Texas Country

by Jim Meyer

My best source for "Texas Country" is a radio station in Fort Worth, KFWR. I stream them on the net.

This station plays music by Texas bands ONLY -- no Nashville "Top 40," as they derisively refer to it. They're such purists that they won't even play George Strait (too mainstream, I guess).  

Texas music has a harder edge than does the mass-market stuff. The bass, drums and guitars stand out more in the mix so many of the songs have a rock sound.

But the important thing is that this music sounds AUTHENTIC, like good country music always should. 

Over the next few months, I'll showcase some of my favorite Texas bands -- including Cross Canadian Ragweed, 1100 Springs, the Eli Young Band, Jason Boland & The Stragglers, the Mother Truckers, the Randy Rogers Band -- and solo artists like Robert Earl Keen, Wade Bowen, Hayes Carl, James McMurtry, Pat Green and Miranda Lambert.

Photos courtesy of James McMurtry, Miranda Lambert, and Cross Canadian Ragweed

If you're not familiar with this music, I invite you to visit KFWR (95.9 FM: The Ranch) and check out their live stream.

Disclaimer: no, the folks at this station -- or the bands -- aren't paying me so much as a dime to plug them on the web.  Staying true to the My-West credo,  “Thanks until better paid.”