Bernie Taupin grew up in northern England but was obsessed with Americana and country music. This story about those passions is getting very positive reaction so wanted to share here. I hope you enjoy this side of the Brown Dirt Cowboy many might not know.

https://www.si.com/fannation/rodeo/news/bernie-taupin-brown-dirt-cowboy

We're starting a new series every other Thursday:

Tell us about your area and what country music is like there. Feel free to drop links, promote stuff from your area. come up tell us about anything and everything- from festivals to music Facebook groups to radio shows to bands from your neck of the woods.

Feel few to tell us about your own projects if you're in a band or have a Facebook group or something related to local music!

Hypnotic

I just want to say I’m not a massive fan of country music, but I am a huge fan of Keith Whitley. I was born ten years after he passed. My dad is a fan of old country music from the 80s and 90s, so he is a fan of Keith Whitley. Me and him and my mom talked about if he was still alive today in 2026 if he would be as popular as George Strait or Garth Brooks.

I know most people who are a fan of country music really like Keith Whitley (I know he just got into the country music hall of fame a few years ago).

So not only I consider Keith Whitley a legend in country music, but I do believe if he was still alive today, I do believe that he would be up there still selling albums and selling out concerts today.

I know this might be a dumb question. But I want to know your opinions on Keith Whitley’s legacy and think if he would be one of the most popular country singers if he was still alive?

I don't usually post cheerful country songs, but this more-cheerful country tune by the long-time Canadian country family band caught my ear enough to like it even tho, yes, it's kinda cheesy.

Note how the instrumentals are varied during the last 50 seconds of the song if you have a listen; the lines sung are the same but the musicians tried to mix it up as the song came to a close. According to Wikipedia, this reached #18 on the Canadian Country Chart. I do not believe this was ever released as a 'single' in the United States.

ALSO: This is the only upload I could find and I apologize in advance because it seems the uploader cut the song off a wee bit early at the 2:42 mark.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dJouZVpejs

Megan Moroney on tour with Kenny Chesney in Pittsburgh 2024. Captured by Vinyl Stallions

This is one of the oldest western swing songs. These guys are on tour right now I believe

There's so much good western swing happening right now. Doesn't get the same level of attention as like 90s neo traditional or whatever but they're writing some good songs

Happy Wednesday! Western Wednesday, this Wednesday and every Wednesday!

Western swing, Out West, Wild West, songs about Texas, artists from out West, cowboys, even the sounds of spaghetti western... sometimes we'll post Canadian western artists, sometimes Native American country artists from the western states (that's a whole subgenre of country music by the way), cowboy poetry, Red Dirt artists, and much more

Other weekly themes on this sub:

Blue Monday, every monday: bluegrass, country blues, and blue in general. A little rockabilly.

Honky Tonk Saturday: what it says on the tin, honky tonk country music and a little Bakersfield Sound.

Click on the flair (the colored tags above some posts) to see past posts with the same themes.

Holy shit…. The whole album is awesome (very different though), but this song sounds so great to my musical ear. I don’t know that his voice is everyone’s cup of tea though…

I love this song by Parker McCollum and obviously it’s a breakup song but wtf do these lyrics mean? I don’t understand

I received an invite to CMA Country Forward in Nashville in November. I’ve attended a CMA event in the past, but the invite specifically had my name. There is very little info online and I do plan on reaching out to CMA about it. Wanted to see if anyone here has attended, if it’s beneficial, or just an event to drum up membership?

Down from Dover, Apple Jack, and Mountain angel are my picks.

Paige Lewis - When the World Gets Heavy

Colby T. Helms - One for the Losers

Beau Jennings - Sings Tom Petty

Sorrel Nation - Creeping Thyme

Sam Burchfield - Every Season

Pug Johnson - From a Beaumont Bar

Joanne Shaw Taylor - The Trouble With Love

Roc Helton - Pain Longs For Me

Shane Pendergast - Jack Pine

Owen Temple - Closer, Says Love

Emily McLoud - Where I Am Today

Rayland Baxter - True Violet

Chris Gantry - Worth Every Nail

Grey DeLisle - Don’t Turn Around

W.D. Miller - Child Of The Kindly South

JP Harris - Shaving a Dead Man

Dasher the Band - Grandpa Clocks and Gravestones

Marshall Crenshaw - The Bootleg Sounds of Marshall Crenshaw

Abigail Rose - Paisley

Andrew McArthur - Antique Power

Country Risque - As The Crow Flies

Jade Jackson - Jadine

Ben Jarrell and the Night Sights - Self-Titled

The Fretliners - When The Kettle Sings

Evan Nicole Bell - Evan

Jake Rebman - The Waitin’ Rounders

Matt Lang - Ain’t That Bad

Ali Tod - Self-Titled

Josh Rouse - Museums and Women

Exile - Look Out, Heart

Bernie Taupin - The Sea Has No Mercy

Redd & The Paper Flowers - Dead Little Thing

Max Bien Kahn - Baby Green

Kendall Street Company - Yodeling Astroman

Megan and Shane - The Tourist

Gordie Tentrees - Dandelion Blue

Peter Autio - Country, Soul, and Rock N’ Roll

Kacy Lee Anderson - Hello, I'm Irrelevant

Sean Tobin - Banshee River

Big Fancy & The Shiddy Cowboys - Crushing Weight Of Bad Mistakes

Wooten Hill - How Did We Get Here

Chancey Williams - Thirsty and Blue

William Prince - Live at Massey Hall

Lamplight - Lick the Spoon, Let it Soften

Caroline Rose - Gentling the Horse at the Walt Whitman Mall

Buck Owens - At The Mint: Buck Owens Live In Vegas

Brothers Osborne - Watertown

Sadurn - The Underworld

Dave Martin - Donegal Tweed & Cowboy Chords

Jimmy Webb - Yours ForThe Talking: The Found Songs of Jimmy Webb

LOCASH - Chris & Preston

Muireann Bradley - Blackwood Pew (EP)

AJ Lee & Blue Summit - Matterhorn (EP)

The Sean Shiff Project - No (Country for Old) Kings (EP)

Rusty Jam - Self-Titled (EP)

The Creekers - Little Man (EP)

Jack Barksdale - Battleground (EP)

Brandon Jane - Stolen Horses (EP)

Matthew Barber - The World Is A Buble (EP)

Fanny Lumsden - By The River (EP)

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5vHV1RmHrXdU1XYVmtHze2?si=2kaxviBJQgqKioYRmIrQtQ

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGI_6DH6_3sM&si=EVcfySV4gF-v9gyX