As a young boy, I found my passion for music very early. Some of my first memories are of singing and my mom and dad recording me. This passion flourished as time went on, leading me to join Choir in all grades of school from elementary to high school. I got my first guitar after watching the movie “La Bamba” and seeing Brian Setzer portray Eddie Cochran (brilliantly might I add…).
Over the next few years I broadened my musical interests to include Heavy Metal, Opera, Rap, Blues, Country, and… well everything really. However, I never felt completely content with “One” style of music, so my playlists and mix-tapes would have a bit of everything on them. Playlists consisting of Garth Brooks, followed by Metallica, followed by Eminem, followed by Les Misérables, my sound was somewhere in there but I had not found it yet. In the late ’90s there was a turning point in Hard Rock / Heavy Metal where they pulled in influences from other genres and changed the overall tone of the music… this was what they called ‘Nu-Metal’ with bands like Limp Bizkit and Korn leading the charge. So, now I feel it’s time to bring outside influence into Country.
Nu-Country:
/no͞o/-/ˈkəntrē/
noun
combining form
prefix: nu-
informal respelling of ‘new,’ used especially in names of new or revived genres of popular music. ex: “nu-metal bands”
noun: country
a form of popular music originating in the rural southern US. It is traditionally a mixture of ballads and dance tunes played characteristically on fiddle, guitar, steel guitar, drums, and keyboard.
future: Nu-Country
the “new” or alternative side of the genre, prioritizing artistic expression, independent artists, and a blend of traditional and modern influences over top-40 radio hits, incorporating other genres such as rap, rock, southern rock, blues, and even heavy metal…
So now I am pleased to introduce the Nu-Country era!
