Before and After

Reginald Spear on Politics in Music

Stardust Blues

Fake News Classic: Country Singers Unsure How to Monetize Bin Laden's Death

Country Singers Confused About Patriotic Single Choices in Wake of Bin Laden Killing

Posted on Country California, Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Several well-known country singers have expressed a sense of befuddlement about their course of action after the recent killing of Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

"Normally, I'd have three or four situation-appropriate patriotic singles I could rush to radio –- and I do,

don't get me wrong –- but we get into a conundrum here based on the party affiliation of the current

President," said one noted hitmaker who wished to remain anonymous.

"I've got one in the can called 'We Got Our Man' but I mean, what if they didn't really get him? You've

heard the conspiracy theories," he continued. "And another one's called 'We Salute You,' but that might

be misconstrued as support for Obama or something, and that's career suicide in the country market."

Representatives for Darryl Worley have confessed similar issues. "Darryl needs a hit right now so he

doesn't have to go into underwear modeling -- not that there's anything wrong with that -- but he's a

country singer and he's a patriot and America needs him to wave the flag now more than ever," said an

anonymous member of Worley's management.

"We have a sequel to 'Have You Forgotten?' called 'We Remember' slated for release in late July to

capitalize on express his feelings on the ten year anniversary of 9/11, but that's two months from now...

Darryl needs something on the market to keep his name out there, and the bin Laden killing is just too

much of a mixed bag for us to formulate an approach on."

Other artists such as Aaron Tippin, Toby Keith and Lee Greenwood were also seeking outlets for their

desire to represent this occasion in song at press time, but their camps were mum on possibilities.

Montgomery Gentry, however, was going full steam ahead with its release of "America, Hell Yeah,"

which hits radio five minutes ago.

Untrue Facts: Presidents and Country Singers

These United States

AI Illustrated Political Country Songs

Song titles at the end if you can't figure them out.

Merle Haggard - Okie From Muskogee

John Rich - Shuttin' Detroit Down

John Prine - Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore

Toby Keith - ....duh

Todd Snider - Conservative Christian, Right Wing, Republican, Straight, White, American Male

Oliver Anthony - Rich Men North of Richmond

Bryan Lewis - I Think My Dog is a Democrat

 

Wallen Hardy 2024

Both Sidesing

Top 10 Things You'll Never Hear a Jason Aldean Fan Say

By Trailer and Jeremy Harris

-------

10. I’ve decided to take the light bars off my truck because 

they're causing other drivers to have difficulty seeing.

09. Take that Trump Bible off your Christmas list son; 

a regular King James will suffice.

08. Sorry I took up too many spaces in the Petco parking lot. I hope I didn’t cause too much inconvenience. I’ll watch myself in the future.

07. Yes officer, I do know why you pulled me over.

06. No it doesn’t itch

05. Of course I like Tyler Childers; I’d never let political or societal differences keep me from enjoying the music I want to listen to.

4. Women should have the right to…

03. You’re my cousin?? We have to stop this immediately.

02. You know, I'm not voting for her, but Kamala

is actually making a few good points.

01. Sorry the child support was late this month; 

I added a couple hundred for your troubles.

God Bless the C.C.P.?

If Tomorrow All the Things Were Gone

Monday Morning Memes: Kristofferson, Walker Hayes, Cody Jinks

Politics Ruins Everything

The Hatin' Goes On

 (Jelly Roll has a song called "The Hate Goes On")

Dumb**ses Who Just Found Out Willie Nelson is Liberal

Every 2-3 months, a new pack of idiots learns Willie, who has always been a Democrat, is a Democrat. Here's the latest. There's some foul language if that sort of thing bothers you.

New Americana Band Trying Too Hard to Appeal to Hick-Libs

In a music industry increasingly entwined with the political landscape, the latest five-member Americana band, The Brambles, is making headlines—not for their tunes, but for their strained attempts to connect with a hip ‘new’ liberal audience. Despite their clear intent to stick to their roots in storytelling and traditional melodies, the band finds itself navigating a minefield of political expectations that they seem ill-equipped to handle.

Formed just two years ago in the Florida panhandle, The Brambles consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Jake E. Thompson, rhythm guitarist Scruffy Hanks, bassist Burton Longfellow, drummer Louis Perkins, and multi-instrumentalist Barry Weed. With influences ranging from Johnny Cash to The Avetts, their sound is rich with heartfelt lyrics and a nostalgic Americana vibe. 

However, as the political discourse continues to intensify across the nation during campaign season, the band's management is pushing them to find a core fanbase. In a recent interview, Thompson candidly admitted, "We’re not really a political band. We just want to make music about whiskey and beards and square body pickup trucks. But we’re never going to be on the radio, so our manager says we need to cultivate an influential/perpetually-online audience of rural liberals who own guns and drink pour-over coffee.”

In what some might call a series of goofy missteps, the band has worn Che Guevara shirts, donned stupid looking hipster hats, and ghermed the hell out of Jason Isbell in attempts to find the good graces of “hick libs.” From awkwardly phrased tweets about social justice (“Stop the violence in the middle west!” - a tweet which was never deleted) to clumsy attempts at engaging with trending political issues (shoehorning “Walz” in to their song about waltzes), their efforts have routinely missed the mark, leaving fans scratching their heads. 

In a recent concert in Austin, Texas, the band attempted to rally the crowd with an AI written speech about climate change before launching into their upbeat single, “Hurricane Party.” The audience's response was mixed, with some cheering enthusiastically while others exchanged puzzled looks. “They’re good musicians, but I left the show very confused.” said fan Ida Contigo, “The drummer was eating Chick-fil-a while wearing a homemade “F*** Donald Trump” shirt before the show.”

Despite the backlash, The Brambles remain optimistic. “Barry’s been wearing that camo Harris/Walz cap and we put an old pomade logo on the drum kit - I think our fans are getting an idea of the demographic we covet,” Longfellow said. “Not that any of us have ever voted before or know what intersectionality is.” Despite wishing to let their music speak for itself, they continue to test styles and messages in order to find a steady flow of income. As the band continues to tour and cultivate their fanbase, it remains to be seen whether they will find a way to authentically connect with their audience or just become a Farce the Music meme. For now, their plight serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by artists trying to navigate the often contentious intersection of music and politics in today's world.

At press time, Barry was attempting to bait Kid Rock into an online argument despite owning 6 of his albums.