If That Ain't Country

In this week's episode we're featuring the third album from one of the neo-traditional movement's shining lights: Holly Dunn's "Across The Rio Grande" (1988). In this reviewer's estimation, the late 80s saw only a handful of female country voices making honest-to-goodness roots-inspired country music, of which Dunn was one (another being Patty Loveless); and on this, her third album and final for MTM Records, Holly Dunn took on a much bigger production role. "Across The Rio Grande" was a mostly stripped-down affair compared to Dunn's previous offerings - there was barely an electric instrument to be seen (except maybe a bass, according to Dunn). There's some excellent songwriting with her brother Chris Waters as well as a couple of chart singles which did well enough, but the real strength lies in the heartfelt delivery of album cuts including the tender (and poignant, given Dunn's untimely passing) "On The Wings Of An Angel" and the yearning "Just Across The Rio Grande". A fine textured and multi-layered album from one of the neo-traditional era's finest young talents.

Howdy hard country fans! I thought it was time to release another piece of bonus content this week - usually exclusive to our Patreon members - it's called "COVER TO COVER", where we take a great traditional country album and play it right the way through, from front to back, in order and in full. And trust me when I say it's music you won't hear anywhere else - we specifically check to make sure our COVER TO COVER albums aren't on Spotify before featuring! Aside from the regular show, we'll be doing COVER TO COVER at least once a month for our Patreon members at any level and intermittently I will be releasing a COVER TO COVER episode as a podcast to you here, but for the most part, this feature is intended as a piece of bonus content - so enjoy! This time we go cover to cover on the one and only album Johnny Paycheck ever recorded for the short-lived Certron Records. After legendary producer Aubrey Mayhew's Little Darlin' Records went bust in 1969, he scrambled to keep the operation going and partnered with Certron Corporation, bringing a chunk of his roster and his signature hard country sound with him. It didn't last long though, and Paycheck's "Again" is one of the final original era examples of the Little Darlin' Sound that traditional country fans have come to love.

In this week's episode we're taking a long overdue dive into the sophomore album from California young gun Jesse Daniel: "Rollin' On" (2020). Co-produced by A-class steel man Tommy Detamore, this album rips right out of the gate. An all-original project, this collection is packed with punchy, catchy and relatable writing and rarely lets up on the high-energy twang - the reaction to "Rollin' On" reflects how well put together this album is. Indeed, excellent sales and streaming stats got the attention of plenty of industry players, but Daniel remains proudly independent on his own imprint Die True Records. With harmony vocals and several co-writes from Daniel's partner Jodi Lyford, highlights are plentiful: the colourful story of "Champion"; the clever metaphor of "Mayo And The Mustard"; a road-trip in song on "Tar Snakes" and the wistful ode to Daniel's hometown of Ben Lomond, CA in "Son Of The San Lorenzo". One full listen will be all it takes to understand why "Rollin' On" was at or near the top of so many "Best Of 2020" lists. Simply superb.

In this week's episode we're featuring the debut of Tennessean David Wills: "Barrooms To Bedrooms" (1975). Wills, only 23 years old at the time, was taken under the wing of Epic labelmate Charlie Rich who produced this project (as well as his second album, rushed out in the second half of '75 to capitalise on "Barrooms To Bedrooms"). Apparently driven by a desire to give back and help Wills get a leg up in country music, four Charlie Rich compositions ended up on the final product, handled wonderfully by the natural country baritone of David Wills. An accomplished writer and multi-instrumentalist himself, Wills' interpretation of jukebox-ready originals like "There's A Song On The Jukebox", "The Barmaid" as well as the Rich-penned "Sittin' And Thinkin" and "My Mountain Dew" are remarkably strong for a man who seems to have disappeared as a recording artist post-1990. A hard country debut so solid that even Rich (perhaps jokingly) admitted jealousy at Wills' ability to interpret a country song.

In this week's episode we're featuring the studio version of an event which became an Austin, Texas institution: "Happy Birthday Buck: A Texas Salute To Buck Owens" (2002). When a couple of accomplished Austin-area musicians in Casper Rawls and Tom Lewis started kicking around the idea to hold a Buck Owens birthday party, they didn't think anyone would show up. It was mostly just an excuse to pick on some Bakersfield Sound and have some fun. But on August 12, 1992 (Buck's 63rd birthday), the legendary Continental Club was a full house and the event was so popular that Buck Owens Birthday Bash became an annual event. Over 25 years, Buck's Birthday Bash attracted local musicians and legends alike, and this week's feature album commemorates ten years with a stack of names (some regular Birthday Bash attendees, some just admirers) covering Owens' hits, from the big ones to the lesser known gems - with contributions from David Ball, Rick Trevino, Rosie Flores, Jim Lauderdale, Libbi Bosworth, Jeff Hughes, Ray Benson and one very special guest who made Buck's 1995 Birthday Bash one for the history books!

Welcome back to 2021! To get us going this year, we're releasing a recent piece of bonus content, usually exclusive to our Patreon members - it's called "COVER TO COVER", where we take a great traditional country album and play it right the way through, from front to back, in order and in full. And trust me when I say it's music you won't hear anywhere else - we specifically check to make sure our COVER TO COVER albums aren't on Spotify before featuring! Aside from the regular show, we'll be doing COVER TO COVER at least once a month for our Patreon members at any level and intermittently I will be releasing a COVER TO COVER episode as a podcast to you here, but for the most part, this feature is intended as a piece of bonus content - so enjoy! This time we go cover to cover on Mel Street's final full-length, original studio album of his career: "Country Soul" (1978). A hardcore country traditionalist, "Country Soul" contains plenty of cheating songs (Street's forte) as well as his last Top 10 hit. Country gold!

I'll admit that in the past I've generally not counted myself much of a fan of Christmas music. But in the last few years, I guess I've become less Grinch-y and so when the opportunity to take part in an all-vinyl episode of a popular local radio show, I jumped at the chance! Actually, I borrowed my wife's classic country Christmas vinyl collection (with thanks!), ditched my hardline traditionalist stance (for an hour), embraced the greater classic country genre and with host Leigh Wood, we got to play some classics, some novelties and a whole bunch of classic country Christmas music on The KUAF Vinyl Hour. We swapped the fiddle and steel for jingle bells and lush Christmassy choruses, but it was heaps of fun. Maybe you'll enjoy it too! Merry Christmas! - WR [Originally aired on KUAF 91.3FM Fayetteville, Arkansas on Saturday 19th December, 2020].

PART TWO OF TWO: 2020 has been an awful year for everybody. But for country music, this year seems to have been especially devastating. I can't remember a year where so many country icons have been taken - it seems like we've barely had the time to mourn the passing of one country star when another one has passed. It's been utterly exhausting for me to wrap my head around, personally. But the loss of Charley Pride in December of 2020 was different. Pride was a giant of the genre, no doubt about it, and all his trailblazing aside, Pride's buttery vocal and most of his catalogue fit our format down to a T here at "If That Ain't Country". His was a big loss indeed. And so, I thought it fitting to re-release an archival episode of the show which originally aired in February of 2019. Bear with my presenting style if you can (we're always learning, but even more so back then haha): the music enclosed on "From Me To You" is typically excellent. An icon remembered this week on the show - I hope you and yours are staying safe! And despite it all, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! - WR

PART ONE OF TWO: 2020 has been an awful year for everybody, no doubt about it. But for country music, this year seems to have been especially devastating. I can't remember a year where so many country icons have been taken - it seems like we've barely had the time to mourn the passing of one country star when another one has passed. It's been utterly exhausting for me to wrap my head around, personally. But the loss of Charley Pride in December of 2020 was different. Pride was a giant of the genre, no doubt about it, and all his trailblazing aside, Pride's buttery vocal and most of his catalogue fit our format down to a T here at "If That Ain't Country". His was a big loss indeed. And so, I thought it fitting to re-release an archival episode of the show which originally aired in February of 2017. Bear with my presenting style if you can (we're always learning, but even more so back then haha): the music enclosed on "The Incomparable Charley Pride" is stellar. An icon remembered this week on the show - I hope you and yours are staying safe! And despite it all, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! - WR

In this week's episode we're featuring music exclusively from the fiercely independent and staunchly traditional Heart Of Texas Records. Based in the small town of Brady, Texas (the city nearest to the geographical center of the state, hence "Heart Of Texas"), Heart Of Texas Records is the only label (this reviewer knows of) which focuses exclusively on fiddle and steel guitar-driven traditional country music. Like Starday Records before it, Heart Of Texas Records has become a destination for up-and-coming country traditionalists as well as another chance for country stars of yesterday, giving a slew of legends a home to be heard on record once again. We'll feature a stack of music from the Heart Of Texas Records impressive catalogue and we'll also attempt to tell the story of a young Brady DJ and promoter who's passion for tradition helped establish the most important organisation in existence in the 21st Century for fans of hardcore country music.