King Haddock’s Reviews > I'd Fight the World: A Political History of Old-Time, Hillbilly, and Country Music > Status Update
King Haddock
is on page 241 of 336
Last third 20th century musician runners: Tex Ritter (TN US Senate, lost); Cecil McLeod (Mississippi state Senate, 1970), invited by Bill Monroe to play Opry in 79; Lulu Belle Wiseman (NC state House, 1974), where Acuff, Arthur Smith, & George Hamilton IV played for her; and Kinky Friedman (TX Gov, lost) "on an eco-friendly, libertarian-inspired platform that included support for both school prayer and gay marriage."
— Oct 22, 2020 02:48PM
Like flag
King Haddock’s Previous Updates
King Haddock
is on page 260 of 336
"During the period of job loss and mortgage foreclosures of the 2008 recession, one might note that country music, with its characteristic expressions of loss and hurt, actually grew in popularity, especially among ethnic and racial minorities." I've heard that country music listening has increased during COVID-19 whatnot this year, too, markedly compared to other genres. (Check me on this--I speak from memory.)
— Oct 24, 2020 11:26PM
King Haddock
is on page 258 of 336
Eyyyyy!!! Author mentioned Nefesh Mountain! Mentions Jewish (and Jewish convert) contributions to bluegrass: Mare Winningham, Joe Buchanan, and Nefesh Mountain. Other important Jewish individuals in country music mentioned are: Maurice Blumen, Joachim Jean, Julian Aberbach, Paul Cohen, Saul Holiff, Gene Lowinger, Michael Kosser, Victoria Shaw, Pam Belford, Richard Landis, Ray Benson, Shel Silverstein, Kinky Friedman.
— Oct 24, 2020 11:22PM
King Haddock
is on page 251 of 336
Endorsed Trump 2016: Lee Brice, Chris Janson, Ronnie Dunn (of Brooks & Dunn), and Joe Bonsall (of the Oak Ridge Boys).
Declined to endorse Trump: Hank Williams Jr. (reminder: this guy compared Obama to Hitler in 2011), Charlie Daniels, and Toby Keith.
Ouchhhhh. How do you fail so bad both Daniels and Williams steer clear of you. Those two are outspoken conservative firecrackers.
— Oct 23, 2020 05:00PM
Declined to endorse Trump: Hank Williams Jr. (reminder: this guy compared Obama to Hitler in 2011), Charlie Daniels, and Toby Keith.
Ouchhhhh. How do you fail so bad both Daniels and Williams steer clear of you. Those two are outspoken conservative firecrackers.
King Haddock
is on page 251 of 336
Will have to look up Ricky Skaggs regarding Donald Trump. Author says there was a fairly diminished response by country musicians for Trump endorsements, lists a few names, but didn't list Skaggs. I find this a little odd, as Skaggs was mentioned as endorsing many conservative candidates like George W. Bush (2000, 2004) and Mitt Romney (2012). Guess McCain isn't mentioned in this book for Ricky either. To look up.
— Oct 23, 2020 04:55PM
King Haddock
is on page 249 of 336
To find: Ralph Stanley's radio ads for Barack Obama in 2008. "The ads, in which Stanley cajoled fellow Virginians to support Obama as a means of making college more affordable to their children and grandchildren, were run in the coal-producing area of Southwest Virginia but got national exposure through media and internet."
— Oct 23, 2020 04:40PM
King Haddock
is on page 247 of 336
Yeeeeeppppp getting into the Dixie Chicks ordeal now.
— Oct 23, 2020 08:26AM
King Haddock
is on page 247 of 336
Interesting to read country celebrity endorsements in recent political campaigns I was alive for but too young to either care about the politicians or know the musicians. In 2000, for Al Gore Jr.: Johnny Cash, Tom T. Hall, Mary Chapin Carpenter. George Bush: Ricky Skaggs, Loretta Lynn, Travis Tritt, Hank Williams Jr., and Brooks & Dunn. Names I care about are Cash, Hall, Skaggs, and to a lesser extent Lynn and Tritt.
— Oct 23, 2020 08:25AM
King Haddock
is on page 246 of 336
"[T]he affiliations that the elder Bush's campaign established with Judd and the Gatlins marked the beginnings of a lopsided tradition where top-notch mainstream country artists supported mostly conservatives and Republicans." That recent, huh? '92. Book mentions Democrats going for rootsy music on outskirts of country, or artists in other genres with country influences. Makes me think of the 60s country/folk split.
— Oct 22, 2020 08:59PM
King Haddock
is on page 244 of 336
Eyyyyyy they mentioned Daniels and the Scruggs family at the Moratorium. This was in 69, though, so even with early press on the new band, calling it the Revue I think is a stretch. "Daniels had already taken something of a stand by performing as a member of the Earl Scruggs Revue in support of the Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam rally in Washington, DC, after Scruggs began vocalizing misgivings about the war."
— Oct 22, 2020 08:38PM
King Haddock
is on page 242 of 336
More musician-politicians who ran unsuccessfully: 1. Republican Sammy Kershaw for lieutenant governor of Louisiana, 2007, with a "pro-life, pro-marriage, pro-gun" platform. 2. Montana's Rob Quist for Congress, 2017, who "put forward a Bernie Sanders-inspired platform that embraced gay rights, the continuation of the Affordable Care Act, and protections for federal lands."
— Oct 22, 2020 02:53PM
