Sweet Thang

One more and then I’ll stop. Really.
Our blog friend ‘Alex’ mentioned Nat Stuckey in a comment on the last blog post.
Nat Stuckey was born over in Cass County, Texas in 1933. He earned a degree in radio and television from Arlington State College.
His first job was with KALT in Atlanta, Texas, in his home county of Cass.
He then moved to KWKH, and also became a member of the Louisiana Hayride. He wrote several hit songs, including co-writing ‘Waitin’ in your Welfare Line’ with Buck Owens. He then wrote and recorded ‘Sweet Thang’ on Paula Records, a local label. Jim Ed Brown recorded his song ‘Pop A Top’. He went on to record jingles, both nationally and regionally. He also operated a talent booking agency in Nashville.
Shortly before his death in 1988, Randy Travis released "Diggin’ Up Bones" which Stuckey co-wrote.

You're the Reason our Kids are Ugly - more country music

This country music thing just won't stop.
Country music as we know it began in the 1920’s in the South, and took its roots from folk and western music. At the time, it was referred to as hillbilly music. In the 1940’s the term country music came to being.
The Louisiana Hayride got its start in Shreveport in 1948, and was second only to The Grand Ole Opry in presenting country singers to the world.
There have been so many country singers and songs over the years, but I will give you a taste of the first two ‘hillbilly’ stars: Jimmie Rodgers and The Carter Family.
Jimmie Rodgers, The Singing Brakeman, recorded his first songs, "The Soldier's Sweetheart" and "Sleep, Baby, Sleep" for Victor. He received $100 for his efforts. Rodgers died in 1933 from TB at the age of 35.

The original Carter Family consisted of A. P. Carter (1891–1960), his wife Sara (1898–1979), and his sister-in-law Maybelle Carter (1909–1978). Maybelle was the mother of June Carter Cash. They made their first recordings in 1927, receiving $50 for each song.

The original group disbanded after A. P. and Sara divorced in 1944, but Maybelle kept performing with her daughters, June, Anita and Helen.

And to wrap it up, a song that I think represents the genre perfectly, from Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty.