Cocaine & Rhinestones

Last updated
Cocaine & Rhinestones
Cocaine & Rhinestones Podcast Cover.jpeg
Presentation
Hosted byTyler Mahan Coe
GenreHistory of country music, Music podcast
LanguageEnglish
Production
Ending theme"Cocaine", performed by Dick Justice (season 1)
"When The Roses Bloom Again", performed by Vernon Dalhart (season 2)
No. of episodes33
Publication
Original releaseOctober 24, 2017

Cocaine & Rhinestones is a podcast about country music history by Tyler Mahan Coe. The 14-episode first season debuted in October 2017. [1] The show received acclaim, [2] [3] and in early 2018 was the top music podcast on iTunes. [4]

Contents

Each episode focuses on some mystery about country music; [4] first season topics included the controversy over Loretta Lynn's recording of "The Pill", the meaning of Merle Haggard's "Okie from Muskogee", and the musical relationship of the Louvin Brothers. The show's exhaustively researched episodes present a glimpse inside the machinery of country music, tell colorful stories about recording artists, songs, and songwriters, and evaluate competing versions of the truth. [1] While the show is not overtly political, sexism in the country music industry is a recurring theme. [4]

Episodes can be longer than 90 minutes, and each features a "liner notes" commentary segment at the end, with Coe providing "clarifications and corrections" as well as bibliographical information. [1] In addition to hosting, Coe is the sole researcher, writer and producer, without outside sponsorship. [4] Coe said each episode in Season 1 took "about 100 hours" to complete. [5]

Coe is the son of country musician David Allan Coe and grew up in the industry. [6] [7] He was the rhythm guitarist for his father's band from the age of 15 until 2013, when the elder Coe fired the entire band "in a fit of pique". [1] In 2018, while working on the second season of the show, Coe was granted access to the archives of the Country Music Hall of Fame. [6] Season two, which focuses on George Jones, [8] debuted in April 2021, with episodes being released every two weeks. Coe also hosts the Your Favorite Band Sucks podcast alongside Mark Mosley. [9] The podcast's second season was adapted into a book, Cocaine & Rhinestones: A History of George Jones and Tammy Wynette, featuring illustrations by Wayne White, published in September 2024. [10]

Episodes

Season One

Ep. numberTitleLengthRelease date
1 Ernest Tubb: The Texas Defense48:57October 24, 2017
2The Pill: Why Was Loretta Lynn Banned?52:08October 31, 2017
3The Murder Ballad of Spade Cooley 1 hourNovember 7, 2017
4 Bobbie Gentry: Exit Stage Left1 hour and 44 minutesNovember 14, 2017
5Breaking Down Merle Haggard's "Okie from Muskogee"1 hour and 4 minutesNovember 21, 2017
6 The Louvin Brothers: Running Wild1 hour and 37 minutesNovember 28, 2017
7"Harper Valley PTA," Part 1: Shelby S. Singleton 1 hour and 11 minutesDecember 5, 2017
8"Harper Valley PTA," Part 2: Jeannie C. Riley 1 hour and 15 minutesDecember 12, 2017
9"Harper Valley PTA," Part 3: Tom T. Hall 1 hour and 32 minutesDecember 19, 2017
10 Buck Owens & Don Rich, Part 1: Open Up Your Heart1 hour and 31 minutesDecember 26, 2017
11Don Rich & Buck Owens, Part 2: Together Again1 hour and 58 minutesJanuary 2, 2018
12 Wynonna 1 hour and 57 minutesJanuary 9, 2018
13 Rusty and Doug Kershaw: The Cajun Way2 hours and 1 minuteJanuary 16, 2018
14 Ralph Mooney: The Sound of Country Music1 hour and 25 minutesJanuary 23, 2018
15Season One Q&A1 hour and 22 minutesFebruary 6, 2018

Season Two

Ep. numberTitleLengthRelease date
1 Starday Records: The Anti-Nashville Sound2 hours and 13 minutesApril 20, 2021
2 Owen Bradley's Nashville Sound 2 hours and 17 minutesMay 4, 2021
3 The Nashville A-Team 2 hours and 16 minutesMay 18, 2021
4 White Lightning 1 hour and 39 minutesJune 1, 2021
5Wandering Soul: George Jones, Starday Recording Artist1 hour and 30 minutesJune 15, 2021
6All to Pieces: George Jones, Phase II1 hour and 41 minutesJune 29, 2021
7 Pappy Daily, Gene Pitney and How George Jones Came to Be on Musicor 2 hours and 16 minutesJuly 13, 2021
8 Dallas Frazier: Can't Get There From Here2 hours and 1 minuteJuly 27, 2021
9Loneliness Surrounds: Virginia Wynette Pugh 1 hour and 43 minutesAugust 10, 2021
10 Stand by Your Man: The Anti-Feminist Manifesto1 hour and 54 minutesOctober 26, 2021
11Being Together: The George Jones & Tammy Wynette Story1 hour and 50 minutesNovember 9, 2021
12Loved It Away: Tammy Wynette, On Her Own1 hour and 35 minutesNovember 23, 2021
13 Billy Sherrill’s Nashville Sound2 hours and 48 minutesDecember 7, 2021
14Divorce/Death: He Stopped Loving Her Today, The Grand Tour & A Good Year for the Roses 2 hours and 14 minutesDecember 21, 2021
15Hell Stays Open All Night Long: George Jones, Phase III1 hour and 47 minutesJanuary 4, 2022
16Another Lonely Song: The Tammy Wynette & George Richey Story2 hours and 20 minutesJanuary 18, 2022
17Choices: George Jones' Last Run2 hours and 43 minutesFebruary 1, 2022
18Glenn1 hour and 36 minutesFebruary 15, 2022

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Danton, Eric R. (5 April 2018). "A Son of Country Music Is Exposing Its Hidden History One Amazing Story at a Time". Paste. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  2. Slaney, Rowan; Verdier, Hannah (2 February 2018). "Cocaine & Rhinestones: a country history lesson – podcasts of the week". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  3. Freeman, Jon (28 May 2018). "Hear 'Cocaine and Rhinestones' Host Tyler Mahan Coe on 'Walking the Floor'". RollingStone.com. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Deusner, Stephen M. (12 March 2018). ""Cocaine & Rhinestones" Is the Country Podcast You Need to Hear to Believe". Pitchfork. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  5. Freeman, Jon (4 April 2018). "'Cocaine and Rhinestones' Host Tyler Mahan Coe on Hit Country Podcast". RollingStone.com. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  6. 1 2 Larson, Sarah (7 March 2018). ""Cocaine & Rhinestones," an Addictive, Sparkling Podcast About Country Music". NewYorker.com. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  7. Machkovech, Sam (2018-12-23). "A few of our favorite podcasts in 2018, from new to new-to-us". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2022-12-24.
  8. Roberts, Randall (2021-04-22). "Music's best podcast stars a self-taught know-it-all talking about George Jones. For 30 hours". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 2021-04-22. Retrieved 2021-05-26.
  9. Kornelis, Chris (25 September 2018). "They Specialize in Cutting Your Favorite Music Down to Size". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2023-05-04.
  10. COCAINE AND RHINESTONES | Kirkus Reviews.