The state of country music... What's your take on this?

Joe Miraglia · Post by **Joe Miraglia** » 27 Jan 2013 12:54 pm

Charles--I must watch a different station. All I see are ads that are trying to sell pills and more pills

. WE are not allowed to watch RFD up here in New York state

I'm just kidding

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 27 Jan 2013 1:31 pm

Joe,I was channel surfing last and saw four channels with ads for classic country music.RFD was selling the DVD'S the other three the classic country CD'S. Been seeing these ads a LOOONG time.If they were'nt selling I really don.t think those ads would be there night after night,Not only for classic country,BUT ads for Do-Wop from the 50's,and the heavy metal and soft rock from the 70's,Country is not the only style of music that has gone to hell in the last twenty years,What you have today is a bunch of teeny bobbers screeming about their pickups or tractors [most proberly never even set on a tractor] and this is called country,and then there is this absolute braindead guana called rap.That's the music scene today.And if you can stomach it for a minute or so watch one of the so-called country award shows.WHAT A JOKE. YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 27 Jan 2013 2:20 pm

Charles Davidson wrote:Tony, I DON'T agree with you .Why? You must not watch tv very much..

I'm not asking anyone to agree with me, I'm agreeing with Blake !

Blake is talking about the daily downloads and purchase of music, of course there is always retro sales going on...but thats not what he is referring to, it's the monthly releases of music being sold .

There is no denying the artists you mention are selling TONS of music under their own name, you are referring to all these collections where the distributors such as TIME LIFE get the biggest piece of the pie. By the way, they make the biggest amount of money in the shipping and handling Fee's...The Publishers have negotiated royalties for these packages.

Again I would ask, how many Ray Price CD's or Willie Nelson Cd's did you buy last week, last month, last year ? Thats what BS is talking about. How many Little Jimmie Dickens CD's did you buy last year ?

It's not that traditional Country music isn't liked, it's that people are not buying it on a daily weekly basis..

I watch way TOO much TV , plus the adds I see are for Viagra ,reverse mortgages and those " I've fallen and can't get up" contraptions...

Joe Miraglia · Post by **Joe Miraglia** » 27 Jan 2013 3:52 pm

Tony-Us young ones are out numbered on this topic

Dave Hopping · Post by **Dave Hopping** » 27 Jan 2013 5:30 pm

[quote="Bill McCloskey"]

Imagine if Dave Grohl had to deal with everyone telling him that what he does is not rock because it doesn't sound like the Rolling Stones. Or try and pressure him into playing more like the Rolling Stones because otherwise it is not rock. It would be pretty limiting.

"Don't Rock the Jukebox
I wanna hear George Jones
My heart ain't ready
For the Rollin' Stones"

-A Jackson

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 27 Jan 2013 5:32 pm

But is it ready for Dave Grohl?

Clyde Mattocks · Post by **Clyde Mattocks** » 27 Jan 2013 7:41 pm

A point about CD sales for non mainstream music. Gospel and bluegrass acts sell most of their product at the tables at their appearances. These sales are not tracked and are never a blip on the radar of the national statistics. I believe the Andy Griffith gospel album that was sold on TV was a marketing smash, yet never showed in the national charts. Most of "Grandpa's Music" falls in these cracks. To repeat, the only issue I take exception to is "NOBODY listens to this music anymore">

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 27 Jan 2013 9:06 pm

Tony,You asked how many Ray,Willie,etc I have bought in the last year.Absolutely NONE.Don't need to.Still have the ones I bought years ago.In the last 20 years I have bought [four CD'S] three Dale Watson cd's[the only REAL honky-tonk singer in the business today,and Robert Randolf's CD [the word].As far as these so-called [country

]artist today with their phony plastic cowboy hats,ragged jeans,sleeveless t-shirts,swinging over the crowd like chimps on vines,Two or three Les Pauls through Marshall stacks to drown out the vocals,and the pyrotechnics to further distract from what's going on on stage.Over the years I have shared stages with some of the greats such as Hank Snow,Marty Robbins,George Morgan,etc.All they needed was a place to stand,a regular mike, NO vocal enhancers or an eight teen wheeler full of sound equipment.And they could mesmerize an audience with just raw natural talent.YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 28 Jan 2013 2:17 am

Charles Davidson wrote:Tony,You asked how many Ray,Willie,etc I have bought in the last year.Absolutely NONE.Don't need to.Still have the ones I bought years ago.In the last 20 years I have bought [four CD'S] three Dale Watson cd's[the only REAL honky-tonk singer in the business today,and Robert Randolf's CD [the word].

Me too, but this is what BS is talking about ! He's talking about US !

We don't need to buy any CD's, but the artists that are still trying to make a living need us to buy a CD now and then.

As to Clyde referring to Bluegrass and Gospel he is correct, they are counting on sales at shows...but this, again, is not what BS is talking about, he is referring to "stand-alone record sales" of new releases and the current new artists... We can argue or define all day long if the music is good or not...but that's got nothing to do with what he said, Charles and I, and folks like us don't buy any music...the 15 year old girl next door is buying downloads of whoever everyday...but it ain't traditional Country music...or anything I would even listen to !

But this entire topic , not just here, is saying BS is dissing the old artists, he is not, he is simply saying the younger gen is buying the music, not the older folks...but he called us farts...

Rick Campbell · Post by **Rick Campbell** » 28 Jan 2013 7:15 am

I believe country music as we knew and loved is dead, as far as mainstream Nashville is concerned. There's still some steel players around there that can always bring the real country sound when called on.... i.e. Lloyd, Weldon, Jim Vest, to name a few. Yes, the new artist are doing what makes them successful, but it appears at the price of pushing real country into the corner. I hear about George Strait and Alan Jackson being true to real country. They might be the closest thing in the newer recordings, but compare them to the real country stars like Jack Greene, Faron Young, Connie Smith, Johnny Paycheck, Mel Street, Jeanie Sealy, Ray Price. older Ronnie Milsap, etc... and it doesn't seem so close anymore.

Repackaging country to make it appealing to the younger folks is not evolution, as I see it. It seems like mixing broccoli with an abundance of hamburger, putting it on a bun, in a box with some french fries, and adding a toy of some sort..... to make it attractive to kids.

Just my opinion...... remaining faithful to Justin Trevino, Bobby Flores, Amber Digby, Tony Booth, Darrell McCall, etc..... along with Dicky Overbey, Rick Price, Jim Lossburg, etc... That's where my money is being spent.

Barbara Mandrell - "I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool" .....Hey Barb..... I remember when country WAS cool. "The Midnight Oil".... yep that was country.

Bobby Burns · Post by **Bobby Burns** » 28 Jan 2013 8:38 am

Sure the Music business is about doing business. Does that mean that there is not a market for a style of music because it will sell only hundreds of thousands instead of millions? Does that make it any less valuable musically, or culturally?

Mr. B. S. seems to think as male vocalist of the year he has a responsibility to decide the future of "Country Music".

Remember back when Allen Jackson was riding high, and the CMA had cut George Jones time on the awards show? Allen could have been self absorbed enough to just go on with the show as directed, but he chose to end his song short, and play Georges song before he stormed off the stage in protest.

Remember when Vince Gill agreed to be on an awards show (I think it was the Grammys?)only if he got to do a televised bluegrass tribute complete with many performers who usually only get mentioned in the non-televised segment of the show?

These guys were at their peak at the time, and chose to use their time in the spotlight to honor and bring attention to their musical roots. Back when I was a kid in the 60's, country performers didn't make near the money that the B.S.'s of today make. Does that mean that it was a mistake to put the money and effort into promoting them in the first place? Is that what we have "evolved" into?

Sure Ray Price did music that was more modern than Roy Accuff, and Hank, and Vince and Allen don't just play Bill Monroe, Merle Haggard and Ray Price, but they truly put their heart and soul into every song the choose to record or perform. They don't just act like their putting their heart into it. They love the MUSIC they play, not just the money, and their musicianship wouldn't let them do it any other way. I may not like all the songs these guys have done, but I truly accept them as real country music fans, and artists worthy of having input into the future of our music culture. All of the TRUE artists of any genre are able to temper the music that's in their heart at the time, with the tastes of the market, and the targeted fanbase. It's kind of backwards attempt to define a market, and then develop a "product" (pretty boy in a hat, driving a pickup truck, and singing about his "countryness") to sell to that market. It's just ridiculous to expect us to believe that he's a "real" anything, much less country music fan, and especially not any kind of "artist"!

B. S. INDEED!

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 29 Jan 2013 7:18 am

Are we overlooking that many of the traditional tunes had the STEEL removed so it could go cross-over and perhaps not be defined as Country ?

Were we angry when they pulled the Steel off of those new Ray Price re-engineered releases ?

It's not about the Music , forget New Country..

Who's buying the old traditional Country music today ?

Nobody... We know people are buying the NEW Country, that's not what he is saying..

helloo....

nobody is buying the OLDER Music, me included...

Bobby Burns · Post by **Bobby Burns** » 29 Jan 2013 7:39 am

The point is, just because were are not part of the blind and deaf following the mainstream herd, that doesn't mean that we are "nobody". Just because it's a smaller market, it is still a market, and hopefully, there will always be companies willing to promote those artists who appeal to that smaller market.

B. S. shouldn't be so arrogant that he can't see this. He should have the respect to recognize the tastes of that market as being valid, whether he chooses to be marketed to them or not. He shouldn't act all pissed off at the "old-farts" and "jack-asses" for not buying his products, unless he's made an attempt to produce a product that would appeal to that market.

He can insert himself into a large threaded receptacle and rotate vigorously!

I for one will continue to buy the same amount of new country "product" as I have in the past. When I do spend my money on CD's, (And I'm One Old Fart Jackass who's bought a wall full of them) it won't sound or look much like Blake Shelton!

And just think, His mamma never even heard him speak before she knew to name him B.S.!

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 29 Jan 2013 9:33 am

If he didn't use the poor choice of words nobody would even be arguing with him !

Bobby Burns · Post by **Bobby Burns** » 29 Jan 2013 10:06 am

If he wasn't such an arrogant A$$ nobody whould be arguing with him!

Bob Hickish · Post by **Bob Hickish** » 29 Jan 2013 11:50 am

Hey ! Guy’s ---- maybe he see’s something coming down the road -- & maybe the old is becoming new agin - like so many things today, you have to discredit the subject or person so the masses think its an evil thing - kinda like - pay no attention to the man behind the curtain - he plays old country music - HaHa

the old proverb - some people have good qualities ! some people have bad qualities , and he just can’t help being a JERK

Cal Sharp · Post by **Cal Sharp** » 29 Jan 2013 4:07 pm

BS averred:

Nobody wants to listen to their grandpa’s music. And I don’t care how many of these old farts around Nashville going, “My God, that ain’t country!” Well that’s because you don’t buy records anymore, jackass.

Who are these old farts around Nashville? The fans? If you know anything about Nashville you know that it's not exactly teeming with country music fans. 80% of the attendees last year at the CMA Fan Fair thing were from outside TN. So all that's left, since nobody else counts here, are people in the music industry - producers, writers, pickers, etc.

And who is the "you" who don't buy records? Fans? See above. Music industry folks? They don't buy records they worked on.

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 30 Jan 2013 6:35 am

Trying to answer the title of this posting.."What State is Country Music in?..Well it's not in Florida and I heard its left Tennessee and many get on here and say it's not where they live.. SO I'm thinking it might still be in Texas..

LJ Eiffert · Post by **LJ Eiffert** » 31 Jan 2013 1:37 pm

Names the top ten people who run the real airwaves & Music Business Industry that control the FCC and you will find your answers to all this crap in Country Music and why it big money business for the IRS and you know who that is because we all pay that business in every thing we do and buy. The God Father of Southern California Country Music.Uncle Leo J.Eiffert,jr. PS: So please pay your taxes and the Davil won't cut you down like all this BS stuff.

I hurt somebodies feelings.

I'm sorry is this Heaven again.

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 1 Feb 2013 9:01 am

HUH ??

Dave Hopping · Post by **Dave Hopping** » 1 Feb 2013 9:24 am

Joe Casey wrote:Trying to answer the title of this posting.."What State is Country Music in?..Well it's not in Florida and I heard its left Tennessee and many get on here and say it's not where they live.. SO I'm thinking it might still be in Texas..

"If you're gonna play in Texas,Bob Wills is still the King"

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 1 Feb 2013 5:14 pm

You can't even say this thread went South - what direction is Pluto?

Theresa Galbraith · Post by **Theresa Galbraith** » 2 Feb 2013 3:40 am

On and on and on we go!

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 2 Feb 2013 6:18 am

And where it stops,Nobody knows..

Rick Campbell · Post by **Rick Campbell** » 2 Feb 2013 11:35 am

I admit it...... Country music HAS evolved and advanced to keep up with technology. I just downloaded three REAL COUNTRY albums to my iPhone. Tony Booth, Curtis Potter, and Darrel McCall.