Bloglander

There are a lot of great things about country music, from the narrative-style of songwriting that thrives in the genre to how good most country artists treat their fans. But there is a scourge upon the country landscape and that scourge is "bro-country."

Consider the show Northern Quest Resort & Casino announced today a welcome dose of "girl power" for country fans as Jennifer Nettles drops by Spokane March 4 to headline the CMT Next Women of Country Tour. Tickets range from $65 to $95 and go on sale Saturday at 8:30 am via the resort's website. 

Nettles is no up-and-comer, having established herself as co-founder of Sugarland and by racking up more than 22 million album sales since 2004, winning Grammy, ACM and CMA awards and performing with the diverse likes of Beyonce, Bon Jovi and Lady Gaga. 

What caught my eye in this lineup is the next name on the bill. Brandy Clark has earned many accolades of late for co-writing Kacey Musgraves' "Follow Your Arrow," and earlier this year was nominated for Grammys for Best New Artist and Best Country Album for her debut album, 12 Stories. While many non-country fans didn't know her before the Grammy ceremony, her performance with Dwight Yoakam was one of the highlights of the show: 

Hold My Hand by Dwight Yoakam with Brandy Clark Grammys 2015 Performance from None V on Vimeo.

The other "next women" featured at the show are Lindsay Ell, a 26-year-old Calgary native who was named one of Rolling Stone magazine's "10 Artists You Need to Know," and Tara Thompson, a Tennessee native who is currently recording her debut album after making noise in Nashville songwriting circles.