Country Music is Shooketh

[asphaltcowgrrl]

And so am I. LOL

I was greeted by some upsetting news this morning. One of my favorite new artists was showing his ass again. Several months ago, Morgan Wallen was asked to be on Saturday Night Live, pretty impressive for how new he is. And then his dumb ass went out, partying, kissing college girls while his ex was at home with their new baby. Annoying and stupid, to say the least. He lost his spot on SNL, but was asked to come back a couple months later.

Then, this morning, I read that he was caught on a neighbor's doorbell cam using racist slurs. Like, dude, it's 2021. What's with using the n-word? But this is how small town country people are sometimes. And honestly, big city people, too. I had hopes for this guy, I really did. Even my non-country-music listening child, Taylor, LOVES him.

His record label has suspended his contract, he's being pulled from radio, his videos are being taken off CMT, among other things. Which is good. It's about time that the people making money off these idiots start standing up for what's right. No one will ever change their racist ways unless they see someone else suffering the consequences.

On a brighter, happier side, I later saw that half of the duo Brothers Osborne, has come out as gay. This is SO big for country music because for the most part, it's full of southern conservatives. It's a huge risk for him professionally and, while none of this should matter to their fans, you know it's going to piss some of them off royally. I'm really hoping he and his brother don't have too much crappy backlash over this. There's an article in Time Magazine about him here if you're interested.

And to give them some love, here's one of my favorite songs of theirs:

Watch on YouTube

God, TJ has the most amazing voice. Hahahaha. And truly, some of the most non-country country music on the radio right now.

Aw heck, here's another just because I can't get enough of these guys. This is the first one I ever heard from them:

Watch on YouTube

(And FYI, this song is on Andrej's Tub Music playlist because yes, I have one of those.)

Okay, I probably ought to go back to work but blah.

Comments

[helsinkibaby.livejournal.com]

The line from John about how he’d give it all up if it meant his brother was happy and fulfilled... my heart! ❤️

[asphaltcowgrrl.livejournal.com]

I know! That's brotherly love for you right there. Has to help knowing he has so much support in his personal life.

[craterdweller.livejournal.com]

I with Taylor, I'm not much of a country music fan — although I make an exception for Dolly Parton. The world could use about a million more of her — what a classy lady — and when told Dixieland was offensive — she changed it, no hesitation

[asphaltcowgrrl.livejournal.com]

We like what we like, right? But Dolly is amazing. She does so much for so many and never says a word about it.

[thatwasjustadream (from livejournal.com)]

I saw a blurb online about Wallen — have not heard of him, and having read the above it would appear to be no loss, lol.

“But in a rural town playing a county fair? I’m curious how this will go.”-- God, that's sad. How far have we not come, in both cases?

I like both of those songs! Wow. I might have to look their music up. The instrumentation in the second song sounds like a (more) country-inflected REM song to my ear. :) The little bits of mandolin in there, probably.

[asphaltcowgrrl.livejournal.com]

Yeah, his partying during COVID I just wrote off as him being an idiot. But being a racist idiot is where I draw the line. It's sad, because he's talented. But dumb.

I know, right? It makes me both sad and hopeful. Maybe one day this country can pull its head out of its rear and realize that being white and straight isn't the end all, be all for a model citizen.

YAY! I hope you enjoy their stuff if you do look them up. I never heard that but now that you bring it up, I can totally hear it that way. Wonder if that's why it stuck with me after the first time I heard it (since I do love REM)? Either way, they're one of my favorite artists out there right now, so I'm glad I might have helped them find another fan. :)

[severina2001.livejournal.com]

I haven't heard of Morgan or the Brothers Osborne but I quite like that second song you posted up. TJ does have a really good voice, and awesome of him to not hide who he is. I hope he influences others to not be afraid to be their true selves. Go TJ!

[asphaltcowgrrl.livejournal.com]

Yay! I'm so happy you liked the song! I've always had a thing for guys with deep voices like that and he's got one heck of one!

Agreed on that last part. Here's to hoping he can open the doors to more acceptance in the genre and in general.

[shanachie-quill.livejournal.com]

I will have to listen to the songs later since I’m in class right now.

[asphaltcowgrrl.livejournal.com]

LOL I hope you enjoy them.

[shanachie-quill.livejournal.com]

I did!

That second one was not what I expected. I figured it'd be slow love-ballady... but it was good.

I'll have to watch more when I'm not on a deadline.

[asphaltcowgrrl.livejournal.com]

Yay! They're really one of my favorite groups right now.

Stay a Little Longer is so good, and definitely not what you'd expect from the title.

Nice. I hope you find some others you like!

[shanachie-quill.livejournal.com]

I took the day off to work on my last two papers for the semester (I was just feeling super pressured to finish and with testing next week). I've been listening to the CMA awards while I work.

I'm going to have to explore them a bit... at some point. I'm so lazy about music... i generall wait for someone to say "hey, listen to this".

[asphaltcowgrrl.livejournal.com]

Smart move. Gives you time and a chance to let go a bit while you work on them.

I love these two, they put out consistently good music. But I hear you on that — I don't have Troy asking me about some song he heard at 2 AM when coming to bed any longer. LOL! But Spotify has a lot of great playlists where they update the music weekly. There are a couple of country ones I've found plus the release radar that's curated based off your listening history. Great way to find new music.

[shanachie-quill.livejournal.com]

It really did take the pressure off. It was helpful.

I enjoyed them. I will have to add them to my Spotify.

I'm just a creature of habit.

[asphaltcowgrrl.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear it.

Yay! I love them, so I'm glad you liked them, too.

I can understand that.

[shanachie-quill.livejournal.com]

I've listened to them on and off... I've been sucked into a book series.

[asphaltcowgrrl.livejournal.com]

My current song addiction is Gary Allan's "Temptation". *sigh*

What series? Because yanno, I need more books. Haha.

[shanachie-quill.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure? Probably In Death.

Nice. I LOVE Stay a little longer after my road trip (I put it on the playlist) and I'll probably be adding it to one of my story playlists because it fits the boys.

[asphaltcowgrrl.livejournal.com]

Ah, I've read the first in that series and I enjoyed it. I have the second on my Kindle, but haven't managed to start it yet.

AWESOME. I love those two so much. <3

[shanachie-quill.livejournal.com]

I've grown jaded with them... but I still read them.

So much fun!. I need to listen to more of them.

[asphaltcowgrrl.livejournal.com]

Any series that has 50-something books is bound to get a bit predictable in the end. I'm the same way about the Stephanie Plum books. I'll read those to the bitter end. LOL

They're so good. And I'm also loving Mitchell Tenpenny right now as well. "Drunk Me" is one of my faves.

[shanachie-quill.livejournal.com]

Yes totally. And yes on the reading until the bitter end. I'll do the same for the Plum books.

I just put it on to check it out.

I actually think the book series I was sucked into was a different one, but now I cant remember what. And I've like stopped listening and I've been doing podcasts.

The song is pretty good...

[haldoor.livejournal.com]

Love that second one — great vid too! The first one is also good, and cheeky little video!

Yay for him! Gotta be such a hard thing to do in country music, but it's well past time the people with the backward ways joined the 21st century! ;-)

[asphaltcowgrrl.livejournal.com]

Yay! And I agree, both the video and the song are one of my favorites. LOL — that other song always makes me think of Zayne for obvious reasons. But the vid is fun, too!

I know, and it's unbelievable that in 2021 these opinions still exist.. Hoping he and his brother can help push the boundaries a bit and change people's minds.