Country Music and Women

 I like country music.  There are certain artists I like better than others -- Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, Martina McBride, the Judds, Toby Keith, Casey Musgraves, Sugarland -- and I don't really get involved in the controversies that arise in Nashville.  From what I hear, women in country music aren't getting their fair share of air time on country radio, and they're upset about it.

From my perspective, they have every right to be upset.

There are some good young male singers in Nashville.  My favorite, bar none, is Luke Combs.  Not only does he have a distinctive voice, but he has hilarious songs and poignant songs and songs that evoke the true spirit of country music.  He even came out with a cover of Fast Car by Tracy Chapman, and it's phenomenal.

But I find most of the rest of young male artists lacking.  They drone on about whiskey, beer, girls shaking their booties and...little else.  Not only that, few of them are nice to listen to.  Alan Jackson has a deep, rich baritone.  Garth Brooks has a nice, even twang.  Some of these yokels now sound like they dropped out of high school and have been working on oil rigs out in the Gulf of Mexico far from English speakers.

Young women, on the other hand, usually can not only carry a tune, but they sing about interesting themes that tell a story beyond getting drunk.  Miranda Lambert is a master storyteller.  Casey Musgraves writes intricate, thought-provoking lyrics.  Megan Moroney has a song, Tennessee Orange, that's almost an apology for falling for someone from a different fanbase, something to which people in the south can certainly relate.

The Judds' songs were all soulful.  They had great harmony and were almost the kind of discussions one would have with family members or friends.  Sugarland -- yes, it's a duo with both a man and a woman, but Jennifer Nettles carries it -- has thoughtful lyrics.  Rare is the male artist who can match the material the women are putting out.

Certainly, my bias is also rooted in the fact that I love to listen to women sing.  Not all women nowadays are nightingales, but the vast majority of them have pretty voices.  The soulful lyrics they write and then sing are easy on the ear.

Country radio -- Give the women the airtime they deserve!

(c) 2023 The Truxton Spangler Chronicles