Did not know this. I do remember two young guys playing on the street one day around that time. The one song I remember was great, loved it. Asked what it was, they said Wagon Wheel

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Crow_Medicine_Show

One day the group were busking outside a pharmacy called Boone Drug—"playing on Doc’s old corner" where he'd "started playing in the 1950s" on King Street in Boone, North Carolina[3]—when the daughter of folk-country legend Doc Watson (d. May 29, 2012[33]) heard them.[n 6] Certain her father would be impressed, she led the blind musician over for a listen. The group "struck up 'Oh My Little Darling', a well-known old-time song they thought Doc would like." When they finished, he said: "Boys, that was some of the most authentic old-time music I've heard in a long while. You almost got me crying."[1] Doc invited the band to participate in his annual MerleFest music festival[n 7] in Wilkesboro, North Carolina[36] (for 2000).[12]:2000 As Secor puts it:

"Doc grew up playing on street corners and we played on the same street corners he did when we were first starting out in 1999. Doc came up to us while we were playing and offered us a job playing MerleFest. That gig changed our lives and we look to it as a pivotal turning point as Old Crow Medicine Show.[37]

Fuqua and Secor have written a song "about Doc Watson. About being on the corner in Boone and him discovering us. It honors Doc and the high country blues sound."[38]

I thought Darius Rucker buried OCMS?

IGgreer wrote:I thought Darius Rucker buried OCMS?

You must not care for Bluegrass

Saw them every semester at legends when I was at App before they hit it big. Every member plays every instrument at some point in their show. One of the many highlights of undergrad.

Oh, and I love country music, but Hootie ruined the song for me. Wagon Wheel is the Free Bird of this generation.

Gonzo wrote:Wagon Wheel is the Free Bird of this generation.

Sorry, not even close. Pretty good song though, Dylan sure knew how to write.

Dylan only wrote the chorus and never released it. Ketch Secor wrote all the verses so he deserves some credit.

appdaze wrote:

Gonzo wrote:Wagon Wheel is the Free Bird of this generation.

Sorry, not even close. Pretty good song though, Dylan sure knew how to write.

I was speaking more of te frequency and context of the song being played.

Gonzo wrote:Saw them every semester at legends when I was at App before they hit it big. Every member plays every instrument at some point in their show. One of the many highlights of undergrad.

Oh, and I love country music, but Hootie ruined the song for me. Wagon Wheel is the Free Bird of this generation.

I see what you're saying, but I'm not sure I'd go that far. Of course, it is the unofficial anthem of App State students both current and past.

ASUTed wrote:Dylan only wrote the chorus and never released it. Ketch Secor wrote all the verses so he deserves some credit.

I think they settled on a 50-50 split on the copyright, which seems a grown up way to handle it.

"Wagon Wheel is the Free Bird of this generation."

If true I feel for "this generation".

Kgfish wrote:"Wagon Wheel is the Free Bird of this generation."

If true I feel for "this generation".

The fact that you have to say "for this generation" kind of takes it out of the "Freebird" status (which has been a song for many generations).

Kgfish wrote:"Wagon Wheel is the Free Bird of this generation."

If true I feel for "this generation".

That's over-the-top. This generation will be fine. Those that criticize this generation should remember where it came from.

ASUMountaineer wrote:
That's over-the-top. This generation will be fine. Those that criticize this generation should remember where it came from.

Everyone I know from this generation that have ever heard anything from past generations, have even wondered where their "classic" music is. They don't see the freebirds, bohemian rhapsody's,Sgt Pepper, Stairway, etc.

Not saying they don't enjoy what they listen to, it just different. Maybe that's just the future, throw away music.

Maddog1956 wrote:

ASUMountaineer wrote:
That's over-the-top. This generation will be fine. Those that criticize this generation should remember where it came from.

Everyone I know from this generation that have ever heard anything from past generations, have even wondered where their "classic" music is. They don't see the freebirds, bohemian rhapsody's,Sgt Pepper, Stairway, etc.

Not saying they don't enjoy what they listen to, it just different. Maybe that's just the future, throw away music.

I'm not sure it's that simple. Yes, "popular" music today is horrible, but there is good music to be found today, you just have to know where to look. Most of it doesn't reach the airwaves, whereas previous generations saw a lot of their best music hit the airwaves. And, let's not act like previous generations didn't have their own crappy music--ABBA, Bee Gees, Flock of Seagulls, seriously?

Also, let's not go for the easiest measure. Legends like Skynyrd, Queen, and The Beetles are tough to beat for any generation.

Maddog1956 wrote:

Kgfish wrote:"Wagon Wheel is the Free Bird of this generation."

If true I feel for "this generation".

The fact that you have to say "for this generation" kind of takes it out of the "Freebird" status (which has been a song for many generations).

I was only quoting the writer. I doubt there is a consensus among this age group Wagon Wheel is the anthem of their generation.

ASUMountaineer wrote:

Kgfish wrote:"Wagon Wheel is the Free Bird of this generation."

If true I feel for "this generation".

That's over-the-top. This generation will be fine. Those that criticize this generation should remember where it came from.

The only thing "over the top" is comparing Wagon Wheel to one of the iconic rock songs of all time.

First of all, new poster here. As a recent ASU grad, I can say that Wagon Wheel, while perhaps not the Free Bird of this entire generation, is absolutely the Free Bird of our generation in the south, especially among college students. Obviously, they're completely different musically, but in terms of being an "iconic song", thats what it is.
As far as Rucker's version goes, it's not bad. However, I would say a majority of young people cringe when it comes on.

Wagon Wheel is an excellent song. I actually kinda like the Darius Rucker version but it can't come close to OCMS.

Biggest difference between Wagon Wheel and a song like Free Bird is that Wagon Wheel only holds that kind of iconic status here regionally, where as even yankees will sing along to Free Bird and pretend they're from the South.

If Wagon Wheel ever grew to hold that kind of esteem, it would be fine with me. Rooted in the High Country, hook written by Bob Dylan, this generation sure could do a LOT worse in choosing an anthem.

Kgfish wrote:

ASUMountaineer wrote:

Kgfish wrote:"Wagon Wheel is the Free Bird of this generation."

If true I feel for "this generation".

That's over-the-top. This generation will be fine. Those that criticize this generation should remember where it came from.

The only thing "over the top" is comparing Wagon Wheel to one of the iconic rock songs of all time.

Right. "Feeling" for the whole generation is completing level-headed.

ASUMountaineer wrote:

Maddog1956 wrote:

ASUMountaineer wrote:
That's over-the-top. This generation will be fine. Those that criticize this generation should remember where it came from.

Everyone I know from this generation that have ever heard anything from past generations, have even wondered where their "classic" music is. They don't see the freebirds, bohemian rhapsody's,Sgt Pepper, Stairway, etc.

Not saying they don't enjoy what they listen to, it just different. Maybe that's just the future, throw away music.

I'm not sure it's that simple. Yes, "popular" music today is horrible, but there is good music to be found today, you just have to know where to look. Most of it doesn't reach the airwaves, whereas previous generations saw a lot of their best music hit the airwaves. And, let's not act like previous generations didn't have their own crappy music--ABBA, Bee Gees, Flock of Seagulls, seriously?

Also, let's not go for the easiest measure. Legends like Skynyrd, Queen, and The Beetles are tough to beat for any generation.

Call me out of touch or square, but you had to be part of the generation to appreciate ABBA and the BeeGees. ABBA was loved in every country in the world. I'd love to have 1/10 of a cent for every album they sold and continue to sell. Hell, millions bought the albums if nothing but the album covers and saw ABBA live and lusted after Agnetha and Anna-Frid. I'll almost go as far as saying that you really have never had sex until you've been with a genuine Scandanavian blonde. They were classic. They were the ultimate international pop stars. What real man doesn't like scandanavian blondes?
You can't discount what hundreds of millions of fans of any generation loved and paid good money for.