Rascal Flatts fans?

BottomFeeder

My wife's a big fan and I'd like to get her a couple of their albums (she'll like the music AND be listening to it on my system!).

Would you please recommend some of their albums for me? What albums do you like best & why?

Thanks for your help & support!!!

TroyD

Expose her to better material.

Rascal Flatts is pretty much, IMO, cheeze whiz country. There is SOOOO much better country material out there.

BDT

BottomFeeder

I totally agree!

BUT! She loves them, so, in my book, it's a start.

Gimme some recommendations for "SOOOO much better country material out there," would you, please?

Thanks!

audiobliss

I like most of what I hear from Rascal Flatts. Not my favorite group, but I never frown when one of their songs come on the radio.

The only album I have from them is pretty old, IIRC, but it's good, imo. Melt


As for so much better? Going for 'new', good country (ie, not going back to Merle Haggard and that era), I would say Alison Krauss, Emmylou Harris, Lyle Lovette, Vince Gill, The Seldom Scene, Sam Bush, Ricky Skaggs, Dwight Yoakam, Hal Ketchum.

Lyle Lovette and The Seldom Scene are probably more bluegrass than counry, though. I'm not too familiar with either of them.

More along the lines of Rascal Flatts, yet artists that I still like, would be Brad Paisley, Alan Jackson, Josh Turner, Craig Morgan, Garth Brooks, George Strait, Keith Urban, Kenny Chesney, Lonestar.

Ok, I'm sure I've thrown enough irrelevant names out there now.

shack

My daughter is a big Rascal Flatts fan. The first self titled album "Rascal Flatts" and the second album "Melt" are probably the best two to start with. If she really likes those then get the rest. Rascal Flatts is more Country Pop than true traditional country. Nothing wrong with that. I can't stand the traditional stuff (George Jones, Loretta Lynn, Buck Owens, Ernest Tubbs, etc..) A lot of the new county traces it's roots back to county rock (Flying Buritto Brothers, Eagles, Poco, Pure Prairie League, Manassas, The Band, etc) which was one of my favorite genres.

TroyD

Johnny Cash - Live at Folsom Prison
Willie Nelson - just about anything I can think of, 'It Will Always Be' is very good
Trent Tomlinson - I forget the name of his album; but it's good.
Rhonda Vincent- again, the album name escapes me....
Alison Krauss - pick one...the live album is fantastic
Flatt & Scruggs - The Original Foggy Mountain Breakdown (this is a MUST have for any music fan)
Rivers Rutherford - Just Another Coaster -tough one to find but worth it
Anthony Smith - If That Ain't Country (a MUST own)
Lucinda Williams - Live at the Filmore



There are more but I'm drawing a blank at the moment.....

BDT

exalted512

rascal flatts is on the only country groups i will listen to. i dont like all of their songs, but there are a few. That and Cross Canadian Ragweed:D
-Cody

Jstas

TroyD wrote:

Johnny Cash - Live at Folsom Prison
Willie Nelson - just about anything I can think of, 'It Will Always Be' is very good
Trent Tomlinson - I forget the name of his album; but it's good.
Rhonda Vincent- again, the album name escapes me....
Alison Krauss - pick one...the live album is fantastic
Flatt & Scruggs - The Original Foggy Mountain Breakdown (this is a MUST have for any music fan)
Rivers Rutherford - Just Another Coaster -tough one to find but worth it
Anthony Smith - If That Ain't Country (a MUST own)
Lucinda Williams - Live at the Filmore



There are more but I'm drawing a blank at the moment.....

BDT

This is a pretty good list to start with.



audiobliss is off on his assessment I think.

EmmyLou Harris is not "new" and neither is Dwight Yoakam. Both started thier careers when Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson were hitting it big in the late 70's and early 80's and thier styles very much reflect that. The only reason they are still around and viable in today's market for all the young 'uns to consider them "new" is that they actually have real talent and are good at what they do. That and EmmyLou Harris is STILL a smokin' hottie!

Lonestar probably started before audiobliss was even born. They have been making albums for about 20 years now...at least. They are one of the bands that started the whole country rock/pop thing. They aren't "new", they are where the "new" started.

As far as Alan Jackson, and Garth Brooks being along the lines of Rascal Flatts, nothing could be farther from the truth. Rascal Flatts has listed Alan Jackson as being an influence that they knew when they were growing up. If anything, Rascal Flatts is like Alan Jackson but even then I wouldn't agree with that statement. Garth Brooks has pretty much set his own standard and there hasn't been anyone like him since. There have been immitators but no one has come close to being the same.

George Strait. Hell, he ain't new. He's hardcore "old school". Even guys like George Jones and Willie Nelson would tell you he's old school and most people consider THOSE guys old school. George Strait though, that guys is just raw talent and damn near everything he touches turns to gold. I don't know anyone that doesn't know at least one song from George Strait that they like. My personal favorite is "All My Exes Live In Texas".



There is a saying that I've heard before and it's even referenced in a Big and Rich song. It essentially goes "Charley Pride was the man in black and rock n' roll was about Johnny Cash". Look up Charley Pride and if you can find one of his albums, get it and listen to it. That is where "country" started, with guys just likee Charley Pride. As far as Rock and Roll being about Johnny Cash, I don't think anyone besides Chuck Berry has had as much influence as Johnny Cash did on rock and roll. Even though Cash was "country", he influenced most of the rock and roll greats from the 50's and 60's, even Elvis. Alot of people don't like country for many silly reasons but whether they like it or not, country is in alot of music that they do like. For those that do like country, nothing beats the "crying" of a steel guitar and honestly, I have found that nothing will test the dynamic range and imaging of a set of speakers like the "crying" of a steel guitar. Especially Alan Jackson's steel guitar player. The guy is a wizard on it!

zombie boy 2000

Excellent write-up Jstas, but I'm going to have to disagree with you on Charley Pride. Unless I'm misreading you on "where country started". To many, he's considered somewhat of a crossover sellout. "Kiss an Angel Good Morning" pretty much sums him up to a lot of people...

Whether or not someone is into the country, and admitedly, I really wasn't until meeting my wife.... Johnny Cash is the innovator, the original, tops. He's Rock/Punk/ol' Country. One of a kind.

Nice shout out to Dwight Yoakam. The Bakersfield Sound goes to show how multifaceted the genre can be....

read-alot

Anyone see Dwight Yoakam in Crank. Pretty good acting job.
He looked like he had gained a lot of weight.

Charley Pride is country and Bob Wills is still the king.

Rascal Flatts - not country.

shack

Jstas wrote:

EmmyLou Harris is not "new" and neither is Dwight Yoakam. Both started thier careers when Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson were hitting it big in the late 70's and early 80's and thier styles very much reflect that. The only reason they are still around and viable in today's market for all the young 'uns to consider them "new" is that they actually have real talent and are good at what they do. That and EmmyLou Harris is STILL a smokin' hottie!

Emmylou started long before Willie, Merle and Waylon Jennings were becoming "mainstream" popular and being considered "outlaws" for crossing over into rock. Her first album was released in 1968. She was recording with several artists in the late '60s and early '70s. Merle and Wille didn't really influence her career that much...Bob Dylan and Joan Baez had more influence than them.

Dwight started more than 15 years after Emmylou. The more traditional early Merle Haggard, Hank Williams Sr. and Buck Owens were influences moreso than the later Haggard and Nelson.

PhantomOG

read-alot wrote:

Rascal Flatts - not country.

screw that... I don't want to hear them on the non-country stations!

opus

read-alot wrote:

and Bob Wills is still the king.

That made me smile. Never thought I would see it on CP:)

zombie boy 2000

I paid 10 dollars to watch a bum fight last Friday night and realized one of the combatants was Billy Ray Cyrus. The other combatant was his mullet. It was awesome.

opus

Hey Zombie,

"Crossover sellout". I don't know , there are some pretty serious country songs listed below. I personally had never thought of Charlie Pride this way.
He did have several upbeat songs that found success among the "masses" but that doesn't wipe out a career filled with real down to earth country music.




Year Single U.S. Country US Hot 100 U.S. AC Album
1967 "Does My Ring Hurt Your Finger?" #4 - - The Country Way
1967 "Just Between You and Me" #9 - - The Country Way
1968 "The Day the World Stood Still" #4 - - The Country Way
1968 "The Easy Part's Over" #2 - - Songs of Pride..Charley That Is
1969 "I'm So Afraid of Losing You Again" #1 - Just Plain Charley
1969 "All I Have to Offer You Is Me" #1 - Best of Charley Pride
1970 "I Can't Believed You Stopped Lovin' Me" #1 - From Me to You
1970 "Is There Anybody Goin' to San Antone?" #1 - - Charley Pride's 10th Album
1970 "Wonder I Could Live There Anymore" #1 - From Me to You
1971 "Do You Think I Pray?" #70 - - Do You Think I Pray?"
1971 "I'd Rather Love You" #1 - I'm Just Me
1971 "I'm Just Me" #1 - I'm Just Me
1971 "Kiss An Angel Good Mornin'" #1 Charley pride Sings Heart Songs
1971 "Let Me Live" #21 - - Do You Think I Pray?"
1972 "All His Children" #2 - Sometimes a Great Nation
1972 "It's Gonna Take a Little Bit Longer" #1 - - A Sunshine Day With Charley Pride
1972 "She's Too Good to Be True" #1 - - Songs of Love by Charley Pride
1973 "Amazing Love" #1 - - Amazing Love
1973 "Don't Fight the Feelings of Love" #1 - - Sweet Country
1973 "A Shoulder to Cry On" #1 - - Sweet Country
1975 "Mississippi Cotton Picking Delta Town" #3 - Pride of America
1975 "Hope You're Feeling Like I'm Feelin' You" #1 - - Charley
1975 "Then Who Am I?" #1 - - Pride of America
1976 "My Eyes Can Only See As far As You" #1 - - The Happiness of Having You
1976 "A Whole Lotta Things to Sing About" #2 - - The Happiness of Having You
1976 "The Happiness of Having You" #3 - - The Happiness of Having You
1977 "I'll Be Leavin' Alone" #1 - - She's Just An Old Love Turned Memory
1977 "More to Me" #1 - - She's Just An Old Love Turned Memory
1977 "She's Just An Old Love Turned Memory" #1 - - She's Just An Old Love Turned Memory
1978 "Burgers and Fries" #2 - - Burgers and Fries
1978 "Someone Loves You Honey" #1 - - Someone Loves You Honey
1978 "When I Stop Leaving (I'll Be Gone)" #3 - - -


[edit]
Sources

zombie boy 2000

Like I said... it's not an opinion that I personally share. But being around many who are seriously into country music (and its history), it exists. "Country-politan" is used in a rather derogatory way nowadays, and whether right or wrong, Pride held the torch in many people's eyes. Should an entire career be judged on the merit of some latter day goose eggs. No way! But for better or worse, it very often is. Especially in a genre with such a conservative and traditional fanbase as country/western music.

Granted... there is probably a degree of racism at play IMO

Jstas

zombie boy 2000 wrote:

Granted... there is probably a degree of racism at play IMO

It has been my experience that it is the only thing in play when negative criticisms of Charley Pride surface.

BottomFeeder

Hmmm! One of the better hijacks I've seen!;)

Ok, so I'm guessing that there aren't many RF fans out there. But I DO appreciate the education and it's fun watching you guys banter back & forth!

& Thanks for the rec's.

Jstas

shack wrote:

Emmylou started long before Willie, Merle and Waylon Jennings were becoming "mainstream" popular and being considered "outlaws" for crossing over into rock. Her first album was released in 1968. She was recording with several artists in the late '60s and early '70s. Merle and Wille didn't really influence her career that much...Bob Dylan and Joan Baez had more influence than them.

Dwight started more than 15 years after Emmylou. The more traditional early Merle Haggard, Hank Williams Sr. and Buck Owens were influences moreso than the later Haggard and Nelson.

Dude, I never said that anyone in my post was an influence to anyone else. EmmyLou started out in the 60's with the whole hippie thing but didn't hit her mainstream stride until the 70's. That was when her career as she knows it now really started. Dwight didn't have a recording debut until 1984 but had been playing in Nashville since 1978. He and EmmyLou both "made it" when Willie, Waylon and Merle were putting out the biggest albums of thier careers. However, Nelson started in the 50's and so did Jennings and Haggard. Jennings didn't really hit it big until the outlaw years. In fact, Jennings was not much of a solo artist until he met Willie. He started playing in his late teens and early 20's and was actually Buddy Holly's bass player at the age of 21...that same year though, Holly died.

I'm not doubting your influences post, I'm just saying I never said that Dwight and EmmyLou were influenced by Willie and Haggard. But both Willie and Haggard had been performing for at least 10 years before EmmyLou and almost 30 years before Dwight. There could have been inspiration if not influence there.


BTW, EmmyLou is STILL hot!

EmmyLou at the start of her career:



EmmyLou now:

shack

I can only respond to what I read. I don't know how to take this statement other than they started their careers in the late 70s and their styles are due to Willie and Merle. If you meant something else...thats ok.

Jstas wrote:

EmmyLou Harris is not "new" and neither is Dwight Yoakam. Both started thier careers when Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson were hitting it big in the late 70's and early 80's and thier styles very much reflect that.

zombie boy 2000

Jstas wrote:

It has been my experience that it is the only thing in play when negative criticisms of Charley Pride surface.

I wouldn't say the only thing, but certainly a healthy dose of it. I've talked to some of the "old-timers" and you can tell that undercurrent runs deep. Yet for some people, that "crossover era" of the 70's and 80's represents (in their minds) the beginnings of everything that is wrong with country today. "Countrypolitan" led to "New Country" and you get the idea....

btw Sorry for the hijack BottomFeeder:o

krabby5

TroyD wrote:

Expose her to better material.

Rascal Flatts is pretty much, IMO, cheeze whiz country. There is SOOOO much better country material out there.

BDT

just because you don't like them doesn't mean somebody else can't like them. I never understood this...to each his own man..

and I personally HATE all country music..too much of a downer for me..

But i would NEVER tell anyone else what music they should listen to.....

geez..

zombie boy 2000

Krabby.... more power to 'em for for liking Rascal Flatts, but Troy has a point. If she is truly serious about exploring a newfound appreciation for the genre, then there is a boatload of artists who will provide catchier tunes, better musicianship, superior recordings, etc. etc.

If it's all about Rascal Flatts, then buy their albums and call it a day.

ps I wouldn't have touched country with a 90-foot pole before meeting my wife, but there are some solid recordings from "back in the day" which I find undeniable.

krabby5

zombie boy 2000 wrote:

Krabby.... more power to 'em for for liking Rascal Flatts, but Troy has a point. If she is truly serious about exploring a newfound appreciation for the genre, then there is a boatload of artists who will provide catchier tunes, better musicianship, superior recordings, etc. etc.

If it's all about Rascal Flatts, then buy their albums and call it a day.

ps I wouldn't have touched country with a 90-foot pole before meeting my wife, but there are some solid recordings from "back in the day" which I find undeniable.

My wife likes country..especially old school..but I never cuold get into it...I was brought up rock n roll..

Plus it seems most of the newer artists are all just good looking people with ok voices..

read-alot

To find out if she is serious about the music play her

Conway's "Hello Darling"

If she doesn't jump your bones she just likes the Flatts because one of their band members exposes his bare butt in one of their videos.

I turned to country when the whole world went to hell with disco.
Now I listen to classic rock with a little country mixed in.