OldiesButGoodies

Country

Toby Keith – “That’s Country Bro”

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Introduction:

Toby Keith’s “That’s Country Bro” is a 2019 song that pays homage to the legends of country music. The song’s title is a play on the term “bro-country,” a subgenre of country music that emerged in the late 2000s and early 2010s. Bro-country is characterized by its focus on party anthems, often featuring themes of drinking, trucks, and women. While some critics have praised bro-country for its commercial success and relatability to a younger audience, others have criticized it for its perceived lack of depth and its departure from traditional country music themes.

Keith’s “That’s Country Bro” is a response to the bro-country movement. The song features a rapid-fire list of country music legends, including Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, and Merle Haggard. By name-dropping these icons, Keith is implicitly suggesting that true country music is rooted in the traditions of these artists, not in the contemporary trends of bro-country. The song’s lyrics also touch on themes of patriotism, faith, and family, which are often associated with traditional country music.

“That’s Country Bro” has been praised by some for its celebration of country music history and its critique of bro-country. However, it has also been criticized for its perceived lack of originality and its reliance on nostalgia. Regardless of its critical reception, the song has been a commercial success, reaching the top of the Billboard Country Airplay chart. It has also been praised by fans for its catchy melody and its positive message about the enduring power of country music.

In addition to its musical significance, “That’s Country Bro” has also been seen as a cultural commentary on the changing landscape of country music. The song’s release coincided with a growing backlash against bro-country, with many fans and critics calling for a return to more traditional sounds and themes. Keith’s song can be seen as a reflection of this sentiment, as well as an attempt to reclaim the term “country” for the genre’s more traditional roots.

Video:

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Merle Haggard’s childhood was becoming increasingly chaotic when something entered his life that would eventually change everything: a guitar. His older brother Lowell gave him one when Merle was around 12. Merle began teaching himself, absorbing the records and styles of country heroes such as Bob Wills, Lefty Frizzell and Hank Williams. There were no expensive lessons preparing him for Nashville. There was simply a troubled California kid listening closely and learning how another man’s sadness could live inside a melody. Merle would still make plenty of mistakes. Music didn’t instantly rescue him from running away, juvenile detention or eventually prison. But the guitar remained. Years later, millions would recognize Merle’s voice within seconds. Perhaps that’s because he wasn’t merely learning how to sing songs as a boy. He was slowly learning how to tell the truth about his own life.

Merle Haggard rarely needed to invent heartbreak. He had known it since childhood. In 1946, when Merle was only nine years old, his father, James Haggard, died following a stroke. For a boy who deeply needed his father’s presence, the loss became a turning point. His mother, Flossie, worked to support the family. Merle, meanwhile, became increasingly restless. He skipped school, ran away, got into trouble, and began a long journey through juvenile institutions that eventually led somewhere far darker. Looking back at his life, it is difficult not to see that nine-year-old boy behind many of the adult Merle Haggard’s songs. People later called him a rebel, an outlaw and a survivor. But before any of those labels existed, there was simply a grieving boy who had lost his dad—and never seemed to completely outrun that loss.

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