CR002 - The Pill: Why Was Loretta Lynn Banned?

CR002 - The Pill: Why Was Loretta Lynn Banned?

Author: Tyler Mahan Coe October 31, 2017 Duration: 52:31
This episode of Cocaine & Rhinestones briefly examines the history of contraceptive laws in America (Trigger Warning: abortion is discussed) before moving on to uncover the staggering inequality of morality applied to women in country music versus that applied to men in country music. Tyler Mahan Coe takes you on a deep dive of songs banned from radio in the United States, outlining a strong case against the country music establishment's lopsided attitude toward its artists based on their gender. If your mind isn't blown by the evidence laid out here, then it's only because you're jaded, because, on some level, you've always known this is true and grown resigned to it as a reality in this world. Even then, your capacity for amazement may surprise you Recommended if you like: Kitty Wells, Webb Pierce, Jimmie Rodgers, Dixie Chicks, Conway Twitty, KT Oslin, Garth Brooks, Sunday Sharpe, Lorene Mann, Jeannie C. Riley, Hank Thompson and feminism. Also recommended if you don't like: Barbra Streisand. The companion blog post for CR 002 The Pill - containing information and links to songs, video clips, books and articles used for the episode - can be found at: https://cocaineandrhinestones.com/loretta-lynn-pill-ban You can always visit cocaineandrhinestones.com to run a search for you favorite country artists to see if they appear in an episode of Cocaine & Rhinestones. (This will be more accurate than relying on a search in your podcast app.)

Please, if you're a fan of country music, tell your friends that there is a new podcast about country music. If they don't like podcasts, the post for every episode on the site has a full transcript they can read instead. I don't believe there are any country music podcasts out there telling these stories but they deserve to be heard.

Thank you.

-TMC

There's a story behind every song, and often it's wilder than anything you could make up. Cocaine & Rhinestones: The History of Country Music digs into those stories, pulling back the sequined curtain on the genre's most fascinating and frequently misunderstood characters. Created and narrated by Tyler Mahan Coe, this podcast operates like a deep-cut research project brought to life, where myth and verified history collide. You'll hear about the schemes, the scandals, the brilliant artistry, and the sheer chaos that shaped the sound of American music. Each episode is built on a foundation of meticulous investigation, challenging the well-worn anecdotes you think you know. The result feels less like a lecture and more like you're being let in on a series of incredible secrets, told with a clear-eyed and compelling voice. This isn't a surface-level celebration; it's a raw, chronological excavation of the business, the personal demons, and the cultural shifts that left a permanent mark. For anyone curious about where the music really came from, this series connects the dots between the honky-tonk floor and the penthouse suite, revealing how country music's legacy was forged in equal parts genius and desperation. Settle in and let the stories unfold.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 35

Cocaine & Rhinestones: The History of Country Music
Podcast Episodes
BONUS: Cocaine & Rhinestones Season 1 Q&A [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:22:13
You might think, "How could anyone finish a season of a podcast like Cocaine & Rhinestones and have questions? That guy saturates every episode with details like he's getting paid by the fact." There's always more to kno…
CR014 - Ralph Mooney: The Sound of Country Music [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:25:40
The legendary pedal steel guitarist, Ralph Mooney, deserves the reputation he earned on his instrument. However, he deserves a lot more than that. This episode of the podcast backtracks to Bakersfield for a deeper examin…
CR013 - Rusty & Doug Kershaw: The Cajun Way [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01:12
Rusty & Doug come from a long tradition of surviving against the odds, against a world that would just as soon see you dead as see you succeed. Starting from nothing but a houseboat in Louisiana, they fought their way th…
CR012 - Wynonna [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:57:18
Some people think we have all these "authenticity tests" in country music. We don't. But, even if we did, Wynonna would pass them. From somehow surviving a childhood full of several types of abuse to a years-long reign o…
CR011 - Don Rich & Buck Owens, Part 2: Together Again [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:02:47
Words often fail to express the connection that can exist between two people. In the friendship of Don Rich and Buck Owens, our notions of reality itself may prove inadequate. With spacetime as our stage, we trip backwar…
CR010 - Buck Owens & Don Rich, Part 1: Open Up Your Heart [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:31:36
Whatever else is true about Buck Owens (and some of it certainly is), he brought hard country music to the world in a time when we desperately needed someone to do that. Sticking to that honky tonk sound from Bakersfield…
CR009 - Harper Valley PTA, Part 3: Tom T. Hall [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:33:25
Behind any story worth telling, you'll always find another story. Maybe if we can get behind some of Tom T. Hall's best stories, we'll find the story about who he is and how he's able to do what he can do with the Englis…
CR008 - Harper Valley PTA, Part 2: Jeannie C. Riley [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:15:14
Jeannie C. Riley's debut single sold over a million copies within ten days of being released but she never wanted to record the song. In the late '60s, Jeannie C. Riley became country music's most blatant sex symbol to d…
CR007 - Harper Valley PTA, Part 1: Shelby S. Singleton [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:28
You think all it takes to make a hit record is to find a good song and get a good performance of it? That's cute. Have a seat and let an old-school record man show you how it's done. This is Shelby Singleton. When it too…
CR006 - The Louvin Brothers: Running Wild [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:38:16
The way Charlie and Ira Louvin could sing together is downright otherworldly. There's even a special term we had to invent for family (it's always/only family) who can sing this way: blood harmony. This episode delves in…