Welcome to My Weekly Mixtape, a podcast that
takes the classic mixtape approach to building
a modern playlist. I'm your host, Brian Colburn.
Joining me once again as guest curator is the
incredible Carrie Cunningham, who you might recall
was my guest on episode 61, the ultimate modern
female country artist's playlist. Carrie, welcome
back to the show. Thank you so much. I'm so glad
to be back. This is exciting. I am so glad to
have you back. Now, on our last episode, we briefly
touched on 90s country. But tonight, we get to
dive all into 90s country because that is our
topic tonight. And it's a topic that is extremely
special to me because it is the reason I got
a start in radio. In 1998, I went to my college
that I was at at the time and asked to get a
radio program. And they said, sure, we could
put you on the air, but you have to fall into
one of the niche categories that we can't find
anybody to cover. I said, OK, what do you got?
And I started looking down the list and I saw
7 a .m. to 9 a .m. Monday morning, country radio.
I'm like, I'll do that. Thankfully, I had a lot
of friends in North Carolina from when I went
to school down there a few years earlier who
helped me put together a entire CD book full
of country music. And it's since become. Kind
of the Bible for what I consider to be good country
music. So this is one of the toughest tasks for
me tonight to try to narrow down the 1990s decade
for country music because it was my introduction
to the genre and it's where I have so many memories
in. So tonight's going to be a tough one for
me. How about you when it comes to 90s country
music? Oh my gosh. It's an awful lot like you
where I really cut my teeth in 90s country. I
first started going out kind of doing little
country showdown showcases during the 90s. And
I was trying to go out there and kind of make
a name for myself up in the Northwest as kind
of this up and coming country artist. And so
all these songs from 90s country were songs that
I would play or listen to religiously. And to
be honest with you, I could probably. sing these
lyrics decades later and still remember them
because they're so deeply embedded in my brain
versus a song that just came out even as early
as like last year because I'll be like oh I still
don't remember it but give me something from
the mid -90s and I'll be like oh yeah I know
that went backwards and forwards and I'll tell
you right now there are some artists that I think
even the younger ones that are really starting
to tap into The 90s country sound, because I
feel like when you listen to artists like Zach
Topp, that you're getting a resurgence of what
the 1990s was all about in modern country. I
would even say the same to a degree with Lainey
Wilson's sound has a little bit of touches of
90s country in it as well. Yeah, I think with
the artists, we're always like trying to quote
unquote reinvent. But it's not being reinvented.
It's just kind of being recycled with a more
modern twist. Right. And you brought up Zach
Topp, which is a great example because you read
his lyrics and you hear his voice and it's so
rich. You could say, oh, yeah, that can definitely
go on like a 90s playlist, but it can also go
into like a contemporary Texas country. And the
way that the market's kind of swinging right
now, it feels. Interesting that there is a lot
more Americana, a lot more Texas country that's
really starting to hit mainstream country music,
which a couple years ago, five, six years ago,
would never have happened. Like, I remember I
have slight PTSD from some conversations with
some publicists, you know, when I try to pitch
a song and they're like, that's not today's country
music. That's, you know, go take that to the
Americana world or go take that to Texas country,
you know. And so, but things have just really
changed. evolved and changed and i think a lot
of it has to do also with what's going out on
tv well we got a lot of westerns coming out you
know and yellowstone and everything that makes
people want to be a cowboy i should have been
a cowboy right everybody's kind of jumping on
that bandwagon right now so obviously that more
traditional style country is going to want to
start pulling in and pulling in new listeners
well Tonight, as I mentioned at the top of the
show, Carrie and I are going to be curating the
ultimate 90s country music mixtape, and we're
going to use the old cassette deck approach.
Carrie, as my special guest, will begin side
A with her first song choice, and then I'll add
a song that I feel best follows up that choice.
We'll then flip -flop choosing songs until we've
mapped out 10 songs for side A. We'll then give
our mixtape a proverbial flip, and we'll map
out side B. Only this time, I'll kick things
off with Carrie choosing second. Our overall
goal for this episode is to craft the best 90s
country music mixtape possible through only 20
songs. At the end of the show, you can take our
conversation to the next level by visiting the
episode page at myweeklymixtape .com, where you
can give our final mixtape a listen via the embedded
playlist. And if you like what you're hearing
on the show, you can help me out by either telling
a friend, leaving the show a five -star review
wherever you're tuning in, or becoming a part
of the Patreon mixtaper community at patreon
.com forward slash myweeklymixtape. There you
can find ad -free episodes of the show, gain
immediate access to future My Weekly Mixtape
episodes, hear exclusive bonus banter clips,
become a future guest, and chime in on upcoming
show topics like several of the mixtapers did
this evening. with the songs they would use to
kick off their respective 90s country playlists.
Sean Goff chimed in saying Tim McGraw was the
first concert he and his wife went to as a couple,
so he's got to kick it off with Indian Outlaw.
Tom Hutchinson, as a reference back to the song
you were just singing earlier, said he'd kick
it off with his personal favorite, Should Have
Been a Cowboy by Toby Keith, saying it's a great
song that brings him back to his childhood. Rob
Jones chimed in from the UK saying it's got to
be the opening track to Johnny Cash's American
recordings, Delia's Gone. Chad LaMassa chimed
in saying his pick might be a popular choice,
but since 90s country is a bit of a blind spot
for him, he's going with the chick's Goodbye
Earl. And Brandon from Virginia chimed in saying
you can't have a 90s mix. Without the man who
revived country in the 90s, Garth Brooks, Brandon
said there's so many songs from him, but Friends
in Low Places brings back late night diner memories
for him in New Jersey. So he's going with that.
Once again, if you'd like to chime in for future
My Weekly Mixtape episodes, come join the Mixtaper
community at patreon .com forward slash My Weekly
Mixtape. So Carrie, with all of those Patreon
pics out in the atmosphere, I'm officially pressing
the record button on our mixtape. I guess you
could say starting up the pickup truck, and I'm
going to turn things over to you. How are we
going to get this 90s country party started this
evening? I'm going to start it off with my girl,
Miss Shania Twain, with Whose Bed Have Your Boots
Been Under? Nice song. Shania Twain really kind
of took country music into more of the pop world
for 90s country. She was one of the most memorable
concerts I ever went to back in the 90s. Just
seeing her in her outfits and her dancers and
her harmony singers. And also back then, like,
to be honest, there were a lot of stations that
were supporting me in my young music career.
And I often got the quote, oh, she's, you know,
she's the next Shania Twain. And, you know, you're
being young. You're like, yeah, I want to be.
the next Shania Twain I wasn't quite at that
moment where it was like but we already have
a Shania Twain why can't you just say she's the
next Carrie you know whatever but Shania Twain
was definitely one of the female artists that
I looked up to and thought that that's definitely
how music should be performed and you know the
fan base etc so Shania is definitely the one
person I should start off our whole mixtape with
I honestly think Shania did for female pop country
what Garth did for country slash rock, if you
want to call it that, where he kind of crossed
over onto the pop charts in the 90s. So did Shania.
They both were kind of trailblazers of the decade.
And I think if you want to talk about your quote
unquote kings and queens of the 90s for country
music, it's probably. Not a tough argument to
give it to Garth and Shania, considering the
crossover appeal they had. You scooped me on
Shania. I had any man of mine from the same album,
1995's The Woman in Me. The reason I love it
so much is there was a country comedian back
in the 90s that was like the country answer to
Weird Al Yankovic. It was Cletus T. Judd. Oh,
yeah, Cletus. And he had If Shania Was Mine.
And hand to God, in 1996, in the Walmart parking
lot in Salisbury, North Carolina, on the bed
of a truck, Cletus T. Judd did a concert with
Daryl Dodd. And this was like one of the first
country concerts I ever went to. So it has that
kind of memory embedded in me, hearing him on
stage performing If Shania Was Mine. And I'm
like, well, I know the original here, so I love
it. Whose bed have your boots been under is obviously
the bigger choice for the crossover appeal. But
I don't think you can go wrong with pretty much
any Shania song from the decade. No, I agree.
The song hit number 31 on the U .S. Billboard
Hot 100 and was her first top 40 hit on the country
charts. Hit number 11 on the U .S. Hot Country
Songs chart and number one on the Canada Country
Tracks chart. And it kind of made a resurgence,
too, because there was another song, No One Needs
to Know. I think that song got really popular.
And then it kind of brought back Whose Bed Have
Your Boots Been Under? Because people started
going, oh, well, who is this Shania Twain? We
really like that song. And then Whose Bed Have
Your Boots Been Under kind of gained popularity
right after that. And from that point on, it
was Shania Mania. Well, I am going to start off
with a song that might not be the first song
that comes to everybody's mind. Now, don't get
me wrong. It was the number one hit. It hit number
one on the U .S. Hot Country Songs chart and
the Canada Country Tracks chart. So it was a
number one country hit. But it's not the first
song that everybody immediately goes to. But
it is for me because this was the first country
song. that I ever admitted liking to my college
roommate back in 1995. The day I moved in, he
said to me, Brian, the first thing I'm going
to do is get you into country music before this
semester's over. And I'm going down there listening
to Typo Negative and The Misfits and Metallica
and Downset, Rage Against the Machine, Smashing
Pumpkins. That was like where I was at the time.
And I'm like, I'm not listening. I'm like, you
could try all you want. I'm not going to get
into this Garth Brooks thing. So every time he
turned on the radio, I'd be like, oh, another
Garth Brooks song. And he'd be like, no, man,
that was Alan Jackson. I'd be like, oh, sorry.
And then the next song would come on. I'd be
like, oh, is that Garth Brooks? He'd be like,
no, man, that's Reba McEntire. I'm like, oh.
And then a commercial would come on. I'm like,
is that Garth Brooks? He's like, oh, just stop.
But long story short, we were driving around
town. trying to get me familiar with the area.
And John Michael Montgomery sold. The Grundy
County auction incident came on. And the first
time I heard that auctioneer delivery, I kind
of looked at him and said, all right, who is
that? And he goes, oh, John Michael Montgomery,
you're going to dig this. And he cranked it up.
And it was the first country song I ever fell
in love with. So it's the first song I'm including
on tonight's list. No, that's a great story.
I had to think about it for a second because
that is one of my most popular John Michael songs
that I think about. When I think of John Michael
Montgomery, that's the song I first think about.
And then I had to start thinking, I'm like, what
other songs were there? I know there is plenty
of them. Oh, Love the Way You Love Me. Yes. That's
the other one that popped into my head. Yeah.
And of course, I swear was a huge wedding song.
I believe that was part of my wedding song for
my first husband. I've been married. uh, once
other than my right now. And maybe that's why
I swear no longer registers in my brain. Cause
it was part of my first wet marriage. I understand.
Say no more. It was also by all for one though.
So you might be able to kind of give that crossover
into R and B. Yeah, exactly. That's what we were
just talking about with like with Garth and Shania
is this song or not this one, I swear, was also
a crossover for country music going into pop,
which was another great thing that made 90s country
just so, so wonderful is that they weren't really
sticking in their lane, so to speak. Right. They
were really crossing over. And it was it was
wonderful. And I think that was a good turning
point for country music to really start expanding.
The listener and the fan base. And I swear I'm
not going to talk about them all night, but Cletus
T. Judd also did a parody of Salt, but I'll just
leave it at that. What are you going to follow
that up with for track three? Oh, let's go with
how about Alan Jackson and Chattahoochee? Nice.
Yeah. The first time just seeing the video of
some tall blonde hairdo with his cowboy hat and
his holy jeans. water skiing with his cowboy
hat and holy jeans you know and and even just
the word chattahoochee and you're like oh chattahoochee
and then and then you hear hoochie coochie and
you're just like oh my word like listen to this
rhyme scheme I think I remember him saying that
he wasn't even sure if he could even put those
two together um the writers couldn't put those
two words together that it would be quote -unquote
appropriate for hoochie coochie but It worked
off well. I mean, it was such a huge hit. And
I think it really put Alan Jackson to where he
is today. It was like the starting point for
him to just be this great country music star.
From 1993 is a lot about living and a little
about love. But for me, one of the first country
CDs I ever purchased when I was in college was
Alan Jackson's Greatest Hits Volume 1. So it
was obviously on that. Hit number 46 on the U
.S. Billboard Hot 100 and number one on both
the U .S. Hot Country Songs chart and the Canada
Country Tracks chart. I actually had two songs
from Alan Jackson in my bank, and that was Midnight
Montgomery because that one makes the hair on
my arm stand up every time I hear it. And I Don't
Even Know Your Name. Just a real fun little country
bop. Oh, yeah. Yes, yes. But Chattahoochee is
the song. We talked about Zach Topp at the beginning
of the show. In sounds like the radio, the opening
line is, well, the day I was born, the doc couldn't
believe I came out crying Chattahoochee. So have
to go with it. All right. Following up Alan Jackson.
Alan Jackson's one that one of my college roommates
and one of my closest friends on the planet,
Chris, was a huge fan of. And when I got down
there, he's. He was very much into like, look,
you're going to hear a lot of country on the
radio. And as I got more into it, I started asking
more questions. And he says, look, I'm going
to introduce you to some people you're not going
to hear on the radio. And these are going to
be some people that are some of the greatest
country artists you're ever going to hear in
your life. However, they're just not mainstream
enough. Although Garth really, really made a
case. For this artist. And it's one of my favorite
country singers. Of all time. And here's the
thing. This guy didn't need the charts. Because
Garth Brooks. When he exploded onto the scene.
Lyrics like. The worn out tape of Chris Ledoux.
Lonely women in bad booze. Seemed to be the only
friends. I've left at all. That's much too young
to feel this damn old. And then you take the
collaboration. Of what you're going to do with
a cowboy. Chris Ledoux was a staple of 90s country
to me. He also did a duet with Toby Keith of
a re -recording of Copenhagen, which introduced
me to Toby Keith. So to me, he was very highly
influential on 90s country. But the song I'm
going to go with only reached number 33 on the
Billboard Top Country Albums chart. But to me,
it's one of the greatest country songs ever written.
Just because the message is so perfect, it's
so Chris LeDoux from 1996's Stampede, $5 fine.
We've got a $5 fine for whining. We tell you
before you come in, and if it ain't on your mind
to have a good time, y 'all come back and see
us again. Everything I love about Chris LeDoux
summed up in one song. That's perfect. Yeah,
I have to agree with you with everything that
Garth did. Everything that Garth did for Chris
Ledoux. Isn't that so funny to say that? Oh,
the irony is strong in that. Don't get me wrong,
because without Chris Ledoux, you never get Garth
Brooks. I have with Chris Ledoux. I always just
put Chris in the rodeo world, which in my and
in my mind, I don't necessarily think of like
other songwriters or other singers or anything.
He brings me to my family of friends who are
bull riders, who are out there like risking their
life for this career that they choose to do and
how badly they beat up their body. And I then
instantly think of like the movie eight seconds,
you know, and it's just Chris. just brings out
so many more emotions and thought processes than
anybody else in country music for me personally.
Like I just said, he brings me into the rodeo
world and he just makes me think of my friends
and makes me think of my rodeo friends. And he
just holds a special place in my heart and in
my mind that I honestly, I don't think any other
country artist can do like he does. And it's
insane how Incredible. His son is Ned carrying
on the tradition. Ned Ledoux's music. I listened
to his cover of This Cowboy's Hat, and I literally
sat there going, this is Chris. This is definitely
Chris. And I had to A and B the songs because
he has the same tonality of his father. He has
the same richness, the same warmth in his voice,
and that same charisma. You cannot fake. what
Chris LeDoux puts out when he delivers those
lyrics, it's almost in a sing speak kind of way.
And it's almost delivered as like a, I would
call it a cowboy sermon as you will. It feels
like he's, I don't want to call him preachy because
that takes it to a different level, but there
was something that was just so confident in his
delivery and Ned's carrying that on now. And
I love to see that. Yeah. And then I think that's
another reason why I think of my, my rodeo friends
too, because there is that personality, that
confidence, like you will never meet an introverted.
Well, you, you might meet an introverted one,
but you will never meet a non -confident bull
rider. The bull might win. Yeah, exactly. They
just, they just have this persona and it's almost
like Chris kind of just. set the standard for
all of them as well. Like you hear Chris will
do, you can automatically think of what, what
a bull rider or a rodeo man should, or even just
a rancher or a cowboy, what they should look
like, how they should act, you know, all that
stuff. I just, I just think that's the whole
Western world summed up into one little box.
Just look at Chris. Couldn't say it better myself.
So we're now Carrie, we're back to you for track
five. All right. Well, in while I was in college
and even before that, I would listen religiously
to this next artist. I would listen to her so
much. She has the voice of an angel. And it's
so funny just like hearing her sing and then
hearing her speak because A and B does not equal
C. And she is also one of those crossover artists
where she actually didn't go from country to
pop. She actually went from bluegrass to country.
And she has those fans in both genres. And I'm
talking about Miss Alison Krauss. Yes. And the
song I chose was When You Say Nothing At All.
And granted, it's a cover, but she just does
it so well because her voice is so incredibly
angelic. It's just so beautiful. When I started
going down what song of Alison's that I could
do, I kind of wanted to stick with something
that even the non -country listener would know.
Because if I went into any other songs, people
would be like, oh, I don't really know that song.
But I think everybody on the planet has heard
Alison Krauss sing When You Say Nothing At All.
Because it's been on movies. It still is played
on radio to this day. And that's why I chose
this song. I could tell you firsthand, I've been
to several weddings where this was the wedding
song. That too. Yeah. Obviously, I'm going to
applaud the cover song because you know me, I
love cover songs, but I'm going to take this
a step further. I think this is one of those
cover songs that actually, and I might catch
some flack for this, but I think this is the
definitive version of the song. She took it and
really made it her own. And it's not often you
can use that. And I'm sure there's some Keith
Whitley fans out there that are probably a little
upset with me with that, but hear me out. The
gender flip, I just, I love everything about
it. It reached number 53 on the Billboard US
Hot 100, reached number three on the US Hot Country
Songs chart, number seven on the Canada Country
Tracks chart, and number 81 on the UK Singles
chart. So this was a country song charting across
the pond. Something that does not happen a lot.
This song stretched the boundaries of what country
is. And to this day, it's 31 years later and
people still talk about this version. So, yeah,
I love the pick. And you took the tempo down
a little bit here and we had our first slow dance
of the side. But I think we're going to pick
up the pace a little bit here again. And I'm
going to go all the way back towards the beginning
of the decade. And we're going to go with a 1991
single, which was the debut single from this
artist. And it reached number one on the U .S.
Hot Country Songs chart and Canada Country Songs
chart. And when a song is so good that the band
can re -record it in 2019 and have it chart again,
you know you're on to something. And that's exactly...
what Brooks and Dunn did with their debut single,
Brand New Man, because in 2019, they re -recorded
it with Luke Combs, and that version charted
as well, hitting number 30 on the US Hot Country
Songs chart and number 40 on the Canada Country
chart. I loved both versions, because obviously
Brooks and Dunn play on both versions, so it's
just a little bit of a touch. of what Luke brings
to give it a little bit more of a modern spin.
But if you play the songs back to back, they're
pretty similar. And Luke's voice fits in so well
with Brooks and Dunn's harmonies that sometimes
I actually prefer the modern version, but the
original 34 years old still hits like any modern
country song could. And it's. God, I have so
many Brooks and Dunn favorites. I could do a
whole episode on Brooks and Dunn. They have so
many incredible songs, but without this one,
who knows where they would have been? So Brand
New Man. Well, that's what I was just about ready
to say. Can you imagine 90s country or even just
country music today without Brooks and Dunn?
Impossible. I just don't think that it would
have been as impactful. For one, I mean, we had
a ton of solos artists in the 90s. And then when
Brooks and Dunn hit, it was like, whoa. You know,
of course, we had a few trios. We had Shadazy
out there and a couple other duos in the 90s.
But nothing as hard hitting as Brooks and Dunn.
I mean, they literally, and I hate this term,
but they literally took country music by storm.
They were just as competitive as Shania Twain
and Garth Brooks. I mean, they all held their
own. And that's also why. Reba went on the road
with Brooks and Dunn. I mean, you put those powerhouses
together, you're going to sell out every arena.
It doesn't matter. And so I just can't even imagine
what it'd be like even for radio in your line
of work, you know, with Kix Brooks as a radio
host. I mean, we wouldn't have him on the air
doing his thing for so many years if it wasn't
for Brooks and Dunn in the beginning. And I'm
sorry, I don't think you get a group like Brothers
Osborne in modern country music without the path
that Brooks and Dunn carved for the male duo.
Because you also have groups like Dan and Shay.
I mean, Brooks and Dunn without them, I don't
think you get the Dan and Shay. I think you get
Dan, and then over here is Shay. But I really
think Brooks and Dunn made country male duos.
A thing. And I think every male country duo is
always going to be for better or for worse compared
to Brooks and Dunn because they're two of the
best to ever do it. Yeah. I mean, if you think
prior to the 90s, when it came to groups, they
were always in fours and they weren't really
duos. Right. So. even with like the highwaymen
that was four and then obviously i always think
back to like motown you know we have the four
tops and and all that stuff but everything was
always in groups of four so they can get that
four -part harmony but when a band comes out
just as a duo they're two strong powerful men
that come out and they look good like they had
the look down they had their harmonies down everything
it was just like whoa, where did these guys come
from? And their music made people want to line
dance too. Like it was taking a big shift where
it wasn't even just like couples dancing. People
were really line dancing. And that was because
of, I think it was because of Brooks and Dunn
started that. Now for me back in the nineties,
I always likened duos to things like Loggins
and Messina, to things like Simon and Garfunkel,
the Righteous Brothers. It was more to the Kind
of more mellow, acoustic, singer -songwriter
-y thing. And, you know, with Loggins and Messina,
that was definitely, you know, that was yacht
rock. Yes. But yacht rock is only a thing now.
But back then, it wasn't considered yacht rock.
It was just rock and roll music that was out
there. So, yeah, you're right. There were male
duos, but they weren't really like rock and country.
Yes. All right. Well, now I'm throwing it back
to you for track seven. Track number seven belongs
to Tracy Bird. I'm from the country. Yes. So
I saw Tracy Bird back in the 90s with my, I like
to call her like my surrogate mother. She was
this lady that took me under her wing. Pretty
much any concert that I saw in the 90s and the
2000s, the mid 2000s, early to mid 2000s were
because of her. because she was my my number
one fan she would always make my stage clothes
she would make the posters she would go literally
go post them everywhere and she's just this short
five foot nothing little love lady that I loved
loved loved so much and so being able to go to
concerts was all because of her and I remember
one year she calls me up and she's like you know
Carrie I really think that you should write a
song about being from the country and how much
you love it. And I go, yeah, I just don't know
if that's really going to hit. Just talking about
being from the country. I just don't know, Nana.
And literally just like two, three months later,
Tracy Bird releases this song. I'm from the country.
And she just comes up to me and she's like nudging
me on the shoulder. She's like, see, see, see,
I told you, you should have wrote that song about
being from the country. And I'm like, well, there's
no point because it was already written. It was
just waiting to be released. And back then I
was like, I don't think I could even possibly
have written it to even a fraction of how well
that song was written for Tracy Bird. Not even
close. Well, you definitely scooped me on the
artist. One of my favorite country singers of
the 90s. I had Watermelon Crawl on my list. I
had Redneck Roses if we wanted to slow it down.
I had Big Love. I had Don't Take Her, She's All
I Got. I could have went in any direction with
him. Just unbelievable. His voice has just such
a, it's got such a great deep end to it, but
it's so rich. and full, and the music is so much
fun. I'm From the Country is your perfect Saturday
night song. Obviously, we love you like Sunday
and treat you like Saturday night. That song
encapsulates everything I love about Tracy Bird.
The song hit number 63 on the Billboard US Hot
100, number three on the US Hot Country Songs
chart, number one on the Canada Country Tracks
chart. I had to wait to the mid -2000s to catch
him. Because Tracy usually kept his shows down
south, but he did play in Massachusetts once,
and my wife and I traveled a couple states out
to go catch him at a, I think it was called the
Indian Ranch, if I'm not mistaken. And what an
incredible show he put on. I got a chance to
meet him when he did the runs through the radio
tours back in the 2000s when I started in radio.
Really amazing guy, amazing voice, and just an
absolute country stomper, I guess you'd call
it. Yeah. All right, so we had Brand New Man,
and I'm from the country. I'm going to slow it
down one more time, and I'm going to go with
a song that's one of my favorite country ballads
ever. One of my favorite, because I do have a
favorite country ballad ever, and I will use
it tonight at some point. I just don't know where.
This is a very, very close number two. This song
hit number 65 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and
topped both the US Hot Country Songs and Canada
Country Songs chart. Won Song of the Year at
the 1997 CMA Awards, the Nashville Songwriters
Association International, and the Nashville
Music Awards. And in 2024, Rolling Stone magazine
ranked it number 141 on its 200 Greatest Country
Songs of All Time list. And I think that's insanely
low because... Dina Carter's Strawberry Wine
from 1996's Did I Shave My Legs For This is one
of the most poignant, moving, bittersweet lookbacks
on life that I've ever heard. And I feel the
story of that song. There's just something about
the innocence and the story that she tells in
this song. And her voice just personifies it
perfectly. And it's just one of the... Most perfect
country songs of the 90s as far as I'm concerned.
Yeah, I agree with you. I mean, it was a coming
-of -age song. It was a first love song. A first
love, quote -unquote, song. And to be honest,
it wasn't ever really with prior country music
songs. I don't recall ever hearing a song that
talked about losing your virginity. In such a
beautiful way, that remembrance of this is something
that I'll never get back. And this is something
that I'll always remember. But it was so bittersweet.
Year after year, I go back to this place just
to remember the taste. Yeah. I hear her sing
that line and the hair on my arm stands up. Yeah.
Well, the hair on my legs just stood up. You
talk about it. Oh, that was a good one, Carrie.
Yeah. Two points for sure. What are we following
up strawberry wine with? Well, we're going to
start off with Garth Brooks' wife, Trisha Yearwood.
Uh -huh. I think it was actually her first single.
She's in love with a boy. Yep. I know it went
number one. It was her very first number one.
I do this women of country. Well, I used to.
Every once in a while, I'll pull it out of my
hat. for shows, but used to do this, women of
country music and their first number one hits.
And this is the song that I would have to do
because it was her very first number one. And
let me tell you, the audience will never not
sing that song. Everybody knows this song. And
it's so true and raw, especially when we're talking
about first love, like we were just talking about
with Dina Carter. We all have been in that moment
where we've had to have that, oh my gosh, I just,
I love him. And then our parents have to kind
of bring us back down to earth and say, no, it
isn't love. Or just like it is in the story where
it's like, dad's like, no, I don't like this
guy. And mom's like, oh, sweetheart, no man is
ever going to be good enough for your daughter.
We know that. But just look, they're so in love.
He looks like a good kid. And remember. My dad
didn't exactly like you either. And look at where
we're at. I mean, it's a tale as old as time,
right? I mean, it's such a beautiful song, a
classic. You cannot go wrong with that song.
And she's probably going to live off of that
royalty for the rest of her life. She doesn't
even have to record anymore. She does it just
because she simply wants to. Couldn't agree more.
And I'll say this in a lyrical sense. It's. Similar
to strawberry wine, except it takes the bittersweet
aspect out of it. It makes it a little bit more
saccharine in a fun and youthful way, if that
makes any sense. It is my favorite Trisha Yearwood
song, so I'm glad you picked it. And in 2014,
Rolling Stone magazine ranked it 129 on their
list of the 200 greatest country songs of all
time. But 129, I mean, does Rolling Stone really
know country music? I'm sorry. Oh, I'm just saying,
look, at least they got it somewhere in the respective
ballpark, right? No kidding. I think that's a
little low. It should be a lot higher up the
charts, you know, closer to maybe even just like
the 50 range. I mean, I'm going to have to, I'm
going to have to look at that list that you said
that there's for the top 200 and see what other
songs, if my head goes, uh -huh. Oh, okay. I
see that. Or if I'm like, no, that one needs
to go past Tricia. Well, the fact that in 2024,
Strawberry Wine was all the way down at 141.
I kind of always take these lists with a grain
of salt and a little bit of clickbait because
at the end of the day, that's what they're trying
to do is drive people to read the stories. So
maybe we'll start ranking songs poorly here on
the show to get people to listen. Anyway. All
right. We started the side with Shania. You just
picked Tricia. Let's just steer into this one.
We're going to go Garth Brooks here. Now I could
go with any song from the hits because that was
my introduction to Garth Brooks. Finally, my
roommate said, dude, you got to get something
from Garth because you keep joking about him.
So I went with the hits and I fell in love with
every song on the album. I'm like, okay, I get
why this guy's popular. I understand. Now at
the end of a side, I'm guessing a lot of people
would expect to sing along like friends in low
places as Patreon mixtape or Brandon from Virginia
chimed in with, but. As much as I love that song,
having played in cover bands for years and years
and years, I've heard it so many times that there's
actually a song that edges it out a little bit.
And I'm a huge cover songs freak. I talk about
it all the time. This song was originally recorded
by the Oak Ridge Boys on their 1978 album Room
Service. I'm going to go with Garth's 1993 cover.
of Colin Baton Rouge from In Pieces. In 1980,
Billy Joe Spears recorded a version of it, and
then in 1989, New Grass Revival had a hit with
it on their album Friday Night in America. However,
New Grass Revival's version didn't break the
top 30, and Garth felt that they got wronged.
So he recorded a version with New Grass Revival,
who had broken up already at this point. So the
band reformed to do Garth's version, and that
hit number two on the US Hot Country chart and
number one on the Canada Country Tracks chart,
the way Garth felt it always should have been.
I mean, you think about this backup. It was Pat
Flynn, Bella Fleck, John Cowan, and Sam Bush
with Jerry Douglas backing up Garth Brooks. Insane.
Now, the only issue I'll give... With this song,
it will not be on the playlist over at myweeklymixtape
.com because Garth's music is not on Spotify.
However, this song's on YouTube, so I'll make
sure it's on the page somewhere. I think you
can only stream him on Amazon at this point.
He's been very selective with what he does because
every time he releases an album, he releases
like 75 albums in one box in order to get like
two or three new songs. And it's genius. Because
he's going to have the all time sales record
for music of all time. But I have more Garth
Brooks box sets than I do actual Garth albums.
Well, when you said Colin Baton Rouge, I instantly
started bebopping back and forth because one
of my favorite things about Garth Brooks music
was the fiddle player. And if it was Sam Bush
that played on. Garth's version of Colin Baton
Rouge. And I can totally see why that song was
such a huge hit and why I'm bebopping to my head
because Sam is an amazing fiddle player, amazing
musician. But the fiddle in Colin Baton Rouge
and the tempo and everything, it was just so
spot on and you cannot help but not sing along
to that song. And it had me. Right when it started
and just the tags, the turnarounds in between
the chorus and the verses. I just love it. And
so that is why I'm really happy that you chose
Colin Baton Rouge versus the other ones that
you chose. What was it? Friends in Low Places.
I could have went with the dance, the thunder
rolls. Ain't going down till the sun comes up.
I mean, exactly. He had way too many hits. Yeah,
I instantly started thinking about the thunder
rolls because I was going to say, well, I know
you didn't choose. friends in low places, but
why not the Thunder rules? But I'm so glad that
you chose Colin Baton Rouge too. Cause like instantly
I just started bobbing my head and I'm like,
Oh, I'm already there. I'm listening to it. I'm
like, I'm sorry. Are you talking? No, my head's
playing. Well, I hope the mixtapers listening
feel the same way because that concludes side
a of the ultimate nineties country music mixtape,
which consists of Shania Twain's whose bed is
your boots been under. John Michael Montgomery
sold the Grundy County auction incident. Alan
Jackson's Chattahoochee. Chris Ledoux's $5 fine.
Alison Krauss, When You Say Nothing At All. Brooks
and Dunn's Brand New Man. Tracy Bird's I'm From
The Country. Dina Carter's Strawberry Wine. Trisha
Yearwood's She's In Love With The Boy. And Garth
Brooks' Callin' Baton Rouge. Head over to myweeklymixtape
.com to hear all the songs we've discussed in
this mix. through the playlist embedded on the
episode page. And now I get to kick things off
for side B. And I want to go all the way to the
end of the decade here. Because I don't know
about you, but every time a decade is ending
and a new one starting, I did this between 89
and 90, and I do the same thing between 99 and
2000. The two years kind of meld together for
me. So I actually... when I was looking up songs
by this artist, because I knew I was going to
include him, I was curious if this song was a
2000 song, because I remember listening to it
as I was graduating college. However, it had
come out a year earlier. I used it a lot on my
radio show. And it's a song that the message
just puts a huge shit -eating grin on my face,
because that is what this song is about. off
of 1999's album of the same name. We are going
to go with Toby Keith, How Do You Like Me Now,
number 31 on the U .S. Billboard Hot 100 and
number one on the U .S. and Canada country charts.
The song reentered the charts last year upon
Toby's sad passing, and it reached number 23
on the U .S. Hot Country Songs chart again. This
song just has such a bravado about it. It is
somebody that got looked down on in high school
and kind of was the outsider, the outcast. And
then one day his name is the one in lights. And
this is that feeling of, you know, you don't
want to rub it in someone's face, but you kind
of want to alarm clock starts ringing. Who could
that be singing? It's me, baby, with your wake
up call. If there's ever a time to puff out your
chest and get a little confidence, especially
if you don't look back at your high school years
with the fondest of memories, this is the song
to do it. How do you like me now by Toby Keith?
Oh, yeah, I can definitely relate to that. I
mean, it's even as an artist, you know, we get
a lot of naysayers. And so it was very, very
relatable. Just hearing that song for the first
time is like. Yeah, like shove it, you know,
like I shouldn't have to prove myself to you.
But you know what? I'm going to prove myself
to you. And here you go. You know, let me gloat
in front of you. And what are you doing? Nothing.
And this was definitely a pivot for Toby because
the CD single of this, which was one of the ones
that I definitely used on my radio show, had
three versions. It had the country version, a
rock version and a dance version. And believe
it or not, I would play the rock version on my
radio show and I would get calls going, I've
never heard this before. What is this? I'm like,
it's a rock remix of How Do You Like Me Now?
This was the point where Toby's career went from
a very country. Should have been a cowboy sound
into what he would kind of merge into in the
2000s, where his sound would evolve and he would
try new things and get a little bit more poppy,
sometimes a little bit more silly, like beer
for my horses. And she's a hottie and a little
bit more radio accessible, I would call it. Well,
and I think Toby had a point in his career where
I don't want to say it was kind of like a George
Strait kind of situation, but. He had devout
followers, so it did not matter what kind of
music he put out. He didn't have to worry so
much about what the label was saying. He had
his style and they knew the labels. I'm sure
I'm not speaking for them, but from how I see
it, just how his music was evolving. They're
like, oh yeah, if he wants to put out a funny
song, that's great. He's going to do it. If he
wants to put out a very serious song, that's
great. It's still going to be. on the charts
you know because because it is at this point
it is toby keith the big six foot five man that
has such a great personality and he can sing
so well and he's so personable and really that
how do you like me now just kind of just it was
it was almost like he became the voice of the
people and then you know when he comes out with
the list oh my goodness you know now he's relating
even more and that's what we're supposed to do
with country music we're supposed to relate or
with songwriting period you're supposed to relate
to the audience so the artist or the audience
can relate to the song but some of those songs
that he was just putting out were so spot on
with how people felt with and especially with
how do you like me now i mean it's just he pulled
out a younger crowd where maybe the list was
to an older crowd Talking about, I'm so wrapped
up in work and I'll get to it, but I got to do
this. I got to do that. I got to do this. Oh,
by the way, I'm going to make sure that I take
care of my family first. He hit the older generation
with that. But how do you like me now? High school
people, college people. He was getting everybody
in the spectrum. And he did it well into the
2000s because obviously you cannot talk about
Toby Keith and not bring up the phenomenon that
was Red Solo Cup. Right. I mean, this guy knew
how to reinvent himself to new generations over
and over and over again. And he did it with ease.
And it's such a sad loss. I really hope there's
some Toby Keith vaults that they can continue
to maybe keep his music alive for future generations
because he was one of the greats. Yeah, for sure.
But with that, I'm going to pass it back to you
for track two. All right. Track two on side B
is going to be. One of the ladies who I actually
had a six -foot cutout of in my bedroom in school,
and that is Miss Reba McIntyre. I loved her just
as much as I loved Shania. Actually, I probably
loved Reba more than Shania. They both felt different,
but slight different ways. They both had great
stage presence. I loved the way that they would
just change their clothes so fast. That was one
thing that I would try to model myself after
is watching their stage presence. And I think
that's also one of the reasons why I'm so comfortable
on the stage is, well, one, you kind of have
to be kind of born with that stage presence where
you own it. And Bo Shania and Reba owned the
stage. And I chose with Reba, the lights went
out in Georgia. And it's a cover. But the way
that she just. delivers the song. It was so incredibly
powerful. I mean, she was a powerful woman just
the way that she sang initially, but she made
The Lights Went Out in Georgia so believable.
I know it's a cover and Vicki Lawrence recorded
it first and then Tanya Tucker, but how many
people are talking about Vicki Lawrence's cover
or rendition? How many people are talking about
Tanya Tucker's rendition of The Lights Went Out
in Georgia? We all talk about Reba's rendition.
And so I think, and like, you know, with Garth
Brooks, I could have chose so many, so, so many
for Reba, but I, I chose the lights went out
in Georgia. There's something that's dark and
mysterious about it. And if a song can change
the color in my head and I just see some dark
airiness, I'm like, Ooh, yes. To me, this is
the kind of song that would back to back with
Garth Brooks, the thunder rolls. They're both
these. dark, eerie storytelling songs. I would
even, if you want to go back, this is not a 90s
song, but like The Legend of Woolly Swamp by
Charlie Daniels Band, the darker side of country,
you don't hear it as often. And hearing Reba
go to that place, this song, while it was a massive
hit, was actually slightly, quote unquote, bad
for Reba. And I'll explain. It hit number 12
on the US country charts, number seven on Canada's.
However, it broke Reba's streak of 24 consecutive
top 10 hits. It only missed it by two spots.
But I mean, think about two dozen top 10 hits.
And then this song is the first one to not break
it. But it's such a fantastic song. I would have
never believed that this was not a top 10 hit.
I mean, charts be damned as far as I'm concerned.
I am totally shocked that you said that it did
not make the top 10. That's mind blowing to me.
I just, I can't believe that. I mean, I understand
when you go back and you think of songs that
didn't hit number one, especially for like Patsy
Cline. She had so many that were in the top 10
that never made number one. They would go to
number two, number three or something. But to
hear that the lights went out in Georgia did
not even reach the top 10. It's like, you're
kidding, right? That's that's absurd. Absolutely
absurd. Well, I'm going to go with one to follow
you up. That did crack the top 10. It hit number
two in the U S hot country charts and number
one in Canada. I think Canada got it right this
time. I think we screwed this one up. I'm just
going to say, however, this artist, I was torn
between two songs and the one I'm picking is
the one that hit those charts. Like I mentioned,
but The only reason being is I think having the
lights went out in Georgia, be followed up by
somebody slapped me would be really awkward.
So instead I am going to go with John Anderson's
seminal wind, the title track from his 1992 album.
There are so many covers of this song. Donna,
the Buffalo did it in the nineties. James Taylor
did it. Luke Combs did it. But then when you
want to veer outside of country, One of my favorite
swamp rock groups, J .J. Gray and Mofro, turned
this song into a Louisiana swamp rock masterpiece.
But when I go back and listen to the original
from 1992, to me, it's a country road trip song.
Yes, the topic is serious, but the music is just
so comforting and breezy. And John's voice. fits
so perfect over it. And the violin is just so
soothing, even though the song is not a ballad.
There's something about this song that makes
me find my inner peace and my zen, even though
it's kind of a mid -tempo tune. To me, it's the
perfect top -down, wind -in -your -face, country
road trip song. So that's what I'm going to follow
up. The lights went out in Georgia with where
I kind of ease us out of the dark, but not quite
do a 180 like somebody slapped me would do. Right.
I'm so glad that you chose that song for John
Anderson, because that is my all time favorite
John Anderson song. I love that song so much.
It gets into my head. It gets into my feels.
I mean, with just even the Seminole wind, just
saying that and granted Seminoles like Florida
area, but it always took me down South. And I
just wanted to stay there. I just feel myself
down in the swamp, you know, and the sun's peeking
through the trees and, you know, and through
the moss that's hanging on the trees. And, you
know, and I got the gators around me and I'm
just like, I'm living, I'm living life because
John Anderson just brought me here and I'm just
chilling. And I love, I love that feel. And it's
so interesting that you, you slightly took us
out of the lights went out in Georgia. You slightly
took us out of that dark mode because I still
feel that Seminole Wind is kind of still a dark
song, even though it is a mid -tempo. But I still
see a little bit of that sun setting. So it's
not completely dark, like the lights went out
in Georgia, but the sun is setting. So it's a
nice transition out of Riva. But it also reminds
me of when we're talking about kind of dark songs
and Seminole Wind. There's another song out there
that reminds me of just that dark feeling and
I see it and I can't hear it. And that's where
I'm failing myself right now. But I kind of put
those kind of in the same realm, Seminole Wind
and this other song in that same kind of area
together because they both give me this kind
of vibe, you know? Gosh. Well, as we go along,
if it pops into my head, I'll say something.
Okay. We are easing out of the darkness here.
What are you going to go with now for track four?
This was another album that I used to listen
to all the time, kind of back to back with Alison
Krauss. And that is Dwight Yoakam, A Thousand
Miles From Nowhere. That's such a great song.
And he was one of those that I would listen to
religiously a lot. And, you know, to be honest
with you right now, it's really kind of funny
to think back. Oh, man, Dwight Yoakam, especially
because I think he was he lived up in Idaho and
I was in Washington. And then to see him be an
actor. And one of my favorite Christmas movies
is Four Christmases. And he plays the pastor.
Super funny. And I'm like, there's Dwight. And
then all of a sudden I just start thinking of
all this different music. And, you know, I could
have pulled out Fast As You or something, but
A Thousand Miles From Nowhere, it just hits differently,
especially with being somebody that's been on
the road so many times, being a touring musician
that A Thousand Miles From Nowhere kind of hits
home. You know, time don't matter to me. I'm
a thousand miles from nowhere and there's no
place I'd rather be. It's like, yeah. You literally
quoted the lyrics I was going to right there.
I mean, this time is my favorite Dwight Yoakam
album. So I'm glad you went with this one. Obviously,
you know, he had a lot of big hits in the 80s.
But here in the 90s, I feel like maybe it's because
it's where I discovered him. But I feel like
this is the sweet spot for his music. And I'm
sure there are Dwight Yoakam fans that will disagree
because he has a ton of great stuff across his
catalog. But this time is my favorite album of
his. Zero complaints on the pick. It hit number
two on the U .S. hot country charts and number
three on Canada's country charts. Say so is a
great song. Canada's holding up here. I'm not
going to lie there. They really know their country
in Canada. But then again, when people got shocked
that Shania Twain was from Canada, considering
how all the country music in the U .S. is pretty
much neck and neck with Canada, at least chart
level wise, they had their finger on the pulse
as well. Oh, yeah. I think Canada is actually
more country friendly as far as the artists that
come out of Canada. They have their own Canadian
country music charts. And, you know, you don't
really have to be on a major label in Canada.
I know plenty of indie artists that chart in
Canada. And it's I honestly think that Canada
is a little bit more artist friendly than the
U .S., to be honest. Well, following up Dwight.
There's certain songs that I just keep going
through my list going, I got to get this one
in. I got to get this one in and I got to find
the perfect time. And I don't know if there's
ever really a perfect time to kind of pivot to
this one because this one is right on the nose.
It's fun, puts a smile on your face. It doesn't
take itself too seriously. And it was a hit in
both 1994 and 2023 for the same artist. And I
am going to get Joe Diffie in the mix here from
1994's Third Rock from the Sun. We are going
to go with Pick Up Man. Reached number 60 on
the U .S. Billboard Hot 100. Number one on the
U .S. Hot Country charts. And here's where Canada
didn't keep up because it only hit number nine
there. But in 2023, Post Malone released a cover
of it on Hardy's Hicks Tape Volume 3, which was
all covers of Joe Diffie. But this version. used
Joe Diffie's re -recording from, I want to say,
2006 and Post Malone's version where they duetted
on it. And the song went right back up the charts
again because there's just something everybody
likes about a pickup man. So have to throw it
in here. Yeah, absolutely. Well, and it's such
a fun song. And the way that Joe Diffie would
sing it is like. I never knew you were a pickup
man. Like it's, it's so cute. It's just, it's
so funny. And just the melody with it, it was
just the perfect tempo. It just felt very, very
happy. And the thought that the, the lyrics of
what is it? You could sit my truck and fire roll
down a hill. And I still want three to four.
Yeah. Right. So, and it's just like, and it even
has that. head bobbing, not side to side, but
moving forward. And you're just like, uh -huh.
So rhythmically, it had this really fun tempo
that just, you cannot be in a bad mood when you're
listening to Pick Up Man. No, the cadence is
just perfect in that song. Yeah. And you can
still relate to it, even though, even if you
drive a car, like. You're just like, part of
you are like, I kind of wish I had a pickup truck,
you know? I want that song to be about me. I
want to sing that song, you know? Man, there's
something women don't like about a four -door
sedan. And that's why this girl drives her own
pickup truck. All right, Carrie, what are you
going to follow up Pickup Man with in the track
six spot? Oh, man. Well, you know what? We did
not talk about very many bands because like I
said earlier, there's so many different solo
artists. I mean, we brought in Bruxen Dunn, but
oh, we're going to tie it in with Trisha Yearwood.
We're going to go with the Mavericks. You know,
she was married to the lead singer for for a
minute. And the song is What a Crying Shame.
And it's funny because I would listen to Mavericks
and after they had gotten divorced, I would sometimes
try to go, was that song written for Tricia?
You know, just kind of go like that. And just
like, I love his voice. And it was just like,
oh, what a crying shame. And just the way that
he moves around. You know, it's just, it's so
beautiful. And their harmonies are just great.
And it's just. I wish that the Mavericks were
putting out music every year. And if you want
to do like a little duet, I'd be happy to partake.
And I would be happy to interview you and the
Mavericks when that song gets released. So I
think we've got all the bases covered here for
this. 1994's album of the same name. The song
hit number 25 on the U .S. Hot Country Charts
and number six on Canada's Country Charts. Again.
Charted higher in Canada. I think you said it
before. And there were a lot of great bands that
we haven't talked about yet. And I'm talking
Lone Star, Diamond Rio, Ricochet. And I don't
know if I'm going to be able to fit it in here
because I have an artist that if I don't bring
in next, my wife and I have simply way too many
memories about this. Well, it's actually close
to a band. We're talking about a trio here. So
while my list includes songs like Lone Star's
No News, Ricochet's Daddy's Money, and Diamond
Rio's, hell, Diamond Rio's Meat in the Middle,
It's All in Your Head, or Unbelievable, I'm actually
going to go back to the end of the decade again
and go to 1999. And I'm going to go with a song
that, believe it or not, is a cover song. And
it was originally recorded by another band, Sons
of the Desert. This song was originally recorded
for their 1990 album that never got released.
And if you haven't heard it before, I'll make
sure to embed it on the episode page at myweeklymixtape
.com because yes, the Dixie Chicks' Goodbye Earl
was originally recorded by Sons of the Desert.
You're a kid. I had to go with this because it's
a cover that people don't know is a cover. There's
a whole episode of My Weekly Mixtape about that.
Here's another one for you. Goodbye Earl cover
song. You got to hear the original from Sons
of the Desert. It's actually, it's different.
It doesn't have the boppy vibe that the Dixie
Chicks bring to their version. However, the Dixie
Chicks are my wife's favorite female country
group. And I had to include them in this. When
I took her in 2003 to the Top of the World Tour,
this was the song they opened with. It was the
Dixie Chicks. and Michelle Branch. Amazing show.
They're incredible live. This song reached number
19 on the Billboard US Hot 100, number 13 on
the US Hot Country charts, and number five in
Canada. The song was not originally released
as a single. It started charting based on unsolicited
airplay, which I also thought was pretty damn
cool. And in 2014, Rolling Stone ranked at number
23 on its list of the 200 greatest country songs
of all time. It's just amazing. And because I'm
a cover fan as well, me first in the Gimme Gimme's
cover, the punk version kicks ass as well. But
we got to include Goodbye Earl in this mix. Song
is just too much fun. Okay, so can I, before
I give my two cents on this song, I never knew,
never knew that this was a cover song. Really?
Oh yeah, I did not know. I'm going to have to
go check out Sons of the Desert's version of
Goodbye Earl. It's a weird listen. I'm not going
to lie. There's nothing wrong with it. But because
the chick's version is the one that everybody
immediately thinks of, it's a moment for people
when you hear it. But it's actually fantastic.
Well, and I'm pretty sure it is going to be because,
let's be honest, they made this happy -go -lucky.
peppy song about killing somebody. I mean, and
we're all singing it. Goodbye, you know, it's
like, hello, really think about it. It's a very
morbid song that they made very, very popular,
very, very happy as well. And so I'm actually
really kind of intrigued to listen to Sons of
the Desert. Do they like slow it down? Is it
like some dark colors? It's not slow and dark,
but it's not as saccharine and poppy as the chicks.
It's right in the middle. All right. Well, I'm
going to do that then I'm going to, and nobody
else has cut it. Like nobody else has really
gone down the rabbit hole of going, you know
what? Let's stay true to the lyrics. So let's
make it really dark. I haven't heard one yet.
And I'll tell you the me first and the gimme
gimme's version is just a straight up punk version
of it. So if you want to rock out to goodbye,
Earl, I highly recommend listening to that cover.
That so shocks me that the Gimme Gimmes have
that song too. Well, they have a whole album
of country stuff. It's called Me First and the
Gimme Gimmes Love Their Country. And they do
Jolene on it. They do Much Too Young to Feel
This Damn Old. It's an incredible punk country
album or a punk tree album if you want to check
it out. That's great. Okay. I'm going to. Notes
to self. All right. So following up Goodbye Earl.
Yes. So. One of my all -time favorite female
singers is Patti Loveless. I think if I remember
correctly, she started writing songs when she
was 14. That took me by surprise when I first
found out. I believe I read that at the Country
Music Hall of Fame with their display of Patti
Loveless. But she's been in the country music
business way longer than I thought she was. She
did not start off in the 90s as this artist.
She started off before that. Like I said, writing
when she was 14 years old and getting recognition
for her writing, not just something that she
would write in English class. But Blame It On
Your Heart was one of the first songs that I
ever did out live for a competition. I still
remember being in Spokane, Washington and playing
that song, doing it live. And it was just so
much fun. And so, yeah, I just have to go with
Patty. She will forever be held timeless in my
heart and in my mind. And if we could do two
thousands, then I would have been pulling out
her mountain soul album and nobody leaves Harlan
alive. I think her version is just so, Incredible.
And I'm all about Patti. I told one of my mentors
one time, I said, if there's ever a need for
somebody to go out and do an impersonation of
somebody, because, you know, we have all these
tribute acts out there, right? They actually
make more money than us songwriters that go out
and try to do our own songs. I would go out as
Patti Loveless because I just love her so much.
All the time, my hair is slightly more reddish,
you know, to kind of... fit in with the more
of the nineties, Patti Loveless, but man, oh
man, that's my girl right there. Well, knowing
her music and hearing yours, I could definitely
hear that. And we talked earlier about lyrical
cadence. I mean, so blame it on your line, cheating,
cold, dead, beating, two timing, double dealing,
mean, mistreating, loving heart. Rhythmically,
those lyrics are just incredible. And the song
hit number 12 on the US Bumbling Under Hot 100
chart. So it wasn't a top 100 hit, but it did
hit number one on the US Hot Country chart and
number two on the Canada Country Tracks chart
from her 1993 album, Only What I Feel. She's
one of the greats. So I'm so glad she made it
to the list. And we are down to our last choice
each. And I said at the beginning of the night,
and God, I've been sitting here all night saying,
please, please, please. Don't pick this artist
or I'm going to have to dig myself out of a hole.
But I first want to give a shout out again to
Patreon mixtaper Sean Goff because he chimed
in with Tim McGraw's Indian Outlaw. However,
this year marks my 20 year wedding anniversary.
And 20 years ago, my wife and I danced to my
best friend off Tim McGraw's 1999 album, A Place
in the Sun. So as far as I'm concerned, for my
last song of the night. That's the only one it
could possibly be. It reached number 29 on the
U .S. Billboard Hot 100, so it was a top 40 hit.
Reached number one on the U .S. Hot Country Songs
chart, number four on the Canada Country Tracks
chart. And this was the one that the first time
my wife and I, when we were going through songs,
like, what song would be good for our first dance?
And we tried Nora Jones, Come Away With Me, because
we both loved that song. There's something a
little country about it, but there's bluesy and
jazzy. It's very, very hard to slow dance to
that song. Oh, it's very hard to dance with that.
And people do put that in wedding songs. And
you're like, are you guys even moving? Because
it's so slow, really. We practiced. I'll never
forget. We were in our first apartment in our
guest room. That song was playing. We tried dancing
to it. We're going, this isn't gonna. But we
love the song. However, as soon as we put on
My Best Friend, we're like, this is the song.
Listen to the lyrics. This is the song. And for
20 years later, she still is my best friend.
And I'm sure some of my friends are going to
bust my chops for saying nice things. But I love
my wife with all my heart. And this song is very
special to me. So for my last song choice of
the evening, sending it out to the missus, My
Best Friend. Oh, you should never, first and
foremost, ever apologize for making your spouse
your best friend. I mean, your other friends,
like, are they going to find out who your friends
are, right? Right. Tracy Lawrence said it best.
No, that's so sweet. That's what a great wedding
song to dance to. What a great song to end your
list for our playlist tonight. It is. A great
song, Tim McGraw. You cannot go wrong with Tim.
I love all of Tim McGraw's songs. I mean, Tim
McGraw's output in the 90s was incredible. Between
All I Want is a Life, Down on the Farm, I Like
It, I Love It, Just to See You Smile, something
like that. There are so many great songs to choose
from, but me being more the music nerd in this
relationship with my wife. I would never want
her to realize if I had gone with another song
that, hey, wait a minute, my best friend came
out in 1999. And you're like, what song is that?
I don't remember that song. And then you would
have been in the doghouse. Exactly. Well, Carrie,
like last time, you get to close us out for the
evening. So what song are you going to put the
cherry on top of this 90s country mixtape with?
Well, ironically, since we were just talking
about how much trouble you'd be in with your
wife if you chose to forget my best friend, I
think it's only fair that I end it with Travis
Tritt and T -R -O -U -V -L -E. I love it. Perfect.
That was such another great 90s line dancing
song. I mean, you could line dance to this song.
like There's No Tomorrow. It was so much fun.
Travis Tritt was just a great artist. He's still
a great artist, but I think this is also part
of one of his most popular songs that he ever
could have released. I could be wrong, but in
my opinion, when it comes to like fun, fast 90s
songs that if anybody says, oh, have you heard
that song? Or have you ever line danced to that
song? It's kind of like Watermelon Crawl. They're
going to say yes. So I just figured we'd go out
with a bang, something really up -tempo and fun.
And I think I would be sliding our playlist if
we didn't have Travis Tritt in there somewhere.
So we're pulling out with T -R -O -U -B -L -E.
Could not agree more. You could have went with,
here's a quarter, call somebody who cares. I'm
going to be somebody. Sometimes she forgets.
He had so many hits in the 90s, but T -R -O -U
-B -L -E was the line dancing anthem. Originally
written by Jerry Chestnut and recorded by Elvis
Presley, we close out with another cover song,
which I absolutely love. It reached number eight
on the U .S. Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart, number
13 on the U .S. Hot Country chart, and number
17 on the Canada Country chart. And yeah, I would
be in T -R -O -U -B -L -E if I went with anything
else. So what a way to close out side B of the
ultimate 90s country music mixtape, which consists
of Toby Keith's How Do You Like Me Now, Reba's
The Lights Went Out in Georgia, John Anderson's
Seminal Wind, Dwight Yoakam's A Thousand Miles
from Nowhere, Joe Diffie's Pickup Man, The Mavericks'
What a Crying Shame, The Dixie Chicks' Goodbye
Earl, Patti Loveless' Blame It on Your Heart,
Tim McGraw's My Best Friend, and Travis Tritt's
T -R -O -U -B -L -E. Head over to myweeklymixtape
.com to hear all the songs we've discussed in
this mix through the playlist embedded on the
episode page. Now, Carrie, we've been talking
about a ton of 90s music tonight, and we've talked
about it here and there throughout our conversation,
but... What does 2025 have in store for you and
your music? Is there any new music and tours
on the horizon you'd like to talk about? Yes.
Okay. My music. Well, 2025 has already shaped
up to be an extremely, extremely busy year for
me. My family is going to be moving. I'm actually
working on three different projects right now.
My album is going to come out sometime this year.
I can't really say when because. I'm not sure
when yet. I do have a single coming out around
Mother's Day, and then they're just going to
start coming out from there on. But if I do release
the album as a whole, it might be towards the
end of the year or maybe early 2026. It just
depends. I want to be able to give each song
that I do release its own time to shine. And
then I also, like I said, I have a couple other
projects that I'm working on. One that's more
of a Christmas project. And then I also have
a short film that I'm in the middle of working
on. And so I have to put all of that into my
12 -month calendar, which is now 10 months. Yeah,
exactly. Practically nine months now and try
to finagle and make sure everything works. So
the hope is that I get my country album out this
year. But like I said, I do have a single coming
out around Mother's Day. And as far as shows
go, I have a couple up in the Northwest that
I'm going to be doing. But again, my family is
also going to be moving and trying to put all
these other projects together. I'm only one person.
And, you know, we are in the world of AI. And
I know there's a doppelganger of me out there.
I just don't know if that doppelganger can sing
like me. So I cannot be in multiple places at
once. Well, I am glad that you were here tonight,
Carrie. It's always a pleasure talking music
with you. I look forward to having you back on
for 90s Country Volume 2 because I feel like
there's just no way we've even scratched the
surface on this decade. Thank you so much for
joining me tonight. Thank you for having me.
I really, really appreciate any and every time
that you have me on. And tonight was a lot of
fun. Always a blast. And to those listening,
remember, you can find My Weekly Mixtape on almost
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again for listening, and until next time, enjoy
the tunes.