Red Dirt Country--what is it really?

Michael Haselman · Post by **Michael Haselman** » 29 Mar 2010 6:54 am

I'm now with a really good Twin Cities band, the Mason Dixons. We play a sprinkling of the usual NCS to keep the drunks happy but the band bills itself as playing "Red Dirt Country." We do Reckless Kelly, Stoney LaRue, Cross Canadian Ragweed. Lots of good stuff, but I can't figure out what makes it different. Just kinda like Steve Earle, alt-country, Americana stuff. Is it a regional thing?

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 29 Mar 2010 12:40 pm

Drive down a Georgia country road. THAT'S Red Dirt country.

YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.

Michael Haselman · Post by **Michael Haselman** » 29 Mar 2010 1:02 pm

Love to, Bama, but this is actually called "Texas Red Dirt" music.

Chris Schlotzhauer · Post by **Chris Schlotzhauer** » 29 Mar 2010 2:24 pm

It's crappy southern rock.
Does that help?

Michael Haselman · Post by **Michael Haselman** » 29 Mar 2010 2:36 pm

Uh-oh. Chris is right in the thick of it. So it's not well-thought of by some in Texas, then?

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 29 Mar 2010 3:10 pm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Dirt_(music)

Mitch Drumm · Post by **Mitch Drumm** » 29 Mar 2010 3:42 pm

Delete double post.

Mitch Drumm · Post by **Mitch Drumm** » 29 Mar 2010 3:43 pm

I see from Brad's link that it is "country music with an attitude" and already has a Hall of Fame.

Hmmmm......I suspect I've seen this movie before. Anything for a marketing niche.

Alvin Blaine · Post by **Alvin Blaine** » 29 Mar 2010 4:06 pm

Charles Davidson wrote:Drive down a Georgia country road. THAT'S Red Dirt country. YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.

OR drive anywhere around the Oklahoma/Texas border area. That's where the "Red Dirt" scene gets it's name from. All the bands running up and down I-35 playing clubs from Austin to OKC. Mostly rock sort of stuff with a bit of twang.

Michael Haselman · Post by **Michael Haselman** » 29 Mar 2010 4:10 pm

I think I have the picture. I live on the upper end of I35, so I won't be at the other end anytime soon. More like a group of artists from the same neighborhood. Not something that if you hear a song you've never heard you'd say "that sounds like Red Dirt Music."

Delvin Morgan · Post by **Delvin Morgan** » 30 Mar 2010 8:15 am

Pardon me for hyjacking this thread but, Micheal, where and when do you play? I haven't heard of your band, but I live on the other side of town from you. I,d like to come watch sometime.

I just googled the band (shoulda done that before $:\$ ) I see you will be at Cambridge in July, I'll try and make that.

Adam Goodale · Post by **Adam Goodale** » 31 Mar 2010 3:43 am

It's not bad. its how i pay my bills... of course i would rather play ray price and johnny bush all day, but that's why alot of steel players only play in the comfort of they're home. it's not country and i will be the first to say that. its a mix of 70's outlaw country, with some blues, and southern rock. Stoney LaRue's sound is what i think of when i hear some one say red dirt music. To me, texas country is a mixture of the johnny bush, Kevin Fowler, Aaron watson stuff you will find. Alot like what Chris is doing with the Derailers. that is GREAT stuff. IMHO texas country and red dirt are 10 times better than whats coming out of nashville. i/e Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Rascal Flatts... It's not country, but its not bad...

Michael Haselman · Post by **Michael Haselman** » 31 Mar 2010 6:24 am

of course i would rather play ray price and johnny bush all day, but that's why alot of steel players only play in the comfort of they're home.

Adam, that's me in a nutshell. I've been doing this for money for a lot of years, and sometimes you grit your teeth and play "Sweet Home Alabama" for the 130,000th time. I like "Oklahoma Breakdown" by Stoney and think he's got a really unique voice. Reckless Kelly sounds a lot like early Steve Earle to me, so that's not a bad thing either.

Jeff Evans · Post by **Jeff Evans** » 31 Mar 2010 8:03 am

It's crappy outhern rock.
Does that help?

Ha. Appreciate the surprising candor.

This body of material seems to feature its share of "artist songs", that is, stuff that wouldn't see the light of day in a recording studio had it not been penned by the guitarist and his dude,-where's-my-dorm? roommate. Really, who can be bothered with trifles such as, oh, having your lyrics even remotely fit into the rhythmic structure of the song?

Woke up this morning . . .

[Sigh.]