Customer Reviews

Rednecks and Bluenecks: The Politics of Country Music

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

You don't have to know much about country music to enjoy this book, with its on-the-scene reporting and plenty of opinion-making by country stars like Toby Keith, Alan Jackson, Steve Earle, the Dixie Chicks, and Merle Haggard, in their own words. Working at Entertainment Weekly must be what gives the author his snark, but it works here as he gives a refreshingly non-partisan review of our divided country and the divide in country music.

I have been highly interested in the "politics of country music" ever since 9/11. When the patriotic songs started coming out (Aaron Tippin, Alan Jackson), it was pretty apolitical and pro-America. Then, the following year we had Toby Keith's "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)" and then when the Dixie Chicks' Natalie Maines said it was "ignorant," all bets were off. Things really picked up in spring '03 with the Dixie Chicks controversy went global following Maines' anti-Bush comments. At the same time you had Darryl Worley asking "Have You Forgotten?" and Clint Black's clunker "Iraq and Roll." For a while, there, it was quite a big deal and all eyes were on country music - a good thing, in my estimation.

Author Chris Willman captures this time exceedingly well in this excellent new book. He gets the conservatives and the liberals and everyone in between. You really get some great insight into Toby Keith. The reader realizes he's not some jingoistic warhawk. He's a patriotic Democrat, something the talk show types conveniently forget. We get the lowdown on the Dixie Chicks episode, something I was particularly interested in, being a big fan of the group and Natalie Maines in particular.

I can't say enough good things about Willman's book. Run out and get it.

I read this book mainly because I like country music, and because I was interested in knowing a little bit about some of the artists' views beyond what we hear in a 4-minute song.

I know that some reviewers have complained about what they perceive as Willman's left-leaning stance, and I'd have to agree with them that he's not completely objective. A little too much time is spent on the plight of the Dixie Chicks, for whom I feel bad, but whose story probably could have been shortened in an attempt to include more viewpoints. At the same time, though, Willman does not criticize one side while leaving the other alone.

Several artists speak freely and articulately, from both sides of the spectrum - Steve Earle, Toby Keith, and Ronnie Dunn might not be having dinner together anytime soon, but it was fascinating to hear each of their perspectives. And for anyone who believes country musicians to be less than intelligent as a whole, this book will likely open some eyes. The level of political awareness among many of the artists, particularly Keith and Dunn, will surprise many.

One item that I really enjoyed was the discussion of the fued between Toby Keith and the Dixie Chicks. It was interesting to read Keith's comments about the Chicks' insults, and I got the feeling that he was insulted more about their criticism of his musical talent than any political views he might have. He's obviously a proud artist, and it seems like he was genuinely taken somewhat aback.

This is a great book, one that held me so much that I wished Willman had included another 50 pages. For any fan of country music, or just those interested in the politics of that music.

I bought this book based on a recommendation I heard on NPR , but other than being a fan of Lyle Lovett's music (and self-described liberal) I have no real knowledge at all of country music - alternative or mainstream. That didn't matter. The politics that are part of country music are so interesting that it was hard to put the book down. As a freelance writer myself, Chris Willman writes how I only wish I could. The book is well-researched and presented in a smart and eloquent way. Great stories and commentary throughout.

If country music is the people's music is it any surprise that there's as much complexity and nuance as there is reflected in this great book? Well written and insightful..and it'll help as a shopping list for your Amazon music purchases.

Anyone who loves country music or politics should definately buy this book. Chris Willman goes out of his way to show both sides of the political spectrum. (D Harrelson appears too partisan to judge the "slant" of this book). It's a fast read, chock full of fascinating tidbits and facts that bring to life all the many crossroads where country and politics have traveled together -- from the turn of the century through last year.

I'm not a consistent country music fan -- I mostly tune in on car trips, where the 3-minute storytelling offers great help in staying awake, mile after weary mile. So there were three things that impressed me about this book.

1-It made a subject I was only tangentially interested in really interesting, mostly through the presentation of characters and personalities...

2-...because the author has such a good eye for character, paired with a good ear for language. He spots the telling detail that will summarize a person or situation neatly, and expresses it in a crisp, memorable way.

3-Yet it's also a heroic work of balance. In the volatile red vs blue, conservative vs liberal battlefield, Willman is consistently honest and yet never betrays bias -- bracingly fair.

You get a good example of all three elements right at the start, as he describes the reaction to the Dixie Chicks' controversial "anti-Bush" statement, among citizens gathered outside a performance in Greenville, SC. Just when it's tempting to stereotype a character, Willman shows how shallow and unhelpful such stereotyping is.

Buy this book because you're interested in country music or politics or some combination thereof -- but read and enjoy it for the high quality of the reporting and writing.

If you're like I am, relishing the growth and triumph of the Dixie Chicks during their saga, that's one good reason to read this. And anyone surfing the 2008 electoral landscape would do well to keep an eye on the soundtrack of the heartland and beyond, not to be someone they're not, (it's been done) but to connect and bridge the emotional gulfs we find ourselves in these days.

In 2002, I had a number-one song for one of the most infamous participants in these heated skirmishes--My List, performed by Toby Keith. So, I have special interest in ducking behind the curtain to see the wizard. Back then, a number of my left-coast pals turned up their ultra-liberal noses at my success, presuming that the big guy from Oklahoma was a war-mongering right winger. Of course, Keith's very public feud with Dixie Chick Natalie Maine fueled that assumption. It's still a shock to many that Toby is a lifelong registered democrat who opposed the Iraq war and publicly endorsed Barack Obama in the '08 election. The real question here is why we can't seem to have a constructive civil dialogue in this country without resorting to name calling and vitriol.

Veteran music journalist Chris Willman's Rednecks & Bluenecks reveals the truth behind the posturing. With the skill of a master storyteller, he teaches us how this brush fire between red and blue flared up and who is on what side of the not-so-invisible line. This book might even offer some hint as to why seven years hence we find our nation ripped in two by these fractious, irrational passions. Great reading from a very objective perspective. Highly recommended.

Rand Bishop, author Makin'Stuff Up, The Absolute Essentials of Songwriting Success, and Grand Pop.

Willman's writing is generally good, but can be a bit over the top. There are some great stories here (particularly about Steve Earle and Toby Keith), but I'm still not sure what the big take-away is.