If you think nobody cares about authentic country these days, you aren't paying close enough attention.
The slick, watered down modern sound is what sells these days, but that hasn't stopped a new class of artists from relentlessly working the road, playing the music they love and preserving it for future generations — even when nobody's listening.
That's the sentiment of Texas artists John Baumann and Mike and the Moonpies' new collaboration, "Country Music's Dead," though the title may lead you to think otherwise. Today we're giving Wide Open Country readers an exclusive look at the music video for the song.
For the location, the guys picked John T. Floore's Country Store. Located in Helotes, a small hamlet north of San Antonio, Floore's has hosted legendary country music for 75 years. It remains one of the last bastions of true-blue live country music.
"Floore's has it all," says Mike Harmier. "The history is literally on the walls and hanging from the rafters. It's where all our heroes paid their dues and where we're still paying ours. Plus, they have the best tamales on the planet."
The video captures Baumann and Mike and the Moonpies performing and hanging around the storied venue. You'll see glimpses of Floore's history, like the famous boots that dangle from the ceiling, and the green room where Willie Nelson used to crash on a cot.
"This song is about still enjoying what you do even when no one else is interested. So playing a show to one drunk guy at Floore's seemed to be a fitting scenario."
The pair wrote this song shortly after Mike and the Moonpies recorded their recent live record, Steak Night At The Prairie Rose. They plan to debut this song live at the MusicFest 2018 in Steamboat Springs, Colo. on Jan. 7. "Country Music's Dead" is currently available on iTunes and Spotify.
