Many Hats

A hat can tell a lot about a person. In winter, the influx of stocking hats on campus suggests that it is unbearably cold outside. It is safe to say that the guy who religiously wears a hat with a Twins logo is partial to baseball. One can assume that the girl who shows up to 8 a.m. lecture decked out in a carefully positioned and oh-so-sequined beret takes pride in her style; and possibly put too much effort into looking good for a class where most are still wiping sleep from their eyes. Nonetheless, a hat is a statement that is indicative of environment, representative of preferences and adds flair to any personality.

Country stars wear many hats, both literally and figuratively. The various hats they wear represent a myriad of musical styles and personalities that work together to form the country genre. Despite the pigeon-holing that country music sometimes encounters, the industry has a mass appeal that can be seen by the looking to the hats of the stars.




Photo Credit: Amazon.com

 

The Fedora: Sugarland  

Kristian Bush, the male half of the country duo Sugarland, is known for sporting a plethora of hats. His most recent and colorful venture into the world of hats is the fedora. One may think it odd that a country singer sports such an urban-stylish garment, but his choice of headwear is a testament to the duo’s diverse sound and message.

Do not knock the fedora. Its sharp up-turned brim and characteristic feather on the side are a good fit for Bush. How he wears the fedora suggests an air of mystery and manliness. (Indiana Jones wore one. How much more manly can it get?) But the “manliness” is counter-balanced by Jennifer Nettles’ colorful personality, which effortlessly radiates from every note she sings. Her bohemian-chic wardrobe includes hats such as sparkly berets and stark black top hats. Check out Jennifer sporting some retro locks here.

The duo’s headwear suggests a variety of musical influences. Sugarland’s music is a melting pot of styles that include country, pop, reggae, soul and even a hint of techno. Nettles’ playfully infectious inflections in songs such as All I Want to Do and their newest release, Stuck Like Glue, show that every syllable is a fusion of styles.



Photo Credit: Countryshatter.com



The Trucker hat: Randy Houser    

The mesh-backed baseball hats that Randy Houser dons have blue collar roots. They were originally worn by farmers and truck drivers who would receive them as free promotional items, but Houser looks like a million bucks in them. They compliment his see-if-I care attitude, which is evident in songs such as the rebel anthem, Whistlin’ Dixie.

The video for this song begins with Houser rolling down the road on a motorcycle, wearing a slick black helmet.  He ends up at a roadhouse, where he proudly rocks a POW/MIA trucker hat.

I bet a barroom brawl with this tough guy would end with someone being forcefully flung through the front window; and I can guarantee that someone would not be Houser. His blunt voice chisels strong emotion into listeners. When his music is played, other rebels rhythmically nod in agreement to his steely statements about Southern morals, Skoal rings and shotguns.



Photo Credit: Countrymusictattletale.com



The Beanie: Zac Brown    

I have never seen Zac Brown, frontman of the Zac Brown Band, without a hat. An intensive scouring of Google Images turns up photo after photo, each of which show Brown’s head adorned with some type of hat. Bareheaded, I would assume he looks like a more intelligent version of Alan from The Hangover.

Nonetheless, Brown loves to wear beanies. His tight-fitting and brimless hat of choice has been worn for decades by sailors, welders and skateboarders. The diverse group that have embraced the beanie is fitting for Brown’s eclectic past, which includes time spent as a restaurant owner, philanthropist and barbecue sauce entrepreneur before making it big in the music business.

The band’s harmonies are as tightly knit as the fibers of Brown’s head-hugging beanie. Offbeat grooves indicate reggae influenced music that Dan MacIntosh of Roughstock describes as having a “slight anti-commercialism lyrical slant” and a laidback flow that “sways him wherever the music goes”. I can see why he comes to this conclusion, because the band’s song Toes is as lighthearted and easy to listen to as it gets.



Photo Credit: Countrycalifornia.com



The Cowboy hat: George Strait    

I left the cowboy hat for last because it is the most recognizable hat associated with country music. Its wide brim functions in keeping the sun out of a rancher’s eyes while working cattle and its tall crown is perfect for tipping in respectful observance.

Cowboy hats adorn the heads of many country stars, but none as famous as George Strait. Western wear manufacturer Resistol sells a line of cowboy hats for their George Strait Collection. Their “ten-gallon” hats are as structured, traditional and time-tested as Strait’s songs.

It is obvious that Strait has plenty of real life experience to back up his music. Professionally, he has over 50 No. one songs under his rather large belt buckle, and personally he is a real cowboy who participates in team roping competitions. He sings about the hard-knock lives of cowboys (Cowboys Like Us) and expresses admiration for the women who work just as hard as the boys (How ‘Bout Them Cowgirls). Long live “King George” and may there always be room for many hats in country music.

Garth Brooks: who is he?



Photo Credit: Paste Magazine

Superman and Clark Kent. Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus. Our Jackrabbit mascot and the Easter Bunny. Although the latter is largely unconfirmed, there are many well known alter egos, such as the former two, in the entertainment industry. Let me introduce you to one that you may not be as familiar with.

The Garth Brooks that music fans know was born Troyal Garth Brooks in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1962. His country music career began in the late 1980s; and from there he went on to become a dominant force in the industry. On radio, award shows and in concert, no one could beat him. His charismatic personality and traditional sound resonated with listeners of all ages and backgrounds, making him the Recording Industry Association of America’s best selling solo artist in U.S. history. That’s a big deal.

But what if I told you that Garth is also a high school dropout from Australia, the son of an Olympic swimmer, and the survivor of a serious car crash which caused injuries that required extensive reconstructive surgery.

In 1999, Garth the energetic hat act transformed himself into Chris Gaines, a dark and pensive pop singer who lurked mysteriously behind a shadowy black wig and a rather odd looking soul patch.

Garth created the alter ego because he was slated to star in a movie called “The Lamb”, which was to focus on the tortured life of the fictional star Chris Gaines. Instead of just portraying Gaines, Garth became him in many aspects of his life. He released a CD entitled “The Life of Chris Gaines” and made public appearances, such as a stint on “Saturday Night Live”, while pretending to be Gaines.

Striking similarities between the life story and personal style that Garth generated for the film project left some to wonder whether he used Keith Urban’s real biography and appearance as a template for Gaines’.

Even though Garth fully embraced his creative venture, the public did not. The movie was never made, the CD didn’t live up to expectations and frankly, people were a little weirded out by the whole situation. The failure of such a dramatic and elaborately concocted project proved that Garth couldn’t have his cake and eat it too.

It is unknown whether the two events are related, but Garth retired from recording and performing a little over a year after the Chris Gaines flop. Since then, Garth has been in and out of various degrees of retirement and during this time has released several CD boxed sets and peformed select concerts.

Judge Gaines' music for yourself: "Lost in You", "Right Now"

Tyler Dickerson

Photo Credit:  roughstock.com

Sometimes the best things in life come as surprises. Things like the toy in the Cracker Jack box, the rainbow that appears after an unexpected torrent of rain and actually finding a parking spot on campus. While attending a Brooks and Dunn concert this past summer, I experienced a surprise even sweeter than finding an open spot in The Union lot. 

My surprise came when 16-year-old country singer Tyler Dickerson opened the show.

His dark persona echoes that of Johnny Cash, his style bears a slight resemblance to Kid Rock and his songs are something Hank Williams Jr. would be proud of.

Tyler Dickerson is a fresh face that is reviving the outlaw sound of country music’s past.

He has been performing for most of his life, but his career was set in motion after he moved to the Nashville area in 2007 and was discovered by John Rich, of the duo Big and Rich.

According to his autobiography, Tyler went from performing at Kmart to becoming a regular in Nashville bars. This past spring he began opening shows for Brooks and Dunn’s Last Rodeo tour and released a four song EP.

Dickerson, who’s perfectly pale complexion and pin straight locks may leave teenage girls a wee bit jealous, could easily be on his way to superstardom.

All vanity and jealousy aside, he tears it up on stage. His set list reads like a good book, filled with interesting stories that he may or may not have the years and experience to comprehend. While he writes songs about grown up things like relationships (“She’d Be You”) and rowdy bar scenes (“Just Like Hank”), he is able to sing them with a conviction beyond his age.

With any luck, his slightly controversial first single, “Tell Your Sister I’m Single”, will be just the beginning of the waves he will be making in country music.