I've always listened to some country since most of my family and my girlfriend does, but never been a country-first fan. There are definitely some talented artists/bands right now IMO- Zac Brown Band, Brad Paisley (his lyrics take some getting used to), Billy Currington, Jason Aldine, Lady Antebellum. I hardly listen to country radio though, because for every good song they play three times more Taylor Swift and Sugarland- the lead singer's voice makes me want to gouge out my eyeballs. Rascal Flats blows too.
Brad Paisley is good as others have mentioed. Rodney Atkins has some good stuff too. Another artist I like is Keith Urban, although he may not be as upbeat as you're looking for.
Most country singers just hold a guitar for looks, but Paisley and Urban are both AMAZINGLY good guitarists. Either one could hold their own with any of the best Nashville studio players. I like that song they did together about starting a band. I saw them play it live on some award show a while back and I couldn't believe how good both of them were.
Trying to suggest up tempo without too much of a country vibe, always the love songs watching airplanes kinda slow but good, People are crazy tequila makes here clothes off
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fvj6zdWLUuk&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fvj6zdWLUuk&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> ...i stand by my previous comment.
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/mS3OGwYG520&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/mS3OGwYG520&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> Bring back Buck Owen's Bakersfield sound...
The Texas/Red Dirt scene is where it's at in my opinion. This list will give you a start for some great music. Hayes Carll Ryan Bingham Jason Boland Stoney LaRue Brandon Rhyder Chris Knight Jackson Taylor Max Stalling Micky & the Motorcars Reckless Kelly Radney Foster Randy Rogers Wade Bowen I can listen to just about anything from any of these bands and everyone of them puts on one hell of a show live.
Keith Whitley had some really good music, here are a few of my favorites. <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/hDnvkHywobo&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/hDnvkHywobo&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/99Ar4toKpuE&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/99Ar4toKpuE&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
If Alan Jackson isn't country, ACDC isn't rock. He does have some softer, more contemporary songs as of late, but if you listen to any album from 10+ years ago there is no way that isn't country. A couple of other artists not mentioned are Dierks Bentley and Gary Allan. Dierks doesn't have the best vocals but his songs are fun to listen to.
I love Country. I went to a college in central Ohio, and you would imagine people love Country there. To the contrary, kids were so ashamed of Country. Country always has a story.
agreed. I havent heard any of his new stuff but just because his new stuff may be softer (or whatever) that doesnt make his old stuff less country. (Garth Brooks , uhh Chris Gaines anyone?) I mean, Dont Rock the Juke Box, A Hold on You, Who's CHeating WHo, Litty Bitty, Gone Country, Tall Tall Trees, Livin on Love, SUmmertime BLues, Pop a Top...youre going to sit here and tell me that ain't country? pffttt please
George Jones worries about the future of country music By Jeff Thomas 11/02/2009 Country Music Hall of Famer George Jones simply does not care for this rap music fad. Asked whether he'd ever branch out to a completely different genre of music, like heavy metal or rap, Jones laughed and said: "Rap? That's tacky." "How can you call that music?" he said. "Now, I love music, too. I love all kinds. I really do. I've got an open mind. But now, you can't call rap, talking stuff like that, music. No, no, no, you've got to have another name for that." Neither is he much of a fan of where country music has moved in recent years. When asked about what he thought about the music being produced by today's top country stars, the 78-year-old said while they are good, "they've stolen our identity." Artists like Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift, he said, "had to use something that was established already, and that's traditional country music. So what they need to do really, I think, is find their own title, because they're definitely not traditional country music," he said. "It's good to know that we still do traditional country music. Alan Jackson still does it, so does George Strait. We still have it, and there's quite a few of us that are going to hope that it comes back one of these days." <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/GvjPTtO3WIA&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/GvjPTtO3WIA&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/zoW1NyhqjSI&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/zoW1NyhqjSI&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
