country music

Sure, Poison may have had a hit with "Every Rose Has its Thorn," and the Portlander in me will always love Elliott Smith's "Rose Parade," but no other genre pays tribute to music's favorite flower quite like country. So, without further ado, here's a mix of classic country crooners singing their rose-studded hits. Track list after the jump!

In honor of Mother's Day, today's Adventures in Feministory is about one of the "mothers" of country music and modern guitar playing: Mother Maybelle Carter.

It's taken me more than a decade to come around to Lucinda Williams. When I was in middle school, my dad came suddenly into my room and put a CD in my stereo with no explanation. I set down my alg/trig homework and watched him carefully. He finally said, just before the music started, "Listen to this song, Kate. I've never heard anything so...gripping." And then he sat with his eyes closed until the song was over. And that was the first time I heard Lucinda Williams. I'm not even sure now what the song was, but that's the thing about Williams' music: many of her songs could be the most gripping song my dad (or anyone) has ever heard. I did not agree at the time, but remembered her name in association with her affect on my father. Now, on the event of her 10th studio album being released, I finally get it.

It's been awhile since we made a BitchTapes devoted to country music. I thought today might be a good one to re-visit the kick-ass ladies that have rocked the country music scene.



Tracklist after the jump!

I've been in Austin, Texas for the past week, and the highlight of my hectic live show calendar has been Calliope Musicals, a young, up-and-coming indie country/folk band started by Carrie Fussell and Matt Roth less than a year ago. This is exactly the kind of thing indie fans swoon over: the chance to say we knew them back BEFORE they went mainstream and got picked up by the radio (patooie). So fall in love with them, quick!

Full disclosure: I love Loretta Lynn. I have dressed like her for Halloween. I have sat glued to Sissy Spacek's performance as her in Coal Miner's Daughter. I have been known to sing "You Ain't Woman Enough" at various karaoke bars in the greater Portland area. I am a fan. But! Even if I weren't a fan of her music, her awesome biopic and her sassy Grand Ole Opry getups, I'd be a fan of her feminism. Did you know she wrote a hit (and censored) song about birth control?

…come to us via VideoGum! First up is country ballad against porn (and strip clubs, and dirty thoughts) "Somebody’s Daughter." Are your jerk-off sessions more like tearjerkers? Is your daughter going to become a "college casualty" at an "institute of higher learning"?! Read on!

Go check out this fun post about classic country feminism over at Feministe. There are some great videos that accompany the post as well.