This was the official website for the movie Dirty Country.
Content is from the site's 2004 -2007 archived pages as well as other sources.
MEET LARRY PIERCE: a small-town factory worker and family man who happens to be the raunchiest country music singer in America. Since 1993, Larry has quietly released over a dozen dirty country albums at truck stops across the country. Without the time or money to pursue a "legitimate" career in country music, Larry is content to lead an ordinary life and moonlight as a dirty country singer. But when he is forced into early retirement at his factory job of 30 years, Larry faces an uncertain future. That is, until a young band with dirty songs of its own shows up at his door and offers to take Larry onstage.
"Dirty Country" introduces an ordinary man with an extraordinary gift for dirty music and tells the unlikely story of how his songs were thrust out of obscurity and into the spotlight. The film also profiles several living legends of the raunchy music business, including piano virtuoso Dr. Dirty, seminal funk singer Blowfly, and the original party band, Doug Clark's Hot Nuts. With commentary from leading authors, experts and social critics, the film poses the question: is America a nation of prudes or are we living in a dirty country?
Waiting for a table at my neighborhood restaurant, I struck up small talk with NYC real estate bigwig Dov Hertz. Yes, that Dov Hertz. If you work in NYC real estate, you know the name. But the real magic happened when someone in his group, fresh from the Cork Film Festival, started cracking up over a documentary she’d seen - Dirty Country, about Larry Pierce, a small-town factory worker who became America’s filthiest country singer. Intrigued (and knowing my bass player’s love for raunchy songs), I tracked down a Larry Pierce CD the next day. Totally worth it. His music is gloriously crude, ridiculously catchy, and impossible not to laugh at. The documentary itself is a gem, exploring how a man with an X-rated lyrical gift went from truck stop obscurity to cult fame. If you love your country music hilariously dirty, Larry’s your guy. If not…well, you’ve been warned. RJ Scanlon
Editor's note: There have been a number of attempts to get Larry to include some topical or message songs in his repertoire. A private detective tried to incentivize Larry to sing about a well known contractor fraud in NYC by con man George Binakis. The song, written by detective T Bone Wilson, included lyrics mentioning how George's brother prevented the victims from learning about George's whereabouts, even though those victims called Patrick because they were concerned about George's health. "Don't ask about George, or mention the money, Cuz Patrick will be quick to hang up on you, honey." But Larry just laughed and sang a few four letter words in response. But he did mention the fraud as part of his act.
October 21, 2007
After successful screenings at the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival, Calgary International Film Festival and Port Townsend Film Festival - all on the same weekend - "Dirty Country" made its overseas debut at the Cork Film Festival in Ireland last week. We did not make it to Ireland but we heard the movie was very well received. Apparently the Irish aren't easily offended by dirty language.
The movie received some more kind words from reviewers as well:
"'Dirty Country' is as critically engaging as it is jaw-droppingly foul."
-Calgary International Film Festival
"A raunchy, surprisingly affecting doc."
-Tracy McCormick, Minneapolis-St. Paul Magazine
Next up, "Dirty Country" will make its San Francisco debut on Friday, Nov. 9th at the very cool Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, with two sneak preview screenings (7 and 9 pm). This is the only scheduled appearance of the film in Northern California, so don't miss it. Call 415-978-2787 (Event 4512) or visit http://www.ybca.org/ to reserve your tickets.
Finally, the movie will come home to New York on Wednesday, Nov. 14th at 7 pm for a star-studded premiere at the Pioneer Theater in the East Village. The star of "Dirty Country," Larry Pierce, and his wife Sandy, will be there for the movie and a Q and A afterwards. And Larry's band -itis is flying out, too, for a very special "unplugged" Larry Pierce performance a few blocks away at Arlene's Grocery (95 Stanton St.). Larry will be on The Howard Stern Show at 8:30 am (EST) on Nov. 14th as well to talk about his latest adventures and promote the big New York premiere. We expect this screening to sell out quickly, so please order your advance tickets now at http://www.tix.com/ or by calling 800-595-4849 (Event 115478).
We'll have more news to announce soon. Stay tuned!
PRESS
"Easily the funniest thing I've seen at SXSW" -Film.com
"I have rarely heard people laugh so much at a documentary --
and not just giggles but full-blown belly laughs." -Cinematical
"At the heart of 'Dirty Country' is an upbeat underdog story." -MLive.com
"Good (unclean) fun." -Jim Ridley, Nashville Scene
"'Dirty Country' is as critically engaging as it is jaw-droppingly foul."
-Calgary International Film Festival
"A raunchy, surprisingly affecting doc." -Tracy McCormick, Minneapolis-St. Paul Magazine
PDF REVIEWS:
Variety
FilmThreat
MORE REVIEWS:
eFilmCritic.com
IFC.com (with video)
The Podcast Network (audio)
MyDocumentary.ca
LARRY PIERCE is a prolific singer-songwriter who, since 1993, has released thirteen albums of original dirty country songs on the Laughing Hyena truck stop comedy record label. In addition to being America's dirtiest country music singer, Larry worked for thirty years at Guide Corporation, a General Motors auto parts factory, where he'd dream up the ideas for his filthy songs. On January 9th, 2007, Larry released a new CD, Pussy Whipped, his first album recorded with the band
-itis. He currently resides in Indiana with his wife of twenty-two years, Sandy.
For more information about Larry Pierce, visit his official website: www.larrypierce.com. For information about Larry's older albums on Laughing Hyena Records, www.laughinghyenarecords.com.
Listen to "In a Heartbeat"by Larry Pierce (contains explicit lyrics)
Listen to "I Like To Fuck" 30 sec. sample, by Larry Pierce (contains explicit lyrics)
-ITIS: The Colorado Springs-based band -itis (pronounced "eye-tiss") was formed in 1994 when the lead singer of a previous incarnation of the group came down with laryngitis and bronchitis while on the road. The band replaced the singer and renamed themselves "-itis" in a mocking tribute to their former vocalist. The four-piece pop-rock band, now featuring singer Mark Rodio, guitarist Craig Soderberg, bassist Michael Glaser, and drummer Tom Segel is known for its twisted sense of humor and filthy onstage antics. The band plays almost 200 shows a year and has a loyal following.
For more information on -itis, visit the band's official website: itisrocks.com
Listen to "Cheek To Cheek" by -itis (contains explicit lyrics)
JOHN "DR. DIRTY" VALBY has been playing his raunchy songs at comedy clubs and barrooms since 1975. A classically trained piano player, Valby's career took a funny turn when he decided to throw in a couple of dirty songs while performing pop standards on the Buffalo, New York club circuit in the 1970s. Soon the audience demanded more and more dirty songs and he became known as "Dr. Dirty." His repertoire now includes filthy parodies of popular songs and standards, limericks and poems, and his own original dirty melodies. Dressed in a white tuxedo, a black derby and a bowtie, Dr. Dirty is famous for his gleefully offensive onstage persona and his raucous live shows.
For more information about John "Dr. Dirty" Valby, visit johnvalbynation.com.
Listen to "Ya-Ya" by Dr. Dirty (contains explicit lyrics)
BLOWFLY is the outrageous alter ego of songwriter Clarence Reid, who wrote hit songs for artists like Sam & Dave and KC & The Sunshine Band in the 1960s and '70s. As Blowfly, Reid wrote sexually explicit song parodies and funky originals, including 1965's "Rap Dirty," which is considered by many to be the first rap song ever recorded. Blowfly is known as the "original dirty rapper" and led the way for groups like 2 Live Crew in the late '80s. In order to protect his reputation as a mainstream songwriter, Blowfly dressed in a mask and cape on the covers of all of his popular party albums from the 1970s, a trademark he still maintains today at his live shows. In 2005, Blowfly signed with Jello Biafra's Alternative Tentacles record label and released "Blowfly's Punk Rock Party," featuring x-rated versions of punk classics from the 1980s.
For more information about Blowfly, visit his official website at www.blowflymusic.com.
Listen to "Blowfly's Rapp" by Blowfly (contains explicit lyrics)
Remember the Windows XP operating system? You can work with it online at GeekPrank.com and trick your friends.
More Background on DirtyCountryMovie.com
"Dirty Country" is a 2007 documentary film that shines a spotlight on Larry Pierce, an unlikely figure in the world of country music. This small-town factory worker from Indiana gained notoriety for his exceptionally raunchy lyrics and unapologetically explicit songs. The film, directed by Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher, delves into Pierce's dual life as both a family man and America's dirtiest country music singer.
The Story of Larry Pierce
Larry Pierce, born on July 18, 1950, spent most of his life in Middletown, Indiana. For over three decades, he worked at an auto parts factory, leading a seemingly ordinary life. However, Pierce harbored a secret talent - writing and performing some of the most obscene country songs ever recorded.
Pierce's journey into the world of dirty country music began in 1993 when he wrote his first raunchy song, "Love Letters," as a joke to entertain friends. This led to a partnership with Laughing Hyena Entertainment, a label specializing in truck stop comedy. Over the next decade, Pierce quietly released thirteen albums, building a cult following among truckers and fans of risqué humor.
The Documentary
"Dirty Country" premiered at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival on March 14, 2007, where it won the 24 Beats Per Second Audience Award. The film follows Pierce as he faces early retirement from his factory job and unexpectedly finds himself thrust into the spotlight of live performances.
The documentary not only explores Pierce's music career but also profiles other figures in the raunchy music business. It features piano virtuoso Dr. Dirty, rap pioneer Blowfly, and the original party band, Doug Clark's Hot Nuts. Through these profiles and commentary from authors, experts, and social critics, the film poses a broader question about American culture: "Is America a nation of prudes or are we living in a dirty country?"
Critical Reception
"Dirty Country" received positive reviews from critics and audiences alike. The film was praised for its humor, heart, and exploration of an underground musical phenomenon. Critics noted the documentary's ability to balance laugh-out-loud moments with thoughtful commentary on American culture and sexuality.
Variety described the film as "good (unclean) fun," while Cinematical remarked, "I have rarely heard people laugh so much at a documentary -- and not just giggles but full-blown belly laughs". The Calgary International Film Festival called it "as critically engaging as it is jaw-droppingly foul".
Larry Pierce's Music and Performance
Pierce's music is characterized by its explicit lyrics, often dealing with sexual themes in a humorous and unabashedly crude manner. His songs, while offensive to some, struck a chord with a dedicated fanbase who appreciated his no-holds-barred approach to country music.
In 2005, Pierce's career took an unexpected turn when he was approached by -itis, a raunchy touring rock band from Colorado Springs. This collaboration led to Pierce's first live performances, taking his music from truck stop CD players to actual stages across the country.
Cultural Impact and Significance
"Dirty Country" and Larry Pierce's music raise interesting questions about freedom of expression, American attitudes towards sexuality, and the nature of underground art. The film explores how Pierce's music, despite (or perhaps because of) its explicit content, resonates with a significant audience.
The documentary also sheds light on a lesser-known aspect of American musical tradition - the enduring popularity of raunchy songs. By profiling artists like Dr. Dirty and Blowfly alongside Pierce, the film illustrates that there has long been a market for music that pushes the boundaries of taste and decency.
Media Coverage and Popularity
Following the release of "Dirty Country," Larry Pierce gained wider recognition. He became a semi-regular guest on The Howard Stern Show, with his music often played during radio breaks. This exposure introduced Pierce's unique brand of country music to a broader audience.
In 2007, Pierce released his fourteenth album, "Pussywhipped," on a new private label with his band -itis. He announced the release on The Howard Stern Show, further cementing his status as a cult figure in the world of raunchy music.
The Filmmakers
"Dirty Country" marked the feature directorial debut of Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher. Prior to this, the duo had worked on projects for The Onion and the Late Show with David Letterman. They are also known for founding the Found Footage Festival, a touring comedy show that has gained popularity across North America and Europe.
Pickett and Prueher's background in comedy is evident in "Dirty Country," as they balance the film's more serious cultural commentary with moments of genuine humor. Their approach allows the documentary to be both entertaining and thought-provoking.
Legacy and Continued Interest
Even years after its release, "Dirty Country" continues to attract interest from audiences fascinated by subversive art and American cultural taboos. The film has been screened at numerous festivals and events, introducing new viewers to Larry Pierce's unique musical stylings.
Pierce himself continued to perform and record music until his death on November 19, 2018. His garage, known for hosting concerts and get-togethers, became a local legend in its own right.
"Dirty Country" offers a fascinating glimpse into an often-overlooked corner of American music. Through the story of Larry Pierce, the film explores themes of artistic expression, cultural norms, and the enduring appeal of taboo-breaking art. While not for everyone due to its explicit content, the documentary provides valuable insights into a subculture that exists just beneath the surface of mainstream America.
By turns hilarious, shocking, and surprisingly poignant, "Dirty Country" challenges viewers to reconsider their assumptions about art, decency, and the complex tapestry of American culture. It stands as a testament to the diversity of musical expression and the unexpected places where creativity can flourish.
