My point was to pick four to go on a Texas Country/Red Dirt music Mount Rushmore. Ragweed and Turnpike are most definitely Red Dirt bands, and two of the most iconic of all-time. Evan Felker is one of the best songwriters of this generation.Traces of Texas said:TexAgs Sponsors said:
From TexAgs Sponsor, Troubadour Festival:
Around this time last year, I posted about this performance of "Boys From Oklahoma" by Cross Canadian Ragweed and friends at Shadow Canyon (now Shiner Park) in Northgate. I mentioned that I would show this video to anyone who would ask me to define Texas Country/Red Dirt Music.
That got me to thinking for this year … if you had your own Mount Rushmore of Texas Country/Red Dirt artists or bands, who would be on it?
At first, the possibilities seem endless. Not to mention, the lines have blurred in recent years between what is Texas/Red Dirt Music and what is generally "accepted" into the scene.
But there are some that stand out to me. Hell, even a few of them are in that video. Cross Canadian Ragweed were nothing short of rock stars at their peak, and their continued cult following will make them legends in the scene for years after we're all gone.
Then you have other staples who date 20-plus years: Randy Rogers Band, Jason Boland and the Stragglers, Wade Bowen, Stoney LaRue, Robert Earl Keen, Charlie Robison (RIP), Pat Green, Mike McClure, Reckless Kelly, and the list can go on.
Do you include some (relatively) new names who have vaulted to superstardom, a la Turnpike Troubadours, Koe Wetzel, Whiskey Myers, Cody Johnson, Cody Jinks, Parker McCollum, etc.?
Who would be among that iconic four in your mind?
Before I share mine, I'll provide full disclosure: I'm 37 years old, so humbly class of 2004 coming out of high school. I didn't jump on the Texas/Red Dirt train personally until a few years after college, but spent many years around it with my family (specifically my big brother) being all into it during those formidable years.
Remember: This is all in good fun! We're all not going to agree, and our definitions of what is considered Texas/Red Dirt might vary. But the fun part is seeing what artists/bands define us in our music tastes.
With all that said, here's my Mount Rushmore.
Cross Canadian Ragweed. The dramatic breakup and urban legends that followed the end of Ragweed only adds to their legend, but there's no denying the stake they set for the present and future of Red Dirt Music. Those guys were absolute rock stars. They hardly received any radio love outside of college stations in Oklahoma, and "17" remains one of the most iconic anthems in the scene's history.
Turnpike Troubadours. Turnpike is my all-time favorite Red Dirt band and epitomize the meaning of firing on all cylinders when it comes to songwriting, mastering instrumentation, and a killer live performance. Did their legend grow because of the hiatus? Probably. But to me that doesn't change the kind of impact Felker and Co. made on the scene.
Robert Earl Keen. One of the greatest songwriters in country music history, period. REK is one of those who never had and never will have the kind of commercial success as his peers, but you can bet anything every single one of them points to REK as a major influence on their lives and careers.
Pat Green. PFG was one of the first to lead the raucous college country bar scene into the stuff of legends in the 1990s and early 2000s. He put out hit after hit after hit and was easily the biggest name in the scene at his time. The "sellout" label has thankfully chilled these days, since practically every artist is doing or is trying to do the thing people grew to hate Pat Green for. But no matter your stance, you can't deny his stature. For the record, I love "Wave on Wave."
And yes, we are EXTREMELY stoked to have Pat Green on the lineup at Troubadour Festival at Aggie Park on May 18. Here's my shameless "Buy Tickets" plug … you can buy them here.
I almost regret doing this, because that was TOUGH.
But now I gotta know, who's on your Mount Rushmore?
Answer below and I'll pick a winner to receive four Music Tickets to Troubadour Festival.
Congrats to "Gator_2" on winning two BBQ & Music tickets from our last post. Shoot me a DM and I'll get you squared away.
We'd love to see y'all out there for an even bigger and better year at Aggie Park on May 18. Tickets are on sale right here.
Thanks y'all!
Chase Colston
No offense, Chase Colston, but as gently as I can say it, your list is ... interesting.
First off ... Cross Canadian Ragweed and Turnpike Troubadours are not even Texas bands, so how could they be on a Texas Mount Rushmore?
Second ... Pat Green? Ahead of Willie Nelson, who wrote the most-played jukebox song in history? Ahead of Lefty Frizzell, who practically invented honky-tonk music and who influenced everybody who came after him, from Willie to Merle Haggard? Ahead of Bob Wills, Waylon Jennings, and George Jones? Ahead of Ernest freakin' Tubb? I like Pat Green's music a lot and I understand that you're 37 years old but ... come on, now!
1) Willie Nelson has to be there. He's one of the most influential musical artists of all time, in any genre, and has written some incredible songs. In a span of one week he wrote "Crazy," "Night Life," "Funny How Time Slips Away" and "Turn Out the Lights (the party's over). That's more than most musicians do in a career.
2) Bob Wills has got to on it, too. He didn't really invent western swing (that was more Milton Brown), but he popularized it and introduced the notion that fiddles are a necessary part of the sound. He gets credit for the genre.
That leaves two spots for some combination of George Jones, Ernest Tubb, Lefty Frizzell, Waylon Jennings, George Strait and maybe a couple of others. It's hard to keep George Jones and Lefty Frizzell off the Mount Rushmore in my opinion. Lefty was so influential. There was country music before him and after him and they are two entirely different beasts. And George had that incredible country voice and sang, though he did not write, "He Stopped Loving Her Today," which is consistently among a handful of songs that most everybody recognizes as the the greatest in country music history.
I could understand an argument for George Strait in place of either George Jones or Lefty Frizzell, based solely on massive record sales. But George Strait is not a great guitarist or songwriter and, while he has a wonderful country voice, it's not that distinctive. George Strait is a great song picker, though, and a great interpreter of other people's songs, and certainly his style has impacted so many who have come behind him. Close but no cigar. I'd leave Waylon off simply because we've already got Willie and we only get four slots. Ernest Tubb deserves consideration, too, but his impact is a bit less than the others.
IMO:
Willie Nelson, Bob Wills, George Jones, and Lefty Frizzell go on the Texas Mount Rushmore of Country Music. I'd have a separate Mount Rushmore for singer/songwriters like Robert Earl, Townes, Guy Clark etc ...
But Cross Canadian Ragweed and Turnpike Troubadours on a Texas Mount Rushmore? Surely you jest, sir!
I wasn't really trying to lean into artists from Texas, but the genre of Texas Country/Red Dirt in itself. I didn't expect everyone (or anyone) to agree. Just having fun!
