One of my favorite podcasts lately has been Cocaine & Rhinestones by Tyler Mahan Coe. In each episode, Coe delves deep into the history of country music in the twentieth century.
Episodes run anywhere between forty minutes and two hours, and each one may examine an artist’s career or may analyze the history behind a certain song, or both. For example, one two-part episode centered on the relationship between Buck Owens and his guitarist Don Rich. Another episode tells the story about how radio stations banned Loretta Lynn’s song, “The Pill.” Another episode focused on Bobby Gentry’s “Ode to Bille Joe” while also giving a fascinating overview of Gentry’s career.
Coe does an outstanding job trying to tell the truth behind the stories behind country music. An avid reader, Coe delves into books that tell the stories, comparing versions of events so he can explain his best estimate of what really happened.
Coe’s goal of telling us what really happened is part of the reason why he does not use original interviews but wraps information together to tell us the stories. And at the end of each podcast, Coe also fills us in with “liner notes,” telling us a little more about his sources and other information that might not have fit in the main tale.
As you might guess from the title Cocaine & Rhinestones, Coe does not shy away from the darker legends of country music, such as the first episode about how Ernest Tubb once showed up in slippers to try to shoot someone.
But Coe is most interested in the music behind these artists. His podcasts feature excepts from important songs, and he often breaks them down to help you hear them in a new way.
Coe recently explained to The New Yorker how one of his radio inspirations is Paul Harvey, who hosted, among other shows, The Rest of the Story. I used to listen to those shows as a kid too, and I even bought books with written versions of Harvey’s episodes. So, I can hear the connection, mostly in the way that Coe tells a good story that keeps you entertained while you learn something new.
Tyler Mahan Coe’s background in country music goes back to his birth, as he is the son of country legend David Allan Coe and later played guitar in his dad’s band. Now, he lives in Nashville as he spreads the gospel of country music through the Internet.
So, check, out the episodes from the first season of Cocaine & Rhinestones at the show’s website. Find an artist or topic that interests you and start with that episode. One of my favorites was his take on The Louvin Brothers (Running Wild), which also inspired me to read one of the books Coe recommended.
Yet, part of the joy is learning about people you do not know and the way Coe ties together a number of country music characters throughout the episodes. So, yes, start with a song or artist you think you know already. But, like me, you probably will just give in and decide to go back and listen to all of the episodes of Cocaine & Rhinestones in order. And then you will wait anxiously for Season Two.
What is your favorite episode of Cocaine & Rhinestones? Leave your two cents in the comments.
(Some related Chimesfreedom posts.)
