Confederate Railroad Steams Into Kelly’s
Confederate Railroad once passed up a record contract, something that would have boosted it out of playing dive bars in front of a handful of people night after night.
The reason?
The country band, which plays Kelly’s at Stateline on Monday, didn’t want to compromise its sound and take the traditional route a la George Strait and Randy Travis, something the label was pushing it to do.
For a while, Confederate Railroad regretted that decision.
“There were several nights playing the clubs when you had 20 people there and thinking, ‘What did I do wrong? Why didn’t I take the deal?’ ” said singer Danny Shirley in a phone interview before the band’s last local appearance.
Turns out that was the smartest decision his band made, because Atlantic Records eventually came along and waved a fat contract in front of their faces.
Even better, Atlantic didn’t want to tamper with the band’s formula, a hybrid of honky tonk, rock and blues. Nor did the label want the band’s members to don silly country star costumes. Rugged denim was just fine.
So Confederate Railroad signed and the marriage has lasted through three albums, all of which have been commercial successes.
“The reason I jumped on the Atlantic offer the first day I met with Rick Blackburn (president of Atlantic Nashville),” recalled Shirley, “was that he said, ‘I don’t want to change the way you look, the way you act and the type of music you’re doing or anything.’ “
In 1992, Confederate Railroad delivered its eponymous first album. Shirley and company serenaded country radio with the single “Trashy Women” after ignoring Atlantic’s advice not to release it because a test group found the song offensive. The song was a Top 10 smash.
Many more hits followed, including “Queen of Memphis” and “Jesus and Mama.” Its first album went on to sell over 2 million copies and garnered the band an award for best new vocal group from the Academy of Country Music in 1993.
The band’s second album, “Notorious,” sold strongly as well, achieving golden sales. It featured the hits “Daddy Never was the Cadillac Kind” and “Elvis and Andy.”
The third, “When and Where,” hasn’t reached gold sales yet, but it’s close. The fourth single from the album, “See Ya,” went to country radio this week.
Expect to see the band in our neck of the woods in August or September when it’s out playing the county fairs. Last year the country band played the Spokane County Fair.
, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: COUNTRY Confederate Railroad performs at Kelly’s Monday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 general admission and are available at all G&B Select-a-Seat outlets.