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Democrats to reclaim country music
Daily Telegraph ^ | November 20, 2007 | Toby Harnden

Posted on 11/20/2007 6:33:56 AM PST by Zakeet

Democrats angered at the image of country and western as Right-wing “redneck music” are planning a tour of Middle America during the 2008 election campaign by Nashville artists opposed to the Iraq war.

An alliance called the Music Row Democrats is poised to re-launch itself early next year in an attempt to seize back country music from the Republican camp and spread their message that President George W. Bush’s party does not care about ordinary people.

Slowly but surely, more country singers are performing songs critical of the Bush administration. Merle Haggard, who once sang the anti-hippie anthem “Okie from Muskogee” for President Richard Nixon at the White House has even penned a tribute to Hillary Clinton.

In his “Hillary", dedicated to the Democratic front runner, Haggard sings: “This country needs to be honest/ Changes need to be large/ Something like a big switch of gender/ Let's put a woman in charge."

Pro-war songs like Toby Keith's "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue" and “American Solider”, and Darryl Worley's "Have You Forgotten (About Bin Laden)?" still dominate country music stations.

But some country stars such as Tim McGraw – who has said he may run for Tennessee governor – have “come out” as Democrats.

“Republican Blues”, by the bluegrass artist Tim O’Brien, dealt with issues ranging from domestic spying by the US government to the Hurricane Katrina disaster.

Music Row Democrats was first formed in 2004, after the Dixie Chicks were boycotted and banned from country radio stations when their lead singer Natalie Maines said just before the Iraq invasion that she was ashamed Mr Bush was from her native Texas.

It now boasts more than 1,300 members in Nashville, the home of country music.

(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Philosophy; Politics/Elections; US: Tennessee
KEYWORDS: 2008; 2008election; countrymusic; democrat; democratparty; dixiechicks; elections; musicrowdemocrats; nashville; southerndems; tobykeith
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To: HungarianGypsy

the FM version of “Uneasy Rider” is one of his best efforts


101 posted on 11/20/2007 8:56:10 AM PST by sticker
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To: wideawake
Rap music doesn’t appeal to most country music lovers.

I enjoy both genres very much.

I don't care if you lick windows,
take the special bus
or occasionally pee on yourself...
You hang in there sunshine,
you're special.

:)

102 posted on 11/20/2007 8:56:52 AM PST by Chuck54 (Democrat's target audience - low income, low IQ, low self-esteem. They're zeroed in.)
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To: Zakeet

The Maverics are the only name I recognized. I think of them is married to a Dixie Chick, but I could be wrong.


103 posted on 11/20/2007 8:56:54 AM PST by sweet_diane (Adoption, the beautiful alternative.)
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To: Chuck54

They think the blue state democrats are going to buy their country music albums....ROTFL!


104 posted on 11/20/2007 8:59:14 AM PST by greyfoxx39 ("Managers are the people the leaders hire” Fred Thompson.)
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To: raccoonradio
Anything that becomes a Kris Kristofferson movie is best forgotten
105 posted on 11/20/2007 8:59:31 AM PST by sticker
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To: Bitsy; colorcountry; Utah Binger
What are they going to sing about? Every One Should Hate America? Damn with the family? my dog was republican so I shot him? Who need troops when we have the UN? Tax us to the Maxus? It’s Good to be Gay? My Mother the Lesbian and poud of it? Islam is just another name for love? Yeah, that will go over well with Country music lovers.

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

106 posted on 11/20/2007 9:02:45 AM PST by greyfoxx39 ("Managers are the people the leaders hire” Fred Thompson.)
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To: HungarianGypsy

And we all know how folk music is a bastion of the Right!! /sarcasm! ;>)


107 posted on 11/20/2007 9:03:03 AM PST by Primetimedonna ( It's SAN FRANCISCO, not Frisco. Charter member of the San Francisco Snowflakes)
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To: AFreeBird

**And the Grand Ole Opry just invited Charlie Daniels to join them. Quite an honor. And Charlie would have no trouble telling the dems exactly what he thinks of them and their anti-American attitudes.***

I remember when Skeeter Davis came out against the VN war years ago while on the Grand Ole Opry. She even released a song from the Bily Jack movie.


108 posted on 11/20/2007 9:05:14 AM PST by Ruy Dias de Bivar
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To: Girlene

If you know anyone who has been through AA you know what I mean, at least the first few years of it.


109 posted on 11/20/2007 9:10:10 AM PST by normy (Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft.)
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To: Zakeet

I have lived in Nashville and worked in the music business for 21 years and I only know of about 5 if them.


110 posted on 11/20/2007 9:12:26 AM PST by Grammy
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To: girlangler

I found this about the same time you did I think. See post 110.

We are good....hectic but OK. Just about ready for Thanksgiving.

You?


111 posted on 11/20/2007 9:50:15 AM PST by Grammy
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To: Ruy Dias de Bivar
I remember when Skeeter Davis came out against the VN war years ago while on the Grand Ole Opry. She even released a song from the Bily Jack movie.

I'm not so much singing the praise of the Grand Ole Opry, but Charlie Daniels. And him getting there is like being inducted into the Hall of Fame for a country musician.

And that being said; and in light of your post; I seriously doubt that they don't know where Charlie's feelings and loyalties lie. [ie., 100% percent American and proud of it!) It's not like he's kept it a secret.

So hooray for CD.

112 posted on 11/20/2007 10:53:31 AM PST by AFreeBird
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To: dfwgator
I thought they sang about trucks, prison, and getting drunk.

You forgot trains and Mama

113 posted on 11/20/2007 12:13:05 PM PST by BlueMondaySkipper (If liberals were merely stupid then the laws of probability would dictate that at least some of thie)
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To: Zakeet

More songs about cheatin’ and drinkin’, less about God and country, I guess.


114 posted on 11/20/2007 12:14:18 PM PST by Antoninus (Republicans who support Rudy owe Bill Clinton an apology.)
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To: Ruy Dias de Bivar
I remember when Skeeter Davis came out against the VN war years ago while on the Grand Ole Opry.

I was unaware that she opposed the VN war, but I'm not surprised. I like her song "The End of hte World" (1962), which is thought by some to have been inspired by the Cuban Missile Crisis.

115 posted on 11/20/2007 3:53:51 PM PST by Fiji Hill
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To: raccoonradio
Yes and I wonder if CW McCall’s Convoy could qualify as rap? It’s narrated rather than sung (other than the chorus)

That's a good question, although songs featuring a spoken narration are hardly new. Other songs in this tradition include "Talking Union" by the Almanac Singers (1941), "No, No, Joe" by luke the Drifter (1950), "Hot Rod Race" by Arky Shibley, Ramblin' Jimmy Dolan, Tiny Hill, and others (1951), and "Let's Think About Living" by Bob Luman (1960).

116 posted on 11/20/2007 4:04:39 PM PST by Fiji Hill
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To: BlueMondaySkipper
Besides trucks, prison, drinking, trains, and Mama, subjects featured in country/western spongs include the following:
117 posted on 11/20/2007 4:35:56 PM PST by Fiji Hill
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To: Right Brother

With words like, “large” and “Switch”, the parodies will nearly write themselves.


118 posted on 11/20/2007 8:52:48 PM PST by healy61
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To: Zakeet

“We’re in a war and Southerners have a tendency to be patriotic. But a lot of them are beginning to see that patriotism does not mean supporting a bad war.”

It’s a great time for these Democrat singers to come out, now that the war is coming at an end in our favor! Just what country fans need, their own singers trying to shove their politics down their throat instead of shutting up and singing! By all means Democrat singers, sell country fans on Hillary (she’s so popular in countryland, I’m sure!!!). For my part, I was a fan of Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, and for some reason have lost my taste for hearing both of them. It must be coincidence.


119 posted on 11/20/2007 9:04:35 PM PST by winner3000
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To: Zakeet

Lets see, George Strait, Alan Jackson, Collin Raye, Tracy Byrd, Daryl Worley, Sammy Kershaw, Martina McBride, Sarah Evans, Steve Wariner, Trace Adkins. Yup sound like a group of loyal america hating democrats to me.


120 posted on 11/20/2007 9:08:13 PM PST by LukeL
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