Country California

Welcome to the 53rd edition of Quotable Country, which debuted one year ago today. If you’re bored, take a look back at the feature’s debut on August 3, 2008.

Click the bullet after each quote to visit the original source.

TAYLOR SWIFT IS COUNTRY (07.31.09 at 08:36pm)
YA’LL ARE JUST ANGRY THAT SHE GETS 2 KISS TAYLOR LAUNTER. GROW UP. ●
- – Comment on CMT.com. Seriously, all you people who pretend to dislike Swift’s music because you’re jealous of the fact that she gets 2 kiss teenage boys should grow up.

A singer himself — and until recently a thin one — Pinson alluded to his increasing weight with a joke. He said his audiences are divided into two types: “The ones who say, ‘Who’s that fat guy singing Bobby Pinson songs?’ and the others who say, ‘Who’s Bobby Pinson?’” ●
- – Bobby Pinson has been putting on weight for a role: behind-the-scenes songwriter.

I haven’t talked to him, but if I had one thing to say to him about it, it’d probably be, ‘Go on. Get your ass outta here. Go on. Get your ass outta here.’ ●
- – George Strait offers Joe Nichols some advice for the Broadway production of Pure Country.

What I think of as country, well, that’s not really what we do. But then again, I think most of our fans are listening to other stuff, too, whether it’s Dave [Matthews], [Bruce] Springsteen, [Tom] Petty or Jackson Browne, not to mention Bob Marley, who I think may be the great equalizer among all kinds of music. ●
- – Kenny Chesney doesn’t think of himself as a country artist.

The chorus’ lyrics say that sometimes you’ve got to ‘Hank it, drank it, crank it, and SPANK IT!’ Every time I sing that line in concert, the women scream a little louder. I don’t know if they’re scared, or they like it, but I definitely know my mom isn’t part of the group that likes it! ●
- – Justin Moore scares his audience (mother included) with threats of spanking.

His career longevity has reached the mythic proportions of tall tales. He has put out a song for every tree Johnny Appleseed has grown, his rigorous touring schedule rivals Paul Bunyan’s journey, and he’s done as much for cowpoke superlatives as Pecos Bill (trading in tornado riding for crossing the country in a beat-up Suburban). He is the Casey Jones of big rigs and the Blue Ox of heartbreak. ●
- – Who’s Daphne Young talking about? Click through to find out. Good interview.

The melody will be pretty tight when I get to the studio. But the actual arrangement and instrumentation, I try to leave it to happenstance. I guess I get it from Dylan-the idea that you get these really cool musicians together and record them as they’re hearing your song for the first time and playing along with it. I always find that’s my favorite version of the song. ●
- – Todd Snider isn’t big on rehearsal. It works for him.

But this is a way to reach some people we haven’t reached before. The thing we talk about is, ‘How do we reach as many people with our music as possible?’ So with this, we’re going to give away the whole show on TV, for free, and it’s going to work. What matters isn’t that somebody’s going to buy something. It’s that somebody’s going to share it with someone else. ●
- – Sounds like Kristian Bush thinks he invented the idea of a network TV special.

He’s where I was five years ago before Carrie Underwood screwed up my whole thing (laughs). ●
- – Gretchen Wilson on Jamey Johnson.

I remember the morning I went to record. I had heard “Sunday Morning Coming Down” several times and knew the song but hadn’t studied the meaning behind the words. I went in with my lyric sheet and covered it in one take. I came in with the worst hangover I ever had in my life. I’m not sure I could have put the emotion I did in that song had I not been feeling as shitty as I did that day. That song is a hangover. ●
- – Gretchen’s a method singer… and if a role requires getting hammered, so be it.

There’s just something about the vibe that makes it more of an adult show, lets you take it to an adult level… You’ve got people up on the hill urinating and fighting and having sex, major tailgating… half the audience is drunk before I ever go on stage. ●
- – Toby Keith has a strange idea of what it means to be an adult.

And we were swingin’
Not polyamorously
Just in a porch swing ●
- – Country haiku are not to be missed.