The term “honky tonk” has two meanings. It can be a tavern or club in the South which is comfortable for the common working man, not unlike a pub in the UK. It also describes the style of music played … Continue reading →
Country Gothic In her oft-cited 1998 essay, “Bloody Daggers and Lonesome Graveyards: The Gothic and Country Music,” Teresa Goddu contrasts “bluegrass” and country. I put “bluegrass” in quotes because the term in the essay mostly means songs that carry the legacy … Continue reading →
Introduction Those of you who follow us on Facebook know that we often recognize artists’ birthdays. That’s mostly my work. With plenty of thinking about mortality in our blog posts, it’s worth celebrating the musicians that help us find our way … Continue reading →
“Those songs are gifts” On warm, humid evenings in Pahokee, Florida in 1947, teenager Mel Tillis would hear the neighbors arguing. Through open windows, broadcasting across the space between their home and his, their recurring shouting match of distrust and acrimony … Continue reading →
This is the first of a two-part look at songs (“Wreck on the Highway” and “Percy’s Song”) about road crashes and their aftermath … The meaning of life is that it stops. — Kafka Impact Shards of shattered windshield, mangled … Continue reading →
Country music legend George Jones, also known as “The Possum” has reportedly passed away today. This comes after reports came last week of Jones suffering from a fever and irregular blood pressure. Jones, 81, was in the midst of a … Continue reading →
