Ray himself waded into the topic of immigration in 2023 with Jesus at the Taco Truck, written and performed with Shy Carter, about a man named Jesus with scars on his feet and hands from crossing the Rio Grande.

Did you hear it on the radio? Probably not. That’s because anything considered mainstream in the genre shies away from social commentary that doesn’t pass the sniff test of conservatism.

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[–] rhythmisaprancer@piefed.social 6 points 3 days ago

Country music isn't "waking up," it's just that there are a number of established artists who aren't participating in the mainstream. They have always been there, and there are just as many of them now as there were in 1978. The mainstream of country is the same as any other genre. There are all kinds of Hip Hop artists that didn't get heavy airplay in the 90s because the industry didn't want it, and the country music industry is no different now. So insular. No messages, all money.