About the song
Few songs in modern country music have stirred as much conversation—and quiet contemplation—as **George Strait & Alan Jackson ~ “Murder on Music Row.”** This duet, originally penned by Larry Cordle and Larry Shell and later recorded by two of the genre’s most respected traditionalists, is both a lament and a protest. It speaks not just to changes in musical style, but to a cultural shift—a subtle mourning for a kind of artistry many listeners feel has been cast aside in favor of commercial gain.
**George Strait** and **Alan Jackson**, two stalwarts of neotraditional country, don’t just sing this song—they embody its message. By the time they recorded “**Murder on Music Row**” in 2000, both men had already become synonymous with authentic country sounds. Their decision to perform this song together was a quiet but powerful stand: a reminder that country music, at its heart, has always been about storytelling, emotional truth, and musical integrity.
The song opens with a metaphorical crime scene. “Someone killed country music,” it begins, and the tone is set—not with rage, but with mournful clarity. The lyrics call out, without naming names, the industry’s drift toward pop-infused productions, synthetic sounds, and formulaic lyrics. Steel guitars and fiddles—the very instruments that once gave country its twang and soul—are described as victims of this shift.
What gives this song its enduring power is the sincerity behind it. **Strait** and **Jackson** aren’t outsiders shouting from the margins; they are insiders mourning a tradition they’ve upheld for decades. Their voices, steady and unadorned, carry a weight of lived experience and deep respect for the genre’s roots. “**Murder on Music Row**” is not a bitter rant—it’s a ballad of remembrance, and in many ways, a call to preserve something precious.
Even decades later, the song continues to resonate, especially with older listeners who remember when country radio sounded different—more raw, more real. It speaks to a longing not just for a musical past, but for the values that music once upheld. In that sense, this song is more than a critique; it’s a eulogy—and, perhaps, a quiet rebellion.
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Lyrics
Nobody saw him runnin’ from 16th avenue
They never found the fingerprint or the weapon that was used
But someone killed country music, cut out its heart and soul
They got away with murder down on Music Row
The almighty dollar and the lust for worldwide fame
Slowly killed tradition, and for that someone should hang (oh, you tell them, Alan)
They all say “Not guilty” but the evidence will show
That murder was committed down on Music Row
For the steel guitars no longer cry, and the fiddles barely play
But drums and rock ‘n’ roll guitars are mixed up in your face
Ol’ Hank wouldn’t have a chance on today’s radio
Since they committed murder down on Music Row
They thought no one would miss it, once it was dead and gone
They said no one would buy them ol’
Drinkin’ and cheatin’ songs (I’ll still buy ’em)
Well, there ain’t no justice in it, and the hard facts are cold
Murder’s been committed down on Music Row
Oh, the steel guitars no longer cry, and you can’t hear fiddles play
With drums and rock ‘n roll guitars mixed right up in your face
Why, the Hag, he wouldn’t have a chance on today’s radio
Since they committed murder down on Music Row
Why, they even tell the Possum to pack up and go back home
There’s been an awful murder down on Music Row
