Suggestions for country dance songs?

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IceBurghDJ

IceBurghDJ

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Apr 17, 2015
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Most weddings I get a request for 'no country'..well the next wedding the only thing the bride is asking for on her 'must play' is country..

So what are the best country dance songs? I don't expect a lot of line dancing (based on past experience) and they can't slow dance all night long, so what works well for 'normal' dancing?
 
I believe it's best to educate in a situation like this. Anytime I get a client who wants all-country I have a little come to Jesus meeting;

"I love country and spent 14 years as a sideman musician on The Grand Ole Opry. That said, country does not work a dance floor, it kills it. I usually only recommend about 1 in 8 country selections, and most of those are slow dances. Now if you tell me that's what you want, I'll be happy to do exactly as you say but, as the professional, you need to hear it from; you can have all-country or you can have a dance party, but you can't have both."

I realize there are others here who can work heavy country rotations that will work. There are also the rare events where it works around here. However, in the Nashville market, that's a rare, rare occasion.
 
that's kind of what i thought... what i know from watching DJs and weddings is 'do you think my tractor's sexy' and few, umm, well now older, songs seem to work.
Last wedding the bride wanted line dances and I played 4..cotton eyed joe, boot scoot n boogie and 2 others she listed..5 or so people on the floor - her and a BM or two. They had fun, it was entertaining for the crowd (based on watching their faces) but cupid shuffle filled the floor.
 
IceBurghDJ said:
that's kind of what i thought... what i know from watching DJs and weddings is 'do you think my tractor's sexy' and few, umm, well now older, songs seem to work.
Last wedding the bride wanted line dances and I played 4..cotton eyed joe, boot scoot n boogie and 2 others she listed..5 or so people on the floor - her and a BM or two. They had fun, it was entertaining for the crowd (based on watching their faces) but cupid shuffle filled the floor.
Click to expand...

I've had maybe 2 or 3, in total, weddings where a country list actually worked. None in middle Tennessee but almost all were in southern to mid-Kentucky. It's a different world when you get an hour north of Nashville.
 
In my area (North-west and South-west Kansas, touching a little into central Kansas) I do a lot of country. 1-8 usually isn't enough country for me, but I usually plan on probably a quarter of the songs being country (that's a rough estimate). Now depending on the area, different types of country work. When I get down toward Oklahoma, I tend to play more "red dirt country" in the North-west area, it tends to be more "bro country". The other question is are they looking for two-stepping country, line dancing country, or just what I call "jump up and down" country LOL

That said, I rarely do an all country or even mostly country set and even when I get those requests, I still play Cupid shuffle, Wobble, etc.

House Party-Sam Hunt
Chattahoochie-Alan Jackson
I Don't Dance-Lee Brice
Country Girl (Shake it for me)-Luke Bryan
Crash My Party-Luke Bryan
Amarillo Sky-Jason Aldean
don't You Want To Stay-Jason Aldean feat. Kelly Clarkson
Can't Get Away From A good time-Logan Mize
Sun Daze-Florida Georgia Line
Knee Deep-Zac Brown Band feat. Jimmy Buffet
Chicken Fried-Zac Brown Band
Sweet Annie-Zac Brown Band
Adalida-George Strait
Amarillo By Morning-George Strait
All My Exes (Live in Texas)-George Strait
Fishin' In the Dark-Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Down At The Twist and Shout-Mary Chapin Carpenter
Hillbilly Rock-Marty Stuart
Watermelon Crawl-Tracy Byrd
Boot Scootin' boogie-brooks and Dunn
My Maria-Brooks and Dunn
Save A Horse (Ride A Cowboy)-Big and Rich
Fake I.D.-Big and Rich feat. Gretchen Wilson
Springsteen-Eric Church
Smoke A Little Smoke-Eric Church
Like Jesus Does-Eric Church
Love Your Love The Most-Eric Church
Friends In Low Places-Garth Brooks
Callin' Baton Rogue-Garth Brooks
Long Neck Bottle-Garth Brooks
The Dance-Garth Brooks
Wagon Wheel-Old Crow Medicine Show
Long Hot Summer Day-turnpike Troubadours
Cotton Eyed Joe-Rednex
Family Tradition-Hank Williams Jr
Cruise (Remix)-Florida Georgia Line feat. Nelly
If You're Gonna Play In Texas-Alabama
She's Like Texas-Josh Abbott Band
Firecracker-Josh Turner
Wanted-Hunter Hayes
Wear My Ring-Bart Crow Band
Runnin' Out of Moonlight-Randy Houser
When You Say nothing At All-Allison Krause
Copperhead Road-Steve Earle
Amazed-Lonestar
Louisana Saturday Night-Mel McDaniel
 
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One thing you may want to meet with the Bride and Groom and talk specifically on whether they go country dancing often!? Does a good amount of their guests go country dancing often? Having run country bars for over 20 years, if that is the case you would want to consult with the local dance club/halls, saloon (whatever you call it locally) and find out what dances they do....and a sample list of songs for those dances. It's not just line dances! Couples dances....and even 2 step, swing, etc type songs you'll need some good reference if it's a TRUE hard core country couple/crowd. I do weddings where I'm sought out just for my Country knowledge and skill of mixing 2 steps......even though I haven't played in a club in 5 years! It's just my 2 cents, but my 20+ yrs experience is that Country people are specific at times.....it's not just "play some country!"
 
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that's what I don't know - i know there is swing, line, 2-step and more but I have no clue (besides a few line) what is what. People here LISTEN to country but dance? No so much.
lots of 'country' here - farmers, big pickum up trucks, tractors, beef, corn. Last night across the street i wactched a combine harvest what I suppose was wheat (with a 16' wide rake in the front, taller than the tractor trailer than came to unload it).

EERobert said:
In my area (North-west and South-west Kansas, touching a little into central Kansas) I do a lot of country. 1-8 usually isn't enough country for me, but I usually plan on probably a quarter of the songs being country (that's a rough estimate). Now depending on the area, different types of country work. When I get down toward Oklahoma, I tend to play more "red dirt country" in the North-west area, it tends to be more "bro country". The other question is are they looking for two-stepping country, line dancing country, or just what I call "jump up and down" country LOL

That said, I rarely do an all country or even mostly country set and even when I get those requests, I still play Cupid shuffle, Wobble, etc.

House Party-Sam Hunt
Chattahoochie-Alan Jackson
I Don't Dance-Lee Brice
Country Girl (Shake it for me)-Luke Bryan
Crash My Party-Luke Bryan
Amarillo Sky-Jason Aldean
don't You Want To Stay-Jason Aldean feat. Kelly Clarkson
Can't Get Away From A good time-Logan Mize
Sun Daze-Florida Georgia Line
Knee Deep-Zac Brown Band feat. Jimmy Buffet
Chicken Fried-Zac Brown Band
Sweet Annie-Zac Brown Band
Adalida-George Strait
Amarillo By Morning-George Strait
All My Exes (Live in Texas)-George Strait
Fishin' In the Dark-Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Down At The Twist and Shout-Mary Chapin Carpenter
Hillbilly Rock-Marty Stuart
Watermelon Crawl-Tracy Byrd
Boot Scootin' boogie-brooks and Dunn
My Maria-Brooks and Dunn
Save A Horse (Ride A Cowboy)-Big and Rich
Fake I.D.-Big and Rich feat. Gretchen Wilson
Springsteen-Eric Church
Smoke A Little Smoke-Eric Church
Like Jesus Does-Eric Church
Love Your Love The Most-Eric Church
Friends In Low Places-Garth Brooks
Callin' Baton Rogue-Garth Brooks
Long Neck Bottle-Garth Brooks
The Dance-Garth Brooks
Wagon Wheel-Old Crow Medicine Show
Long Hot Summer Day-turnpike Troubadours
Cotton Eyed Joe-Rednex
Family Tradition-Hank Williams Jr
Cruise (Remix)-Florida Georgia Line feat. Nelly
If You're Gonna Play In Texas-Alabama
She's Like Texas-Josh Abbott Band
Firecracker-Josh Turner
Wanted-Hunter Hayes
Wear My Ring-Bart Crow Band
Runnin' Out of Moonlight-Randy Houser
When You Say nothing At All-Allison Krause
Copperhead Road-Steve Earle
Amazed-Lonestar
Louisana Saturday Night-Mel McDaniel
Click to expand...
 
If you're doing an event calling for Country, you really should have a huge library of that genre - going back to Hank Williams right up to current Country hits. Johnny Cash goes over with all age groups especially Ring of Fire and Folsum Prison.

It's highly probably that the bride just loves current Country but that doesn't mean her guests will dance to it. EERobert's list looks really good for to start with. Truthfully, I don't do much Country accept for good slow songs like "keeper of the stars".
 
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My experience has been the top songs, in any genre, pop hits, top 40 what not do well - you need to play songs people know.

Well, I know 'two black cadillacs'..most all do..but it's NOT something I'd play at a wedding. Not sure Hank Sr ever recorded something lovey dovey happy upbeat..but I could be wrong.

Brad Paisley's 'ticks' is a neat song...danceable? Doubt it. "Pontoon" by little big town is another one that everyone knows...and more often than not 'red solo cup' is on the DNP list.

Johnny and Hank Sr night go over well at a retirement home..I've talked to hs kids that never heard of elvis...but they like panic at teh disco, twenty one pilots - at dances. Should be interesting wedding scene in 10-15 years.
 
Crossover country has some danceable stuff .. Florida Georgia Line, Zac Brown, Charlie Daniels, etc.
 
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A few that I play when I want to change up from pop to country:

Dumas Walker - The Kentucky Headhunters
Walk Softly On this Heart Of Mine - The Kentucky Headhunters
Baby Likes To Rock It - The Tractors
Be My Baby Tonight - John Michael Montgomery
Sold (The Grundy County Auction) - John Michael Montgomery
Elvira - The Oak Ridge Boys
Does That Blue Moon Ever Shine On You - Toby Keith
Heaven In My Woman's Eyes - Tracy Byrd
Watermelon Crawl - Tracy Byrd
I Like It, I Love It - Tim McGraw
Country Club - Travis Tritt
T-R-O-U-B-L-E -- Travis Tritt
Liza Jane - Vince Gill
Look At Us - Vince Gill
Achy Brakey Heart - Billy Ray Cyrus
Trashy Women - Confederate Railroad
 
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Hey guys. Sounds like this audience want to 2 step! Try some zydeco,,,,, it is all the rage down here in Cajun country!

It is like country,,,, but has a dance beat

Look at Chris ardoin,,, he is the youngest of the zydeco artist and his new sets are killing it.
 
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Neon Moon - Brooks & Dunn
Family Tradition - Hank Williams, Jr.
You never Even Called Me by My Name - David Allen Coe
Silver Wings - Merle Haggard
Houston (Means i'm One Day Closer To You) - Larry Gatlin
Lots of George Strait, Blake Shelton, Alan Jackson, Shania Twain, Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney, Travis Tritt, Tim McGraw, and Garth Brooks. Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert work well too.

Those are my go to songs and artists. Rockers like Eagles, Lynryd Skynyrd, ZZ Top, Bad Company, Bob Seger, John Mellencamp, AC/DC, Charlie Daniels Band, and Marshall Tucker Band work well with a Country crowd.

Also worth a spin:

That Buckin' Song - Robert Earle Kean
Cotton Eyed Joe (without the Bullshit call) - Johnny Gimble
Lost in the Fifties (In The Still of the Night) - Ronnie Milsap
Every Little Thing - Carlene Carter
Dance With Me One More Time - Johnny Rodriguez
Huntin Fishin' Lovin Everyday - Luke Bryan
Pretty Good At Drinkin' Beer - Billy Currington
People Are Crazy - Billy Currington
Crazy - Patsy Cline
Margarittaville - Alan Jackson w Jimmy Buffett
Behind Closed Doors - Charlie Rich
Third Rate Romance - Amazing Rhythm Aces

And that's off the top of my head. Those are some of my guaranteed floor fillers, at least here in Arizona.
 
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