Country Music Treasure Hunt

One of  the awesome things about YouTube is that serves as an archive of live performances.   Today’s discussion asks you to find a great live performance from a country artist that others might not have seen.

Here’s all you need to do:

1. Find the YouTube clip

2. Copy the url and paste it into the comments

3. Add a “v” right after http, so “http://www.youtube.com….”  becomes “httpv://www.youtube.com…”

When you post the comment, the video will appear.   Don’t forget to add a brief comment before or after the video!

I’ll kick things off with a superstar performance of “Highwayman” by Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings & Kris Kristofferson.     I love the wave of applause that comes after each man starts singing, and how even in a group of superstar legends, Cash’s star power stands out.   He gets a longer ovation than any of them and quite a few people stand up once he starts singing, even though he’s been on stage the whole time.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWx0guPFJIo

49 Comments

  1. I like this topic it makes for alot of fun checking out other people’s great finds. There was a topic like this months ago and I had put one up but it had got taken off youtube two days later, but my some miracle it is back and I couldn’t be happier. I stumbled upon this while watching an Alone performce with Heart featuring Carrie Underwood and on the sid scroll I noticed this one that said Carrie Underwood – Heart ‘s “Alone” (fanclub party in Nashville 2007) and i cought my to see what goes on at those intimate parties so I checked it out. I was dumb founded by it I watched it about 10x and couldn’t find a flaw IMO. So I did some digging of others who have covered it Celine, Mariah, etc. and this was by far the best. IMO this is Carrie’s best performance I love that it is acoustic, and that is absolutely effortless for her, she really shoulld think of covering it.

    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sx9MU1qH9x4

  2. Two Gems from the johnny cash show, Roger Miller and Burl Ives

    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74uv5FmWu0w&feature=related

    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3l903r0RUSg&feature=related

  3. This is the reason that I fell in love with Miranda Lambert – back on the original Nashville Star, and just proves that even back then she was a great talent, and this was the song that I loved back then and is still one of my favorites – Greyhound Bound for Nowhere.

    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1BkdSeaEic

  4. Here’s a clip of Trisha Yearwood singing “Lying to the Moon” at a concert. She couldn’t remember the words, so she used the CD booklet as a reminder, but this clip shows just how breathtakingly beautiful her voice is, not to mention the high end of her range.

    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jVkn7i3BIE

  5. That video is of Jeffrey Steele playing “What Hurts The Most” in 2007. Dedicated to his son Alex who had passed away, the song sure took on more meaning and Steele’s in great voice here with a lot more passion than Rascal Flatts’ “The voice” could ever hope for.

  6. Obviously this was on TV and may have been seen by many people, but not enough.

    At the risk of sounding cliche’, Chris Knight is the real deal.

    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHGXtkSyFAg&feature=related

  7. Faith Hill’s live performance of “stronger”. One of her best songs, a song that should have been a single and a huge hit.

    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ltcxGshYYo

    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8cuxgc2RDg

  8. Linda Ronstadt and then-Eagle Bernie Leadon, with a very unplugged acoustic folk/country version of the Buddy Holly classic “It Doesn’t Matter Anymore”, from 1974:

    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXSoRpF3t9U

  9. I added a couple of great Trisha Yearwood videos a while back, the first is her in 1996 singing “You Dont Have To Move That Mountain” one of my favorite vocals ever from her, the second is another great performance from 2000 with her singing “Try Me Again”
    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90ub9mT1j20
    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OZaKcKRx1s

  10. httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioD7gp41GYU
    Keith Urban- The Devil Went Down to Nashville
    This just really shows off his amazing guitar skills

  11. Chris, I’ll see your Johnny Cash with the Muppets, and raise you Garth Brooks with the Muppets.

    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zw53Mi3uCWs

    Unfortunately, Youtube doesn’t seem to have his performance of “If I Were A Rich Man” from the same episode.

  12. Anderw, I totally remember watching this as a kid during its original airing. It was must see TV at my house! Isn’t this the episode where he sang the Tom Jones song, “It Ain’t Unusual” too?

  13. Man, Kevin. Brilliant idea. I like it.

    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fn6k9EDki3s

    Vince Gill’s CMA/ACM Award show performance of “Pocket Full of Gold” with Patty Loveless in the early ’90s.

    This performance is what made “Gold” my favorite Gill song. I just love how Vince and Patty come together and belt this one out. So damn country and you don’t get excellent stuff like this too often. I love the audience reaction. I wish country was this good these days.

  14. I just found this…Luke Bryan and Lady Antebellum…my 2 favorites!!!!

    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXDHmSLwJDs&feature=related

  15. One of my favorites from Sara Evans:
    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zg4TSlAoDuY

    Dolly’s very best performance of all time:
    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLpHnHOQ-vk

  16. I wish the recording was better, but this Miranda Lambert and Ashton Shepherd collaboration is cool!

    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFub1hNly1s

  17. Im not sure what this is from??TNN Music Awards? ACMs? no clue but its K.T. Oslin singing “Hey Bobby”
    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xtvgv6tSTic

  18. I know this is like my 3rd post and I dont mean to go crazy on the topic! But it is a great topic and I felt this video had to make it!!!
    It love it because of the wonderful vocal Trisha Yearwood gives on “I Dont Paint Myself Into Corners Anymore” but sadly as you can tell here Trisha had put on extra weight and since she was a female in the spot light I guess the shows producers felt they needed to keep the spotlight from her wasit up, not showing her lower half…..pretty pathetic treatment for such a talented star
    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCPonrkBkdM

  19. this performance by carrie underwood was amazing

    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsVCGMh60PY

    its I Know You Wont, you could see the crowd glike wooww when she hit hte high notes, it was just amazing

  20. Great topic!! I’m enjoying watchng all the videos. It’s always nice to be reminded of the incredible talent that is Trisha Yearwood – thanks for those videos.

    Here are two of my favoirites – both Keith Urban.

    I send people to this video when I want them to truly understand the man’s talent. A guitar covers medley – unbelievable –

    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GFFrDGeVS4

    This is an acoustic version of “Raining on Sunday” – I wasn’t at this particular show but 2008 was the first time I got to see him live and it won’t be the last.

    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mApv0_qO_O8

  21. I like this video because it seems like you are actually there watching the performance in person. At about the 1:50 mark Miranda comes up right in front of videographer, drops down on her knees and as she is singing “to a hammer everything looks like a nail” she starts slapping the floor with her hand. Like a hammer beating down a nail. You can actually hear her hand slap the floor. You can then hear her stomping her boot on the floor once she gets back up.

    Whoever took this video did a fantastic job. Not many live concert videos on YouTube are this good in quality. Of course not many country artists are as good as Miranda Lambert.

    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-czl4paSipY

  22. Great finds. I personally will be coming back to this post frequently, as I barely have time to enjoy one when another great one pops up. Keep em coming.

  23. What a great idea, unfortunately I couldn’t just leave one video… and tried to come up with a history of country music, well kinda. I would have needed endless hours of research to find even more interesting tidbits on youtube. And it is really hard to find videos that document music before the late 60s. (I tried to limit myself to 10 videos, and I know I’m missing out on some stuff, but you tell me.) Enjoy.

    Not a moving video, but Bob Wills (with Leon McAuliffe on stell gutar) belong here anyway. I used this song “Steel Guitar Rag” for many years to open my radioshow “Lonestar Cafe”.
    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6wz7p8VLfo

    The Daddy of ’em all – Hillbilly Shakespeare – unfortunately I can’t find a better video (live) of Hank. But a country video list must contain Hank.
    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=af9bbRTFPUY

    Bill Monroe – another father, this time of bluegrass music, with the standard “Uncle Pen”
    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2XT9u7iw9o

    Loretta Lynn – Coalminer’s Daughter – oh yeah baby
    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9THvjcohqVg

    The quality is not really there, but this is a really rare moment of musical history on youtube. Emmylou and Gram live – this defines me as the cosmiccowboy that I am.
    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Y7PB7XvIfQ

    I had to include this, even though it also contains interview pieces, but Merle and George have to be in this list as well.
    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRDMJb74g2w

    Waylon – ’nuff said, with a song by Steve Young, the same guy who wrote “Seven Bridges Raod” (recorded by the Eagles)
    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V13y7n49yfU

    After a long time of awful country pop (with some exceptions, thanks to early Reba, Ricky and George) in 1986, finally country music came back with a vengeance and established Steve Earle, Dwight Yoakam and Randy Travis. “Diggin’ Up Bones”, one of the best songs of his debut album, Storms Of Life, which in itself belongs in every country music collection.
    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDBZZG9rmrk

    The Man In Black in his last a probably most powerful video. That he covers a Nine Inch Nails song, here, shows how Cash throughout his career always tried to broaden the appeal, was it with Silverstein, Kristofferson, Dylan, Springsteen or whom ever he choose to make their songs his own…
    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmVAWKfJ4Go

    This guy is the hope that there will be country music in the future, well there are others too, but it’s not Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift or some other teenies that have no clue, what country music is and esentially was. Sorry for that rant. .
    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBk07l2aKrE

  24. Here’s an amazing one of Gary Stewart singing his biggest hit, “She’s Acting Single, I’m Drinking Doubles.” It’s not my favorite of Stewart’s songs but he really throws himself into the performance.

    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9893od03Sc

  25. Proof that many of today’s female country singers could learn a thing or two from the ultimate West Coast outsider, here are two more from Linda Ronstadt:

    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOYNejKZLb0
    “I Can’t Help It If I’m Still In Love With You” (from Dolly Parton’s first TV show–1976)

    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ks6bjnX8c0k
    “Crazy” (Jimmy Carter Inaugural Gale–January 1977)

  26. httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWsI1C05y80

    This has become one of my favorite songs in recent years. I stumbled across this performance when I searched Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson on youtube and I can’t stop playing it! It’s amazing and I love them now! I have to thank this site for exposing me to this amazing duo!

  27. This is a song that Patty and Emory wrote, from her Strong Heart album…”You Don’t Get No More”…

    Love the Bluesy sound…actually this live performance is a little better than the album version, the intro of the album version is overdone with slide guitar. , and Patty really belts it out on this one. Strong Heart indeed.

    I love the line..”You only got one soul, and that’s a fact, you sell it to the Devil and you don’t get it back, You don’t get no more…” Classic, blues style lyrics.

    And note to CF…EXCELLENT Choice with Vince and Patty’s Pocketful of Gold…I was thinking about posting that one as well..Patty and VInce are so great together…what a perfect Country vocal team! And I agree with all your comments about the video as well…Simply breathtaking, and the audience ate it up!

  28. The Linda Ronstadt posts above made me think of this clip from ‘The Johnny Cash Show.’ Story goes that Linda turned up for the show not wearing underwear. When June Carter found out she made someone go out and buy a pair for her before she’d let Linda go onstage with Johnny.

    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6_yITlRQ1Q

  29. Ok I found a few more that I wanted to share!

    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IT6uVNv1ous
    I heard this song on XM a few weeks ago and I immediately saved it onto my radio and I listen to it everyday on my way to and from work because it’s just amazing! I love Sarah’s raspy voice and this song is just great! One of my favorite songs!

    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lf50q9N2R4A
    When I first heard this song, I was blown away! Dierks could not have picked a better duet partner than miss Sarah Buxton. I love how their raspy vocals blend together so well. It’s a great song and probably one of my favorites from Dierks.

    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk1nw4Uoxig
    By far my favorite Keith Urban song! Every time I see him in concert, I always look forward to hearing this song. The extended version is amazing and his performance of the song is always awesome! I don’t understand how he hasn’t won Entertainer of the Year more than once.

  30. Frequent commenter, JarHeadDad’s computer doesn’t agree with this thread, so he sent me his “treasure” via email. It’s Randy Travis and Carrie Underwood’s versions of “I Told You So” spliced together as a duet:

    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJ5b6ZlVhJM

  31. It’s a great rendition Leeann. When’s the review coming? :P Here’s another great one. The recording is a bit off, but it’s from a concert performance of “Praying For Time” and Carrie sounds phenomenal. Starting at 2:15 when she adlibs, there are no words to describe how great it is.

    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grhjwwLDoH8

  32. Here’s a good one from Mr. Glen Campbell, doing the Buck Owens classic “Truck Drivin’ Man” bluegrass/roadhouse style on a 1965 episode of “Shindig” (Leon Russell is on piano here):

    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDPUjwTRf-E

  33. Sara and her sister Leslie doing “In the Pines” and “Jolene.” LOVE THEM!!

    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGZbzxk4y08&feature=related

    A little more of “In the Pines.” This time with little sister Ashley…

    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbSSBXFHUWw&NR=1

  34. One of my top favorites: Skeeter Davis, one of the queens of country, with her signature song.

    “The End of the World”

    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zQ1repfXVM

    the video dates probably from 1963.

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