Country Mike Blog

No Nashville in Texas?

Mike Sudhalter  |  October 20, 2008

I watched Great American Country (GAC-TV) last night and remembered again how much I loved listening to country music. Don't get me wrong, I love Texas Country as well.

I visited the web sites of some of my favorite country artists and noticed that few of them will be touring in Texas. Has the rise of Texas Country set up a barrier to those artists associated with the so-called mainstream.

Sure, the big tours come to town, but a lot of your mid-level and up and coming stars don't come here. If I had to guess, I'd say that the Texas Country artists already have a built-in following while someone from say, Kentucky, might play in front of an empty club. And club owners, obviously, would like to pack the house.

I know Texans have a big independent streak, especially when it comes to music. But there's got to be an audience here for Nashville Country, both the new traditional and pop-leaning sounds.

One of the great things about country music is the range of sounds and styles that it has - it's all encompassing.