Traditional Country Music is Dead?

Niels Andrews · Post by **Niels Andrews** » 17 Jun 2014 10:35 am

When I read any post on the forum. I look for whose Ox is getting gored. Or as wealthy man who I flew around for a couple years once told me. When in doubt to what is going on just follow the money.
The music industry is pretty simple, money talks! No mystery here.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 17 Jun 2014 11:18 am

Earnest Bovine wrote:
Traditional country music is dead?
I think the definition of "traditional" music has always been music from an era that only grandma and grandpa remember. So it's not dead as long as they live. When they are gone, a new generation of gradmas and grandpas will define a new type of "traditional" music.

Indeed. It's all been going downhill since Vernon Dalhart abandoned opera for hillbilly music.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 17 Jun 2014 11:18 am

Earnest Bovine wrote:
Traditional country music is dead?
I think the definition of "traditional" music has always been music from an era that only grandma and grandpa remember. So it's not dead as long as they live. When they are gone, a new generation of gradmas and grandpas will define a new type of "traditional" music.

Indeed. It's all been going downhill since Vernon Dalhart abandoned opera for hillbilly music.

Ken Pippus · Post by **Ken Pippus** » 17 Jun 2014 12:53 pm

And I suspect that when Roy Acuff started recording, people decried his mutilation of the Vernon Dalhart style.

Bill Cunningham · Post by **Bill Cunningham** » 17 Jun 2014 6:19 pm

It was all over when that fiddle player, Wills I think his name was, started listening to Bessie Smth and Jack Teagarden. What was he thinking, messing up good country music by incorporating that pop stuff into his fiddle band???

$:\$

LJ Eiffert · Post by **LJ Eiffert** » 17 Jun 2014 7:02 pm

Lane Gray! In to days music world nothing matters to anybody about talent but MONEY! Even Dale Watson who I've picked with here in Southern California before he became known and all the others who don't need a day job because of the career they have or is it a big name thing by the only people who know who he and they are.My point is! The real art of any style has no meaning and at one time it was a 24/7 life style and the weekend worriers who had a day job was better then the one's who was trying to make a career out of what talent they was thinking they had or trying to turn into something.

Uncle Leo J Eiffert Jr & the Pigeons-facebook PS:Let the Cowboy ride away strait into the sun set.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 17 Jun 2014 8:32 pm

Leo, there are hacks and dedicated craftsmen (and women) in the ranks of both vocational and avocational pickers.
And sound arguments for both paths.
I just couldn't resist defending those who choose to keep a day job. And point out that a day job doesn't close the door on musical excellence. 3 out of 6 had a day job at the time of this gig (the mando picker had quit, and the Star folded). : http://youtu.be/n7zPvGJ6bdk

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 19 Jun 2014 4:31 pm

Someone asked about proof of youtubes ability to make hits. The references I made were to pop songs, but it doesn't matter. It could be any hit. Certainly no record company was sinking money into Korean pop music (sung in Korean no less), and yet youtube not only made gangnam style a hit, it earned the artist a lot of money from youtube alone, no record company, no tour, just youtube views.

If an unknown korean pop star can earn anywhere from $1 million to $8 million from one single alone and just on youtube, I think that says something.

http://www.businessinsider.com/google-p ... one-2013-1

You all got to stop blaming the record companies. The record companies are not a barrier to making hits and making a lot of money for the artists as this article clearly demonstrates. All you need to do is connect with an audience.

And if you can't connect with an audience, who is to blame?

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 19 Jun 2014 5:45 pm

OK... I concede that it can happen. But, there is only one song that has done this. And, from Korea. I doubt any country artist here in the states could ever do that.

How does someone make money off Youtube views?

Dave Hopping · Post by **Dave Hopping** » 19 Jun 2014 7:21 pm

There will always be folks with whom a particular genre resonates,and there will be folks who play it.Big Band,surf,rockabilly,all the tribute acts,et cetera.There will even be(a few) folks who make a living at it.But not many.In that sense traditional country lives on,and will for quite some time,just as there is a thriving Civil War re-enactment scene a century and a half after the fact.

Curt Trisko · Post by **Curt Trisko** » 19 Jun 2014 7:57 pm

Richard Sinkler wrote:How does someone make money off Youtube views?

If you produce original content, you can 'partner' with YouTube on your own YouTube channel. Then you get paid a tiny amount per view of your videos. I read somewhere that the more popular people on YouTube can make $5k - $10k per month from it. In fact, there's a guy on there who makes his living by videotaping himself doing weird eating challenges:

http://youtu.be/7RrQc4ZAi_o

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 20 Jun 2014 5:04 am

Richard,

Psy, the Korean artist, is just the most recent and extreme example I could think of to illustrate the point. But similar successes are happening to hundreds of musicians on Youtube.

It is a new world where the functions that radio and record companies used to play are now solely in the hands of the artist. That means the artist now needs to learn new skills (promotion, etc) that they had relinquished control of (and most of the money to) formerly.

Money is made from advertising shares. Psy's hit was ONLY played on the radio after it was a verified hit on Youtube.

I know this change is hard to wrap ones head around but for me the lesson to be learned is: rather than bemoan the lack of support from radio and record companies, get off your butt and make something happen yourself. The tools and examples abound.

If artists were forced to generate their own money by their own efforts, they might quickly learn what connects with today's audience (or find their own niche audience) and their music might improve as a result.

It is so easy to complain. It is much harder to work for success. But success is there waiting for those with the energy, foresight, and will to do so.

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 20 Jun 2014 5:27 am

Let me give you another example that is much more modest. I read about an artist who began writing songs and posting them to youtube. He had people vote on their favorite songs and their least favorite songs. And since he tried to write a new song a day, he started generating a big audience who would tune in each day to hear and vote on the songs they liked and didn't like.

As a result he was able to book gigs in clubs and guarantee an audience, which of course, he promoted through his youtube channel. And when he walked into the gig he knew exactly which of his songs most resonated with his audience. As a result he is able to make a very nice living, playing the music he loves and writes, and fill the clubs when he plays, which made the club owners happy.

And none of his songs have ever been played on the radio.

LJ Eiffert · Post by **LJ Eiffert** » 21 Jun 2014 8:38 am

The point about all of this Music Business is,you are the Business no matter what kind of Musician you are or any style of music you play. I once was in a out-house back yard swamp band in the City of New Orleans,Louisiana called " The Tokens ". We didn't let any Lion sleep. The fun about a forum is how so many don't agree with each other on what is truth or right. It's like who has the power of laws, the Military Police or the everyday common back yard Police who's eating his or her Donut? I bet you have respect to them when they pull you over even if your right or wrong. Just enjoy your life and have fun in your music,but,keep it in it's right place.

Uncle Leo J Eiffert Jr & the Pigeons -facebook.

Shari Boyd · Post by **Shari Boyd** » 26 Jun 2014 1:15 am

Todays "country" music is noting more than what was referred to as top 40 in the 70's... I listened to and worked for KGBS/KTNQ from 76-80 as my day job and what I'm hearing now.. sounds a LOT more like the am pop side and nothing like the fm country side!

Breaks my moms heart listening to it and the industry's status is the only thing that makes me glad my dad's not here to see it.

I've listened to it all ~ and honestly I can't stand to turn on a current station here in Nashville. Corporate Radio as ruined what made country special..

There are a few out there... but a lot of the good ones are getting buried by Lukes and Taylors..

Shari Boyd · Post by **Shari Boyd** » 26 Jun 2014 1:18 am

There is a guy here in Nashville.. he was homeless actually and was playing his music down on Broadway, some people from Sweden heard him, liked him so recorded him and put in up on youtube.. and the story snowballed from there.. articles, interviews and now he's actually touring Europe..

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

We need a LIKE button here

Bill McCloskey wrote:Let me give you another example that is much more modest. I read about an artist who began writing songs and posting them to youtube. He had people vote on their favorite songs and their least favorite songs. And since he tried to write a new song a day, he started generating a big audience who would tune in each day to hear and vote on the songs they liked and didn't like.

As a result he was able to book gigs in clubs and guarantee an audience, which of course, he promoted through his youtube channel. And when he walked into the gig he knew exactly which of his songs most resonated with his audience. As a result he is able to make a very nice living, playing the music he loves and writes, and fill the clubs when he plays, which made the club owners happy.

And none of his songs have ever been played on the radio.

LJ Eiffert · Post by **LJ Eiffert** » 6 Jul 2014 7:11 am

Sounds like " Marty Brown " all over again from Kentucky on them Nashville Streets.So,what is the Dictionary of the Academy Of Country Music in your words? Equal-opportunity sure is not in the cards for us like to days life style of our everyday living.

Uncle Leo J Eiffert Jr & the Pigeons - facebook.

Steve Alonzo Walker · Post by **Steve Alonzo Walker** » 7 Jul 2014 3:52 am

And I just read an article that "Country Rap" is on the way!!!!!!

Les Cargill · Post by **Les Cargill** » 7 Jul 2014 4:34 am

Steve Alonzo Walker wrote:And I just read an article that "Country Rap" is on the way!!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yT2i2UylxJ0&feature=kp

They have use the first thirty seconds of this for the F/X series "Justified" since 2010. It does not seem to have spawned any musical revolutions.

LJ Eiffert · Post by **LJ Eiffert** » 8 Jul 2014 4:46 pm

Country Rap has been here for some time now about 8 years hard.This is nothing new.What is new is the old rappers getting into Country music that's not Country Anyway. so,who's fooling who? The name of the game in music is keep fighting for your own style of music cause that is all it is anymore. The forum game of words for or not is nothing but words in a off set mix and who really cares anyway.