Your cart is currently empty!
3 Country Songs That Quietly Defined the 2000s With Their Storytelling
The 2000s were a shifting point for country music. The genre underwent many changes during this era, and the three artists below were instrumental in that evolution. These songs all influenced country music in the 2000s in unique ways. Though these songs are hits, their real impact might’ve gone unnoticed by some listeners.
Videos by American Songwriter
[RELATED: I Listened to Every No. 1 Country Song From 1992—Here’s the 3 That Still Feel Timeless]
“Redneck Woman” — Gretchen Wilson
Country music experienced a wave of powerful female artists in the 00s. Though this generation of country singers wasn’t the first to push back at gender conventions in the genre, they did so in their own way. Gretchen Wilson was a trailblazer in this regard. Her name-making hit “Redneck Woman” threw any sort of politeness out the window. She was unapologetic, loud, brash, and completely comfortable in her own skin. Whether intentional or not, Wilson inspired the subsequent generations of female country artists, pushing them to be equally brave.
“So here’s to all my sisters out there keeping it country / Let me get a big ‘hell yeah’ from the redneck girls like me,” she sings in this country hit. Wilson rewrote the rulebook for country music with “Redneck Woman,” redefining what the genre would look like in the 2000s. This song was certainly a big hit, but it had residual effects that weren’t readily apparent.
“No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems” — Kenny Chesney
“No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems” redefined Kenny Chesney’s career in the early 2000s. In return, this shift reshaped country music, giving the genre yet another iconic star to emulate. Chesney had earned fame before the release of this sun-soaked track, but his career before was nothing compared to his appeal after he put his flag in the sand. This track helped transition Chesney from a smooth-voiced country boy from Tennessee to an island legend.
The release of “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems” opened a new avenue for country music. All of a sudden, there was another setting for country artists to explore. More and more singers started getting on island time, thanks to Chesney’s impact. Perhaps this song affected Chesney more than his peers, but its influence on the genre at large can’t be missed.
“In Color” — Jamey Johnson
The end of the 2000s was very different than the beginning. That fact is proven by the changing tides of country music. The 2010s saw country go down two distinct paths. Artists were either leaning into traditionalism with a touch of grit or going full-blown pop with hip-hop tones. Jamey Johnson’s 2008 release, “In Color,” represents the first group.
“A picture’s worth a thousand words / But you can’t see what those shades of gray keep covered / You should’ve seen it in color,” Johnson sings in this country hit. Johnson stuck to country music’s traditions of simple, truthful storytelling, inspiring many of his peers to do the same.
Songfacts: In Color | Jamey Johnson
Lee Miller told the story behind the song’s inspiration for the book Nashville Songwriter: The Inside Stories Behind Country Music’s Greatest Hits: by Jake Brown. “You look for the phrase that gives you a reason to write a song,” he said. “And I was telling Jamey a story about some event that I’d been to, and it was a story … about Nashville back in the ’60s and some pictures in black and white … I’m talking, and he’s kind of zoned out … and he said, ‘There’s your idea. You think that’s somethin’, you should’ve seen it in color.’” He added “Those ideas are hard to come by … At that point, just don’t mess it up; just write it correctly.” Miller and Johnson, along with James Otto began talking about their own grandparents, and the song stemmed from memories of their grandfathers. “In a lot of ways, it’s a song about our grandfathers,” Miller said.
(Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for CBS)
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.