Country singer Buddy Brown recently explained how he turned down writing “woke” music to stand firm in his conservative values. Brown has made a name for himself in the country music scene for his unapologetically conservative hits that make it clear where he stands on today’s contentious social and political issues.
The singer explained his disdain for typical country music radio hits, maintaining that he seeks to write more authentic and unique music. “I used to write songs, and if I thought they could be played on country radio I’d throw them in the trash,” he said. “It needs to come from a different perspective. I never wanted to get confused with the mainstream shuffle.”
Furthermore, Brown explained how country music has fallen victim to wokeness like the rest of society’s institutions, which permit liberal ideology and outright reject conservatism. “You’re allowed to lean left in country music, but you’re not allowed to lean right, especially to talk about the events of the day,” he noted. However, staying true to his beliefs and not conforming to societal norms has benefited Brown, where his nonwoke music has earned him roughly 200 million views on YouTube and Facebook combined along with approximately 1.3 million followers across social media platforms.
Brown is also known for his extensive engagement with his fans. where he reportedly spoke to more than 1,000 fans on the phone ahead of his release of “Mason Jar’s” Speaking about the necessity for work ethic in the music industry, the artist said, “If you’re not gonna outwork the competition, you won’t last a day in this thing.”
Moreover, Brown offered a timeless piece of advice for musicians: stick to what you honestly believe in and disregard everything else. “If you’re being honest [with your songwriting] you just don’t care anymore. Sticking to your guns becomes everything,” he added.
Brown’s music often features criticism of issues such as Critical Race Theory and radical gender ideology while voicing pro-police sentiment and other conservative causes. “I don’t try to do it from a manner like I’m trying to pick a fight,” he said about the unapologetically conservative content in his music. “I’m truly trying to bring people together.”
The songwriter acknowledged that the holidays with his liberal family members can be challenging to navigate, given that it is no secret where he stands as a public figure. “I’ve got liberals in my family,” he mentioned, adding, “You gotta spend Thanksgiving dinner with them … it’s about learning how to stay in the safe grounds.”
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As Nashville becomes increasingly corporatized and reflective of broader mainstream culture, many country music fans are turning to independent artists such as Brown, who tell it like it is. “The biggest lesson? It’s not to listen to Nashville,” he stated. Calling out the record labels which often force artists to conform to their standards, he said, “They really just crush a lot of people who have this dream.”
Watch conservative country star Jason Aldean encourage his audience to enact change below:
Featured image credit: Boostey’s Photography, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BuddyBrownMusician.jpg