Is your radio dialed to Prime Country on SiriusXM?
Do you have a playlist packed with your favorite songs from Reba McEntire — George Strait — Patty Loveless — Clint Black — Alabama — Trisha Yearwood — Martina McBride — Diamond Rio — Tracy Byrd — Kenny Chesney — Travis Tritt — Bryan White — Tim McGraw — Alan Jackson — Joe Diffie — Garth Brooks — Shania Twain — Lorrie Morgan — John Michael Montgomery — Toby Keith — Wynonna — Vince Gill — Shenandoah — Pam Tillis — Mark Chesnutt — Suzy Bogguss — Tracy Lawrence…
Do you remember when there seemed to be plenty of room for men, women and bands to be successful on country radio and on tour?
Roots & Rhinestones is for you.
Join me on this nostalgic trip through ’90s country where we’ll discuss the artists, songs, and albums that defined the decade — from the “hat acts” that dominated the early years to Reba’s ascension to royalty in the mid-90s to the fresh-faced superstars that led the genre into the next millennium.
Roots & Rhinestones is a celebration of the grit and glamour — Alan Jackson with “five pickers in an old Dodge truck” and Fancy stepping “into a satin dancing dress.” It’s what Merle Haggard called “the dreams of the working man.” It’s my love letter to Reba and a personal reflection on the music that shaped my formative years.
But ’90s country isn’t a time capsule. It’s a good place to start.
Country Music Hall of Fame member and genre historian Marty Stuart says it best: start with what you like and work your way back. Garth Brooks was heavily influenced by George Jones who idolized Roy Acuff, the first King of Country Music. A conversation about Garth’s impact on the ’90s is incomplete without some exploration of his heroes.
We’ll move forward, too. The ’90s paved the way for a new generation of hitmakers like Brad Paisley, who has said that Clint Black’s “Better Man” brought him to Nashville to pursue his own dream as a singer/songwriter, and Miranda Lambert whose edgy songwriting is as fearless as Loretta Lynn’s.
Don’t look for artist exposés or album critiques. I’m not a music critic, and I know nothing about music theory. I’m a fan, and Roots & Rhinestones is a creative outlet for me to express two of my passions: writing and country music.
Expect lists. I’ll give you my Top 5 Favorite Songs from each featured artist. You’ll say, “But Crystal, how could you leave out (fill in the blank),” and I’ll say, “I know! Imagine how much I must love these songs to ignore that one!”
“Forever and Ever, Amen” is a great song, and one even people outside of country fandom know. “Look Heart, No Hands,” on the other hand (pun intended), is ’90s gold that wraps me in a warm blanket of nostalgia.
We’ll disagree — probably a lot — but we’ll help each other find “new” old songs and reintroduce each other to artists who shaped the “Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes” era of country music, elevating the genre to new heights without forsaking its founders.
This is your invitation to climb into my ’94 Ford F-150, roll down the window, crank up the radio, and ride along to a small-town kid’s soundtrack. Wrangler jeans welcomed — but not required.