Country artists contribute more to Dems than Repugs. Call me surprised.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

I'm not a big country fan, (tho' I've always thought that Bonnie Raitt is one of the world's great artists), but I'm pleased to see that the stereotype of "redneck patriots" is being shattered.

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071028/NEWS0206/710280449

Hollywood has a reputation for dabbling in politics, but Nashville stars do their fair share of politicking too.

Since 1992, donations to Democratic candidates have outnumbered Republicans by a ratio of three-to-one, due in part to six-figure donations from Bonnie Raitt, who, at best, falls into the Americana category. Even without Raitt's largess, Democratic-leaning artists come out slightly ahead in their political giving compared to their Republican counterparts.

Willie Nelson supports Dennis Kucinich. Mitt Romney has Randy Owen in his corner. Raitt gave to both Kucinich and John Edwards. Randy Travis is a Bill Richardson fan.

Toby Keith, a lifelong Democrat, started giving to Republicans after 9/11. Merle Haggard wrote a campaign jingle this year for … Hillary Clinton?

"This country needs to be honest," Haggard sings in "Hillary," the single he introduced during a cross-country tour this year. "Changes need to be large/Something like a big switch of gender/Let's put a woman in charge."

[Selatius]

1. Where were they when the Dixie Chicks were being blasted? n/t

[muntrv]

2. I know Faith Hill is no Bush supporter after his crappy response to Hurricane Katrina.

Some time ago, I saw a post here which showed Faith holding a "WTF" sign, a jab at shrub.

[OKNancy]

10. Her and her husband, Tim McGraw's support is long term,

not just a reaction to Katrina. Bill Clinton was trying to get him to run for office, perhaps jokingly, but they both are Big Democrats.

[Bitwit1234]

3. Well if they are leaning Democratic then why

are they so outspoken in favor of bush...that's all the talk about bush bush bush bush.

[muntrv]

6. Perhaps this quote in the article may explain it.

"...A lot of working-class folks in the South vote against their own interests," said songwriter Bobby Braddock, whose jukebox staples include Tammy Wynette's "D-I-V-O-R-C-E" and George Jones's "He Stopped Loving Her Today."

[WCGreen]

4. Bonnie Riatt is a blues slide guitarist who dabbles in

pop crossovers...

[cali]

5. bonnie isn't even remotely country and she never has been. n/t

[Booster]

7. Right on. Bonnie is one of the best, if not the best, female blues singer

of our generation. I love country music, but have never thought of putting Bonnie in that category, although if she wanted to jump in there, I'm sure she would do great. What a talent.

[cali]

9. She's amazing all right

and though I'm not a big country fan, there's some I really like- Lucinda Williams comes immediately to mind.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

12. Allison Krause, Gillian Welch, Emmylou Harris.

I think of them as more Blue Grass than "country". Bonnie Raitt I think more of as Blues, but "Angel from Montgomery" is some mighty fine country singin'.

[CreekDog]

14. Being a great artist pretty much keeps you off country radio these days

Being considered "country" today is a dubious honor.

The real honor goes to those who in recent years couldn't or almost couldn't get their songs played on country radio:

Johnny Cash
Willie Nelson
Emmylou
and the list goes on

And though Raitt is a blues singer and a great one at that, she has performed some country tunes which were recorded and they were better AS COUNTRY than 99% of what gets country airplay these days. Sad to say.

I haven't listed to country on the radio since the demise of Classic Country station in Tucson, 910 KNEW's demise in SF and Country Music TV's move away from the show "decades" --classic or somewhat classic country videos.

Drove me to my Ipod!

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

17. Bonnie is very eclectic.

One of my favorites is the blues, "Back Around" with the great African guitarist and singer Habib Koite.

[stanwyck]

8. A co-worker of mine astounded me one day

by referring to my fondness for country music. I responded that I was totally unaware that I was a C&W fan. She said, "well, I've heard you playing Bonnie Raitt in your office." That was the first I'd heard that Bonnie was C&W. I always thought she was more R&B. Whatever she is, I like her. Guess that makes me a "country" fan.

[tularetom]

11. You need to check out the texas california kind of country music

You'll find a lot more diversity of political views. People like Steve Earle, james McMurtry, Willie Nelson, not to mention Dixie Chicks, Charlie Robison (married to one of the Chicks), Robert Earl Keen and on and on are some of the lesser known but more free thinkin musicians. Plus the music they produce in my opinion is far superior to most of the crap made in nashville.

[Cha]

13. I want to thank all the CW Stars who

support the Dems..you're a credit to your profession and your talent.

But, who in hell is randy owen?

[last_texas_dem]

19. Randy Owen

is the lead singer of Alabama. (Or maybe former lead singer, as I think they may have retired from the business a couple of years ago.) I actually like several of their songs, especially from their debut album, but I'm not particularly surprised to find out that he's a Repug either.

[Richard Steele]

15. Perhaps the more RW Country artists just aren't donating at all? "What's in it for them", y'know? nm

[spanone]

16. it's an old stereotype.

[last_texas_dem]

18. Interesting article

I already knew about many of them, but it's interesting to see where many of these artists come down politically. On many of them I wasn't surprised, but some were a little bit surprising. It's cool to see that Randy Travis is a Democrat, and that Merle Haggard is leaning Democratic these days. (I had wondered about this with the anti-Iraq war, anti-corporate media song he released a couple of years ago, and had heard that some of his more belligerent hits of the past were meant to be tongue-in-cheek, to a point, anyway.) Also, it's interesting that the duo Big and Rich (though I don't really care for their music, from what I've heard of it) is split down the middle, with one being for Thompson (gag!) and the other for Obama. (It's also a little ironic that one of those family-values-loving conservative types would have his biggest hit be the immortal "Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)" but I know conservative doesn't mean at all what it used to, anymore.