My parents were my original gateway to country music. They were both die-hard fans of both classic and ‘90s country. Additionally, their dads were musicians who played together in a honky tonk band in bars across Southeastern Oklahoma. So, the soundtrack of my childhood included Merle Haggard, Dwight Yoakam, Hank Williams, and other greats. However, as I got older, my parents and—by extension—their music started to seem pretty lame. So, I spent the next couple of decades diving headfirst into the world of metal.
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A few years ago, things changed. A handful of songs from a few top-notch artists reminded me how great country music and country-adjacent genres could be. With that being said, let’s rewind and take a look at the five songs that were my gateway back into country music.
“Dust in a Baggie” by Billy Strings—My Gateway to Bluegrass and Country Music
Without getting too personal or into too much detail, I’m in recovery and have been for more than a decade. So, when a friend of mine sent me the iconic video of Billy Strings playing “Dust in a Baggie” on a couch at a house party telling me, “Just give this a chance, you’ll dig it.” I did just that and he was right.
The first thing I noticed was that this guy sitting on the couch dressed like something out of Oh, Brother, Where Art Thou could shred. Then, the lyrics got me. His words about the dangers and consequences of addiction hooked me and made me want to hear more from him.
“Dust in a Baggie” led to playing Home on repeat. Later, my enjoyment of Strings’ music led me to Doc Watson and other old-time and bluegrass music.
“Bilgewater” by Brown Bird—The Perfect Song for Hard Times
I’m not sure how I came across Brown Bird, honestly. It could have been a recommendation from a friend or it could have been something that Spotify threw my way. However, it happened, and I’m forever grateful that it did.
Brown Bird was a folk group founded by the late David Lamb. It went through many lineup changes. However, by the time they released Salt for Salt, which contains “Bilgewater” the band was down to a duo made up of Lamb and his wife MorganEve Swain. Their style combined bluegrass with folk music from the United States and Eastern Europe for a truly unique sound.
“Bilgewater” isn’t just a catchy song with a memorable instrumental line. It also carries a great message about perseverance. Hearing this song got me into their music which led to bands like The Devil Makes Three, The Dead South, and others in the same vein.
“Feathered Indians” by Tyler Childers—My Gateway to Independent Country Music
I know, I know. In the Year of Our Lord 2024, “Feathered Indians” is one of the most overplayed songs in the genre. However, when I heard it for the first time it was magical. My wife and I were in the car together letting Spotify do its thing and it gave us this. After the first play, we restarted it and listened again.
The instrumentation of the studio version hooked me immediately. Then, I listened to the lyrics and they resonated deeply with me. This led song me to listen to Purgatory in its entirety which led to digging into the rest of Childers’ discography. More than anything, “Feathered Indians” was my gateway to modern traditional-sounding country music. After hearing this, I found artists like Colter Wall and Sturgill Simpson.
“Mama Tried” by Merle Haggard—An Old Favorite
As I said before, I grew up on artists like Merle Haggard and George Jones. “Mama Tried” was always one of my favorite songs when I was a kid. So, when I heard it again for the first time in 20-something years, it was like catching up with an old friend. I still knew all the words and, after living some life and seeing some things, the lyrics hit a little harder.
While I already loved this song, hearing it as an adult was my gateway back into classic country music. It made me want to dive into Haggard’s discography. That was just the beginning of a deep rabbit hole that, if I’m being honest, I’m still going down today.
“Guitars, Cadillacs”—My Gateway to the Bakersfield Sound
Merle Haggard was one of the artists who helped to popularize the Bakersfield Sound—a combination of classic honky tonk and Western swing with a sprinkling of rock and roll for flavor. However, listening to his music didn’t lead me to his coastal contemporaries. Instead, it was Dwight Yoakam, a student of Bakersfield’s spin on country music that was my gateway to the classic sound.
I believe that Yoakam’s 1986 debut album Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. is one of the finest country records ever and I’ll die on that hill. This is my favorite cut from the record. The guitar work, the driving backbeat, and the storytelling come together to create a nearly flawless country song.
“Guitars, Cadillacs” led me to dig into Yoakam’s catalog. That led me to artists like Buck Owens, Wynn Stuart, Rosie Flores, and many more.
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