The interesting thing aboutThe Voiceis watching what the goal is for the artist while they have this giant platform. Having a massive television opportunity, do they use it to jumpstart their career? Do they play to win, showcasing their voice to the best of its ability? Or, perhaps likeHailey Wright, she takes the opportunity to take her coach’s advice about the unique and special yodel in her voice and perform a song by one of country music’s female vocalist pioneers.
For her Knockout performance, she utilized the yodel thatKelsea Ballerinifound special in her voice and chose to sing “I Want to Be a Cowboy’s Sweetheart.” While some are aware of theLeAnn Rimescover that helped launch her career in 1994, the track was originally performed byPatsy Montana. Hailey’s decision to perform this track goes beyond just a talent competition. It was an opportunity to help teach viewers about the history of female country vocalists.
Hailey Wright Showcases Her Yodel on ‘The Voice’
During her run on Season 27 ofThe Voice, Hailey Wright brought a country sensibility that strayed away from what one might hear on modern country radio. In her initial Blind Audition, Hailey selected “Before the Next Teardrop Falls.” The 70s track had that Western sway that transported you another time. Earning a chair turn from Kelsea Ballerini andMichael Bublé, her ability to sing a classic in a very rich country tone proved that she was a unique artist. She wasn’t there to be the nextTaylor Swift. She knew where her voice fit in the world of country music. Then, during the Battles, the 19-year-old was paired up withJaelen Johnstonto duet on “Neon Moon” byBrooks & Dunn. She was literally compared toReba McEntire, again, for that throwback sound. While she did not win the Battle, her coach opted to save her, setting up one more performance for her run. During the Knockouts, she took the stage and sent us even further back in time with the Patsy Montana track, originally recorded in 1935. With the yodel in her heart,Hailey showcased where she fits in the world of country music.
The song, which has been covered numerous times, even onThe Voice, not only allows the artists to showcase their instrument but also reminds viewers of the power of the country yodel and where it came from. Her ability to discuss Patsy Montana, who wrote the song herself, during her video package, channel the legend, and allow her to show her personality was an incredible moment for the season. It was as if she was transporting us all to a rodeo in 1934 Texas. While the 19-year-old was not victorious, losing the Knockout to Jaelen Johnston,her coach noted that Hailey knows who she wants to be because of the song choice.She knows her way around her instrument and the unique elements modern country singers lack nowadays.
‘The Voice’ Has Completely Forgotten About Being Fair
So, what is ‘The Voice’ really about if the contestants are edited out?
The Impact of Patsy Montana Is Felt Nearly a Century Later
Her selection of the Patsy Montana song is quite powerful. Not only did she bring a smile to every coach’s face, but she captured the essence of the song with just enough flirt. The uptempo hoedown song tells the story of a woman longing for a cowboy.In an essay byStephanie Vander Wel, she wrote about Patsy Montana’s narrative that balanced being an independent cowgirl and the depiction of being the cowboy’s romantic interest. She wrote, “Framing the heroine’s desires for autonomy by means of heterosexual gender norms, the opening verse begins with the declaration ‘I want to be a cowboy’s sweetheart’ and ends with the same statement followed by ‘that’s the life that I love best.’ Yet within the opening verse, Montana does not elaborate upon the tropes of adult love. Instead, she paints a vivid picture of the cowgirl’s uninhibited pursuits of roaming the frontier andfurther elaborates upon the cowgirl’s wishes for the social freedoms associated with the ideals of Manifest Destinyin the middle verse, where she omits the title phrase and sings about riding ‘Old Paint” at a run with the “wind in [her] face’ and spending the evenings strumming her guitar and yodeling next to the sleeping herd of cows.” Then, from a musical perspective, the song is a celebration of the classic Alps yodel through a Western perspective. Not only was the song progressive, it was written in the middle of the Great Depression.
Historically speaking, it was included asone of the Top 100 Western songs of all timeand eventually added to the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry list.“I Want to Be a Cowboy’s Sweetheart” represents an important moment in country music thanks to the immense success Patsy Montana hadin the world of music in the 1930s. The hit allowedPatsy Montana to become the first woman in country music to sell more than a million copiesof a single.
There are certainly generations of female country artists who will honor Patsy Montana and how she pioneered the genre for the gender. But as time goes on, those artists soon take the mantle of accreditation. As the inspirations change over time, it’s likely that Patsy Montana’s name may be lost with time. By having the next generation of country singers celebrate her by not only performing her music but acknowledging her by name, it keeps the legacy alive.Hailey’s willingness to give credit to the original artist and not LeAnn Rimes is a powerful and important history lesson.Many female country singers have been inspired by LeAnn Rimes, who was inspired by Patsy Montana. Female country music would not be where it is had it not been for Patsy Montana. Having that brief moment of recognition onThe Voiceis monumental.
