Stuart: Country, And Then Some

Legendary entertainer to grace Palace stage Saturday


This appeared in the Corsicana Daily Sun -September 26, 2012

Marty Stuart said one of the highlights of his career was failure — and how it forced him to take a step backward to his roots.

That meant a return to “traditional country music” from the commercial success he enjoyed early in his career.

And he’s kept true to that tradition ever since.

“I finally found my own voice,” he said. “It was a zenith moment where nothing mattered but doing the right thing according to your heart.”

That “right thing” has kept Stuart on the charts, recording, touring, and producing a national television show on the RFD-TV Network.

Stuart, 53, brings his “Fabulous Superlatives” to Corsicana’s Palace Theatre Saturday night for an evening of traditional country without all the hype and glitz of today’s superstar productions. It still brings audiences to their feet.

“I’ve kind of re-dedicated myself to traditional country music,” Stuart said. “That’s been a wonderful mission.”

As most “traditionalists” will agree, the music is not just a genre, its a lifestyle.

“It’s a culture I believe in, was raised in, love and understand.”

Stuart began his career playing with some of the musical greats in country music, including the legendary Lester Flatt and Johnny Cash. Lessons learned sharing the stage with influences like that shaped his career from the get go.

Stuart knows that those feelings are embraced by legends of country fans, especially in Texas.

“I have a lot of people in Texas who are like-minded,” he said. “There is a great movement of traditional country music in Texas.”

While embracing tradition, Stuart also embraces the new age of marketing product — one that minimizes the once powerful record labels and gives artists more freedom in dealing with their fan base.

“It seems to be the greatest ‘wildcat’ kind of freedom we’ve had in a long time,” Stuart said, “and not necessarily rely on a record company to get your message out.”

His TV show has also helped spread that message, a project he said he felt good about from the start with RFD’s goal of reaching Rural America.

“Our kind of music fit here,” Stuart said. “It gave us a voice and a stage and a theater for traditional country music and it helps.”

There’s plenty of Stuart’s plate right now along with his touring. He’s got 26 weeks of TV shows to produce, is wrapping up production on a country and a gospel album, and he’s getting ready to release an album of his mother’s photographs.

“She’s one of the best southern photographers I’ve ever seen,” he said. “A regular ‘Momma Shutterbug.” Now, at age 79, she has a book out, he said.

By Bob Belcher


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