Lonestar Lineup | The Voices of Red Dirt and Texas Country
Explicit content warning
01/31/23 • 82 min
It’s a new year Americana Podcast listeners! And with a new year, means new discussions on what makes Americana... well Americana. When we look at this genre, we talk a lot its history and its future. And over time we’ve been able to piece together this ongoing timeline and certain elements that are key to its existence. Base influences in songwriting, certain instrumentation, and geography. If you’ve been a long-time listener, you know that many of our previous guests have attributed a great deal of their musical identity to where they learned music from.
This of course is a holdover from the new world mentality in the west, where many genres developed due to particularly regional and social integrations over extended periods of time. When looking at Americana we are specifically looking at the European folk trad to bluegrass, blues to rock, and then rock and bluegrass to country as we know it today. That’s a lot of words to basically say the place that you identify as home, has as significant of an effect on your musical education as who’s albums you choose to listen to growing up.
And Kentucky aside, some of the artists that know that best are from Texas and Oklahoma.
There’s a lot of opinions on the state of Red Dirt Music and Texas Country. Developing as sub genres in the late 80’s to early 00’s, this very regional brand of music came up in response to commercial country. And I’m not talking Florida Georgia Line commercial, I’m talking Tim McGraw commercial. Whom we love.
There’s a lot of ups and downs and opinions in the overall conversation but the general one is that Red Dirt and Texas Country became a space for outsiders beyond the Nashville standard. Piggybacking off of the outlaw movement and the historical legacies of artists, particularly Texas native Willie Nelson, these scenes were able to flourish in their respective regions and began to go a bit beyond. They were in a position to challenge the value of industry effect in radio versus organic growth in listenership. They developed loyal followings, local radio play.... The works. But due to a long series of unfortunate commercial circumstances, the scenes have presently been relegated very much south of the red river.
And I could go on about this, but fortunately on this episode you can hear it straight from the quarter horse’s mouth.
Americana Podcast speaks with the artists who possibly have the most pertinent opinions on the state of Red Dirt and Texas Country and their weight in the views of Americana music. On this episode we have musical and actual giant Ray Benson from Asleep at The Wheel. Defender of the Dance Hall Randy Rogers, Okie not from Muskogee Jason Boland of Jason Boland and the stragglers, young blood William Beckmann, whip smart Wade Bowan, and philanthropist at heart Josh Abbott. Saddle up and enjoy the show.
Donate to the show!
https://tiptopjar.com/americanapodcast
@robertearlkeen1
Have questions or suggestions? Email
It’s a new year Americana Podcast listeners! And with a new year, means new discussions on what makes Americana... well Americana. When we look at this genre, we talk a lot its history and its future. And over time we’ve been able to piece together this ongoing timeline and certain elements that are key to its existence. Base influences in songwriting, certain instrumentation, and geography. If you’ve been a long-time listener, you know that many of our previous guests have attributed a great deal of their musical identity to where they learned music from.
This of course is a holdover from the new world mentality in the west, where many genres developed due to particularly regional and social integrations over extended periods of time. When looking at Americana we are specifically looking at the European folk trad to bluegrass, blues to rock, and then rock and bluegrass to country as we know it today. That’s a lot of words to basically say the place that you identify as home, has as significant of an effect on your musical education as who’s albums you choose to listen to growing up.
And Kentucky aside, some of the artists that know that best are from Texas and Oklahoma.
There’s a lot of opinions on the state of Red Dirt Music and Texas Country. Developing as sub genres in the late 80’s to early 00’s, this very regional brand of music came up in response to commercial country. And I’m not talking Florida Georgia Line commercial, I’m talking Tim McGraw commercial. Whom we love.
There’s a lot of ups and downs and opinions in the overall conversation but the general one is that Red Dirt and Texas Country became a space for outsiders beyond the Nashville standard. Piggybacking off of the outlaw movement and the historical legacies of artists, particularly Texas native Willie Nelson, these scenes were able to flourish in their respective regions and began to go a bit beyond. They were in a position to challenge the value of industry effect in radio versus organic growth in listenership. They developed loyal followings, local radio play.... The works. But due to a long series of unfortunate commercial circumstances, the scenes have presently been relegated very much south of the red river.
And I could go on about this, but fortunately on this episode you can hear it straight from the quarter horse’s mouth.
Americana Podcast speaks with the artists who possibly have the most pertinent opinions on the state of Red Dirt and Texas Country and their weight in the views of Americana music. On this episode we have musical and actual giant Ray Benson from Asleep at The Wheel. Defender of the Dance Hall Randy Rogers, Okie not from Muskogee Jason Boland of Jason Boland and the stragglers, young blood William Beckmann, whip smart Wade Bowan, and philanthropist at heart Josh Abbott. Saddle up and enjoy the show.
Donate to the show!
https://tiptopjar.com/americanapodcast
@robertearlkeen1
Have questions or suggestions? Email
Previous Episode
Vince Herman | Salmon and Solos
Many would know Vince Herman as the guitarist and primary lead vocalist and songwriter of the renowned jam band, Leftover Salmon. Herman has been playing professionally since the late 80’s and, Leftover Salmon aside, also formed and played in ever-evolving project group Great American Taxi. Between the two bands, Herman has recorded over 10 albums and has toured the world over, whilst simultaneously developing his festival guru persona.
Sometime in 2021, Vince Herman moved from Colorado to Nashville, TN where he took on a totally new project... himself.
Partnering with renowned producer Dave Ferguson, as well as a myriad of friends and session players- Herman embarked on his first ever solo album. Released November 18, 2022- “Enjoy the Ride” explores the nuances and roots of country and Americana music as Herman has known and experienced it through his life. Everything from cajun influences to bluegrass picking can be found, but it is undoubtedly all Vince Herman. Once and for all.
So join us today as our host, Robert Earl Keen goes song by song with Vince Herman. Exploring the parts that make up a musical life and identity.
Donate to the show!
https://tiptopjar.com/americanapodcast
@robertearlkeen1
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Next Episode
John R. Miller and Chloe Edmonstone | Shakedown from Shenandoah
It seems we’re back in that strange space in time where there are days that can 70 degrees and sunny and beautiful. The birds are singing and the blossoms on trees are beginning to light up the branches like a holy and natural Christmas lights... and then the next day we’re right back into the holds of a winter that every year seems to overstay its welcome. You get a taste of that warmth in your bones, and it’s just enough to whet your appetite for all the things that feel so far away... long walks outside, swimming, afternoons on restaurant patios with friends... and the sun not setting at 4:30 pm.
It's like a brief kind of nostalgia. We know that these things were within our grasp just few months ago but a few months darkness is enough to make it feel like it’s been that much longer. And it’s in this liminal space, it’s nice to reflect on some of the things that reminds of these warmer points in time.
Its in the sunshine and humid air of the summer of 2022 that we sat down with John R. Miller and Chloe Edmonstone. John is a singer-songwriter and West Virginia native, orginally from the Shenandoah Valley. A long-time songsmith, Miller has been running in the Appalachian circuit for a few years before settling in Nashville. His first studio album “Depreciated” was released in July of 2021. Miller’s songwriting style is as natural as flowing river and and is backed by voice that has a crackling warmth to it. It is friendly and picturesque, even in his darker moments across the album. Backed by harmonies and almost familial sounding fiddle playing by Chloe Edmonstone (who was a founding member of the group Locust honey)- the album is all parts familiar and strange.
Donate to the show!
https://tiptopjar.com/americanapodcast
@robertearlkeen1
Have questions or suggestions? Email
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