Dale Watson: Keeping Country Music’s Roots Alive

Dale Watson: Keeping Country Music’s Roots Alive

By Mark Randall

news@theeveningtimes.com

Dale Watson is as country as country music comes.

A long time fixture in the Texas dance halls and honky tonks, Watson has become kind of the face (or is that the voice of?) or standard bearer of old style country.

Told long ago that he was “too country” and ignored by today’s Nashville music establishment that prefers pop infused “Hick hop” artists, the 54 year-old songwriter, singer, and guitar player is just fine with that.

In fact, he’s even come up with his own term to describe the kind of music he makes — Ameripolitan.

Ameripolitan is original music with prominent roots in rockabilly, western swing, honky tonk, and outlaw music.

“The name country doesn’t fit me any more,” Watson said. “So we had to find a name. I got pushed out of the neighborhood. Once you get to a certain age you get pushed out. So I had to move out of the neighborhood. And the neighborhood I’m in now is called Ameripolitan. It’s new music written and sung by people who have more of a roots sound.”

Ameripolitan has its roots in the music of Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Bob Wills, Merle Haggard and others – the so-called “old farts” that are shunned by the music industry today.

Johnny Cash faced similar treatment toward the end of his great career. In March 1988 after winning the Grammy for Best Country Album with no radio airplay or support from the Nashville music scene. Cash and producer Rick Rubin famously took out an ad in Billboard giving the country music establishment the middle finger.

Watson got so sick of watching the country awards shows that bear little resemblance to country music that he started the Ameripolitan Music Awards six years ago to honor the singers and songwriters who have stayed true to country’s roots but have no place in today’s country music.

He moved the awards to Memphis last year, a city that is itself a bit of a music rebel to its famous neighbor to the east.

“The great thing about the awards and the festival leading up to it is that people will discover artists they have never heard of before,” Watson said.

“There is a lot of great talent out there that we showcase at Ameripolitan.”

Watson said the Ameripolitan awards might have been his own way of giving Nashville the middle finger — at first. But Ameripolitan has become its own thing and he’s extremely pleased that so many artists have found a home with his style of music.

“It probably was that way when I first started it,” Watson said. “It got started because Blake Shelton said nobody likes the kind of music we do. And we’re just a bunch of jackasses and old farts.”

In 2013, Shelton complained that “I don’t care how many of these old farts around Nashville are goin’ ‘my God, that ain’t country!’ Well, that’s because you don’t buy records anymore, jackass.

The kids do. And they don’t want to buy the music that you were buying.”

Watson was quick to stick up for the old style country, saying “I’d rather be an old fart than a new country turd.”

Modern country music may have grown apart from its roots, but that’s okay. Watson just moved to another neighborhood.

“I don’t have to bash Nashville or country any more,” Watson said. “Live and let live. They can do what they want to do. And I’m happy for them and the people who like that stuff. I don’t have to bash them because I know I’m not included in that game.

I don’t have to worry about what country music is doing and can do my own thing. What’s great about it is we are accentuating the positive. We kind of took our bat and ball and got our own game with Ameripolitan. And I’m happy with that. Quite frankly, they’re not welcome in our neighborhood either. What’s great for me is this lets people know the exact opposite of what Blake Shelton is. Yes, it is out there. And yes, there is an audience and they want to hear it.”

The 6th Annual Ameripolitan Music Awards kicked off this past Friday with a three-day lead up filled with musical acts around Memphis at venues like Blues City Cafe, Travelodge By Wyndham, and Minglewood Hall, and culminated with the awards ceremony last night at the Guesthouse at Graceland.