Texas Music or Red Dirt Music?
For years it seems like our genre hasn’t had a clear name for what it should be called. I’ve always referred to it as” Texas/Red Dirt Music” and have shortened it to just Texas Music. Just recently (maybe 2 years ago) we moved Galleywinter to push the tagline “Support Texas Music” sort of eliminating the Red Dirt part of the name although now I’m not so sure about that direction.
So what does it matter? It’s just a name.. right? I read an article recently from the guys at The 9513 about The Power of Infrastructure and they refer to it as “Red Dirt”. The whole article is about everyone getting involved and doing their part and Galleywinter was mentioned as a player in the whole scheme of things. But… to the casual reader we have The 9513 talking about “Red Dirt” and we have Galleywinter “Supporting Texas Music” and even within that I see the term OKOM (Our Kind Of Music) pop up from time to time. It matters becuase we need to all be on the same page. The big list of inconsistency goes on and on as you visit websites around the scene and it makes me wonder if we’re even supporting the same music!
So let’s hear it… when you have to explain it.. what do you call this sect of music that means so much to us? I think I’d like to move towards calling it “Red Dirt”, becuase it’s not as general as “Texas Music”… and I think it sounds a lot better. Do you think artists might not like the Red Dirt association being that it implies Oklahoma roots?
Comments
Hey Hey,
I am just not sure why it has to have a name at all, to be honest. I have said this many times on my own blog as well as the comments section from the 9513. I do like the perspective of framework and structure that the 9513 article came from, versus trying to describe the actual music, which lets face it, is mainly Country-Rock. Even the term “Country Rock” falls short when discussing Aaron Watson or Boland, cuz they are straight up stone cold country, no rock needed. If terms such as “Americana”, “Alt-Country” or “Red Dirt” had already proved to be effective, we wouldnt be having this discussion across the blogosphere. If these widely used terms have been unable to effectively categorize or summarize a sound, then why keep trying? Is “Red Dirt” a sound a region, or a genre? I submit that the bands generally associated with “Red Dirt” are far too different to lump into one category. Is Collin Herring “Red Dirt” because he is a Country-Rocker that lives in Texas? Is Chris Knight a “Red Dirt” guy? He tours mainly in Texas, has most of his fans here and CCR has recorded some of his stuff, yet he is from and still lives in Kentucky?
I am sorry to babble. I guess I feel like we are trying to answer a quesiton that really isnt being asked….
I disagree that it’s not being asked… I can’t help but notice an inconstancy in a culture that is trying put a name to something they love. I think the problem is mainly what you alluded to in your comment… that this genre of music has several sub-genres which all blur the lines of traditional music categories.
I would ask again.. What do you tell people when they ask what type of music you listen to? You know.. the people that have never heard of Boland and maybe associate “Country Music” with John Rich.
The problem is that in the country vein of music there isn’t much to distinguish between “Country” and “Pop-Country” to the general public. There is plenty to distinguish what I’ve heard people call “Old School Country” and “Regular Country” … but there are too many blurred lines when we start describing Ryan Bingham and Jason Boland to someone that has never heard of it. Without an identity I fear that we’ll never get the momentum from a national press standpoint. The terms Grunge Movement and Punk Rock are household names and both refer to an offshoot of a mainstream style of music.
Sure it doesn’t matter to the guys writing music what the hell it’s called. But as fans and people that want to promote our favorites brand of music… when need to try to do everything to remove the roadblocks.
Wow.. that was a ramble! Sorry :)
Its funny, I was literally asked what music I listened to this morning by a new coworker, and I did have to go on for five minutes trying to explain it. I actually agree that an effective name for this brand of music would be useful, I guess that I just question how realistic it is and if it isnt that realistic or effective, then I guess I just wish we could all move on. As far as national momentum, you and I have both been to recent LJT festivals, I cant help but feel that the increased turn-out year after year (in the last few especially) showcase the momentum that is necessary for “red dirt” to gain traction nationally. The seattle grunge scene was selling out clubs and regional festivals long before Nirvana broke with “Nevermind” in 92. If a song from Mescalito, or maybe from Hayes Carll’s or Reckless kelly’s new or upcoming releases were to break nationally (long-shot, I know), that would possibly give the same type of boost to this red dirt movement. Remember, even the outlaw movement required a great deal of commercial success to in fact, become a movement. If “the outlaws” album hadnt have been successful on a large scale, would that movement have ever taken off anymore than the current state of red dirt?
Red Dirt is the best sounding name by far…but then I would find myself explaining “you know, sort of rootsy texas music” when they ask what Red Dirt is. Over the years though, I could see Red Dirt picking up some momentum and further branding this type music into people’s minds. It would really take a movement of people/artists to begin to communicate the terminology though.
As you could probably tell from the article, I think that it’s important to have a term to classify the movement and I vote for Red Dirt.
It’s true that it’s not very descriptive, but it’s not entirely artificial either, after all, despite the differences between Ragweed, Boland, Adam Hood, and Sunny Sweeney, they are all being played on the same radio stations and (I would guess) tend to have an overlapping fanbase.
In this strange collective of overlapping circles that we all seem to sit in the middle of, I’ve always had a problem with labels …
You have “Red Dirt” thrown around, but the problem with that is it’s origin being so rooted in what was once the “Stillwater Sound” (Tom Skinner, Bob Childers, Medicine Show, Red Dirt Rangers, etc). So it’s closely tied to an Oklahoma reference - which makes folks like Rogers, Bowen, Reckless, and others turn their noses up at it. Then there is “Texas Music” - which, by name alone, is so ridiculously encompassing that it’s difficult to define. “Texas Country” works because it applies to a distinct sound , much like “Alt-County” or “Southern Rock” does, but it doesn’t apply across the board. And, let’s face it, “OKOM”, which I’ve heard much less over the years, is just a bit cocky.
Part of the problem is that the music we listen to is so diverse. Yes, there may be a few unifying elements in the mix, but overall there is a wide range of sound and style. You’ve got Southern Rock in Ragweed/Reckless, Roots Country in Boland/Rogers, Alt-Country in Macon Greyson/Austin Collins, Folk Rock in Hayes Carll/Bingham, a bit of Blues and Soul from Adam Hood/Matt Powell, and McClure brings in an Indie Rock vibe to the mix. How do you define that into one category? Can you?
When I try to explain to people what I listen to I usually say it’s the “OK/TX Scene”. Though even that doesn’t entirely work when we have artists from Alabama, Mississippi, Arizona, Idaho, [...] finding themselves fitting in. It’s just such a welcoming environment, to both artist and fan. If you can show up and prove yourself, then you are received with open arms.
I fear one single label will never truly fit.
By that logic you should just call it “music”. Seems a bit shallow and generic to me.. which is the exact opposite of what we are talking about.
We actually had a mini discussion before Ben wrote that article on his review of the Kevin Fowler song. A few years ago, before I knew what “Red Dirt” was derived from, I figured it was some sort of reference to the Red River separating TX and OK and that’s how I rationalized it defining music from both states. I like the term “Red Dirt,” but it’s meaning is kinda vague, but at the same time, the term itself seems to be more accessible than “Texas Music” to people outside of Texas.