Over and over again, it seems like I am a defender of the merits of country music. Most of my friends and associates just don’t understand how I can listen to any country music. They definitely don’t understand how I can feature country artists. However, for me it feels right. Country music is no different than any other genre. It has a rich history of accomplished artists, and has evolved into some interesting forms in our day. By the way, I have written before how much I appreciate many of the young artists of country music.
There are some fans of country music who frown upon the new generation of artists. They yearn for the traditional form of music. Does that sound familiar? It should. I have heard many persons shy away from modern artists while seeking out the way music was made in years past. Every genre has traditionalists as well as the new guard. As a music historian, I know well how new music and musicians are many times viewed by the establishment at the time. Until the new music grows popular and becomes the norm.
This week I’m featuring a newer artist who is a traditionalist in the country music genre. Therefore, for me writing for Weekly Music Commentary this week is a little different. Of course, I am at home featuring country artists, but Shane Owens represents country music from the past. He does so without apologies.
“I think of myself as a crusader for traditional country music,” says the Alabama stylist with the burnished baritone. “A lot of the music that’s on the radio now is not traditional country. They’ve kinda gotten away from that. I’m country, and there ain’t no other way I can be. That’s just what I am and I think the traditional style is coming back around. At some point in time, this younger generation is going to start catching on. You can already see that they are. I see it at my shows.”
I agree with Shane Owens for the most part. The audience for traditional country music is coming back around. In fact, I don’t think it ever went away. There are just new fans gravitating to what the younger artists are doing today. Nevertheless, I don’t believe one will completely overtake the other. There will always be traditional country music, and there will be the new generation of country artists and music. It leads me to wonder why there is a divide. Can’t we just like both styles?
I listen to a lot of music as a blogger. Every style and genre of music you can image reaches my ears. Some I like better than others. That’s the way it works for us all. Recently, as I sat down and listened to Shane Owens album It’s A Southern Thing, I found music that was purely entertaining. I do believe the album will be a permanent part of my personal music collection. Remember, when I do add new music to that collection, it has made way into a special place.
As much as I liked Shane Owens the musician, I liked Shane Owens the person more after learning about him. He certainly is not the first artists who has been knocked around by the music industry, and he definitely won’t be the last. His story was still an interesting study in fortitude. Hopefully, his story will stand as a good lesson for other artists struggling to break into the music business.
Shane Owens built a following in nightclubs of the Southeast for a decade. Fans flocked to hear his powerfully emotional singing. He opened shows for dozens of major stars, and word from them trickled back to Nashville’s music executives. Inevitably, he was offered a recording contract but, they only offered Owens a deal to make singles, not an album and he gracefully passed on the offer.
A second record label approached him. In 2005, a Shane Owens CD titled Let’s Get On It briefly saw the light of day. Its single, “Bottom of the Fifth,” was a hit in Texas and was halfway up the national charts when the label folded. His album was on the market for less than 100 days. Owens dusted himself off and pushed forward.
Producer James Stroud (Chris Young, Clint Black, etc.) took him under his wing. A second album was recorded and ready for release in 2009 when its record company also went under. This time, Shane Owens was badly bruised.
There was a silver lining in his second album’s demise, however. He was able to maintain ownership of the stellar songs he’d recorded with James Stroud. These now form the basis of his new CD for Amerimonte Records, along with several newly recorded tunes with the also esteemed Ed Seay.
When I read Shane Owens’ story it reminded me of something an artist told me several years ago. He was the frontman of a very good alternative band here in Florida that went through the process of signing with a major label and even making the move to Los Angeles to record new songs. When I asked him why the deal didn’t work he said, “You have to be careful of what type of contract you sign, and which label you sign with”. Remember, this is a business and at the end of the day, businesses do fail and also get sold. When that happens, all the contractual agreements might come off the table, suddenly.
Named by Rolling Stone Country as one of “10 New Country Artists You Need To Know,” and awarded 2018 Music Row Independent Artist of the Year, Shane Owens has now arrived. He has delivered music that might be with us for a while. Every musical step of Shane Owens seems a tribute to those great country music artists of the past. Owens added, “In my eyes there will never be another George Jones, Merle Haggard, Keith Whitley, Randy Travis or so many more; there are just too many great ones to list. These icons and their incredible works have paved the way for guys like me to be able to do what they love.”
Would I recommend anyone listen to It’s A Southern Thing? Without a doubt. The album is one of the best I’ve heard this year from any music genre. He continues on tour promoting the album, therefore you might get an opportunity to see him perform here in the US. For more information about Shane Owens, visit www.ShaneOwensCountry.com.
Shane Owens concludes like this, “I’ve been blessed to be brought up the way I was brought up. And I’ve learned the hard way that you’ve got to be yourself. That’s what’s gonna sell: Me being me. Maybe this whole thing is meant to be, and I’ve been through all of this for a reason, and the third time’s the charm.”