With the Houston rodeo coming up, the lineup starts to reflect the evolution of country music in Texas.
“The history of Texas and the rodeos go way back,” cross country coach Kim Ackerman said. “You will find a lot of respectful people that are country. There’s ‘yes ma’am,’ ‘no ma’am’ and opening doors. It’s just a Texas thing. It’s a part of Texas. So if you move here from somewhere, you have to go to the rodeo and see the history of it.”
Ackerman has attended the rodeo more than 60 times. Her most recent rodeo included a concert by George Strait. Recently, Ackerman noticed a trend with newer country singers highlighting the most recent rodeos, including the lineup this year. There are non-country singers in the mix too.
“My initial thoughts when looking at the rodeo line up was that it was pretty good,” Ackerman said. “I looked [at the lineup], and yes, I understand they want to get music for all genres for all people but rodeo is country music. Now, if it’s a Tejano country singer I’m good. But you know, rodeo is country so I hate to see that going away.”
Rising in the 1920s, country singers have held themselves to a conventional way of songwriting, originally being influenced by folk music and representing the blue collar working class. Traditional styles of music still hold popularity today with singers like Zac Top featured in the lineup. On the other hand, there are more modern styled singers, such Post Malone, in the rodeo lineup who blend rap and hip hop with country music.
“The lineup wasn’t bad but there’s only two to three singers I’d want to see,” junior Austin Whittington said. “There’s definitely more country pop singers.”
Whittington attended eight or nine rodeo performances, with his favorite one so far being George Strait.
Although there are preferences on different types of country music, this year’s rodeo lineup will attract a broader audience because of the variation of artists and diverse styles of music – including hip-hop, rock, R&B and regional Mexican and country music.
“[Compared to rodeos in the past ] a lot more people would go to it,” Whittington said. “A lot more tickets would be sold to these people, because it has a mix of older and newer musicians.”
Along with preferences of music genres, listening to older styled country music can come from home traditions. Freshman Mayson Taylor has been to three to four rodeos and is involved with FFA and track. For most people, it isn’t just the singers but the family-like community and memories made at the rodeo.
“I like older country music because I grew up listening to it with my parents and my sister,” Taylor said. “My favorite rodeo I went to was probably the one last year. I went to see my sister show her pig, and I got to see all the cows get showed, so that was fun.”
In addition to the entertainment of the singers, supporting family and the local community can be its own reward.
“We go look at the animals, the livestock,” Ackerman said. “We like watching all the broncs and the calf roping, and we go look at the livestock because KPark kids show their animals there. I have a niece, Sophie, at West Fork and I go to little rodeos to see her do her little thing too.”
With Ackerman’s insight, she recognizes the reshaping of music at Texas’s rodeos, while still appreciating its roots. She was there for George Strait’s very first Houston rodeo during the ’70s. Strait is the only artist to have a song in the top 10 hits for three decades and has influenced other country artists in finding their style.
“I can remember when George Strait was subbing for Dolly Parton,” Ackerman said. “She was sick, so they introduced him, so it was just really cool to be a part of that history. Also, when he did his ‘last’ rodeo, when he said he was retiring. He got on a horse and sang ‘The Cowboys Ride Away.’ That just really meant something to me, but I really just like them all. And the type of people that go to them.”
Even though the rodeo lineup is more dynamic than ones in the past, the environment and quality remains unchanged.
“If you have never gone, you definitely should experience it,” Whittington said. “I feel like all the workers there are really nice and try to make your experience better. Overall, everybody is there [for the same reason].”
