Is Country Music becoming a parity?

[3-LockBox]

Country music has done nothing but ape pop music for the last 15 or 20 years. First, you had southern-rock wannabes like The Tractors, Kentucky Headhunters, and BR-549 and the like become country-ish acts when doing the rock-n-roll thing failed to pan out. You had an act like Garth Brooks become the biggest selling concert draw and record seller in Country music history. Brooks' act was so dynamic that it raised the bar for country music performers as well as fans' expectations. No longer was it OK to pay money for a show where Randy Travis or George Straight or Clint Black stands around like a statue for 90 minutes. Then Brooks' started flirting with other music styles, first within the confines of country (which worked), then branching out into another personna, Chris Gaines (which failed). Brooks' fans hated that much "artistic expression" and turned away from him for the most part, but now you have hippity-hop acts like Big & Rich.

Country could only benefit from the presence of a Darius Rucker, and if they're stupid enough to buy Simpson as a country act... well, they let Kid Rock pretend to be a country star for a while, along with karma addled Sheryl Crow (who by the way will eventually become romantically entwined with Garth Brooks, and kill him). Country will welcome anyone that they think can move product. They'll manufacture "talent" if they have to (Alabama was their equivalent to The Monkeys).

Country music will always change with the times, or at least lag behind it by 5 years, but in order for country music to closely resemble its past, it'd have to stop being so disrespetful of it. Country eats it elderly. Oh, there's a few old acts it likes to prop up, but not after spending years or even decades pushing them away. Like Johnny Cash - he was dropped by his lable and couldn't even get county fair gigs. He was washed up as far as country music execs were concerned. Then Cash became some sort of kitschy coffee house rock personna, via Rick Ruben. Of course country was quick to trumpet Cash's return to the fold with his new found revival, but you never heard a new Cash tune on a country station. Same with Loretta Lynn's collaboration with Jack White. It was as country as any album she'd ever done, but country pablum stations would rather play Save A Horse Ride A Cowboy or Honkytonk Bedonkidonk a hundred times a day, than honor one of its biggest names of the past, whether the music warrants the attention or not. And the think tanks that churn out all those terrible catch phrase songs only want to write for young acts - and those same think tanks don't have much appreciation for those who write their own songs.

So yes, there is parity within country music in that their are fewer superstars, and there is also parody, but country music has always been a parody of itself, and always will be. You could tout alt-country, but commercial country and alt-country doesn't want to be in the same room with each other.

[bobsticks]

Oh sure, T., come along with a serious and well-thought historical perspective for post, why dontcha...

Parrot-ty....

The Crackers!

um...If you must, I prefer "honky" thank you very little.

[Auricauricle]

You made some interesting points, T, but I don't wholly agree with you on the "Country eats its elderly" phrase. Emmylou Harris is getting up there, but her music remains very focused and true; Chet Atkins was pretty much left alone--yes, they were a little "kitchy" sounding at times ("Summertime", in Sneakin' Around, e.g.); and I seem to recall seeing Willie Nelson kicking it up, every now and then....

Still , I just wonder if Country had been a little more careful about defining itself it wouldn't have to narrow its scope and keep all these dadblasted interlopers outta the studio!

[Swish]

Thanks. I have my own nutcracker handy....

Old 97s?

... with roots in Texas. Lead singer and front man Rhett Miller have recorded 11 cds so far, including the one that make them semi-famous, Fight Songs, back in 1999. They played at least one stand out track from that record last night called Busted Afternoon, and another that many on RR will know. Timebomb, an excellent tune from their 1997 release called Too Far to Care. The show was pretty darned fine, although that one episode put a damper on things.

Swish

[02audionoob]

Some fine country....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMTqCYUWYaQ

[Mr Peabody]

No, 3LB was right on. Emmy Lou and Willie might still be doing their thing but they ain't getting any air play.

Talking about the power of radio, Johnny Cash can't get played on a Country station but he still gets an occasional spin on our Alternative station.

[02audionoob]

Emmy Lou and Willie might still be doing their thing but they ain't getting any air play.

If I remember correctly, Emmy never did get air play...so the current state of things isn't new on that front. She's magnificent, though. I saw her in Dallas during the Spyboy tour. Our seats were in a little balcony/box that was so close it like it was hanging over the stage. Such near proximity to greatness was a real treat.

[Auricauricle]

Don't know if I'm losing my head, but I could have sworn that a duet Emmylou did with Mark Knopfler made it on the airwaves not too long ago....Nice that you saw her in action. That pleasure has yet to descend upon my poor, decrepit soul!

Talk about a parody: Radio....I still wouldn't mind owning and operating an AM station out in the middle of nowhere....

[Mr Peabody]

That has always been a fantasy of mine is to have my own radio station and for it to at least make enough money to keep it going.

[emesbee]

Just listened to a couple of Gurrumul's songs a moment ago...What a beautiful voice! I listen to quite a lot of African music: Wasis Djop, Selif Keita, Henry Dikongue, etc...Guess I'm going to have to include Aborigine music to the mix!

Now, if I could just master this diji....

Thanks for the recommendation!

I think my favourite track on the album is Djarimirri. This is only the second recording by an aboriginal artist that I have bought. (The other being a Kev Carmody CD.) I think what makes this album stand out for me is the the combination of the melodic character of his voice with the use of his native language. That melodic character is something I hadn't previously heard in indigenous music. (And there is not a didjeridoo to be heard on the album, thank goodness!)

[3-LockBox]

Emmy Lou and Knopfler get airplay...on AOR and adult contemporary stations that I know of. And you might hear Willie on a country station if he does a duet with someone hip and current.

But yer right its been this way for a while Auricauricle; country music, for at least the last 20 years, has always seemed to want to distance itself from its past, always striving to be "current", when in reallity it can't no matter how hard it tries.

But, I nitpick. It ain't like I can say I'd listen one way or another. I grew up in a place and time when top-20 country and top-40 pop shared the same stations. I got tired of both a long time ago.

[Auricauricle]

You can thank Casey Casem for that!

Hmmm....You think the nation's palate has been developed by "America's Top Forty"? That's a scary thought!

Not sure if Country is trying to stay current; the genre just likes to beg, borrow or steal...