Miranda Lambert

Originally Miranda Leigh Shelton, country music artist Miranda Lambert was born November 10, 1983 in Lindale Texas. Raised by private investigators, she lived a fairly strict, very southern, redneck childhood. Though having signed with Columbia Records, RCA Records, and Epic Records, Miranda Lambert initially achieved fame during Nashville Star’s 2003 season. Prior to the season she was signed to Epic Records. With Epic Records Miranda Lambert recorded her debut single “Me and Charlie Talking”, won Music Row Awards’ Best New Artist in 2005, and produced four singles that made it on Billboard Hot Country Songs Top 40 hits charts. However, she was forced to transfer to Columbia Records Nashville when Epic’s Nashville division shut down. Since 2007 Miranda Lambert has won 22 awards of the 73 she has been nominated for, including Album of the Year, Top Female Vocalist of the Year, and Best Female Country Vocal Performance.

Miranda Lambert is seen as a sort of “gunpowder and leg girl”, a “pistol packing Annie getting ready to whoop butt”. (Miranda Lambert LIVE Fan Q&A). She is frequently seen modeling the bad girls, bad boys theme in both her songs and music videos. During a Billboard Q&A interview, prior to the release of her “Four the Record” album in 2011, she noted that, though at heart she is truly a country girl, her influences range from country to blues and jazz. During this same interview she verbalized her belief in “being who you are no matter what that is and people accepting you for what you are”. (Miranda Lambert LIVE Fan Q&A). Her albums cover a wide variety of subject matters that make Miranda Lambert attractive to her audiences. While she rocks the “badass” look in “Baggage Claim”, she can break your heart in “Over You”.  Her variety makes her relatable; she is every side of you.

In the video above Miranda Lambert perfectly encompasses the bad girls, bad boys theme. It shows her flexibility appearance wise.

 Compared to most popular country artists today, Miranda Lambert’s sound, for the most part, remains true to her country roots. She is often praised for her strong voice, natural talent, and ability to veer away from the sort of “Taylor Swift country” sound that seems to be getting bigger today. Washington Post’s Chris Richards states, “like a shard of glass hiding in a shag carpet, Miranda Lambert has a voice that’s small and dangerous.”(Richards). Richards continues to say, “her voice has never been big, but Lambert knows how to use its clarity and bite to inhabit every corner of a song… You might find a TSA agent more forgiving than Lambert, but you won’t find a country star more magnetic.” (Richards). However, many critics are quick to pin Miranda Lambert as cheesy, overdone, and criticize her frequent use of co-writers. One critic remarked, “though sonically Miranda may be one of the most “real” things on mainstream country radio, there is still a good amount of pop to her sound, and unlike a Jamey Johnson, or even a Taylor Swift, she does not write most of her own music, or produce her own albums. Having said that, Lambert has illustrated that she has somehow carved out at least a small amount of creative freedom in the stifling Music Row environment.” (Saving Country Music). Her music is claimed to be overproduced, her lyrics tacky, and that same bad girl persona that will wrap you in, will drive you away. Needless to say, Miranda Lambert is a you love her or you hate her type of artist.

One thing is undeniable however, you can’t say Miranda Lambert is not country. Everything down to her raging Texas accident screams country. Every song embodies at least one country theme, if not more. She addresses heartache, love, loss, drinking, parties, and more. She is a living representation of the statement “country is a state of mine, way of life.” (Buckley 200). As seen in the pictures bellow, every inch of Miranda Lambert is as bad, sweet, and country as the next. She is unquestionably authentic. “Miranda Lambert isn’t afraid to speak her mind and sing the songs she wants to sing. Armed with a big voice, a feisty personality and a pink guitar… she played the woman-out-for-revenge part to the hilt with such trademark hits as “Gunpowder and Lead” and “Kerosene.” Nobody in country music today can do it better. But while you’re watching her toss her hair with the best of ’em and whip out a threatening line or two with that strong voice, just don’t make the mistake of thinking that’s all she can do.” (Paddock).

Works Cited

Miranda Lambert LIVE Fan Q&A. YouTube. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Oct. 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Z976TXlMaw>.

Miranda Lambert - White Liar. YouTube. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Oct. 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoR2Oax82kY>.

Paddock, Bill. “Review: Miranda Lambert.” Arkansas Times. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Oct. 2012.

Richards, Chris. “Album Review: Miranda Lambert, ‘Four The Record.’” The Washington Post. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Oct. 2012.

 Saving Country Music. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Oct. 2012. <http://www.savingcountrymusic.com/album-review-miranda-lamberts-four-the-record>.

Lewis, George H., ed. All That Glitters: Country Music In America. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.

Charleston's Own:Darius Rucker

~Darius Rucker~

Capital Records

Dariusrucker.com is a good source for all things going on with this star 

(Photo: billboard.com)

Photo: Darius Rucker, along with Thompson Square and Lady Antebellum on stage helping Lady Antebellum close the North American leg of their We Own the Night tour. Photo Cred: the Green Room PR

Darius Rucker's career really began with his frontman spot in Hootie and the Blowfish. As a member of the band in the mid-90s, Rucker was one of the most popular frontmen in mainstream pop/rock at the time. Hootie and the Blowfish's first album released in 1995, entitled Cracked Rear View, was extremely well known and eventually sold more than 16 million copies, making it one of the most successful albums of all time. The band never really could recreate the success of the first album, however, and after the release of their 1998 album, Musical Chairs, they decided to take a break from the studio. 

As Hootie and a Blowfish as a group came to an end, Rucker took his career the solo route, and  explored both R&B and Country influences.  Rucker is a true southern boy at heart. He grew up in Charleston  South Carolina, listening to Al Green, Otis Redding, and Gladys Knight. These R&B influences were what led to Rucker's soulful baritone sound at the forefront of Hootie and the Blowfish. Rucker worked with mostly his R&B sounds for a few years, and then in 2000, made a return to Hottie and the Blowfish, releasing 2 albums with them, but then returned to his solo career. This time, his country approach came to the forefront. 

Rucker's sound quickly found a home among country music fans and the flagship single of his debut album, "Don't think I don't Think About it" soared to the top of the country music billboard charts. Two more of the albums songs reached # 1 on the billboard hits pushing the album to platinum status within its first year of release. Rucker's second country album was just released two years ago in 2010 and is entitled, "Charleston, SC 1966"(CMT.com- Andrew Leahey, Mackenzie Wilson, Rovi) http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/rucker_darius/bio.jhtml

"Don't Think I Don't Think About It" Lyrics: 

From 2008 Album, Learn to Live

Songwriters: RUCKER, DARIUS C. / MILLS, CLAY
I left out in a cloud of taillights and dust
Swore I wasn't comin back
Said I'd had eonugh
Saw you in the rear view standin'
Fadin from my life
But I wasn't turnin' round
No not this time
But don't think I don't think about it
Don't think I don't have regrets
Don't think it don't get to me
Between the work and the hurt and the whiskey
Don't think I don't wonder bout
Could've been should've been all worked out
I know what I felt and I know what I said
But don't think I don't think about it
When we make choices
We gotta live with it
Heard you found a real good man and you married him
[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/d/darius_rucker/dont_think_i_dont_think_about_it.html ]I wonder if sometime I cross your mind?
Where would we be today of if I never drove that car away?
But don't think I don't think about it
Don't think I don't have regrets
Don't think it don't get to me
Between the work and the hurt and the whiskey
Don't think I don't wonder bout
Could've been should've been all worked out
Yeah I know what I felt and I know what I said
But don't think I don't think about it
But don't think I don't think about it
Don't think I don't have regrets
Don't think you don't get to me
Between the work and the hurt and the whiskey
Don't think I don't wonder bout
Could've been should've been all worked out
I know what I felt and I know what I said
But don't think I don't think about it
No no
Don't think I don't
Don't think I don't

Watch the "Don't Think I Don't Think About It" Music Video HERE: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HsYNUUl9MM

(Photo: Capitolnashville.com)

 One concern that I have with doing a presentation on Darius Rucker as a country musician is that he has explored so many genres of music throughout his career. Because of this, it may e difficult to pin down his exact country sound or "authenticity". I do however believe that Rucker's country career has been extremely sucessful and I think I can make a good argument as to why he is an authentic country artist as well as explore the path he made from rock/pop to R&B to country artist and explore why he has remained in country up to the present. I also think that Rucker being one of the only, and surely the most successful African American country artist of the past decade and perhaps even longer will be a very interesting and unique aspect to delve into and gain more knowledge on. (his first hit, Dont think I dont think about it, made him the first African American to chart number one on the hot country charts since Charley Bride in 1953. Also in 2009, he became the first African American to win the New Artist Award from the CMA (Country Music Association) ,and the second African American to win any award at all from the Association. 

As far as working with other musicians, Rucker tends to cowrite many of his songs (he especially did this early on in his country career). He had musicians who play various instruments on stage with him but advertises himself as a solo artist. 

Rucker has faced some hardship in his career as far as being accepted by fellow country musicians as well as fand because of his varied beginnings. Also, being African American and a country singer has also given him some flack as the two generally dont go hand in hand. He has acknowledged though that he knows he is the new kid on the block. Many felt that when Rucker entered the country music scene  having had earlier success in the rock/pop realm with Hottie and the Blowfish, that he would feel some sort of entitlement. They were met with surprise, however, as Rucker was so humbled when his song "Don't Think I Don't Think About I" went to number 1 that he cried. (biography.com)

Darius hosted his third annual fundraiser for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in June 2012. He calls the event "Darius and Friends" and holds the fundraiser in Nashville during the CMA Music Fest. The two-part fundraiser, which is sponsored by GAC (Great American Country), includes a celebrity golf tournament, and a concert later that evening which features many popular country artists each year. 100 percent of the ticket sales are donated to further St. Jude's mission of providing great care to children with cancer and other diseases at no cost to their families. Rucker's three concerts alone have helped raise over $100,000 for the cause.  (musicrow.com)

Links to find out More: 

http://www.musicrow.com/2012/04/darius-rucker-sets-date-for-annual-st-jude-fundraiser/

http://www.dariusrucker.com/story/news/3rd-annual-darius-and-friends-concert-and-celebrity-golf-tournament-announced-for-june-4

Rucker also supports Victorty Junction

And is also a big supporter of US troops: 

hw shows his appreciation by performing for troops overseas and by letting everyone know of ways they can support like through programs like Opperation Gratitude. He has also partnered with AOL's "You've got" campaign to encourage American's support for the armed forces. 

Visit AOLheroes.com to learn more about how YOU can join the cause. 

http://www.dariusrucker.com/story/news/darius-shows-his-support-for-us-troops (Dariusrucker.com)

In Current News: 

Rucker is currently half way through his tour with Lady Antebellum and Thompson Square. 

“It’s so much fun for me being out with Lady Antebellum. They’re huge and doing so well. We’re playing big places, selling them out and having a good time,” he said.

(Dariusrucker.com) 

(Photo by Rick Diamond/ Getty Images for Capitol Records)

Blog Citations: 

Darius Rucker.com. sparkart group. http://www.dariusrucker.com/home (accessed September 30, 2012)

Eric Parker. Darius Rucker Sets Date for Annual St. Jude Fundraiser. April 18, 2012. Music Row. http://www.musicrow.com/2012/04/darius-rucker-sets-date-for-annual-st-jude-fundraiser/ (Accessed September 30, 2012) 

CMT Get Country. Darius Rucker Biography. CMT.com/artists. http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/rucker_darius/bio.jhtml (Accessed September 30, 2012)

Willie Nelson: True Country Artist

Willie Nelson: True Country Artist
   
               

         Willie Hugh Nelson was born during the great depression on April 30, 1933 in the small town of Abbot, Texas. He and his sister were raised by their Grandparents, because his parents got divorced at a very young age. Willie and his sister came to love country music so their grandparents made a deal with Willie and his sister that each child was allowed to select an instrument to learn. Willie Nelson chose the guitar and his sister chose the piano. Nelson took a liking to the guitar very early on. He wrote his first song and gave his first public performance at age seven. He also worked his first professional gig at a local dance when he was ten years old. The year after Willie had joined his first band, and during high school, he toured around locally with the Bohemian Polka as their lead singer and guitar player. Once Nelson graduated from high school he joined the air force for a brief moment of time, then he was sent home because he had problems with his back. After all this happened Nelson enrolled in Baylor University for a couple of years, then dropped out because his country music career was about to take off.
               In his early 20’s he worked at a Texas radio station as a DJ, and he also even worked a couple years as a Bible salesman. Later on Nelson decided that he needed to leave Texas, so he moved to Washington to start writing songs. After he wrote a couple songs, the Pamper Music company signed him and let him play as a bassist in Ray Price’s band. Once Nelson had enough experience he decided to start recording his own albums. He recorded his album “And Then I Wrote” in 1962. The album had great success; in fact it had so much success that a short ten years later Nelson was able to retire and move to Austin, Texas. But just shortly after he had retired there was an extreme rise in Hippie music that inspired Nelson to come out of retirement and start performing and recording again. Nelson turned to a subgenre of country music called outlaw country shortly after he signed a big contract with Atlantic Records in 1973. Nelson made 2 great albums during that time; Phases and Stages, and Shotgun Willie. The deal did not work out between Nelson and Atlantic Records, so he switched over to Columbia Records where he recorded his best album ever some say; Red Headed Stranger. After this he teamed up with a team of talented country music stars such as Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, and Waylon Jennings. Also while his country music career was in his prime, Nelson had been playing small roles in movies and TV shows. Nelson was on top of the world at this point, but bad news came in swiftly. Nelson had not paid any taxes over his career, so he owed 32,000,000 dollars to the IRS. All of Nelson’s valuables had to be given to the IRS so that his debt would be burned, and he had to record 2 more albums with all of the profits going straight to the IRS. After all of this Nelson did not want to lose everything that he had worked for, So during the 90’s and 2000’s Nelson did not stop touring and producing new albums in efforts to keep the profits coming in. Nelson ventured into new genres such as folk, reggae, blues, and jazz during the late 90’s and early 2000’s which he had mixed reviews on.

            Many people say that Willie Nelson not paying his taxes was the best thing that had ever happened to him. Not paying taxes made Nelson recorded many more albums than he would have if he got to keep all his money and not having to sell all his assets to the IRS. Also it made Nelson try much harder to make better country music and not be able to retire earlier than his time. Today Nelson is a liberal activist and he is on the co-chair of the advisory board of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. In addition, Nelson also owns the brand Willie Nelson Biodiesel. Nelson is also a notable chairman of the Advisory Board of the Texas Music Project, the official music charity of the state of Texas. Nelson has acted in over 30 films and Tv shows, and co-authored many books. Today Willie Nelson is still touring at 79 years old. He has 2 sons and 4 daughters who are all involved in the music industry. 

  

Zac Brown Band

       Zac Brown Band is a country group based out of Atlanta, Georgia. The band is made up of lead vocalist and guitarist Zac Brown, singer and fiddler Jimmy DeMartini, keyboard and guistarist Clay Cook, bass guitar John Hopkins, drums Chris Friars, and keyboard and guitarist Coy Bowles. The band was started in 2002, initially only consisting of Zac, a bassist, and a drummer, neither of whom are still with the band. While 2002 was there first year of touring Zac Brown Band really picked up in 2004. Zac and his father had started a music club southern style restaurant that was purchased from them in 2004. With the money the got from that Zac bought a tour bus and really take the band seriously. The band was formed over the next through years, through people he had played with before, old classmates, and friends of friends. Coy Bowles for example was a student the same time as Zac at the University of West Georgia. One night at a bar Zac was playing at Coy was in attendances, Coy was stunned by Zac voice. Without using a mic he explained how his voice was rich and full even from the back of a crowded bar. Coy moved on to start his own band before reconnecting with Zac a couple years later.
       While 2004 was there real break out year, arguably his most famous song Chicken Fried, was recorded in 2003 on his first album Home Grown. Home Grown was also the name of the record label he began, until it had to be changed to Southern Ground do to copyright infringement. His record Label also host a music festival called the Southern Ground Music and Food Festival that he hosts in Nashville Tennessee every year. Home Grown was in reference to marijuana, which he is fairly open about smoking. This can be seen in multiple songs of his, including Toes, in which he sings "Gonna lay in the hot sun and roll a big fat one, and grab my guitar and play." This song is about a time in Mexico, and how happy he was there leaving. Finally at the end of the song he changes the chorus from talking about leaving Georgia for good, to leaving Mexico to return to his true home. Zac Brown Band also makes a point to have very well done and creative music videos to accompany his songs. Toes has a great music video depicting a mans journey in Mexico and his eventual return to his home and the people he loves in Georgia.
       The band has had eight songs at number one on bilboards top 100, Chicken Fries, Toes, Highway 20 Ride, Cold Weather, Free, As She's Walking Away, Knee Deep (Ft. Jimmy Buffet), and Keep Me in Mind. All of which have great music videos I've linked to. Zac has a great way of turning his songs into mini three or four minute movies that really capture your attention. He sings about parties, beer, trucks, and beaches all the way through to love and serious emotional songs. Its really interesting to not only see how wide of a variety of songs he has but how he makes these great music videos for each.
       Zac Brow Band is still very active he has 16 shows between now and December. He does a lot of shows at Universities in the south as well as the north east. I saw him two years ago, at Jones Beach in Ny, and he put on a great show. He is very energetic and so is the rest of the band. They are all very into it and you can tell they really love what they are doing.


Bibliography

http://www.zacbrownband.com/welcome.html

http://www.youtube.com/

www.cmt.com/artists/az/brown_zac__band/bio.jhtml