Classic Country Music

Ray Lamoureux · Post by **Ray Lamoureux** » 9 Aug 2016 5:16 pm

Will classic country music ever come back?Nowdays, most bars are gone,The young folks are to busy with the latest electronics.Imagriments don't like country music.Do you ever see these people carry a US FLAG??Us steel players are in that age group when country music was popular.What are your thoughts about the classic country music???

Frank Agliata · Post by **Frank Agliata** » 9 Aug 2016 5:27 pm

I'm with you Ray, It seems things have changed a lot in a short period of time.
These so called "country" stations play this type of contemporary country(ish) pop . . Not my cup of tea either . .

Rich Upright · Post by **Rich Upright** » 9 Aug 2016 5:49 pm

This generation is NOT a musical generation like mine (60s) was. Just listen to the garbage they listen to for proof. For my job, I go into about 300 homes & apartments a week, & one thing they all have in common...lack of a decent stereo system. They are satisfied with Ipods & earbuds. NOT the way to listen to Led Zeppelin or Pink Floyd.
Classic country may come back, but as strictly a fad, like rockabilly & Americana. As America has declined, so has taste in the arts, which includes music.

Mark Hershey · Post by **Mark Hershey** » 9 Aug 2016 6:13 pm

Plenty of great music currently being made you just have to go out and find it.

For country you have Dale Watson, Sturgil Simpson, Chris Stapleton. Also, check out Johnny Lam's band the Honey Fingers.

I think the music today is as good as anything from the 50's. 60's or the 70's, but one thing I've learned is baby boomers sure do have a bias towards their generations music.

Mark Hershey · Post by **Mark Hershey** » 9 Aug 2016 6:18 pm

Rich Upright wrote:This generation is NOT a musical generation like mine (60s) was. Just listen to the garbage they listen to for proof. For my job, I go into about 300 homes & apartments a week, & one thing they all have in common...lack of a decent stereo system. They are satisfied with Ipods & earbuds. NOT the way to listen to Led Zeppelin or Pink Floyd.
Classic country may come back, but as strictly a fad, like rockabilly & Americana. As America has declined, so has taste in the arts, which includes music.

What about the vinyl resurgence? There's a 17 disc remastered Lou Reed set coming out in October and he claimed that with CD remastering technology the music sounds better than vinyl. I'm inclined to believe him when he said that with technology he can make his music sound better than ever. Can't wait to get that set this october and listen to it on my modern sound system.

I also think there's so many albums from the 90's on upwards to this year that go toe to toe with the best albums of the 60's and the 70's.

I'll even be bold and state it, the 60's were overrated. Half of the output by the big artists were mostly cover songs which were nothing more than watered down blues covers. It took most of the bands 5-6 albums to write material that would hold up in the 21st century. Revolver just turned 50, most of the album sounds dated and only a handful of songs would stand up on the 21st century. I wouldn't even put that album in my top 400.

Jonah Turner · Post by **Jonah Turner** » 9 Aug 2016 6:51 pm

Although I'm not entirely certain my area was that conducive to live country bands, it seems somewhat difficult to find live bands playing around town, but it also seems difficult to find a place to look. However, I've found that my generation of high school musicians is getting much more involved in live music and I'm seeing a steady increase in the number of blues/classic rock bands of a pretty good quality. I'm hoping that once I get old enough to go to bars I'll have more success finding new country bands

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 9 Aug 2016 8:27 pm

"Will classic country music ever come back?"

As a mainstream genre? No, never. Like double-feature movies and "Made in U.S.A." labels on almost everything, it's gone...forever. Feel proud and blessed if you were there to experience it in the '60s, and lucky if you can still get a decent gig playing it. $:\$

Jeff Harbour · Post by **Jeff Harbour** » 10 Aug 2016 3:45 am

Have a little faith... Everything always comes in cycles.

Though I was very young at the time, I do recall that everyone was about to write off country music in the 'Urban Cowboy era'. But then George Strait came along and made everyone want the real thing again.

With that being said, I have noticed that this is a very low point in country music. Just a few years ago guys like Josh Turner and Brad Paisley had some good stuff out. But now ALL country stations are dominated by what is actually "Adult Contemporary" music. To prove this, just turn on any 'new country' station at any time and it will sound like the next song is going to be Phil Collins! (...Don't get me wrong, I love Phil's music; but the point is that he can Never be mistaken for 'country'.)

As one response pointed out, there is still great stuff out there, even by young artists. Don't get discouraged just because the 'pop-culture-obsessed' radio stations don't think it's cool enough to acknowledge.

Ben Edmonds · Post by **Ben Edmonds** » 10 Aug 2016 4:02 am

Seeing that most of the classic era are dead I'd say no. I love that music and its most of what I listen to. That being said maybe part of the problem is all the pining instead of supporting those who are out there like dale and sturgil and the like. This topic is always simultaneously amusing and irritating. Get out of the bubble

Tommy Auldridge · Post by **Tommy Auldridge** » 10 Aug 2016 4:27 am

Donny: I feel very lucky to be working with Chick and Chris Hall. We back two different singers who book things to keep us busy playing mostly real country music. And I also work with Paul Wagner as much as possible. Paul is strictly old classic country, and does a great job on George Jones songs. We have to drive miles and miles between jobs to stay busy, but it's worth it. Tommy......

Jeff Harbour · Post by **Jeff Harbour** » 10 Aug 2016 4:42 am

Ben Edmonds wrote: ...maybe part of the problem is all the pining instead of supporting those who are out there...

Very well said!

I think we should all be optimistic. If we spend all of our time being upset about what we don't have... then we will miss out on what we actually do have.

Mark Hershey · Post by **Mark Hershey** » 10 Aug 2016 5:19 am

Ben Edmonds wrote:Seeing that most of the classic era are dead I'd say no. I love that music and its most of what I listen to. That being said maybe part of the problem is all the pining instead of supporting those who are out there like dale and sturgil and the like. This topic is always simultaneously amusing and irritating. Get out of the bubble

Van Lear Rose came out in 2004. A perfect blend of classic country with a talented young artist that gave the art form a fresh 21st century touch.

Album won 2 Grammys and was critically acclaimed but to your point when I watched the Loretta Lynne American Masters her son lamented about how the album barely sold.

The radio is no longer going to play good music but the good news is we can control what we listen to. There's amazing digital radio stations, we have mp3 players on our phones that we can plug into our car to access our mp3's or spotify which gives us access to just about everything new and old that has been made. Plenty of good playlists on there to discover great new music.

One last point NPR has great music writers on their website and you can stream the entire album while reading the review. Couldn't do that not too long ago, this really is an amazing time for music.

Ben Edmonds · Post by **Ben Edmonds** » 10 Aug 2016 6:55 am

I caught Loretta a few years back and it was the best show I've ever seen! Plenty of young people in the crowd. Same is true for willie and haggard, my 18 year old son loves Waylon he also loves Norwegian speed metal and hip hop and they coexist happily on his iPod.
I played a show last week where kids 12 and under were dancing and singing along to all the old tunes, it was amazing.
I agree that technology has made it possible for plenty of young kids to find what is good. With the exception of satellite radio and npr, radio is a wasteland for the most part but through exposure to music both live and recorded the kids will listen and love all types of music.
I would also think that if I criticized my sons taste in music he would have closed his ears to mine.
Everything changes

Ronnie Boettcher · Post by **Ronnie Boettcher** » 10 Aug 2016 7:18 am

Yes, all the "new country", is nothing but noise, bad dressed hollering, and watered down rock.
I still play good classic country, and bluegrass. Not too many places to play, but I have a few jams, to keep me going. Occasionally get a gig, and when I do, the compliments we get are worth everything. If it isn't classic country, I don't bother going.

Henry Matthews · Post by **Henry Matthews** » 10 Aug 2016 7:28 am

Classic country is alive and well. We play it every Friday and Saturday nights. It just doesn't get the mainstream recognition as it used to and not many new classic country songs are being recorded and written. I don't believe the old classic country that we as steel players love will ever be in the mainstream again and take Nashville by storm but I do believe it will stay alive and well with the people that love it and there are a lot of young people that like classic country so hoping it will hang on even after my generation is gone.

Dave Meis · Post by **Dave Meis** » 10 Aug 2016 8:02 am

I agree with Henry..it's alive and well if YOU make it happen! I live in a town of 10,000, and there's a Honky Tonk Dance first Sat. night of the month in the Fall, Winter and Spring (take Summers off), but it's because the band found a bar that was really slow, approached the owner with the idea, and MADE it happen. All the music is 'Classic Country' with danceable tempos, and you can't get in with an ice pick. Older folks for the first set or so, then the 'kids' come in and it gets loud (and fun!). You just gotta make it happen. Two years ago, when this started, if you ask the younger people that come every month if they liked country music, they would've said 'not much', but it's only because they HADN'T HEARD IT, YET! Get out there!

Jason King · Post by **Jason King** » 10 Aug 2016 8:17 am

Dave your point about getting out their and making it happen is a very good one. I'm finding this more and more. If you knock on some doors you can get some jobs and play what you want to play and that just leads to more jobs if you choose to take them. Classic country is building steam with a lot of young people in my area. Especially young males. The girls are still into pop country.

Ray Lamoureux · Post by **Ray Lamoureux** » 10 Aug 2016 8:30 am

Dave Meis wrote:I agree with Henry..it's alive and well if YOU make it happen! I live in a town of 10,000, and there's a Honky Tonk Dance every Sat. night in the Fall, Winter and Spring (take Summers off), but it's because the band found a bar that was really slow, approached the owner with the idea, and MADE it happen. All the music is 'Classic Country' with danceable tempos, and you can't get in with an ice pick. Older folks for the first set or so, then the 'kids' come in and it get loud (and fun!). You just gotta make it happen. Two years ago, when this started, if you ask the people that come every month if they liked country music, they would've said 'not much', but it's only because they HADN'T HEARD IT, YET! Get out there!

I agree with you & others.Around my area,Bluegrass is a big thing,Its for the whole family.There is some country being played around the area too.

Dick Wood · Post by **Dick Wood** » 10 Aug 2016 9:57 am

Every Era is defined to some extent by the style of music played at the time.

Your parents hate what you like and their parents hated what they liked and so on.

Music over time evolves and changes as Artist and Musicians look for what they think is a new sound that they feel will be popular and give them their unique sound as well as sell product.

Music affects us all in various ways that bring us enjoyment or possibly even pain. It reminds us of being in love,lost loves,family,friends,good or bad times so we cling to it for those reasons.

We are our parents and we hate what our children love now and they will hate what there children love in the future.

Our music will still be played but only in small limited niches by those who keep it alive for us to enjoy but in my opinion,will not return to the forefront again.

My two cents.

Frank Agliata · Post by **Frank Agliata** » 10 Aug 2016 10:14 am

Dick Wood wrote:Every Era is defined to some extent by the style of music played at the time.

Your parents hate what you like and their parents hated what they liked and so on.

Music over time evolves and changes as Artist and Musicians look for what they think is a new sound that they feel will be popular and give them their unique sound as well as sell product.

Music affects us all in various ways that bring us enjoyment or possibly even pain. It reminds us of being in love,lost loves,family,friends,good or bad times so we cling to it for those reasons.

We are our parents and we hate what our children love now and they will hate what there children love in the future.

Our music will still be played but only in small limited niches by those who keep it alive for us to enjoy but in my opinion,will not return to the forefront again.

My two cents.

Your two cents was well worth it my brother in blue, (retired)

Jeff Harbour · Post by **Jeff Harbour** » 10 Aug 2016 10:25 am

Most of us are probably okay with some evolution. It just frustrates me that producers and promoters are attempting to fool us.

Here's an example with another genre. Though I don't own any of their albums, Three Doors Down is a decent band. They don't sound like The Who... or AC/DC... or Dio... but, they are unmistakably a Rock Band.

On that same note, Dale Watson is Country. May not sound like Ray Price... or Haggard... or Ricky Skaggs... but it's a reasonable evolution.

But, the fact is that they are presently packaging a sound that has already been done (as I said earlier it is like early 90's Adult Contemporary), and trying to label it as something else.

Andy Henriksen · Post by **Andy Henriksen** » 10 Aug 2016 10:26 am

The vast majority of people stop exploring new music in their early 30s, and that typically manifests itself in the "all new music is crap" line of thinking. The reality is not that it's crap, but that it doesn't sound like what you grew up with, so you label as such. There is no good music or bad music. There's only what you like and don't like.

http://www.avclub.com/article/new-study ... -33-218752

Sure, a lot of the modern country has pretty shallow lyrics and arguably formulaic production, but the same could certainly be said of many popular songs from any genre/time period. But people are more forgiving of these things in the music they favor.

Classic Country is called that for a reason. If it was popular now, it wouldn't be "classic."

Don R Brown · Post by **Don R Brown** » 10 Aug 2016 10:36 am

Dick Wood wrote: Your parents hate what you like and their parents hated what they liked and so on.

We are our parents and we hate what our children love now and they will hate what there children love in the future.

As always, there are exceptions, Our 28YO son is very much into the rock I grew up with - Beatles, Stones, Led Zeppelin, and also is a huge fan of traditional blues tunes. Kind of amusing that he is probably better versed in later Beatles tunes than I am.

Since I drifted to country at about his age, I can only hope he does the same, but so far he detests it.

Brett Day · Post by **Brett Day** » 10 Aug 2016 11:00 am

I started listening to country music as a kid in the eighties, and have listened to it since. There's one artist that I became a huge fan of in 1998, and I still listen to her today-her name is Danni Leigh and she loves the steel guitar. I'm almost thirty-five years old, but I love classic country music-Hank Sr, Ray Price, Ernest Tubb, Merle, and many others.

Mark Hershey · Post by **Mark Hershey** » 10 Aug 2016 11:24 am

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFzYp-4_Egg

I don't know how anyone can listen to this and not find their selves drawn right into the sound.

His album 'Metamodern Sounds in Country Music' has taken the art form into the 21st century.

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