Old97s.com

Hey, guys.

 I love the Old 97's (obviously), have listened to Whiskytown, think that "Rainy Day Music" from the Jayhawks is almost a perfect album, yet other than that my Alt Country collection is pretty slim.  Do yall have any suggestions for albums I should get to fill it out?  Albums important to the genre, or that you particularly love.  Any help at all is appreciated.

 Cheers.

Get everything Uncle Tupelo ever recorded. And subsequently, follow that with Wilco and Son Volt (also Jay Farrar's solo stuff.) I'd suggest 24 Hours A Day by The Bottle Rockets. Um, check out the Bloodshot Records page. It's full of good "insurgent country".

Pick up two samplers from Bloodshot Records. "Down to the Promised Land: 5 Years of Bloodshot Records" and "For a Decade of Sin: 11 Years of Blooshot Records"

These two albums were my intro to alt-country. You'll also find the best ever (in my opinion) Old 97's song on the first one. 

Thanks for the advice, guys.  I already have several of these artists--Gram, Emmylou, and Gillian being favorites 'round here--but I'll look into the others.

We just published a list of 10 Essential Alt-country Albums. Thought you might like it. Thanks!

http://www.prefixmag.com/features/lists/10-essential-alt-country-albums/20596/

Great list!  Thanks!  I'll be looking into some of those albums right away.

But.

Hitchhike is much better suited to an alt-country list than Too Far to Care.

Why does nobody ever talk about CCR when talking about the "origins" of alt-country?

"Blue" is most definitely *not* the Jayhawk's best song.  That honor would have to go to "Will I See You In Heaven" or perhaps "Save it For a Rainy Day".  Say anything you want about Mark Olson, but the truth remains that Rainy Day Music is superior in every way to any other album they released.

I am a big fan of Scott Miller & the Commonwealth - start with 'Thus Always To Tyrants.' 

 I would also recommend 'Hollywood Town Hall' by the Jayhawks and 'Smile' by the Jayhawks though it's a bit experimental but contains the song 'I'm Gonna Make You Love Me' which is a classic, as well as 'What Led Me To This Town.' 

The Volebeats: 'Up North' and 'Country Favorites;

 Thad Cockrell - 'Warmth & Beauty' (GREAT voice - I'd listen to him sing a summons...)

Thad Cockrell & Caitlin Cary - Begonias 

Caitlin Cary solo material

any album by Chris Knight

Cross Canadian Ragweed

Almost Blue by Elvis Costello - it's brilliant

 Freedy Johnston (not so country but a great indepent singer-songwriter)

The Honeydogs

Kathleen Edwards 

Kim Richey

Lone Justice (features Maria Mckee the High Priestess of Cowpunk)

Maria McKee - any solo material

Mike Ness - Cheating at Solitaire

Old Crow Medicine Chow - old-timey bluegrass 

Reckless Kelly

Robbie Fulks

Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Raising Sand (one of the best albums of 2007)

Ryan Adams (especially his stuff with the Cardinals) the guy may be a hot mess but he knows his way around an alt-country tune

Slaid Cleaves (great singer-songwriter folkie)

STEVE EARLE STEVE EARLE STEVE EARLE 

 Tift Merritt - great alt-country chanteuse

Hope this helps and if nothing else it will be fun to check these out! 

The Mighty Drive-By Truckers.

Purists might say they're more 'country rock' than 'alt-country,' but only purists that haven't heard "Gangstabilly," "Pizza Deliverance," or "Decoration Day."

I love DBT.

Pizza Deliverance is a great album.