Murder on Music Row

"Murder on Music Row" is a song released in 2000 made popular as a duet between country music artists George Strait and Alan Jackson. Although not released officially as a single, it gained attention for its criticism of mainstream country music trends at the time, and received enough unsolicited airplay to chart at number 38 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs) charts.

Content

"Murder on Music Row" is a lament and criticism of the ongoing trend of country pop crossover acts and pop influences on country music, a trend that has pushed traditional and neotraditional country music (and those who perform it) to the periphery. The lyrics metaphorically compare the pop trend to a horrible act — "an awful murder down on Music Row" — and how "The steel guitar no longer cries and you can't hear fiddles play / But drums and rock and roll guitars are mixed up in your face."^[1] In addition, the song states that older traditional country artists "wouldn't stand a chance on today's radio," citing by nickname Hank Williams ("Old Hank"), Merle Haggard ("The Hag"), and George Jones ("The Possum").^[2]

Original version

American bluegrass group Larry Cordle & Lonesome Standard Time originally recorded the song as the title track of their 1999 album Murder on Music Row.^[3] Their version was awarded the Song of the Year award at the 2000 International Bluegrass Music Awards.^[4]

George Strait/Alan Jackson version

The song was later covered by Country music artists George Strait and Alan Jackson. Originally, the two singers performed the song together at the 1999 CMA awards show;^[5] Strait and Jackson later recorded it for 2000's Latest Greatest Straitest Hits album. The studio version, although never released officially as a single, reached number 38 on the Hot Country Songs chart from unsolicited play and served as the b-side to Strait's late-2000 single "Go On."^[6] In 2000, it also received the Country Music Association's award for Vocal Event of the Year,^[7] as well as the CMA's Song of the Year award a year later.^[3]^[8]

Chart performance

Chart (2000)	Peak position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)^[9]	47
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)^[10]	38

Dierks Bentley/George Jones version

In 2006, Dierks Bentley and George Jones recorded a version of the song that was included on the album Songs of the Year 2007 that was only available in Cracker Barrel restaurants.

References

↑ Alan Jackson gives Nashville the finger
↑ "Murder On Music Row" lyrics from LyricsFreak.com
1 2 Larry Cordle signs with Lonesome Day Records
↑ “Murder On Music Row” and McCourys Rake In Bluegrass Hardware
↑ It Don't Matter Who's in Nashville, George Strait Is Still the King
↑ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 407. ISBN 0-89820-177-2.
↑ Alan Jackson Facts
↑ CMA World
↑ "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 9826." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. May 1, 2000. Retrieved July 8, 2013.
↑ "George Strait – Chart history" Billboard Hot Country Songs for George Strait.

External links

Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics

George Strait 2000s-2010s singles

Latest Greatest Straitest Hits	"The Best Day"

George Strait	"Go On" "Don't Make Me Come Over There and Love You" "If You Can Do Anything Else"

The Road Less Traveled	"Run" "Living and Living Well" "She'll Leave You with a Smile"

Honkytonkville	"Tell Me Something Bad About Tulsa" "Cowboys Like Us" "Desperately"

50 Number Ones	"I Hate Everything"

Somewhere Down in Texas	"You'll Be There" "She Let Herself Go" "The Seashores of Old Mexico"

It Just Comes Natural	"Give It Away" "It Just Comes Natural" "Wrapped" "How 'bout Them Cowgirls"

Troubadour	"I Saw God Today" "Troubadour" "River of Love"

Twang	"Living for the Night" "Twang" "I Gotta Get to You" "The Breath You Take"

Here for a Good Time	"Here for a Good Time" "Love's Gonna Make It Alright" "Drinkin' Man"

Love Is Everything	"Give It All We Got Tonight" "I Believe" "I Got a Car"

Cold Beer Conversation	"Let It Go" "Cold Beer Conversation" "Goin' Goin' Gone"

Other songs	"Murder on Music Row" (w/ Alan Jackson) "Designated Drinker" (w/ Alan Jackson) "Hey, Good Lookin'" (w/ Jimmy Buffett, Clint Black, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson and Toby Keith) "Shiftwork" (w/ Kenny Chesney) "Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven"

Alan Jackson singles

Here in the Real World	"Blue Blooded Woman" "Here in the Real World" "Wanted" "Chasin' That Neon Rainbow" "I'd Love You All Over Again"

Don't Rock the Jukebox	"Don't Rock the Jukebox" "Someday" "Dallas" "Midnight in Montgomery" "Love's Got a Hold on You"

A Lot About Livin' (And a Little 'bout Love)	"She's Got the Rhythm (And I Got the Blues)" "Tonight I Climbed the Wall" "Chattahoochee" "Mercury Blues" "(Who Says) You Can't Have It All"

Who I Am	"Summertime Blues" "Livin' on Love" "Gone Country" "Song for the Life" "I Don't Even Know Your Name"

The Greatest Hits Collection	"Tall, Tall Trees" "I'll Try" "Home"

Everything I Love	"Little Bitty" "Everything I Love" "Who's Cheatin' Who" "There Goes" "Between the Devil and Me" "A House with No Curtains"

High Mileage	"I'll Go On Loving You" "Right on the Money" "Gone Crazy" "Little Man"

Under the Influence	"Pop a Top" "The Blues Man" "It Must Be Love"

When Somebody Loves You	"www.memory" "When Somebody Loves You" "Where I Come From" "It's Alright to Be a Redneck"

Drive	"Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)" "Drive (For Daddy Gene)" "Work in Progress" "That'd Be Alright"

Greatest Hits Volume II	"It's Five O'Clock Somewhere" (w/ Jimmy Buffett) "Remember When"

What I Do	"Too Much of a Good Thing" "Monday Morning Church" "The Talkin' Song Repair Blues" "USA Today"

Like Red on a Rose	"Like Red on a Rose" "A Woman's Love"

Good Time	"Small Town Southern Man" "Good Time" "Country Boy" "Sissy's Song" "I Still Like Bologna"

Freight Train	"It's Just That Way" "Hard Hat and a Hammer"

34 Number Ones	"Ring of Fire"

Thirty Miles West	"Long Way to Go" "So You Don't Have to Love Me Anymore" "You Go Your Way"

Angels and Alcohol	"Jim and Jack and Hank" "The One You're Waiting On"

Other songs	"Tequila Sunrise" "Good Year for the Roses" (w/ George Jones) "Redneck Games" (w/ Jeff Foxworthy) "Margaritaville" (w/ Jimmy Buffett) "Murder on Music Row" (w/ George Strait) "Designated Drinker" (w/ George Strait) "Hey, Good Lookin'" (w/ Jimmy Buffett, Clint Black, Kenny Chesney, Toby Keith and George Strait) "You Ain't Just Whistlin' Dixie" (w/ The Bellamy Brothers) "Barefootin'" (w/ Jimmy Buffett) "As She's Walking Away" (w/ Zac Brown Band) "A Million Ways to Die"

See also	Singles discography

Dierks Bentley

Studio albums	Don't Leave Me in Love Dierks Bentley Modern Day Drifter Long Trip Alone Feel That Fire Up on the Ridge Home Riser Black

Compilation albums	Greatest Hits/Every Mile a Memory 2003–2008

Singles	"What Was I Thinkin'" "My Last Name" "How Am I Doin'" "Lot of Leavin' Left to Do" "Come a Little Closer" "Settle for a Slowdown" "Every Mile a Memory" "Long Trip Alone" "Free and Easy (Down the Road I Go)" "Trying to Stop Your Leaving" "Feel That Fire" "Sideways" "I Wanna Make You Close Your Eyes" "Up on the Ridge" "Draw Me a Map" "Am I the Only One" "Home" "5-1-5-0" "Tip It On Back" "Bourbon in Kentucky" "I Hold On" "Drunk on a Plane" "Say You Do" "Riser" "Somewhere on a Beach" "Different for Girls" (feat. Elle King) "Black"

Featured singles	"The South" (w/ The Cadillac Three, Florida Georgia Line and Mike Eli)

Concert tours	Riser Tour Sounds of Summer Tour Somewhere on a Beach Tour

Related articles	Discography Capitol Records "Murder on Music Row" (w/ George Jones)

George Jones songs

Singles	"No Money in This Deal" "Why Baby Why" "Achin', Breakin' Heart" "Seasons of My Heart" "Too Much Water" "Just One More" "Don't Stop the Music" "Color of the Blues" "White Lightning" "Window Up Above" "Tender Years" "She Thinks I Still Care" "I'll Share My World with You "The Race Is On" "Love Bug" "Walk Through This World with Me" "If My Heart Had Windows" "Good Year for the Roses" "Loving You Could Never Be Better" "A Picture of Me (Without You)" "The Grand Tour" "The Door" "He Stopped Loving Her Today" "I'm Not Ready Yet" "If Drinkin' Don't Kill Me (Her Memory Will)" "Still Doin' Time" "Same Ole Me" "Shine On (Shine All Your Sweet Love on Me)" "I Always Get Lucky with You" "Tennessee Whiskey" "You've Still Got a Place in My Heart" "She's My Rock" "Hallelujah, I Love You So" "Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes" "The One I Loved Back Then (The Corvette Song)" "Somebody Wants Me Out of the Way" "Wine Colored Roses" "The Right Left Hand" "I Turn to You" "The Bird" "I'm a One Woman Man" "I Don't Need Your Rockin' Chair" "Choices" "Funny How Time Slips Away"

Collaborative singles	"We Must Have Been Out of Our Minds" (w/ Melba Montgomery) "Let's Invite Them Over" (w/ Melba Montgomery) "What's in Our Heart" (w/ Melba Montgomery) "Blue Moon of Kentucky" (w/ Melba Montgomery) "We're Gonna Hold On" (w/ Tammy Wynette) "Golden Ring" (w/ Tammy Wynette) "Near You" (w/ Tammy Wynette) "Maybellene" (w/ Johnny Paycheck) "Two Story House" (w/ Tammy Wynette) "You Better Move On" (w/ Johnny Paycheck) "Yesterday's Wine" (w/ Merle Haggard) "C.C. Waterback" (w/ Merle Haggard)

Guest singles	"A Few Ole Country Boys" (w/ Randy Travis) "You Don't Seem to Miss Me" (w/ Patty Loveless) "A Country Boy Can Survive (Y2K version)" (w/ Chad Brock and Hank Williams, Jr.) "Murder on Music Row" (w/ Dierks Bentley)

Related articles	Albums discography Singles discography Discography with Tammy Wynette Awards

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