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Country musicians often sing a GOP tune
"Mandolin Mike" on Nashville's Lower Broadway.
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Lee Greenwood.
An inscription on the side of the Country Music Hall of Fame. It says, "Country songs are the dreams of the working man."
Both presidential campaigns have their soundtracks. And on the Republican side, it’s got a twang, with a list of country music artists either endorsing or campaigning with Mitt Romney.
In a black and white western shirt with six-inch fringe on the sleeves, Lee Greenwood has been belting his time-tested hit “Proud to Be an American” in just about all the swing states.
“I’ve been in Ohio and Minnesota and Colorado and in Florida, and we’re probably going to go to Wisconsin and back to Ohio and New Hampshire before we finish this in Sunday and Monday,” he told Marketplace between campaign stops in Colorado.
Greenwood first got political during the Reagan years and says he has since become more aligned with the Republican Party.
“Toured with John McCain, Bob Dole, Sarah Palin,” he said. “I’m a conservative Christian, and I feel it would be out of context if I were on the other side of the aisle.”
Greenwood is in good company on the campaign trail this year with acts like John Rich and Alabama frontman Randy Owens performing at events.
“Look at all of these folks supporting Romney this year,” said John Rumble, senior historian at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. “Rodney Adkins, the Oak Ridge Boys, Hank Jr., of course.”
The big names largely sing from the same songbook these days. Who can blame them? Rumble recalls what happened to the Dixie Chicks in 2003 when they criticized President Bush and the Iraq War.
“Their sudden disappearance from radio after all this tremendous success I think really threw not just a bucket but a barrel of cold water on other country artists who might have been vocal about supporting Democratic or Independent candidates,” Rumble said.
Country music fans who flock to Nashville by the busload seem to have no problem with their rhinestone rockers getting political.
“If they were on the stump for Obama, yes. But Romney? No. It’s a good thing,” said Pat Sandrini, a farmer from California’s Central Valley.
From San Angelo, Texas, Wylie Norton says the themes found in country music are what he holds dear.
“God, guns and family,” Norton said.
A few country artists have tried to ride the campaign wave this year, writing music just for the occasion. The first track on a new release from the ever-outspoken Hank Williams Jr. is called "Takin' Back the Country." The timely tune includes this line: “Hey Barack, pack your backs, head to Chicago. Take your teleprompter with you so you’ll know where to go.”
There have been loud and proud Democrats in country music, but they’re generally not the household names. And those who sound potentially sympathetic have sidestepped specifics.
Superstar Carrie Underwood has politely declined to talk politics since disclosing her support for gay marriage this year.
Plenty of artists say they don’t want to alienate any fans. Some can’t afford to, like Nashville street performer Mike Slusser. An Obama zinger might yield a few cheers, but he doesn’t go there.
“It’s a dangerous game –- politics -– because you have to appeal to everybody,” he said.
Mandolin Mike counts himself to be typical of country music fans –- blue collar with traditional values. But he also thinks people consider themselves open-minded.
“I think the main thing about country people is common sense is the value,” he said, adding that common sense isn’t owned by one party or the other.
But for now, common sense is telling most of those in the country music industry to keep their mouths shut if Mitt Romney’s not their man.
I find it difficult to believe that race is a not a factor in this discussion, especially with the line that "God, guns, and family" are the reasons why these Republicans like country music. Do you know what other music genre has a lot of references to God, guns, and family? Hip-hop. Without getting into an analysis of the two genres, they actually function very similarly for their respective communities (example: guns represent self-reliance and an ability to protect oneself from authority). But I suspect you'd find that hip-hop listeners skew Democratic.
What happened to the Dixie Chicks was unpatriotic and unAmerican. The whole country was suffering from this - you couldn't disagree with the Administration was bullied and labelled a traitor. Bush and his cronies should have been ousted. Don't believe that all Country music fans are thick headed right wing nut jobs. Ever hear of Willie Nelson?
I agree wholeheartedly with the late George McGovern that Bush and Cheney should have been impeached for taking America to an unfounded, unjustified, and unfunded war in Iraq. A big part of the reason the US is in a financial mess is a consequence of this. How they were able to get that past the American people confounds me and many people worldwide. And how they were re-elected to a second term is a yet deeper mystery. I don't personally like the Dixie Chicks, but they were right about Bush, and the Republican Party ganged up on them.
Although Nashville is certainly iconic for the Country music genre, the actual music has moved from a rural frame of reference to a more suburban perspective. Although there are still a lot of songs about trucks, guns, and beer more of today's Country hits are about relationships, family, and living in the 21st Century. It would be hard to argue that there aren't more Republicans among Country's fan base than Democrats but it depends on where they live. Research has shown that Country fans here in the Northeast are split almost evenly in their political preferences. As for Country music's stars, both Toby Keith and Tim McGraw have openly voiced their support of the Democrats.
Regarding the Dixie Chicks flap, it occurred when the US was still recovering from the shock of the 9/11 attacks and ramping up for our Shock & Awe invasion of Iraq. Natalie Maine's comments were spun by cynical politicians and talk show hosts as unpatriotic and many Country fans, especially those of a more conservative political bent, bought it. Interestingly, though, in the Northeast we found that although approximately 15% of Country fans were unhappy with Natalie Maine's comments, the vast majority liked the Dixie Chicks' music and didn't think it should be banned from the radio. Unfortunately, Ms. Maine's seemed to be the type of personality who enjoys throwing gasoline on the fire and ,eventually, turned even the group's supporters against them. It's been a loss to the Country music genre. Nevertheless, along with the story lines which non-Country partisans sanctimoniously cite in order to feel superior the genre's fan base, Country music has become much more sophisticated during the last 20 years.
Depends on in which region of the nation those Country fans live. Of course, in a nation where only about 40% of the entire population believes in evolution*, I'm not sure it's fair to single out Country music fans as being low-information voters.(*-Cited during an interview on last weekend's CBS Sunday Morning).
