville - a real talent who has made consistently excellent albums over the years....another excellent guitarist. Try ' Blame the Vain ' as a starter !

BRAD PAISLEY - also a very distinguished electric guitarist, several excellent discs - start with ' Time Well Wasted '....

ERIC CHURCH - Only one album so far - but WHAT an album - ' SINNERS LIKE ME ' - a Huge and well-deserved smash, and one of my Most Played albums !

STEVE EARLE - Another outside the Nashville orbit - fiercely independent and individualistic, he has cast a huge and positive Shadow over modern Country with his influence - lots of albums - try ' Jerusalem' and ' I Feel Alright '

CHRIS KNIGHT - an artist influenced by Steve Earle - his first album - ' Chris Knight ' is amazing.....

DARIUS RUCKER - formerly lead singer with Hootie and the Blowfish, he now has a current Country smash album with the excellent ' Learn to Live '.

JAMEY JOHNSON - a writer turned artist, strong baritone voice and 2 very strong discs - ' The Dollar ' and most recently - ' That Lonesome Song '....

KEITH ANDERSON - ' C' Mon ' - rcent album of powerful songs, many with a Country Rock backbone.

RECKLESS KELLY - strong alt.Country band - fantastic ' live ' - try their latest ' Bullet Proof ' - another Steve Earle-influnce......

SUGARLAND - Very popular band - their latest ' Love on the Inside ' is a good start....Jennifer Nettles has a great raunchy voice !

A few to be going on with !
Hope you find something you like......
And - that it changes any preconceived notions you might have had about what constitutes Modern Country music.....

[Nightfly]

Originally Posted by Martinman

Kaeli did a wonderful job with the Alt-Female Country thread. I, for one, got some great artists and albums out of it, but it seems to have slowed down. I'd like to go on a hunch that if we broadened the scope a bit, we might get some more great music from the genre Country and perhaps some good artist in the sub-genres of male alternative country/country rock

I think there's some good folks hiding out there with a few aces up their sleeve. I'm going to bounce a few names here and see if we can get the steel guitars, fiddles, harmonies and acoustic guitars going. Here's three of my definite long time favourites:

Waylong Jennings (Honky Tonk Heros; Dreaming My Dreams);
Gram Parsons (GP Grevious Angel; Sacred Hearts and Fallen Angels); and
Pure Prairie League (Bustin' Out; Two Lane Highway).
Oh make it four; I HAVE to include Hank Williams (The Legend of Hank Williams; The Very Best of Hank Williams).

Anyone want to comment or add to this list? For gender equity, you can still list female artists if they're at the top of your list!

Martinman

Thanks Martinman....

Gram Parsons is one my favorites who helped create the genre of Country Rock and I like his work as well with The Flying Burrito Bros.

And good ol' Hank Williams was one of the Best songwriters and singers of his
genre.

I would Like to recommend:

The Deadstring Brothers("self tittled album" "Silver Mountain" my fav "Starving Weather Report") Sounds like Country/Stones.

The Old 97's ("Wreck Your Life" Drag It Up" Alive and Wired")
Great alt/country band.Good witty songwritting and singing.

Ryan Adams and The Cardinals("Easy Tiger""Jacksonville City Nights"
"Cold Roses" "29")As good as is it gets.Fabulous singer and excellent
songwritter.

Willie Nelson("Teatro") with Emmy Lou Harris and produced by Daniel Lanois.
one of my favs.
Will write more as I think of more...

[Dave C]

Originally Posted by Nightfly

Thanks Martinman....

Gram Parsons is one my favorites who helped create the genre of Country Rock and I like his work as well with The Flying Burrito Bros.

And good ol' Hank Williams was one of the Best songwriters and singers of his
genre.

I would Like to recommend:

The Deadstring Brothers("self tittled album" "Silver Mountain" my fav "Starving Weather Report") Sounds like Country/Stones.

The Old 97's ("Wreck Your Life" Drag It Up" Alive and Wired")
Great alt/country band.Good witty songwritting and singing.

Ryan Adams and The Cardinals("Easy Tiger""Jacksonville City Nights"
"Cold Roses" "29")As good as is it gets.Fabulous singer and excellent
songwritter.

Willie Nelson("Teatro") with Emmy Lou Harris and produced by Daniel Lanois.
one of my favs.
Will write more as I think of more...

Some of your selection are more my kind of music Nightfly, particularly The Old 97's .
My Alt. country to tends more towards the alternative side and so my five additions to this list (could easily do 20 ) are:-
(1) Bowerbirds and their new album ''Hymns for a Dark Horse'
(2) Bon Iver and his superb début album 'For Emma, Forever Ago'
(3) Okkervil River. Lots of excellent albums but my favourite is (probably ) 'Down The River Of Golden Dreams'.
(4) Can't mention Okkervil River without next going on to Shearwater. Latest album 'Rook' is one of my fav. albums from this year.
(5) Smog. Toss up between 'A River Ain`t Too Much To Love' & 'Knock Knock' for best album

[Gaucho]

There's too much information in this thread. This lot will take me weeks to get through!

[Ashleyj]

Originally Posted by Gaucho

There's too much information in this thread. This lot will take me weeks to get through!

I know the feeling Gaucho, I'm still trying to get to grips with the alt-female country suggestions, now I have got this lot to work through.

And GM said he could not think of anything to download!

Thanks for the suggestions guys.
I can vouch for Reckless Kelly - Bulletproof as recommended by Nightfly.
Willie Nelson and Emmylou Harris is just about the best combination you could come across.

[Martinman]

Originally Posted by petra.blanke

Hmmmm - now - WHERE do I start here ?

ALAN JACKSON - ' THE VERY BEST OF ' - good intro. to one of the most consistent modern Country artistes....

BIG AND RICH - ' HORSE OF A DIFFERENT COLOUR ' - this really shook-up the Country scene when it came out a few years back, utilising rock themes, and even some very mild rap - amazing disc !

BROOKS AND DUNN - very popular Country duo - ' Steers and Stripes ' is probably their most consistent album, but their latest ' Cowboy Town ' is also worth checking out, as are their 2 ' Best Of 's '...

DWIGHT YOAKAM - Influenced by Buck Owens and one of many who avoids Nashville - a real talent who has made consistently excellent albums over the years....another excellent guitarist. Try ' Blame the Vain ' as a starter !

BRAD PAISLEY - also a very distinguished electric guitarist, several excellent discs - start with ' Time Well Wasted '....

ERIC CHURCH - Only one album so far - but WHAT an album - ' SINNERS LIKE ME ' - a Huge and well-deserved smash, and one of my Most Played albums !

STEVE EARLE - Another outside the Nashville orbit - fiercely independent and individualistic, he has cast a huge and positive Shadow over modern Country with his influence - lots of albums - try ' Jerusalem' and ' I Feel Alright '

CHRIS KNIGHT - an artist influenced by Steve Earle - his first album - ' Chris Knight ' is amazing.....

DARIUS RUCKER - formerly lead singer with Hootie and the Blowfish, he now has a current Country smash album with the excellent ' Learn to Live '.

JAMEY JOHNSON - a writer turned artist, strong baritone voice and 2 very strong discs - ' The Dollar ' and most recently - ' That Lonesome Song '....

KEITH ANDERSON - ' C' Mon ' - rcent album of powerful songs, many with a Country Rock backbone.

RECKLESS KELLY - strong alt.Country band - fantastic ' live ' - try their latest ' Bullet Proof ' - another Steve Earle-influnce......

SUGARLAND - Very popular band - their latest ' Love on the Inside ' is a good start....Jennifer Nettles has a great raunchy voice !

A few to be going on with !
Hope you find something you like......
And - that it changes any preconceived notions you might have had about what constitutes Modern Country music.....

Hi all

I know what you mean about feeling overwhelmed; maybe I've opened up a Pandora's box. Wow petra.blanke, you really threw the doors wide open! I really didn't expect so much so fast; and I've only given a few examples from my collection. Dave C and Nightfly, it looks like you've got some good stuff there too. up to all of you. Is it okay if we use the weekend to get through some stuff and then get back at it? Well, I'm going to anyway. Yikes!

Martinman

[Nightfly]

Originally Posted by Martinman

Hi all

I know what you mean about feeling overwhelmed; maybe I've opened up a Pandora's box. Wow petra.blanke, you really threw the doors wide open! I really didn't expect so much so fast; and I've only given a few examples from my collection. Dave C and Nightfly, it looks like you've got some good stuff there too. up to all of you. Is it okay if we use the weekend to get through some stuff and then get back at it? Well, I'm going to anyway. Yikes!

Martinman

We are just beginning,don't be sorry we open these threads for
people to contribute and have options.

This thread is not going anywhere's and people have as much time as they need.We encourage people to conribute as much as they see fit.

Go for it if you have any favorites to add.These lists are nothing in comparrison to what we had in the past.And there is always
room for another recommend......

[Hirs Ute]

The only contribution I can think to make is "The Felice Brothers" by The Felice Brothers - The nearest I can get is an upbeat Dylan sound