Robbie Fulks' "Secret Country"

Jahfin · Post by **Jahfin** » January 18, 2005 10:23 am

Spreading the good word through `Secret Country'

By Chrissie Dickinson
Special to the Tribune

Through 2005, alternative-country will have a
home on the third Sunday of every month at the
Old Town School of Folk Music. "Robbie's Secret
Country," a series hosted and curated by
Chicago-based singer-songwriter Robbie Fulks,
will feature alt-country artists who have often
garnered critical acclaim but generally fall
through the cracks of mainstream exposure.

The shows will also reach an audience beyond
Chicago. A radio version of the live series will
be broadcast nationally on XM Satellite Radio's
channel 12. Beginning in January, "Robbie's
Secret Country" will air at 10 a.m. on the fourth
Monday of every month on the X Country
(pronounced "Cross Country") channel, with
replays at 1 a.m. the following Wednesday, and 10
a.m. the following Saturday. The first
installment of the radio series, featuring singer
Joy Lynn White, airs the week of Jan. 24.

"It just seemed more and more like the right
thing to do," says Fulks about the series. "In
country music there's just more and more
diversity, and a great bounty of country music,
and less and less of it that people know about."

The series kicked off at the Old Town School in
December with a show that featured White and
rockabilly singer-guitarist Rosie Flores. The
coming months will feature the likes of
singer-songwriter Buddy Miller and the retro
hillbilly-boogie outfit BR5-49.

The concept took shape last year, when Fulks and
his wife, the actress Donna Fulks, struck on the
idea of doing a live concert series with a radio
tie-in. Since most of the artists in the series
are too left-of-center for mainstream country
radio, the two turned their sights to satellite
radio.

"We were batting around ideas, and we started
talking about the idea of a radio show," says
Fulks. "We both have satellite radio in our cars,
and it's a Wild West of radio. It seemed like we
might be able to offer something."

Fulks approached Jessie Scott, program director
of X Country, the XM Radio channel that
exclusively features round-the-clock airplay of
alternative-country and roots music. Scott,
already a fan of Fulks' own work, was eager to
air the proposed show.

"Robbie is a core artist here at X Country," says
Scott. "Even before I heard the demo [of
"Robbie's Secret Country"], as far as I was
concerned, it was a done deal. When I heard the
demo, I was not disappointed."

Scott, a major proponent of alt-country, sees the
Fulks' series as a perfect fit for the channel. X
Country broadcasts everything from the late
alt-country godfather Gram Parsons to
contemporary singer-songwriters such as Kevin
Welch, Kieran Kane and Fred Eaglesmith.

The channel's playlist features many artists who
have long struggled to find a niche on the
airwaves.

"These folks have been radio orphans," says
Scott. "I firmly believe that these are the best
songwriters on the planet right now and I get to
shine a light on them. They have been so unsung
in terms of having a national audience. It's fine
to read about something in a magazine, but it's a
whole lot easier and accessible when you're
sticking it in people's ears."

Fulks says he is fine with the
"alternative-country" label to describe the
series, "so people know that it's country music,
but it's not Faith Hill, it's not necessarily the
Vanity Fair version of country music."

Both the live and radio versions of the show will
feature musical sets by the artists, along with
brief interview segments conducted by Fulks. He
hopes to put the music into context and provide a
deeper understanding of the artists, especially
for an audience new to alt-country. "I think
that's a valuable function of radio, when you get
some weirdo on there, hopefully me with this
show, grabbing people and saying, `Listen to
this, it's really good, here are six songs in a
row by this person, make up your own minds.' I
think it will just be a great opportunity."

The live series has already started with a bang.
The December show at the Old Town was sold out.
The next show, on Jan. 16, will feature
singer-songwriter Phil Lee and singer-guitarist
Bill Kirchen.

Kirchen--who helped form the country-rock outfit
Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen in
1967--has long been a friend and admirer of
Fulks.

"When I first heard a Robbie CD, I just thought
he was the smartest, funniest, most soulful
songwriter, and a great singer, too," says
Kirchen. "The first time I met him in Washington,
D.C., I sat in with him, and he was even more
engaging and interesting live than he was on
record. Through the years we've played a few
shows together. . . . We've just tried to stay in
touch."

Kirchen is happy to be a part of the series. He
admits he falls into that camp of artists who
exist largely outside mainstream coverage.

"There's no niche, no chart, that I'm liable to
find myself in," says Kirchen, 56, who through
the years has put out solo material and also
worked with Nick Lowe and Elvis Costello.

"My main career move has been to not go away,"
Kirchen continues with a laugh. "My refusal to
leave. I'm delighted to play on Robbie's show."

PHBeerman · Post by **PHBeerman** » January 18, 2005 10:26 am

That helps me a lot. I have been trying to decide between Sirrus and XM.

nycparrothead · Post by **nycparrothead** » January 18, 2005 10:27 am

PHBeerman wrote:That helps me a lot. I have been trying to decide between Sirrus and XM.

YOU CAN'T BE SIRIUS!!!

a1aara · Post by **a1aara** » January 18, 2005 10:28 am

Thanks for the info.

I like Robbie Fulks. He is great live. Country, Bluegrass, Rock, he plays it all. He wrote one of the best songs ever about Nashville called "F*ck This Town".

a1aara · Post by **a1aara** » January 18, 2005 10:28 am

PHBeerman wrote:That helps me a lot. I have been trying to decide between Sirrus and XM.

I'm still torn on which to purchase.

Jahfin · Post by **Jahfin** » January 18, 2005 10:30 am

Right now I'm pretty damn happy to be a XM subscriber.

From what I've heard from friends, the sports programming is better on Sirius but I went to satellite for music so the choice was easy for me.

PHBeerman · Post by **PHBeerman** » January 18, 2005 10:37 am

The thing that keeps me torn is the rumor that Sirrus is coming out with kids tv programing next year.

Drumkat · Post by **Drumkat** » January 18, 2005 11:27 am

Robbie is on a track on the album Fred Eaglesmith tribute. My band is on there are well (hillbilly winos). Robiie is a great guy! See the album here
http://www.twangoff.com/artists.html#eaglesmith

a1aara · Post by **a1aara** » January 18, 2005 11:49 am

Drumkat wrote:Robbie is on a track on the album Fred Eaglesmith tribute. My band is on there are well (hillbilly winos). Robiie is a great guy! See the album here
http://www.twangoff.com/artists.html#eaglesmith

Isn't Robbie producing a tribute to Johnny Paycheck as well?

Ilph · Post by **Ilph** » January 18, 2005 9:33 pm

a1aara wrote:Thanks for the info.

I like Robbie Fulks. He is great live. Country, Bluegrass, Rock, he plays it all. He wrote one of the best songs ever about Nashville called "F*ck This Town".

When I worked at the Grand Ole Opry, Porter Wagoner would play that song every night backstage on his stereo as loud as he could.

conched · Post by **conched** » January 19, 2005 12:13 am

Ilph wrote:
a1aara wrote:Thanks for the info.

I like Robbie Fulks. He is great live. Country, Bluegrass, Rock, he plays it all. He wrote one of the best songs ever about Nashville called "F*ck This Town".
When I worked at the Grand Ole Opry, Porter Wagoner would play that song every night backstage on his stereo as loud as he could.

That is too funny!!!!!! I have that CD.

Also, thanks for the info about the Fred Tribute cd. I haven't been a good Fred Head lately.

Way to go hillbilly wino!)

Still no XM or Sirius for me. Good info, Jahfin! (Wish RM would be on XM.)

weirdo0521 · Post by **weirdo0521** » January 19, 2005 12:16 am

Living in the Chicago area we get a dose of Robbie. Great performer. One of those extremely talented artists that sort of flies under the radar. If you ever get a chance, go see him.

Ilph · Post by **Ilph** » January 19, 2005 7:44 am

Is his show on Chicago radio? I have a friend who lives up there who I know would tune in if it were already on the air.

Bocanut · Post by **Bocanut** » January 19, 2005 1:26 pm

When is Ryan Adams gonna kick Robbie's ass?

Jahfin · Post by **Jahfin** » January 20, 2005 9:47 am

Bocanut wrote:When is Ryan Adams gonna kick Robbie's ass?

From the looks of Ryan I kinda doubt he'll be whupping anybody's ass anytime soon.

Bocanut · Post by **Bocanut** » January 20, 2005 10:11 am

I concur.

a1aara · Post by **a1aara** » January 20, 2005 10:14 am

Bocanut wrote:I concur.

Robbie is a tall.

Jahfin · Post by **Jahfin** » January 20, 2005 11:00 pm

a1aara wrote:
Drumkat wrote:Robbie is on a track on the album Fred Eaglesmith tribute. My band is on there are well (hillbilly winos). Robiie is a great guy! See the album here
http://www.twangoff.com/artists.html#eaglesmith
Isn't Robbie producing a tribute to Johnny Paycheck as well?

Yeah, he did. It's called Touch My Heart: A Tribute To Johnny Paycheck and was released back in August on Sugar Hill Records. I understand his next project is an album of Michael Jackson covers.

sonofabeach · Post by **sonofabeach** » January 21, 2005 12:40 am

My boss has XM and it's okay, not as good as Sirius.
To me it seems as if Sirius had better programming from top to bottom.
Being a parrothead I found that there's nothing really tropical on it either, sure there's the reggae station but that's it.
Sirius has 2 tropical stations last time I checked.

weirdo0521 · Post by **weirdo0521** » January 21, 2005 3:01 am

Jahfin wrote:
a1aara wrote:
Drumkat wrote:Robbie is on a track on the album Fred Eaglesmith tribute. My band is on there are well (hillbilly winos). Robiie is a great guy! See the album here
http://www.twangoff.com/artists.html#eaglesmith
Isn't Robbie producing a tribute to Johnny Paycheck as well?
Yeah, he did. It's called Touch My Heart: A Tribute To Johnny Paycheck and was released back in August on Sugar Hill Records. I understand his next project is an album of Michael Jackson covers.

There was a 10 Question interview here with Robbie a few months ago. He said in light of recent events he was going to shelve the Jackson project. It sounded like it was near completion, but he didn't want to go on with it.