Amy's Country Music Awards - Best Male Artist

 

 

Oh the sadness of the current male artists being played on country radio.  We've even coined a term, Bro Music to describe the truck driving, beer drinking, lady chasing songs that we can't get away from on the radio.  There are still wonderful performers who write heartfelt, meaningful country songs.  This post is for them.  They might not be nominated for awards or played on the radio yet but I have faith that someday soon we will make a return to true country music.  These are my nominations for best male country artists.

 

 



 

 

Sturgill Simpson is amazing.  This is the title track of his most recent album, Turtles All the Way Down.  Why oh why is country radio not eating this man up?  He is amazing.  I really can't wrap my brain around the fact that I've never heard one of his songs on the radio. 

 

 



 

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Jason Isbell isn't easily put in a box.  Is this country? Americana?  I'm not sure but what I do know is that it's wonderful and I can happily report that I have heard his songs played on 95.9 the Ranch.  This song is Traveling Alone.

 

 

 

I sometimes forget that people all over the country don't get to hear the wonderful Texas music we hear here.  I'm not stingy and I'll share our wonderful artists with everyone.  Hayes Carll deserves so much more love and recognition than he gets.  This is a duet, Another Like you. 

 



 

 

Another Texas treasure is the awesome Zane Williams.  It was hard to pick which song to share but A Little Too Late is one of my favorites. 

 

 



 

 

My final nominee is Brian Wright with Striking Matches.  

 





 



If I were queen of country music radio...

So many of my friends are big time Texas country fans and they have no use for mainstream or Nashville country.  I still like some country music but do think they have lost their way a bit.  I love Miranda Lambert, Zac Brown Band, Little Big Town and Kasey Chambers.  It's just that there is some awful music getting radio play and some wonderful music that I have never heard played on the mainstream country stations.  I just thank God that I live in the age of the internet where I can discover this music without radio.  So the CMT's tonight got me to thinking about the music I would play if I were the queen of country radio.  Here are a few songs...

The wonderful Justin Townes Earle singing "Harlem River Blues".  That's some good stuff there.  He is the son of Steve Earle and named after Townes Van Zandt. 

Nikki Lane "Gone, Gone, Gone"

Jason Isbell "Alabama Pines"  He is formerly of the Drive By Truckers.  His new album Southeastern is one of my favorites of this year.  Love him.

 

Awesome Mindy Smith singing amazing "Come to Jesus" 

 

 

 

Local favorite Zane Williams singing "Overnight Success"  I love him and I love this song.  I can't wait to go see him in a couple of weeks at Billy Bob's. 

 

 

My seven favorite albums of 2013 (so far)

 

 

When you favorite song after song on an album, you know that's going to be a favorite.  I think Kacey is just fresh and fun and so talented.  My favorite songs from this album are "It is What It Is", "Follow Your Arrow" and "Merry Go Round".

 

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club is one of my absolute favorite bands and their new album did not disappoint.  I love the title which is from Shakespeare.  They were one of the top shows I've been to this year.  Honestly, they're one of my top shows ever.  My favorite song from this album is "Firewalker".  I also love "Hate the Taste" and "Let the Day Begin".  Also I cannot mention BRMC without mentioning how much I love Peter Hayes!  Peter Hayes, I adore you!

 

 

I just love Dawe's mellow, Americana, folky sound.  I caught a short set from them at the KXT Summer Cut.  I hope to see a whole show from them some day.  I feel like they were just finding their groove when they were cut short.  My favorite songs from this album are "Most People", "Just Beneath the Surface" and "Someone Will".  I also dig "From a Window  Seat" for the Steely Dan sound and the lyric about eating boots. 

 

Ah, a brand new to me band. They are Irish and fabulous.  "The John Wayne", "Harper Lee" and "Big Red Dragon" are my favorites.  I believe they were at SXSW but I don't think they've been to the DFW area yet.  I would love to catch their show. I think you can be Irish and Americana too.

 

 

 

Jason Isbell is such a great song writer.  I love, love, love the song "Live Oak".  My favorite lyric "There's a man who walks beside me, It is who I used to be, I wonder if she sees him and confuses him with me".  It just speaks to me when you are a changed person, a new different person but you look the same to everyone who sees you.  "Traveling Alone", "Elephant" and "Super 8" are all fun songs.

 

 

Another fabulous, I'm using the word fabulous too much.  Another awesome band from Austin, the Wheeler Brothers.  New to me but not new.  I love this album.  My favorite songs "Straight and Steady", "My Time", "You've Got A Lot of Love" and "Cigarette Smoke are some of my favorites.  I am hoping to catch their show at Queen  City Music Hall in Fort Worth. 

 

Vampire Weekend is just some great, chill music.  "Diane Young", "Obvious Believers" and "Step are some of my favorites.