Why I Don't Listen To Country Music.

[jaycat]

Probably my own ignorance. Like believing FDR and Kennedy were saints and the current crop are crooks, when in fact.....

Oh, probably you just haven't been around long enough. I'll have to check that other Old F*rts thread to see if you made the cut.

[Timbofood]

They're all crooked as a dogs hind leg!

[MikeEdgerton]

If y'all want to discuss music we're good with that, if you want to discuss politics then we aren't. It's a big old Internet, feel free to take that conversation elsewhere.

[Charley wild]

I go back to the mid-40's listening to Country music; listening to my Grandmother's Gene Autry and Hank Snow 78's when I was barely out of diapers. I lament the condition of Country music today for sure! BUT I'm not sure just where Country music was SUPPOSED to go. I think it has ended up right where it was headed or it wouldn't have ended up there. Chet has been labeled a kind of bad guy by many but he was a savior to many more. I hesitate to point fingers as I'm not just sure who to point them at. Somebody please tell me where they think Country music should be as opposed to where it is today, and how it was supposed to get there. Remember, they do the playing but we do the buying!
PS Almeria Strings, thanks for the Buck Owens videos! Don Rich is one of my all time heroes!

[jdchapman]

"...At what point did Country music go "wrong"?"

Possible Answers:
(1) That time when Ralph Peer tarted everybody up
(2) Drums
(3) That time when Chet Atkins tarted everybody up
(4) Lee Greenwood
(4) Except Strawberry Wine was pretty solid

This seems like a weird conversation to be having. It's more about commercial radio being lousy than "country" which it surely is. Everybody I know under my age just listens to Pandora, etc.

Today, I walked up on two of my students--neither U.S. born--watching a video of Donna Fargo. I am not too worried.

[Timbofood]

Good point Mike, I apologize for the curve thrown.
JD, that's probably more the issue, the radio stations are under pressure to push what they are given. Pandora has become a bigger source for music for me than I had ever thought it would. They also have less commercials on the free one than regular radio too! No, they don't have everything but, more of what I want than commercial radio. I must say I listen to bluegrass country. org a lot too.

[Jeff Mando]

"...At what point did Country music go "wrong"?"

Possible Answers:

(4) Lee Greenwood

Ya gotta love a guy who milks one song into a 40-year career!

[journeybear]

Ya gotta love a guy who milks one song into a 40-year career!

Yeah, like Rick Springfield with "Jessie's Girl." (OK, issuing non-country disclaimer.) Came up last night as a sunset cruise boat passed by as we were playing on the pier last evening, and their band was playing a lousy version of that old warhorse. Every time he shows up on TV he has to do that song, even if he's flogging his latest album. Then he'll have to do a song from that but still do "Jessie's Girl." Personally, I wouldn't mind that. That's a whole lot more than the vast majority of performers get from their careers. I'd suffer with a smile on my face.

BTW, that's how the title is spelled, even though it's wrong - "Jessie" is short for "Jessica," a girl's name; "Jesse" is a boy's name. Doesn't seem to bother too many people, other than me.

Oh, and actually, no, you don't. Can't stand Lee Greenwood, or that song, then or now. Each to one's own.

[Bertram Henze]

I don't know where to put this, but it seemed very American to me *, at the time; is that even CM?



* maybe that's because so many cliches from Grant Wood paintings are used in the video - especially the elderly lady in the blue polka-dot dress.

[journeybear]

Yes sir, that's country music - more or less. As I said earlier, Mister Chester played and recorded with an amazing variety of musicians. Listening to this, I am reminded that, to his credit, he tended to meet them in the middle, blending the different styles of his collaborators and himself. In so doing, they created music that would fit in either of their catalogues, but was also something new. That's no easy feat. I see that as treating them with consideration and respect, as well as being willing to explore the possibilities of the guitar and what such collaborative efforts may provide. Whatever else he may or may not be responsible for having done with or to country music, he was one of the all-time great guitarists.

[Timbofood]

I like both of chest collaboration albums, "Chester and Lester" and the one with Mark Knopfler, both fascinating, and fun.
Loved the bit with Les Paul:
Les- Chet, ever hear of Mel Bay?
Chet- Yeah, writes guitar books.
Les- Let's get some!

[allenhopkins]

I like both of [Chet's] collaboration albums...

Also Nashville String Band with Homer & Jethro:

[Timbofood]

Pretty cool Allen.

[Eddie Sheehy]

When I was growing up in Ireland I was bombarded by Country and Western music being played by SHOWBANDS... it was godawful... I found a refuge in Bluegrass...

[journeybear]

Come on, admit it - to find refuge, you fled the country altogether! I can see - and hear - why. And the web site for that horror is IrishCountryMusic.com!

[Dave Wrede]

I haven't really listened to any music radio in years. Thank God (or fill in the blank) for my MP3 player (no ipod for me).
rant/
Country has been rock with a twang in your voice for going on 30 years. My spousal unit gets on my case a lot since I have no idea who most of the newer artists are or were. I'm always listening to stuff that 40+ years old. Can't stand hip-hop or whatever the nom-de-jure is, all the "classic" rock stations seem to be run out of one spot, change the station during a tune and it seems to pick up right there on the next station.
I miss the old days when you could tune in an AM station and hear different kinds of music, from acoustic to humor to rhythm-n-blues, and get exposed to different artists and tunes. Everything nowadays seems to be stovepiped so that no one has to hear or see anything new or different than they expect.
/rant

[stevedenver]

I haven't really listened to any music radio in years. Thank God (or fill in the blank) for my MP3 player (no ipod for me).
rant/
Country has been rock with a twang in your voice for going on 30 years. My spousal unit gets on my case a lot since I have no idea who most of the newer artists are or were. I'm always listening to stuff that 40+ years old. Can't stand hip-hop or whatever the nom-de-jure is, all the "classic" rock stations seem to be run out of one spot, change the station during a tune and it seems to pick up right there on the next station.
I miss the old days when you could tune in an AM station and hear different kinds of music, from acoustic to humor to rhythm-n-blues, and get exposed to different artists and tunes. Everything nowadays seems to be stovepiped so that no one has to hear or see anything new or different than they expect.
/rant

actually, there ARE great FM and AM stations playing lots of great new music, which are not in the machinery.

NPR affiliates and Fresh Air come to mind, and, I find taking a bit of time to explore unknown things on youtube that come up tangentially when you search for something you already know musically is a great way to find new music.

We are in an amazing period for new music imho. Anything you like, done in ways that may delight.

[Dave Wrede]

Unfortunately up in my neck of the woods all the radio stations are commercial. It may be different in Missoula, Bozeman, or Helena, but I'm kinda smack in the middle of 'em all and don't get their stations. I don't do youtube very much, blocked at work, and too many other things to do at home.

[journeybear]

I miss the old days when you could tune in an AM station and hear different kinds of music, from acoustic to humor to rhythm-n-blues, and get exposed to different artists and tunes.

Yeah, well, that was the Sixties. Before there were things like FM, tight formatting, narrowcasting defined by demographics - all those "improvements." Used to be the same station would play pop, rock, oldies, country, folk, R 'n' B, even jazz. In an hour you might hear The Beatles, Streisand, The Five Satins, Tammy Wynette, Sinatra, Dave Brubeck, The Supremes, Fats Domino, Peter, Paul, and Mary, Johnny Cash, The Byrds - on one station. It ain't like that any more. Take a look at some of those old Billboard charts or playlists, if you can find them. They show an amazing variety of artists and styles.

These days, Sirius, XM, Pandora, etc. deliver what you like on demand. But I wonder how good they are at introducing listeners to anything new. Old AM radio's hodgepodge was the best at doing that. Later on some FM stations did all right, depending on the DJ, and usually the less commercial the station, the better. I hardly ever listen to radio any more, any genre. I just got turned off a while back, just got bored - and that will kill almost any interest in an entertainment provider.

[William Smith]

Yes everything changes thats one of the many cold hard facts of life. I love the old country I mean how could one not love the Telecaster work of the pioneers such as James Burton, Clarence "THE MAN" White, Don Rich etc.... Some newer country bands have some great tunes but all of em most have that "pop"flavor and some even that crap they call rap! Rap in country music what is the world coming to huh. Even my Uncle Gene Johnsons band Diamond Rio all being Great musicians and having great songs they have stuff thats pop flavor but I guess ya got to play whats in flavor for the times? Thats what pays the bills I'd imagine. To me its just too bad we couldn't have a true blue country group like the days of old. Well look at Bluegrass that sure has changed big time since most of the pioneers are gone! No more Greats in my mind like Original Country Gents,Reno and Smiley, Bill Harrell. JD Crowe,Jimmy Martin,Bill Monroe etc.....Thats a list that really could go on and on. Breaks this boys heart a little more each year! Thats all my opinions and I'll stick with em till I'm long gone!

[Jeff Mando]

I still do a lot of driving and some places still have old style DJ's with control over their playlists. Unfortunately a lot of these DJ's have terrrible taste, as well. Most are low powered AM stations with a small range of 20-30 miles. I was in America's heartland recently driving through Mississippi, Missouri, Southern Illinois, Indiana, etc., and heard some awesome stuff. One guy was playing old 50's country like it was still current. Another guy was playing 80's New Wave, just playing his favorites with not a hint of irony! Hey, good music is good music, right? Of course, you'll find tons of Christian radio and small town talk radio, which can be very interesting, but not musically speaking. Like I say, the trouble is, if you hit gold usually you drive out of range in a few minutes at 70mph! The local ads are funny, too. "Brent and his wife Sadie run the Butcher Shop and they can cut your meat anyway you like it and they feature all the best cuts. And their prices, well meat is high everywhere, but their prices are in line with what Walmart charges....." you know, John Cougar Mellencamp type stuff

[journeybear]

I remember driving south from New England to Key West once, must have been the 90s, and all through North Carolina I couldn't find anything but country stations on the FM radio. You'd think there'd be something else, some rock or pop, especially from college stations. Nope.

[DavidKOS]

Before there were things like FM, tight formatting, narrowcasting defined by demographics - all those "improvements." Used to be the same station would play pop, rock, oldies, country, folk, R 'n' B, even jazz. In an hour you might hear The Beatles, Streisand, The Five Satins, Tammy Wynette, Sinatra, Dave Brubeck, The Supremes, Fats Domino, Peter, Paul, and Mary, Johnny Cash, The Byrds - on one station. It ain't like that any more. Take a look at some of those old Billboard charts or playlists, if you can find them. They show an amazing variety of artists and styles.

These days, Sirius, XM, Pandora, etc. deliver what you like on demand. But I wonder how good they are at introducing listeners to anything new.

Not so good, it's hard for an artist to break through without massive big label money and promotion. In the old days, you could get a new tune to a bunch of Dj's and/or program directors nationwide...for a small payoff...uh, investment.

The fragmentation of the market has been good for those selling product but not so good for the audience nor the musicians.

http://www.elijahwald.com/beatlespop.html

One issue was that on recordings bands in the first part of the 20th century did their own unique specialties, but live played a variety of music, particularly when the audience was dancing too. This has changed as specialization (narrowcasting?) has spread, and now you find many bands playing either their own music (OK by me) or a single genre, rather than a wide range of musical styles.

[Ellen T]

There's a radio station in Litchfield, Illinois, that plays mostly older country music - anything from the '50s through the '80s as far as I can tell (we only pick it up when going to visit my mom every few weeks). In between, you get the local obituaries and farm reports and other interesting items.

[journeybear]

.. now you find many bands playing either their own music (OK by me) or a single genre, rather than a wide range of musical styles.

That's a big reason why I like playing in my band so much. We're all over the map - swing, rag, gypsy jazz, jug band, Eastern European tunes, folk, country, blues, Mersey beat, surf - I'm probably missing some - plus a few originals. Buncha wraggle taggle gypsy-o's, we are. We call it skiffle for lack of a better term, but also because it includes a general attitude - taking whatever is handy and throwing it into the mix, and also keeping things pretty simple. And it's a nod to that scene in England, before The Beatles became popular and ruined everything. That wide a variety keeps usentertained as well as the audience. No one can tell what we'll do next.

My other band, the seasonal Cajun-country-bluegrass band, leans heavily on old school country and Cajun and bluegrass standards. It's rare for us to do a song less than twenty, or even thirty years old. Heck make that forty! The age range of the members skews much older, too, while the main band is half and half thirty-ish and around twice that. But there's something comfortable and relaxed about playing with people who have been at it as long as we have, like a good worn-in pair of slippers. Even though we play together for four months out of the year, we've been doing it for enough years that we know each others' moves and interact with a familiar ease that makes each gig a pleasure.

Between the two bands, I get a lot of my musical urges satisfied. Neither is my dream band - that's still doing my songs in an electric power trio - but this sure is a whole lot better than playing cover tunes and catering to tourists, which is what most musicians here settle for.