A major drawing power of Country Music is the fan-friendliness and accessibility of (most of) it’s stars. Whether it’s a major headliner like Rascal Flatts or a still wet-behind-the-ears fresh-out-of-the-local-bar-circuit newbie with a new recording deal, most fans have a chance to meet their favorite artists at some point. Unlike any other genre of music, country singers “get it.” They realize the fans are what will make or break their career, and they are willing to go the extra mile to earn as many new fans as possible.
The recent emergence of social networking sites such as MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter helps bring fans that much closer to the artists. MySpace got things started by giving fans a chance to explore new music and socialize with other fans of the same artists. Facebook then took over as the premier social networking site, where artist pages quickly popped up, giving fans yet another outlet to get the latest news. The emergence of twitter, however, has in some cases erased the line that kept fans just out of reach of the artist.
Several artists will actually interact with their fans personally on twitter. Whether it be smart-ass, R rated remarks from a star like Blake Shelton or all out conversations with new up-and-comers that you’ve never heard of (trust me), Twitter is a Country Music Fan’s dreamland of interaction.
I will conclude this blog with first a list of Country Artists I’ve personally interacted with over the past year and a half on twitter, followed by a list of others that you can follow and possibly interact with. A majority of accounts are run by and used by the artists themselves (unlike their MySpace and Facebook pages, where Artist Management does most of the postings). I will note when an account is Management Run instead of it being the artist themselves. If you’re unfamiliar with how to use twitter, it’s easy and free…there are tutorials on the twitter site that will give you the basics (it will also explain why there’s an @ symbol in front of the names below).
Artists I’ve personally interacted with on Twitter:
@AnthonySmithHQ (Anthony Smith – “If That Ain’t Country”)
@BigKennyTV (Big Kenny of Big & Rich)
@billycurrington
@blakeshelton
@bryankbuchanan (Bryan Keith Buchanan, local artist – funny dude, personal friend)
@ClayWalker
@jamesotto
@JMCOfficial (Jason Michael Carroll)
@TheJoshThompson
@joshgracin (he scolded me for making fun of his hair at ’10 Rib Roundup, all on twitter while I sat there watching the next act)
@jodeemessina
@KevinFowler
@LauraBellBundy
@LuckyManEddie (Eddie Montgomery from Montgomery Gentry)
@Followtheblonde (Melissa Peterman from Reba, The Singing Bee)
@RyanWeberMusic
@TrailerChoir
@WhitneyDuncan
Also on twitter:
@JM2Squared (John Michael Montgomery)
@BuddyJewell (not always him tweeting though)
@jsandthegrove (Jonathan Singleton)
@RamblerGang (local Southern Rock band Rambler…personal friends)
@Crystal_Hoyt (Crystal from Trailer Choir)
@trentwillmon (may not be artist run often)
@T_RoyMG (Troy Gentry of Montgomery Gentry, rarely tweets)
@FollowShania (Management-Run account)
@blainelarsen
@bryan_white
@rickmonroe
@joeyandrory
@shedaisy
@TWmikeG (Mike from Gloriana)
@leebrice (Management-Run account)
@thebandperry
@jrodfromoz (Jerrod Niemann)
@catherinebritt
@RachReinert (Rachel from Gloriana)
@Clint_Black (he’s just getting into it)
@Mark_WillsMusic
@eastoncorbin
@bradyseals (might be Management-Run, rarely tweets)
@MarkChesnutt
@JaronATLRTL (Jaron and the Long Road to Love)
@oakridgeboys
@malloryhope
@EliYoungBand
@thomasgossin (Tom from Gloriana)
@RodneyAtkins (mostly Management-Run, rarely tweets)
@taylorswift13 (yup, it’s really her)
@johnrich
@glorianatheband
@BradPaisley (very entertaining and always Brad himself)
@RandyHouser (Management-Run mostly)
@juliannehough
@JoeNichols (Management-Run)
@cmorganmusic (Craig Morgan)
@reba (yup, it’s really Reba McEntire tweeting)
@Miranda_Lambert
@jeweljk (Jewel, occasionally gives stuff away too…I won free concert tix from her)
@martinamcbride (frequent tweeter!)
@kelliepickler
@RhettAkins (seems to have given up on twitter)
@chuckwicksmusic
@gw27 (Gretchen Wilson, Management-Run, rarely tweets)
@ladyantebellum (usually Management-Run, but they occasionally jump on themselves)
@leeannwomack and @LAWSOCIALCLUB (both run by her and her sister)
@emilywestmusic
@TheTimMcGraw (Management-Run)
@jakeofficial (Jake Owen, frequent tweeter)
@zacbrownband (usually Management-Run)
@heidinewfield
@KAcom (Keith Anderson, usually Management-Run)
@JackIngram
@LukeBryanOnline (usually Management-Run…I think he’d be great if he did it himself)
@sarahbuxton
@JimmyWayne
@jesseleemusic
@JayDeMarcus (of Rascal Flatts)
@LNTweet (Love and Theft)
@DierksBentley (sometimes it’s Management-Run)
@AshleyRayMusic
@darrylworley
@Jeff_Bates (usually Management-Run)
@dariusrucker (Management-Run)
@buckycovington (mostly Management-Run)
@AshtonShepherd (mostly Management-Run)
@JustinColeMoore
@joshturnermusic (Management-Run)
@LBTmusic (Little Big Town, tweets often)
@davidnail (personally find him annoying, but it’s him…tweets a lot)
@bomshel
@ShannaCrooks
@TerriClarkMusic
@billyraycyrus
@steveazar
@saraevansmusic (sometimes Management-Run)
@ChrisYoungMusic
@julieroberts1
@Jason_Aldean
@ashleymonroe
@jessicaharp
@jamesharrisongs (fastryde)
@chadbrock
@amber_leigh (local star)
So are you on twitter? Who have you had interactions with? Tell us about your experiences with Country Stars on Social Networks!