Music
What makes Texas country music so special? Red Bull Jukebox Texas
From Willie Nelson to the red dirt movement, Texas has built its own country music tradition. Here's what makes the Lone Star State's sound unique ahead of Red Bull Jukebox Texas in Dallas.
Certain words get thrown around when it comes to describing what makes the Lone Star state so special: Independence. Tradition. Iconoclasm. Size. They all fit equally well in describing Texas' vibrant country music scene, which is - like the state as a whole - something of a world unto itself, an almost self-contained ecosystem of artists, venues and labels.
That independent spirit will take center stage at Red Bull Jukebox Texas on August 20 in Dallas, where fans will help shape a one-of-a-kind live experience celebrating artists connected to the Lone Star State's rich musical tradition.
Jordan Davis
© Red Bull
From the outside, one might assume that Texans listen to a lot of country music, it being a Southern state with a lot (a lot!) of wide open spaces. Less commonly understood, though, is not only does Texas have a lot of country music fans, it has its own country music tradition that has mostly developed in parallel - and occasionally at odds - with the better known lineage on Nashville's Music Row. It began back in the '30s and '40s with Western swing, and evolved with the outlaws - Willie, Waylon and the boys - and neotraditional acts to the red dirt movement of the '90s, '00s and today; Texas country music has its own charts and its own radio stations, and runs on mostly independent artists who make their living touring largely within the state (and Oklahoma and New Mexico).
What ties those artists together, musically? Well, deep ties to "truth" part of country music's mythic three chords and the truth, as well as a little more grit and grind to their sound — an earthiness that can manifest in a rock n' roll edge, a lo-fi, acoustic feel or a hard-nosed, boot-scooting honky-tonk twang.
"Don't get me wrong, I love a good song about a cold beer and a boat from time to time," as independent country journalist, DJ and host Billy Shank a.k.a. the Road Dog puts it, alluding to Nashville's country pop. "But I think Texas country strays away from the common tropes of country music. What Texas country artists have learned is that you don't need to write the song for the audience, you just write the song for you and then people can interpret it in their own ways. Maybe a whole lot of people are going through the exact same thing."
Texas country thrives on authentic live performances
© Nick Tavares / Red Bull Content Pool
That's the common thread that runs through artists as different as George Strait and Willie Nelson — two Texans who, despite shared audiences and even stages, could not be more different in their sound and their perspectives. They're dedicated to the song, though, and specifically finding and writing songs that are a little bit outside Nashville's lines — true to themselves, the roadside honky-tonks where they came up and Texas as a whole.
"In Texas, people write music for their lifestyle, their family, their story, their heartbreaks — where other places, I think sometimes they're writing songs just to get a hit," says Cody Hogan, owner of CH Lonestar Promo, which makes merch for dozens of Texas artists including Treaty Oak Revival, Kat Hasty and Aaron Watson. "And in the Texas music scene, you really got to grind it out on the road."
Jordan Davis
© Red Bull
Danielle Bradbery at Red Bull Jukebox Texas in Dallas
© Courtesy of Danielle Bradbery
Sammy Arriaga opening Red Bull Jukebox Texas
© Courtesy of Sammy Arriaga
That commitment to both a lyrical truth-telling and a vibrant, local live music scene will be on display at Red Bull Jukebox Texas August 20, when Texas native Danielle Bradbery takes the stage alongside Sammy Arriaga and Jordan Davis — two fellow country acts with strong ties to the Lone Star State — at the Bomb Factory in Dallas' historic Deep Ellum district. Deep Ellum has been a mecca for Texas live music since the very earliest days of the blues, making it a fitting home for this tribute to the state's musical tradition.
What will make this show particularly Texan, as much as the heartfelt lyrics and distinctive style, is the fans. Red dirt fans are dedicated like few others, two-stepping to the same act dozens of times because they're just that good. "I love how passionate the Texas country fanbase is," says Shank. "Texas is pretty loyal," Hogan adds. "The music just never gets old."
Those qualities, authenticity, independence and an unmatched connection between artists and fans, are exactly why Texas country remains a force of its own. And at Red Bull Jukebox Texas, fans won't just witness that tradition, they'll help shape the show itself.