For the purposes of this thread, I'm defining "underrated" as the acts who should be well recognizable names to anyone who considers themselves a Texas country fan, but for whatever reason they aren't.

Obviously, this eliminates the big names like REK, Jack, Cory, Pat, etc., but I'd also eliminate the guys like Stoney LaRue and Wade Bowen, whose entire playlist may not be well-known by everyone, but they're big on the contemporary scene so their names at least get mentioned regularly. I'll also throw out "new guys" who may only have one or two songs out as of yet, since you can't call them underrated if they haven't really had time to get get "rated".

My votes go to Chris Knight and Eleven Hundred Springs. I own albums by both, and it's a crying shame that, when I mention them to friends who are so-called Texas country fans, they say "who is that?"

For top-to-bottom quality, Eleven Hundred Springs' "Bandwagon" album is probably one of the better non-greatest hits albums I've heard in some time. Anything put out by Chris Knight is absolutely awesome in my mind.

I start this thread in hopes of maybe spreading the word about those two acts, and also with the hopes of trying to find some more just like them who are outstanding artists that for some reason don't really fit in with the trendy Texas country crowd.

[This message has been edited by WestTxAg06 (edited 2/1/2007 5:17p).]

I had never listened to Radney Foster until about a month ago when I saw him in Austin with Creager and Randy Rogers... now he's one of my favorites

ed burleson
houston marchman

fyi- If you are throwing out Stoney Larue and Wade Bowen because they are too well known then you need to throw out Chris Knight too.

Owen Temple is my favorite Texas Country artist, and he never got the pub he deserved, while his friends Cory and Pat each sold out, one for coke and the party life, the other for nashville.

Adam Carroll and Cary Swinney are both great.

I like Chris Knight a lot but he isn't Texan, he's from Kentuck.

Chris Knight may not be a native Texan, but he makes the rounds on the Texas bar/club scene, he gets a little Texas airplay, and his music fits in with the Texas scene.

If we're disqualifying a guy who plays the style of music from being a member of the genre because he's from out of state, that would throw out Boland, Cross, and everyone else from Oklahoma.

Brandon Rhyder
Eli Young

Brian Burns
Ed Burleson
Max Stalling
Becca Dalrymple

Couldn't we just call it Americana? Isn't that what it is?

Mark David Manders

And I would say that Texas Country is a subgenre of Americana.

WestTxAg-
Bandwagon is almost a greatest hits album, half of it is previously recorded stuff. You are right though, we see 'em every time they come through SA and they usually stick around after the show and hang out. If we're lucky and they aren't too tired, we'll all go have a few beers somewhere else. It still cracks me up their drummer is the old toadies drummer.

My List
1100
Adam Carroll
Fred Eaglesmith(lumped him in)

Matt Powell...hands down the best musician in Austin right now. His first album is called Dragonfly...he plays every instrument on every song and did all the arranging and producing as well as his own background vocals.

The guy is incredibly talented......and incredibly lazy. He will not hardly play outside of Austin.

Jeff Bean from Houston. He can play every note of "Wildwood Flower" with his toes, and he has a four octave range. I saw him play bass guitar with his left hand, lead guitar with his right while singing "El Paso" by Marty Robbins.

Problem is the guy doesn't have a band, and he's never performed publicly (other than for his friends at his crazy parties).

I guess that makes him the number one most underrated texas country artist.

Okay, I have to ask for it...

Somebody please define Texas country. Don't get me wrong...I like a lot of the artists that make-up the said genre. People just try to keep it all in Texas...or they use the Texas/Red Dirt moniker. If it's just the Texas scene, that's cool...I would agree that some artists, a la Chris Knight, are big on the Texas scene.

I just want to know what "Texas Country Music" is. And furthermore, who picks who gets to be included (i.e., I don't understand some people who think Pat sold out but are real quick to throw Dierks Bentley in there because he wore a Ragweed shirt on TV and sang a tune with Cody).

Sidehill Gougers
Gabe Wootton



Let's Hug It Out B*tch - Ari Gold

Hayes Carl

Micky and the Motorcars

I grew up with Gabe Wooten...could tell a lot of stories.

Does anyone know if he has a website?

The Rich O'Toole Band
James Vives
Emory Quinn

gabe finally made it to myspace. if you have problems finding him - find some of the other guys in the group on myspace and you will find him.

gabe is very talented and quite a character. i've spent many a nights with him drinking on ng. i hope he is playing at ng music fest this year!

I've known Gabe for 6 or so years now and I have a few stories as well...

He has a myspace and last time I talked to him he was putting together a record. He has been saying that since I met him.



Let's Hug It Out B*tch - Ari Gold

I'm not myspace savy - but I'll see if I can find his page.

WestTX,

I wasn't trying to flame. I guess I took the title too literally. If non-Texan, Texas-type artists are in the mix, I like Kasey Chambers.

Are the Weary Boys considered country or alt-country? We saw them at Gruene once and thought they were really good.

Wimberley, I didn't take your post as a flame, I was just clarifying my thoughts on the matter.

In regards to someone asking what exactly qualified as Texas/Red Dirt country, I'd say it's a pretty blurry area as to what constitutes the genre. I'd say it's anything in the Americana/alt-country/country-rock that gets played in Texas, either live or on the radio.

Is Ryan Adams TX country? His song "Trains" gets played on The Range here is Dallas. Heck, the whole Jacksonville City Nights album is straight out of the 70's country cookbook. I've also heard something of his from the Heartbreaker album.

WestTX...again, just asking. You've seen me post on other threads of this nature, and you know I dig the artists...I just dislike the title (or something).

[This message has been edited by thriller03 (edited 2/2/2007 12:43p).]

I've honestly never listened to Ryan Adams (that I recall, anyway), but what I've heard about him would certainly suggest he's in the realm of what we're talking about.

I agree that the title is a bit difficult because of the wide variety of musical styles that get lumped together. You've got guys like Jack Ingram who border on the edge of mainstream at times (I don't think he's sold out, I just think his style is one that is more prone to acceptance by the mainstream as opposed to someone like REK). Aaron Watson plays dancehall-style country. Cross Canadian is essentially a rock band. Jason Boland plays traditional country. 1100 Springs is sort of a hippie honky-tonk. Chris Knight borders on folk-type music.

I really don't know what to call it. Americana is probably right, but that sort of has a connotation of off-the-wall folk music played by odd groups with weird names. "Texas country" probably doesn't fit, since it's not all actual country music. "Texas music" may be the best thing I can come up with, just because it is music that is popular in Texas.

check out Jason Allen next week at Harry's

James Hand

i second adam carroll. one of my favorites.

Trey Clark.

Max Stalling

I think there are no set qualifications for being a Texas Country band. Texas Country is more of a mindset than a static, definable genre.

[This message has been edited by agr0n9 (edited 2/2/2007 7:21p).]

SinKiller- James Hand is awesome! Him and my dad are good buddies...

Max Stalling

also check out granger smith