Cross Canadian Ragweed - “Cry Lonely”

I like Chris Knight’s version better, too. The grit in his voice captures the loneliness right off the bat with “when the rain runs down your window.” Either way, it’s an enjoyable song. Good review.

Texas is about the only state left in America with enough fans of all types of country music to support regional hits. (It might also be the only state left that tracks regional airplay.) Los Angeles is one of the biggest sales markets for mainstream country music in the US but the buyers here all listen to the one and only Top 40 mainstream FM country station, so its just the big name mainstream artists that sell. If an artist doesn’t get played on that station here they remain unknown in L.A. except for satellite radio subscribers or listeners to more adventurous stations online. Most L.A. country music fans have no idea what the “Americana” label means or what the genre encompasses musically, and they’ve never heard of “Red Dirt Music” either.

Ben, I love your line “For all of Red Dirt music’s posturing, it’s essentially pop-rock with tattoos.” You can’t get more concise than that, and that’s exactly why I don’t care for most of it. I have never heard anything from CCR that would motivate me to purchase any of their music. It must kill Cody Canada to see his close buddy Dierks Bentley become a mega-star while they are both treading in roughly the same water musically.

Actually Rick, I believe Cody Canada when he says in interviews that he likes the way their career is going. He has had offers from big time producers and artists to help turn them into hit machines, but thats not their style. Come to Texas sometime and see if Dierks draws even half the crowd that Cross Canadian does. I like Dierks, and I also am not a fan of the whole “red-dirt” image, because I think the label is as fabricated as most of the mainstream pop country. Having said that, there is a true difference between what is called “red-dirt” and mainstream country. I wouldnt call it “pop-rock” as it has much more edge and twang than say lifehouse or yellowcard (who I consider to be very poppy). Listen to Cross Canadian’s “Soul Gravy” album, and you’ll find much more material that is bluesy, roadhouse, southern rock than anything light and poppy (although it still has plenty of tatoos). What is great about the whole “regional” aspect of Texas music is that it simply exists, regardless of what label it is given. I find it sad that LA and New York have no real Country “scene” or regional vibe, even though both cities have great countrified acts that dont fit into the simple “country” category.

Charlie Mack, what exactly is it that makes CCR so deserving of appreciation? I admit that I’m not too familiar with their material, particularly because what I’ve heard has never interested me, so I’d like to know what it is that sets them apart and makes them great.

I think Cross Canadian Ragweed is a long way down the list when compared to The Randy Rogers Band as most underappreciated act in Country music.

I like Ragweed, but I often feel they never live up to their potential for an entire album. For instance, Mission California was a very good album, but where were more songs that were as well written as “The Years”. I would prefer more songs on like that on their albums than the tired “Let’s drink and get stoned” songs that they often put on their albums.

And as for Ragweed getting offered from big time producers, if I recall correctly, Tim McGraw offered to produce an album of theirs, but they turned him down and Tim went on to find Halfway To Hazard.

Over the past 6 years I have watched pretty much all of Nashville’s A & B listers play on stage at Billy Bob’s Texas in Fort Worth (the world’s largest honkytonk & one of country music’s definitive stages) and Ragweed shows are by far the best I have ever seen from start to finish.

Ragweed’s live performance, musical material, and piss & vinegar are what makes them special.

Plus, they didnt have to win singing competitions or be jackasses on CMT to get their music heard.

Hey Heidi, you can find Chris Knight’s version on his MySpace. http://www.myspace.com/chrisknight45

I really like this song, even more so because Lee Ann Womack sings background vocals :-D .