Sean McConnell - Texas Star

By Jim Meyer

Sean McConnell. Photo courtesy of LoneStarMusic.com

As I've said in this column, my best source right now for new country music is a little radio station in Fort Worth, Texas: KFWR (aka "The Ranch"). They play music by Texas artists ONLY -- and, frankly, it's the only kind of country music I listen to these days.

They've been featuring a singer-songwriter who's really caught my attention -- Sean McConnell. Near as I can tell, he grew up in the Boston area and is now based in Austin. He's written songs for some of my favorite Texas groups, including "In My Arms Instead" (the Randy Rogers Band).


 
The first time I heard "Lie Baby Lie," I stopped what I was doing and just focused on the blazing vocal, the chord structure and the main riff. OK, this song is probably more "rock" than "country" -- but good music is good music, regardless of category.

There are several videos of this song floating around the web. Here's the best one I've found:



The good folks over at Lone Star Music have put together a page with lots of his songs on it.

Check out one of my favorite McConnell songs, "Reckless Love." You can hear it on Lone Star Music or on YouTube:

While I was researching this post, I came across another radio station that plays Texas music, with a few "classic" tunes thrown in for good measure: KTWL in Hempstead.

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.”