Recommend me some country music.

What? A fan of Townes on DL? Who would have imagined.

It is the first song I heard by him, r1. Any suggestions?

I too am flabbergasted to find Townes getting a mention here. And someone actually wanting to explore country music! His best known song is probably Pancho and Lefty but he wrote many great ones. If you like him you could explore fellow Texan Guy Clark (LA Freeway, Anyhow I Love You, Desperadoes Waiting for the Train), along with Steve Earle (Guitar Town, Taneytown, Jerusalem). Gillian Welch is great (Look at Miss Ohio, Time the Revelator, My First Lover) and you might give some Lucinda Williams a try though I personally have gone off her (Crescent City, Sweet Old World, Side of the Road). And to go back a few or more decades, check out some Gram Parsons w/- Emmylou Harris (Love Hurts, $1000 Wedding, Return of the Grievous Angel, In My Time of Darkness). So many more but I'll pass the baton on to ... hopefully someone other than me and R1. The song titles are ones I'd recommend to get an idea what these people are like though they are all very eclectic. BTW, Guy Clark called Townes' lyrics 'hillbilly haiku'. Rosanne Cash (Johnny's daughter) is also excellent (Burn Down this Town, God is in the Roses, When the Master Calls the Roll). Happy (and melancholic) listening.

PS The genre that these people operate in is usually referred to as Americana or alt-country but ironically it is more rooted in country music history than the crap that makes up the vast majority of what's referred to as 'country' these days. The people I like are generally considered outside the CMT tent, and I'm sure that's where they want to be.

Here's one from 10 years ago, a country rocker by Randy Hauser

The entire cosmic cowboy collection of singers coming out of Austin in the seventies was great. Try Jerry Jeff Walker, BW Stevenson, Mike Murphy and the list goes on. Townes was in a league of his own. I love, love, love the man and he was even from my hometown. Listen to Flyin shoes. One of my favorites.

Try this. Rosanne Cash - What We Really Want

Thank you all. I like this hard, dirty, depressing iteration of country music. And what is popularly known as country are the slick cheeseball stylings of Garth Brooks and Reba and Blake Shelton etc.

I was aware of Steve Earle because of Copperhead Road. Presumably his son Justin Townes Earle was named for Townes Van Zandt.

I guess Gram Prasons fits into the mix somehow but I have never known where to start with him.

And I love Right In Time, Can't Let Go and The Night's Too Long from Lucinda Williams, but admittedly little beyond that.

Oh my God, I love Townes Van Zandt. Get his Live at the Old Quarter album, if you haven't already.

I was going to respond to the thread about music that makes your heart ache (or something like that) and I was going to mention Van Zandt, along with Emmylou Harris and Graham Parsons' "Love Hurts", Guy Clark's "L.A. Freeway" and a couple of Roseanne Cash songs. I figured there wasn't any point in actually posting. Can't believe R3 mentioned so many of the songs. I also love Neil Young, btw. You'd probably like "Cowgirl in the Sand."

Just sharing this for the hell of it.

Trying again!

Hi OP, R3 again. No worries re the recommends. Myself and I'm sure the other fans of good country are more than happy to help out when someone wants to explore a genre we love. Yes, Steve Earle's son was named after Townes van Zandt. For a really sad song about his friend's death, there's this:

I also like his cover of Towne's Two Girls. The tribute album to him, Poet, is great.

With Gram and Emmylou, I'd first check out the two solo albums, GP and Grievous Angel. Dying young means there's not TOO much of a back catalogue. I'll post a couple of links in a subsequent post.

With Roseanne Cash I'd start with the most recent releases - Black Cadillac, The List and The River and the Thread.

If you feel like wallowing in the pain of a broken heart you can't do better than this from Gram and Emmylou

And a taste of Rosanne ....

I love the strong Texas accent in song

The Way It Goes

Wow! I had no idea so many Townes fans in the world much less on DL.

Nanci Griffith performs Desperados Waiting For A Train with Guy Clark, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Rodney Crowell, Eric Taylor, Jerry Jeff Walker and Steve Earle.

If you pop back in OP, this is another band (husband and wife duo) well worth exploring.

Thanks for the recommendations. This is real country, not the type that's playing on the radio.

Yep, it is. I wouldn't even know what's 'popular' in mainstream country these days but I doubt I'd like it anyway. The other good thing about the people you've been recommended is that they don't fit into that 'country is conservative' pigeonhole. The lyrics are usually intelligent and the music is not generic. As Townes van Zandt apparently said, 'there's two types of music - the blues and zippeteedooda'.

Any more recs?

This song has everything White Trash: cousin fucking, giving kids booze to make 'em pass out, Meth labs, etc...Choctaw Bingo by James McMurtry

Joe Ely is another one you should check out. Also, Hal Ketchum was pretty strongly influenced by Townes and that crowd.

Mr. Gram Parsons. So long gone, but never forgotten.

Lone Justice used to be referred to as Cow Punk before the term Alt-Country and then Americana became vogue.

I don't drink beer but I crave it when I listen to The Rock by Lee Roy Parnell and Lily's White Lies by Martin Delray. Country at its best.

She’s not for everyone but I love Iris Dement

I ADORE the Swedish sister duo First Aid Kit

Patty Loveless had a lot of Nashville success but she has always been authentically country. Perfect name too.

Margot Price, she's also performed with people from Willie Nelson to Jack White.

The Shiftless Rounders

Shakey Graves

Hurray For The Riff Raff

HoneyHoney (covering Lucinda)

Katie Belle & The Belle Rangers

Freakwater

(early) Rae Spoon (he's doing a bunch of folktronica now)

Seconding r29, love First Aid Kit.

3rding First Aid Kit

Gil Landry

Americana

I love this version of "YOU WERE ALWAYS ON M MIND"

Shovels & Rope

For a more popular/conventional radio artist, I have Kasey Musgraves. This song became an instant favorite of mine when it played on radio.

More Shovels & Rope

Segueing from Musgraves, Brandi Carlile & John Prine

Kasey Chambers

Funny duet, r47. One more of Musgrave's and done. Love her lyrics

This is a link to a very goofy album recreation of all the major audio from the film Nashville by a bunch of Vancouver musicians

Scooter Incident with Brandi Carlile & Kacey Musgrave

Listening to Townes at this moment. One band I fell in love with a few years back was the Continental Drifters with Vicki Peterson from the Bangles and Susan Cowsill among others. They do a great remake of Gram Parsons's, "A Song for You".

A little more pop country, Rhett Miller with Rachael Yamagata

Since R53 posted a Rhett song, I'm gonna post a Murry song for balance.

Vnv Nation, Solar Fake, Eis Fabrik, Assemblage 23, and Rotorsand.

Neko Case (her sub-genre would be Noir Twang)

Sam Baker

Patty Griffin

Enjoyable thread. In general, this stuff is called progressive country and Americana. There's a station in Santa Cruz and San Luis Obispo CA that has been devoted to this music for 25 years or so, the wonderful KPIG. They have a large online audience.

For a little more Americana try Alejandro Escovedo's 13 Years.

Frazey Ford, though she’s getting more (and brilliantly) rhythm and blues.

(ahem)

Another vote for both Nancy Griffith and Iris Demint - who was once described as “Nancy Griffith raised by wolves.”

If you are interested in Blue Grass, the late lamented Seldom Scene are a wonderful introduction. Go to YouTube to hear their epic version of “Rider.”

More please.

"Sweet Old World" - Lucinda Williams

"He Never Got Enough Love" - Lucinda Williams

Listen to Loretta Lynn's last two albums. Brilliant, simple (unlike the previous one with Jack White, which also was excellent). It's a tutorial without the phony "hard-drinking, 4 a.m,, reaching for the coke" shit.

Carrie Underwood - Miranda Lambert - Luke Bryan - Martina McBride - Reba - Kate Rusby

R68, I am waiting for Miranda's time in the limelight to be over so that she can really be herself and fall into that category that currently includes Rosanne Cash, Lucinda, Emmylou. They have the respect of the industry and loyal followings that don't care if they never have another Top 40 Country hit.

R67, Ms Lynn's albums are fantastic with the Jack White produced Van Lear Rose being a perfect album.

Of course this thread got over-run with shitty music. Every DL "music" thread is awful.

Old great Loretta Lynn stuff. Fist City is brilliant.

Tammy's Your Good Girl is Gonna Go Bad and Dolly's Dumb Blonde - recorded when she was 20.

"Deep Red Bells", a murder ballad by Neko Case

With the exceptions of Lambert and McBride, R68 lists all that is WRONG with today's so-called "country music."

"Black Star" by Gillian Welch

"Bashed Out" by This Is the Kit

This Is The Kit is hardly country.

Everyone gave great recommendations. I would add two blogs to read for real country music: Saving Country Music and Country Universe. These two sites always have great offerings of country music.

R68, OP asked for music similar to Townes Van Zandt, not Reba and Carrie.

Rhiannon Giddens and the Carolina Chocolate Drops

Well the sheriff came around in the middle of the night

Heard mama cryin', knew something wasn't right

He was headed down to Knoxville with the weekly load

You could smell the whiskey burnin' down Copperhead Road

Casey Chambers and Shane Nicholson two albums are amazing.

Thanks for the Casey Chambers and Shane Nicholson recommendation.

Shake Russell and Gary P Nunn for more Texas music.

The O'Kanes. This group was formed when two (living in) Nashville songwriters (Jamie O'Hara and Kieran Kane) joined together to produce their own album entitled 'The O'Kanes' which was released in 1986. They went on to release two more albums, both of which are worth having but the first is especially good. Excellent songs from the first album include Oh Darlin' , Daddies Need to Grow Up Too and When I Found You.

Sturgill Simpson is a good choice. He won a Grammy for best country album a few years back. Plus, he's kinda hot.

Ashley Monroe, like Kacey Musgraves, is another artist that doesn't get a lot of airplay...but is very talented.

Jason Isbell is a favorite of mine. Here's a sample:

Underrated Joan Baez album "one Day at a Time", with Jeffrey Shurtleff.

Townes Van Zandt is one of those rare artists who never put out a bad record. I can only say that I've liked some more than others. In a life touched by alcoholism and a serious mood disorder he put his pain and wisdom (and sometimes humor) in every song. He was an artist to the core.

One of the few people I would compare him to is Gene Clark of the Byrds, Dillard & Clark and, briefly, the Flying Burrito Brothers. Gene went on to have an interesting solo career. Like Van Zandt, his life was haunted by mood issues and alcoholism. It killed him in his forties. He put out many great records and the one I would recommend first to a fan of Townes Van Zandt is entitled 'So Rebellious a Lover' which was a collaboration between Gene Clark and Carla Olson. Listen to 'Gypsy Rider' and 'Del Gato' and I guarantee that you'll be a fan for life.

Glen Campbell "Gentle on my mind"

We got tickets to see Darlene McBride at the Odessa Permian Arena this summer.

Patsy Cline and Hank Williams.....nothing else matters

All the Federales say

They could have had him any day

They only let him slip away

Out of kindness, I suppose.

Justin Townes Earle and Jason Isbell

BUMP

Anything by the Zac Brown Band is nice. Country music leanings without being too twangy.

Emmylou, Willie. Here is something interesting. Reba says her next album will be straight up country.

I saw ZBB at a music festival and didn't love them, TBH. They put on a fine show, and played a bunch of covers (Deep Purple, Led Zepplin) but were kind of arena rock.

Townes' song To Live is to Fly is probably my favorite song ever. Check out the Black Lillies. They are based in my city, really good, and the lead singer is really hot.

Look up the old V-Roys stuff too. I believe Steve Earle was th producer on that. And new Scott Miller scott miller how am i gonna be me

Julie Miller - "A Kiss On The Lips"

Resurrecting this thread because I heard my first Drive By Truckers song today.

^^^ Huh.

So? Where ya been?

"I sat tall in my saddle 'till my blister broke"

BUMP

Sera Cahoone's Only as the Day is Long is a fantastic album

Another vote for Neko Case.

Fox Confessor Brings the Flood is my favorite of her albums

I feel like John Hartford fits in here somewhere... he was the original songwriter of Gentle On My Mind, later made famous by Glen Campbell

How about a little twang?

Country drugs.

One from the past. The guy on the fiddle pings too.

Gram Parsons is who got me into country music, and he remains at the top of my list.

Here are some other suggestions: Randy Travis, Dwight Yoakam, Lyle Lovett, Dolly Parton

Then there are the old classics like Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, and Merle Haggard

And, the ones that are usually associated with rock and roll, but who also do a lot of country, like The Everly Brothers, Jerry Lee Lewis, or The Grateful Dead.

I sat tall in my saddle 'til my blister broke

I getting recommended Deer Tick after playing Gillian Welch. They seem like hipsters.

Well this thread comes as a surprise, though I arrive a couple years late.

I’ll leave my favorite TVZ song, the stunningly sad and beautiful Snow Don’t Fall.

Orville Peck.

Gay with a gimmick.

Shades of Roy Orbison, kd lang, and Wall of Voodoo, but also the Handsome Family cited upthread - albeit with less murder and more longing.

R107 Also a Neko Case fan. The Fox Confessor Brings the Flood album is a great introduction.

Old Crow Medicine Show

John Moreland

Sleepy Man

OCMS

I lived in Tennessee for a year (don't ask) and I think 90s country music was the best.

My advice is to start with Gram Parsons. Realize that in his short career he had several bands, but they are ALL Gram: • His Solo Material included two albums: "G.P." and "Grievous Angel" • The Byrds: "Sweetheart of the Rodeo". This is when he commandeered The Byrds and basically turned them into a traditional country band. Research this subject and try to download the versions of the songs with Gram on vocals, because after the album was made The Byrds attempted to rip him off by removing his vocals from 80% of the songs • The Fallen Angels: "Live 1973" • The Flying Burrito Brothers was maybe his most successful band and included 3 albums, after which he abandoned the band, even though they continued to record: These are the albums when it was Gram's band: "Burrito Deluxe", "Sleepless Nights", and "The Gilded Palace of Sin". • The International Submarine Band: "Safe at Home". This was his first album. Note that all of the above material is classed as "traditional country".

And here is and attempt at putting Gram Parson's albums into a list, though the makers of this forum have not become sophisticated enough at web page writing that what you post will come through how you wrote it!: • "G.P." by Gram Parsons • "Grievous Angel" by Gram Parsons • "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" by The Byrds • "Live 1973" by The Fallen Angels • "Burrito Deluxe" by The Flying Burrito Brothers • "Sleepless Nights: by The Flying Burrito Brothers • "The Gilded Palace of Sin" by The Flying Burrito Brothers • "Safe at Home" by The International Submarine Band

You could start near the beginning: The Carter Family.

Gram Parsons’ death was a great loss. He was incredibly talented. And hot, for that matter,

Last few years I've really been enjoying Texas country/alt country more and more. Bands like Mickey and the Motorcars, Vandoliers, Wade Bowen, Randy Rogers Band, American Aquarium, Reckless Kelly. They all straddle the line between country and rock with a more authentic feel than most of what you hear out of Nashville. You get some great storytelling, but you also get some great Saturday night party tracks.

Canadian country. The Dead South. I want the cello player to marry me just so I can wake up every day and look at his gorgeous face and body. Also so he will fuck me hard. He happens to be an engineer and doesn't always tour with them, because he's got some kind of high-powered job. You're welcome.

I'm seeing The Dead South on Saturday! Looking forward to it -- and getting DP'ed by the cellist and the lead singer.

R&B legend Solomon Burke recorded a country album called Nashville near the end of his life, and it’s pretty damn near perfect.

Witness his heartbreaking turn with Tammy Wynette’s Til I Get It Right.

All the worn sorrow with a glimmer of hope.

The Jayhawks, Dawes, and The Avett Brothers for more recent stuff. Gene Clark, Gene Parsons, and especially Danny O'Keefe and Jerry Jeff Walker for older stuff. Danny O'Keefe wrote the classic "Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues." Also, Mickey Newberry.

Justin Townes Earle is dead.

I never listened to country music growing up, but my old roommate bought the cd "Wynonna" from the mid-late 90s and it is incredible. Wynonna Judd is freaking incredible and her self-titled album is well worth buying.

Emmylou Harris (along with Bill Danoff) wrote "Boulder to Birmingham" about Gram Parsons. It is one of her loveliest songs.

Disclaimer: I hate country music. Some of the music is okay but the vocals with the accents kill my ears. That being said, there is one country song I like. It is by, all of people, The Pointer Sisters. This is the album version of "Fairytale" but there is a live in a TV studio version that is visually beautiful (the Pointers wore all those great 1940s costumes) but the album version uses more instruments.

The television version:

Sorry, I effed up above.

Emmylou Harris is such a lady. The juxtaposition of her with those wild Southern guys, tomboy Linda Rondstadt and showgirl Dolly Parton was always fascinating.

Justin at his best.

Trio by Linda Ronstadt, Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris is exceptional...as well as Heart Like A Wheel by Linda Ronstadt...a stunning album.

Another cut from HLAW

HLAW

TRIO

One of my favorites.

My coal mining country.

Whiskeytown

Jason Boland and the Stragglers

Chris Knight

Lyle Lovett - If I Had A Boat. It’s a bit Sting/Adult-Contemporary but I love him.

Did anyone mention Buddy Miller? The song at OP’s post reminds me of him.