What is it about the Opry?

Roger Edgington · Post by **Roger Edgington** » 12 Mar 2008 6:46 am

In the 50s and 60s I listened to the opry every chance I got. It was like magic and I wanted to be there and enjoy the all the talent I was hearing. I never got there before it went bad and now I have little desire to go. I did get to meet and play steel for many of the opery performers that traveled as a single or in a package. I have become one of the "Willy's Place" fans too on XM.

Texas is still a hot spot for older style country music. There is some wonderful music being recorded all over Texas with plenty of steel and fiddle and people support it at shows and dances. Ther are 30+ steel pickers just here in San Antonio area.

Duane McKay · Post by **Duane McKay** » 12 Mar 2008 8:00 am

Most of us will agree, I think, that the Opry is not for us anymore, we have to hear so much music that we don't want to hear to get to enjoy one song we want to hear!
Do you ever wish the new group had just built themselves a new building and let us keep our style music at the Grand Old Opry building?

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 12 Mar 2008 8:50 am

Why not have a "Classic Opry" return to the Rhyman regularly?

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 12 Mar 2008 9:43 am

Do you ever wish the new group had just built themselves a new building and let us keep our style music at the Grand Old Opry building?

They did build a new building - it's the current main Opry house out at Pennington's bend, opened in 1974. During the period of what most people call "classic country", the Opry used the Ryman.

Near as I can see, the main Opry building has always been the home for whatever commercial country music was at the time. Commercial country music has been evolving all these years.

I think it would be a very good idea for traditional country enthusiasts to organize themselves, much the way traditional bluegrass and blues enthusiasts have. But I think it means setting aside large-scale commercial aspirations and scaling to an appropriate level for the size of the potential audience. I think this is needed to solidify the base for this style of music, rather than try to fight it out with large-scale commercial entertainment interests. Then - with that base established - they could do grass-roots expansion the same way bluegrass and blues have.

Ben Jones · Post by **Ben Jones** » 12 Mar 2008 10:10 am

The masses will always seem to embrace the music I see as having the least merit...be it country, rock, jazz ...whatever. Just as I now wonder "who listens to this new country??!!" I often wondered in the past..."who the hell made this Bon Jovi record number one in the nation??!!"

To me ALL country is new. Ive never heard any of it before

So I dont think its just a case of some of you having nostalgia and having your ears closed to this "new" country because I have no basis for nostalgia and I think the "new" country is rubbish just like you all apparently do. I think people like Haggard, Jones, Owens, etc make some of the best most interesting and engaging music Ive ever heard...and i also like "new" artists you wont see on the opry like Hank III and Wayne Hancock. To me this is great great music and has absolutely nothing to do with what i see on CMT or the Opry.

So what i am trying to get at here, and perhaps this is very conceited of me to think, is that I beleive the masses , the majority of the tv viewing, radio listening, record buying public, has horrible taste and is attracted to the most banal empty fake dumbed down pap one can feed em. Always have been , always will be...and THIS is why the Opry isnt interesting or enjoyable to lovers of "good" music anymore. The most popoluar bread...wonder bread. The most popular beer....bud lite. Americas #1 cheese...velveeta. The #1 album...britney spears. Top grossing movie....Big Mamas House...etc etc give us the blandest most watered down product you can....and you'll be rolling in our money.

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 12 Mar 2008 6:14 pm

Ben Jones wrote: I often wondered in the past..."who the hell made this Bon Jovi record number one in the nation??!!"....

the majority of the tv viewing, radio listening, record buying public, has horrible taste and is attracted to the most banal empty fake dumbed down pap one can feed em. Always have been , always will be...

Popularity means the most common denominator.
Not the highest quality denominator.

Sales made Bon Jovi number one.
Most motivated buyers are under age 18.

If you imagine your average 15 year old girl could
give 2¢ for ANYTHING Hag did, you're dreaming.

It is SOOOOOOO far from their daily experience,
it might as well be in Greek..
or Thai sanscrit for that matter.

Hag NEVER made Tiger Beat's cover.....
Bobby Sherman NEVER covered Hag....

Why do we even consider that there is
or should be some overlap?

John Floyd · Post by **John Floyd** » 12 Mar 2008 6:29 pm

This may be the only time you will ever catch me agreeing with Bobbe Seymour. But this time he is dead on target. Mark it Down!

There, I said it. It was tough, but I said it!

When did The powers that be get away from the idea that less is really more, especially when dealing with volume and sound pressure levels.

You used to be able to walk around on the stage of the opry and hold a Quiet conversation with someone while music was being played. I suspect that now if you can have a conversation with someone , you would have to be shouting. Thats how much the noise factor has gone up over the years. They played quietly back in the old days and as you walked across the stage , there was a natural separation of the various instruments.
The whole opry sound thing has turned into acoustic overload or saturation. I suppose thats the in thing with New Country These days.
I just prefer to enjoy the music I listen to, not have to run from it like I'm being attacked.

John

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 12 Mar 2008 8:28 pm

John,why would you EVER disagree with Bobbe.DYKBC.

John Floyd · Post by **John Floyd** » 13 Mar 2008 1:06 am

Because I'm a Hard Headed ,Opinionated Old Geezer myself. It was hard enough to admiit he was ri righ Right, now you want me to explain it too?
John

Bobbe Seymour · Post by **Bobbe Seymour** » 13 Mar 2008 6:21 am

John my buddy, Ha! Now I must agree with you!
You said it right.
A shame the Opry has degenerated to such a low in the quality of music AND entertainment.
Amazing how the old blue grass has evolved to such a new and wonderful form of music, but country went the other way, country is following rap it seems.
Now if we could get some more great steel guitar into bluegrass!

Well, I hope things get better, but I don't see it coming.
I sure agree with most all posts here, like: "Why didn't the new country go it's own direction and leave us true country music lovers with OUR music".............
And,,,,,,,, where are our instrumentals? I can live without hearing someone yelling in a microphone over every song on the radio. A good instrumental is a nice relief after hearing 20 blonde bimbos in a row,,,,,,,,,,, (if I want to hear a blonde bimbo, I'll marry another one,,,, Whew)

Just shoot me, quick!

Theresa Galbraith · Post by **Theresa Galbraith** » 13 Mar 2008 7:30 am

OK!:)

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 13 Mar 2008 7:39 am

Theresa is QUICK on the draw.

Ben Jones · Post by **Ben Jones** » 13 Mar 2008 7:40 am

everyone different I guess. I dont care for instrumentals. They just dont move me very often.
Lyrics help me relate to a song on an emotional level that instrumentals are largely uncapable of.

Now I guess if given a choice between an instrumental and a song with lyrics about "bootscootin".."badonka donks"... "picking each others fleas"...or "puttin a boot up saddam's *ss" I guess id opt for the instrumental. I gotta say modern "country" has some of the most inane hackneyed dooftastic lyrics i have ever encountered.

Brandon Ordoyne · Post by **Brandon Ordoyne** » 13 Mar 2008 7:58 am

My wife and I went to the GOO on our honeymoon this past summer and I was really looking forward to the trip, visiting Nashville and seeing the GOO. Well I must say I was dissapointed with the Opry performance, the best part though, which was memorable was getting to see the legends Porter Wagoner, Bill Anderson, and my favorite Little Jimmy Dickens on stage...But I guess I had this image of what the Opry was supposed to be like and what it actually was. Now when we visited the Ryman, now that sent chills thru my bones just sitting up in the Balcony and looking down on the stage, picturing all the Opry greats up there singing...I am only 27 and I wish I knew what that was like, and be able to experience that in real life. I have a passion for "real" country music, not this commercial/corporate country that Gaylord Entertainment, CMT, GAC and the record companies are trying to make of it. I envy guys like Bobbe Seymour, Buddy Emmons, John Hughey, Hal Rugg, Weldon Myrick, Ralph Mooney, Tom Brumley, etc that got to work for all these great country stars of the past. Its really unfair darn it! Where are our stars of our generation? Definitly not coming from Corporate Radio. Also, the days when record companies and radio stations were individually owned, seems to have been better for "our" music. My passion is to try to keep "our" music going and not letting it end. Fortunatly for me I live in the Great State of Texas, where we are keeping that good country and honky-tonks alive. I am sure other states are doing their part as well. Sorry if I went off on a tangent! Lets face it the GOO has forgotten its roots, and its all due to corporate BS that doesnt make any sense.

Bobbe Seymour · Post by **Bobbe Seymour** » 13 Mar 2008 8:28 am

Ben, Instrumentals don't motivate you to a level vocals do? Why not just listen to poetry?
Guess you are not a musician then? Are you a singer? Don't get me wrong Ben, I totally agree with the second part of your post, and respect your opinions.

Theresa,

Your buddy,
Bobbe

Ben Jones · Post by **Ben Jones** » 13 Mar 2008 8:54 am

BobbeSeymour wrote:Ben, Instrumentals don't motivate you to a level vocals do? Why not just listen to poetry?
Guess you are not a musician then? Are you a singer? Don't get me wrong Ben, I totally agree with the second part of your post, and respect your opinions.
Bobbe

Bobbe, I am a musician. I also write and sing my own songs. If I may explain my comments about instrumentals....

GOOD Lyrics give me a deeper level of connection and content with the song than an instrumental can. With an instrumental , I might get a vague feeling...this is a happy song, a sad song, etc..or on the rare occasions be moved by the expressive voices of the instruments themsleves (coltrane!)....but with lyrics I can relate whats being said directly to my real life expereinces and this provides a much richer and deeper level of emotional connection for me than instruments alone with no lyrical content. "Buckaroo" gives me a vague feeling...but "Together Again" speaks directly to me in a much more powerful and moving way. Why not just listen to poetry? Because words set to music are far more interesting, moving and evoke a much greater emotional response for me than poetry does. (and because I enjoy hearing the instruments). There's also a cultural component to music that is very different from poetry. Someone singing a sad song in a smokey crowded honky tonk is a wildly different thing from some professor reciting Joyce in a coffeeshop or lecture hall. poetry...ick. LOL

as a musician and "artist"...my main goal is to express my ideas and get them across to whomever my intended listener may be in the hopes of evoking some feeling in them....I find (for me at least) this is much more effectivly done with lyrical content.

Joe Miraglia · Post by **Joe Miraglia** » 13 Mar 2008 9:14 am

May The Bird Of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose-Now thats what I call lycies

Bobbe, all's well in Jamestown, got to go now the spaghetti water is boiling over.Joe

Tracy Sheehan · Post by **Tracy Sheehan** » 13 Mar 2008 10:40 am

I will listen to this new so called country music when the Dallas symphony orchestra adds a 5 string banjo.Tracy

John Floyd · Post by **John Floyd** » 13 Mar 2008 11:07 am

Just as I was Lending Some Credability to your Posts, You went and screwed it all up. Let it be known that I no Longer agree with anything Bobbe has to say.

if I want to hear a blonde bimbo, I'll marry another one,,,, Whew)

Bobbe, Send Me the Last one's Phone Number, Please!

Unless the Judge gave her your phone Number too, then I know it

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 13 Mar 2008 11:14 am

I agree with the blond comment.

.I agree if bobbe wanted to hear one he'd marry one.

I found out personally lawyers love them.

John Floyd · Post by **John Floyd** » 13 Mar 2008 11:21 am

But I didn't know LuLu was a blond

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 13 Mar 2008 11:26 am

Think anyone even Bobbe ever got close enough to tell.

Alan Tanner · Post by **Alan Tanner** » 13 Mar 2008 1:08 pm

I'm prolly dating myself here, but during the 60's I know that when the Opry was still downtown, if you were a serviceman and in uniform, they gave you a discount. On a couple of occaisions, I even had someone pay my way in because I WAS a soldier. I remember standing in line, ouside, hottern you know what, folks stretched all the way back around the corner past Tootsie's and ET record shop and further, sweating to death, waiting to get in. Then when you DID get indside, it was HOTTER than it was outside, and they had those REALLY hard benches to sit on. However, if any of those guys sang out of tune, I don't think anybody noticed. Like someone else said...they all had STYLE. I'm only one old guy, but I gotta say I am NOT impressed by fake accents, stupid hats, torn jeans or shirts, and long greasy hair. I dont like to see musicians on the stage of the GOO who look like they fell face first into a tackle box. It still raises the hairs on my neck to hear a Troubadore instrumental, cuz I heard 'em do a lot of there stuff live......you know....back when bands did SHOWS and not CONCERTS. Oh, BTW.....I have no idea what a Jewel is, except a set in a ring.........I will return to my rocking chair now......

Skeeter Stultz · Post by **Skeeter Stultz** » 13 Mar 2008 1:30 pm

FINALLY SOMEONE UNDERSTANDS WHAT I WAS TRYING TO SAY. NO OUTRAGE, JUST OPINION. THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH THIS WHOLE SUBJECT "WHAT'S UP WITH THE OPRY" IS NO ONE IN MANAGEMENT OF THE OPRY WILL READ IT AND CORRECT ANYTHING OF WHAT WE SEE AS A PROBLEM.

Stephen Winters · Post by **Stephen Winters** » 14 Mar 2008 7:11 am

I agree with all of you, I do not like the new stuff. But I attend the Opry at least once a year, and there is still some great music to be heard on the Opry...you just have to go on the right night. A couple of years back Gene Watson and his band brought me up out of my seat and raised the hairs on my neck with "Where Love Begins".

Even with it's problems, one of my dreams in life is to play on that Opry stage at least once....

The Steel Guitar Forum

What is it about the Opry?

The treasured Old Opry Music.

The Opry has died

Charlie, To Steal Your Line,

Another way to look at it.

Bobbe, You've Done Gone and Stepped in it again.

I think its Br549