Like Nashville In Naija: Nigeria’s Romance with Country Music, Yesterday and Today

Country music is big in Africa. Yes, we realize how absurd that probably sounds to most ears, but it’s really true: American country & western records have been tremendously popular and deeply beloved across the continent for almost a century. The people of the West African nation of Nigeria have long been not only voracious consumers of country music, but fairly enthusiastic performers of it as well. Cowboy songs have remained a consistent part of most bands’ live repertoire, but relatively few artists have dedicated themselves to actually recording country music. They did exist, though; mostly in the1970s and 80s, but they were rarely heard outside the country, and in the intervening years, most of their output has fallen through the cracks of posterity, forgotten even by ardent music fans at home. Until now. Like Nashville in Naija: Nigeria’s Romance with Country Music, Yesterday and Today collects some of the best country recordings as a loving tribute to Nigeria’s cowboy troubadours of yore. 1. The Seed of Love – Actor Alile 2. Concert Fever - Dedication 3. Emma Ogosi – Slave Drivers 4. Lidina Lole – Fred Donn 5. No More Love In This Town – Rennie Cottonheart  6. Sometime, Someday – Al Jackson 7. Another Day – Ogak Jay Oke 8. Baby You – Joe Nez 9. Roots – Henry Pedro 10. Hill Billy Man – Don Civic 11. Never Be In a Hurry – Stanley Edet, Jr.  12. Going Back To My Wife – Emma Ogosi 13. Dark as a Dungeon – Gnonnas Pedro 14. Midnight Sun – Henry Pedro 15. Come Right Back – Ofege 16. Believe in Me – Ed Jatto 17. Be In Your Arms – Poor Charley Akaa