Note: this page hasn't been updated since 2007 and I'm probably not ever going to update it.

It's just here as a reminder of what an amazing time I had in Austin, Texas - and because of Austin, Texas - in 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000.

Links are broken. Clubs no longer exist. And I no longer want your demo CD unless you are Robbie Fulks.


alternative country,
americana
regressive country,
roots rock,
whatever...

Call it real country, retro-country, hardcore country, progressive country, regressive country, independent country, insurgent country, alternative country, neo-traditional country, garage country, Rural Rock and Roll, punk country, cow punk, roots music, roots rock, twangcore, y'allternative, grange (as opposed to grunge), rural contemporary, No Depression, Americana, Cosmic American Music, Gram's crackers, grain elevator music... but whatever it is, it's fabulous and deserves to be played on the radio. A lot. Adding to the confusion is that this whatever music also encompasses some, but not all, old-time country, bluegrass, folk, rockabilly, surf and roots rock. Whatever.

Johnboy Langford of too many bands to name right now,
Cherilyn DeMond and Jo Walston of the Meat Purveyors at SXSW 1999

resources

A top 40 list of such bands is maintained and continually updated at americana-music.com

 

TWANGFEST
a nationally-recognized annual festival in June...
four days of music by more than a dozen bands and performers...
an annual (and frequently lauded) compilation CD...
the whole thang put together via the Internet by volunteers in different cities across the U.S....

 
Find out when alt-country performers will be in your town via:

 
AMERICANA-RELATED LABELS

 
Austin City Limits, the Longest-Running Live Music Series, features many Americana performers. If you are in the U.S.A. and your local PBS station doesn't carry this show, write that station and ask them to. And when you pledge, say it's in support of ACL!

 
This is a very good listing of the Austin, Texas Music Scene. If you are ever in town....

 
My suggestions for your alt.country CD collection:
(top choices for each year, starting with 1992)

 
Hear a lot of this music via Larry Monroe's Many Great Weekly Radio Shows broadcast via KUT in Austin and via the Internet.

 
Also hear this music via Swinging Doors, a program on KCMU in Seattle by Postcard2 list Dad and arbiter of alt.country taste, Don Yates.

 
If you can't find this music in your local music store, try Miles of Music

 
In search of words to old-time and classic country songs that these performers often cover? You can find the words to thousands of old songs via Digital Tradition

 
To see where REAL country gets its inspiration, visit:

 
Favorite music quote:

 
great twang events

TWANGFEST
a nationally-recognized annual festival in June...
four days of music by more than 15 bands and performers...
an annual (and frequently lauded) compilation CD...
the whole thang put together via the Internet by volunteers in different cities across the U.S....

1999 was the first for me.

 
SXSW
Every March in Austin Texas
Per the request of some of you out there who have no lives and read this web site to fill your empty hours, I've posted three essays and a tip sheet re: SXSW that you may find helpful if you are wondering if this is an event you should attend.

other music resources 

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