Cocaine & Rhinestones

February 23, 2018 5:02 AM

Cocaine & Rhinestones is a podcast on the history of 20th century country music hosted by Tyler Mahan Coe. The first season, 14 episodes plus a Q&A show, is now complete. In addition to the podcasts, there are transcripts and research notes for each show.

Coe does a deep dive into specific songs:
CR005 Breaking Down Merle Haggard’s Okie from Muskogee

important artists:
CR014 Ralph Mooney: The Sound of Country Music

the business of country music:
CR007 Harper Valley PTA, Part 1: Shelby S. Singleton

and the darker side of country music:
CR003 The Murder Ballad of Spade Cooley

Episodes build on what came before. Start with the first for the full experience:
CR001 Ernest Tubb: The Texas Defense

Previously mentioned here.

posted by maurice (8 comments total)

I was just thinking to myself, "I need a new podcast." Thanks--this is right in my wheelhouse.
posted by Orlop at 6:50 AM on February 23, 2018

Cool! Thanks for the post. I need a new podcast too.
posted by Don.Kinsayder at 7:06 AM on February 23, 2018

Love this podcast and can't wait for the new series. I would also recommend the two-parter on Buck Owens and Don Rich, as well as the episode about Bobbie Gentry
posted by plasticpalacealice at 7:46 AM on February 23, 2018

This is relevant to my interests.
posted by Bob Regular at 8:50 AM on February 23, 2018

as well as the episode about Bobbie Gentry

Seconded! I just finished listening to this last night and it's amazing.
posted by the return of the thin white sock at 10:20 AM on February 23, 2018

God, this is a great podcast. There are a ton of things I really appreciate about Coe: his open-mindedness about what falls within the brief of the show, his absolute refusal to accept sexist conventions in country music, his up-frontedness about how reliable he finds his source material and willingness to admit when the record is ambiguous. And his combination of taste and skill. This show's just been a one-man ass-kicking contest so far. I think he's rrrrright up there with Karina Longworth and Mike Duncan for people doing top-notch rigorous-but-fun-and-accessible history/cultural history podcasts.

My only complaint is that it took me a week to de-earworm myself after the Kershaw Brothers show.
posted by the phlegmatic king at 11:44 AM on February 23, 2018 [2 favorites]

Man, I've been trying to add this to Downcast since it was first mentioned here, but there must be something hinky with the RSS. It shows up in a title search with the art, but when I add it as a sub it shows up in my list without art or available episodes and trying to add episodes manually brings up an "Error downloading the podcast feed" message.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 1:48 PM on February 23, 2018

If you like this, you may also enjoy Tales From The Tour Bus
posted by bradf at 2:06 PM on February 23, 2018