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How Surprise Efforts Grow Country’s Fan Base and Evolve the Format
How surprising and unexpected creative efforts are growing country music's fan bas and evolving the format.
It can take all kinds of forms, be it an unpromoted album release, such as Eric Church ‘s 2015 project Mr. Misunderstood; an unannounced concert walk-on, as when Willie Nelson appeared onstage during an Oct. 11 performance by Chris Stapleton in Austin; or a simple fashion decision, a la Dolly Parton ‘s Dallas Cowboys cheerleader outfit during a Thanksgiving 2023 halftime show. Collaborations often create surprise, allowing both artists to maintain their sound while they develop a joint presence, as Pearce discovered in duet singles with Stapleton, Lee Brice and Ashley McBryde. When Little Big Town released “Pontoon” in 2012, the odd sound of the opening instrumental riff — a stinging combination of mandolin and a programmed keyboard — was such a cool surprise that listeners wanted to hear it over and over.
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