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* I was down in Texas last weekend spending time with my brother Doug and his family. At some point, Doug played a song in his car that just blew me away. The singer was a guy named Chris Knight, who I at first thought was kinda like a Kentucky version of Steve Earle, with some early John Pryne thrown in. He’s from a coal mining family and writes songs about what he knows best…
The songs were of strugglers, stragglers, strangers and survivors, sung in a voice worn as the hills and lurching down highways we’ve driven before but that beckon still.
Knight’s record company thought he should be a country star, but that didn’t work out. He’s not really a “country” guy. I’m not quite sure he’s an “alt country” person, either. I doubt he’d want to be categorized anyway. He’s simply an honest, dark, flawed soul without a trace of the tiresome overt pandering of mainstream country. He may never make it big, but we know he’ll always be straight with his audience and true to his art.
I just can’t recommend Chris Knight highly enough. Have a listen to “Down the River,” which sent chills down the spine of my nephew Nicholas the first time he heard it. The same thing happened to me. Lyrics are here…
I’ve been thinking Wilson’s cousin
Better find a place to hide
‘Cause I’m going down the river
Yeah I’m going down the river
I couldn’t find a suitable live version of that song because all of his fans sing along the entire time on every video I watched. They are a dedicated bunch, my brother and his wife Shannon included. See for yourself. And that’s one of the more subdued reactions.
* This is one of his most “mainstream country” tunes, but his wordsmith abilities shine right through the production on “It Ain’t Easy Being Me”…
There oughtta be a bridge somewhere they could dedicate to me
I’d probably come to the ceremony with a can of gasoline
Walk on over to the other side, and there I’d light a match
Sit and stare through the smoke and flames and wonder how I’m gonna get back
I sure wish he’d tour further north.
* Helpful links…
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jul 9, 10 @ 5:09 pm
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