The Great Divide -- Never Could [REACTION/RATING]

[@zekemontgomery6678]

Mike McClure is the greatest songwriter ever. Also a great producer of bands like cross Canadian, turnpike etc. he’s simply brilliant

[@caryswife]

I've follwed TGD for about 35 years now. One of the original Red Dirt Band. Saw them just a couple of months ago in Tulsa. Just as good as ever! Brought back so many great memories. "Never Could" is one of my top 3 favorite songs ever! You should listen to move of their music. Yesterday Road, College Days, Pour Me A Vacation.....just to name a few.

[@carlzimmerman3845]

You nailed it by saying integrity. Damn near every red dirt artist seems to have that in spades. True lyrics, awesome musicianship without being a show off. Just pure stuff

[@Doughty812]

Great memories. The Great Divide is the soundtrack of my 20s. Between them, Cross Canadian Ragweed and the Jason Bolan Band, the late 90s were a fantastic time to be around the Stillwater red dirt scene!

[@huckaby0177]

Thanks for the shout out. They were one of the first "red dirt" artist. Mike McClure was the lead singer at the time great voice. He went and did a solo career, and then they had a reunion tour. He has a song outlaws prayer you would really like.

[@davidemswiler4351]

Good song...still has that Stillwater, Oklahoma sound to it! I made the permanent switch to Red Dirt in the 90's. Back then you could still hear the very cleat difference between Okie and Texas Red Dirt...today they weave in and out of each other. Red Dirt is still kinda obscure to most of America but we're trying to change that. Hard to define, its a mix of folk, rock, country, bluegrass, blues, Western Swing, Outlaw, h*nkytonk, Tejano, and Mexican Rancheros. Yeah really...all that! Some music historians have even traced Red Dirt music origins back to the early days of American history! Its created in the same vein as traditional country (singer-songwriting, live performances, real musicians using real instruments) but has a youthful American feel that appeals to every age group. They have list online that offer an "essential guide" or "top 100" for those unfamiliar with the genre. Of course I am biased but I just wanted to plug a special genre of country that already has a huge body of work to discover, analyse, and enjoy!

[@RockN2Country]

@David Emswiler Thanks for the skinny on the red-dirt amalgamation project. :-) As soon as I saw that they were from the Oklahoma/Texas landscape I knew you'd be all over this one---ha!!

[@scotkenison]

I'm with you Don I have no idea how you would classify that song either. If you get the time I'd love to see your reaction to Kenny Rogers "The Greatest" the song just makes me smile.

[@christineems8754]

I second Kenny Rogers if we're going old school!

[@green1982]

This song sums up my love life in college.

[@habsfan4ever67]

You should review one of Kiefer Sutherland’s songs. Like Shirley Jean, Open Road or Reckless and Me. He is an excellent storyteller and really puts personal meaning into his music. I saw him in concert a couple weeks back and it was awesome how he interacted with the 500 or so people in the building. He had a question period and just really wanted to talk to everyone. For someone who’s so well known as an actor it’s really cool to see this other side of him.

[@lincolnb440]

Yesterday Road, Wile E. Coyote, and Coming up crows amongst many others, are other good ones to look at by them

[@notabot3375]

They are a very important band from the Stillwater (Red Dirt) scene. They were the link between Tom Skinner, Randy Crouch and those guys and the next generation which was Jason Boland, Cross Canadian Ragweed, etc.. And played a huge part in introducing LOTS of people to both of those other generations. If you were a college student in Texas or Oklahoma in the mid to late 90’s, these guys were the best thing going, along with Robert Earl Keen and Pat Green. Look up the interviews about them and the Yellow House, with Boland and Ragweed. Sheds a lot of light on the “genre”.

[@zekemontgomery6678]

Or mike McClure band. Wild child.

[@Basch_CFB]

If you haven’t, react to some Cody Johnson. I Recommend “Monday Morning Merle” or “Fenceposts”

[@RockN2Country]

@Basch I tried doing "Monday Morning Merle" but it was blocked worldwide. In better news, I just bought my tix to see Cody in November up here in Jersey. Welcome to the channel, BTW!!

[@Basch_CFB]

My favorite artist.

[@davidemswiler4351]

​@@RockN2Country Lucky man! You'll have a hell of time for sure! My local radio station has been doing a "Cody, Cody, Kody" weekend playing nothing but Cody Jinks, Cody Johnson, and Kody West. Good stuff but not the same as LIve!

[@christineems8754]

What a great song! I could see cranking that one up with the top down on a road trip! I've definitely heard them, but couldn't place it! I looked them up and they're a red dirt band out of Oklahoma, well of course I'd like them! LoL His smooth vocal style definitely has that red dirt sound, but the music had me thinking Americana! I loved it either way!

[@RockN2Country]

@Christine Ems Well I feel A LOT better now since I didn't quite know what to call it. If you don't have a genre, then David has no choice but to go easy on me. Ha!!

[@mandyheldenbrand2783]

Great song I had never heard this song before until today.

[@zekemontgomery6678]

And the chick in the video was McClures wife

[@sandyfloyd9632]

I would say outlaw country to me .never heard of them but thay are good .

[@Teresia12]

Really liked this. Wonder where they are now. Oh my...how true. We all have somebody. I had to think way back to find that person. I think it is Country. If you try to create too many niches in any genre of music you just get lost in trying. Sometimes the best label is the simplest.

[@cowtowncustoms2110]

Good upbeat song but sounds like it was made during the New York record people come to Nashville to make pop music time.When did "Alt Country" get bigger? The Taylor Swift era, when country music was not country anymore!!

[@Teresia12]

Aww man Taylor Swift was a kid. When will people just stop beating her up for it?? She was not the catalyst into pop country. She was a product of the times in Nashville.

[@cowtowncustoms2110]

@@Teresia12 , She was a very talented young girl! But, I was an adult man that was not interested in the same things as 15 year old girls were.

[@davidemswiler4351]

Yep, you hit the bullseye...alt-country grew as did Red Dirt, an Outlaw resurgence, even Indie folk got some attention! I have young daughters so we had every Taylor CD...I didn't care...actually I hit my knees thankful they didn't ever get into urban rap!!

[@bleuskye8124]

Hey Don! Lol ! My neighbors would be those people that if something bad happened to them I wouldn't be too upset. The song was not bad. I don't think I know this band. By the way I am loving Miranda's song. "It All Comes Out In The Wash"

[@RockN2Country]

@Bleu Skye You're a total keeper!! Thanks for who you are, what you say and how you say it. :-)

[@bleuskye8124]

@@RockN2Country Thanks! Keeping it real!!

[@zekemontgomery6678]

Do the great divide. Nowhere woman.

[@Rowdyblackwell]

Would love to hear more Jason Isbell!!!! “Last of My Kind” is amazing, and “relatively easy” is amazing as well!

[@tbirdfan93]

Hey buddy can you do darren Warren the way god made me ? It's very good song

[@Puncheons84]

Sounds like Matchbox 20 Country. Uhh definitely not what I would call Alt Country. Old 97's, now that's Alt Country. Try Good with God or Nashville

[@johnlongdong2231]

This is a great song, so who gives a shit what 'genre' of country it is.

[@tommyward7471]

Like the song! He sounds like a British trying to sing country!! On the ropes lol

[@RockN2Country]

@Tommy Ward LOL!!!

[@scotkenison]

LOL! Even the British have country folks!!!!!

[@tommyward7471]

@@scotkenison the country folk wasnt my point it was the British accent lol

[@scotkenison]

@@tommyward7471 I was laughing too! That's what I would imagine a British country singer to sound like!

[@davidemswiler4351]

​@@scotkenison and Tommy Ward Interesting y'all...I don't hear it at all! The lead singer was born and raised in Stillwater, OK. But that area is known for the clashing of accents...the nasally pitches of south meet the flat tones of the midwest. Don't know...I met too many that speak like him to hear it I guess?