Country Admit It You Love It

Chris Walke · Post by **Chris Walke** » 2 May 2001 10:16 am

Maybe I'm not reading the article right...

When did "country" become a BRAND?

Joel Glassman · Post by **Joel Glassman** » 2 May 2001 10:28 am

>The tagline declares: "Country. Admit it. You love it."(SM)

Boy, if this isn't the most defensive sales line I've ever heard. Country the "guilty pleasure" we've got to admit.
This somehow reminds me of General Electric's
TV ad after some scandal they were involved in: A floor polisher buffing a big logo on the floor of corporate headquarters. Yes, we get the picture... How about "Country. Admit it. You don't know what the word means anymore." (TM)

Janice Brooks · Post by **Janice Brooks** » 2 May 2001 2:55 pm

Found in the Washington Country's Sissified Slogan

By Frank Ahrens
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, May 2, 2001; Page C01

Here's proof that country music is in real trouble: It now has a slogan.
"Country. Admit it. You love it."

The slogan itself has myriad problems, the greatest of which is its betrayal of
country's roots. We'll get to that in a moment.

First, slogans: Always a bad sign for the sloganeer.

Slogans brainstormed by ad agencies are the last-gasp hope of flatlining
entities, like cheerful banners hung from light posts in failing cities:
"Celebrate East St. Louis!" Living, growing cities do not need a slogan.

Rap music does not need a slogan. Britney does not need a slogan.

Country music, its great minds believe, does: The Country Music Association has
launched a big advertising campaign to hype its music and musicians.
Country radio peaked in popularity in the early 1990s, with "hat acts" like
Garth Brooks. Since then, country radio is the only format to have consistently
lost listeners. Sales of country music CDs have declined over the past three
years.

Think about horse racing, once one of America's premier sports. Now racing is
an ossifying cadaver jolted into consciousness only by its annual Triple Crown
defibrillation. A few years ago, the horse racing industry launched a
multimillion-dollar ad campaign to boost interest.
The slogan: "Go, baby, go!"
How'd it work?
When was the last time you went to the track?

The CMA hired a research firm to quiz country listeners and came back with this
finding: They love country but are afraid it's uncool to admit it. The slogan
was meant to be self-deprecating and self-empowering at the same time. There's
a precedent for this in the ad world: Recall the Avis ads, which advertised the
fact that the car rental agency was "Number Two."
Now it's country music that's in Number Two.

Country music used to be foul and rowdy and real. It used to be about killin' a
man just to watch him die. Thug rappers have nothing on the real Original
Gangstas -- country-western singers.

If country music had had a slogan back in its authentic heyday -- the time of
Hank Williams and Tammy Wynette, of George Jones and Waylon Jennings -- it
might have been:
"Country. Best performed behind chicken wire." Or:
"Country. Listen, or I'll smash a beer bottle over your head." Or:
"Country. I'm up for parole in six months, so tell that no-account brother of
yours he still owes me 40 bucks and if it ain't waitin' for me when I get out,
I'm gonna open a can of whup-ass on him."

Mainstream country, as cranked out by Nashville's Music Row today, is well
produced and catchy. Country stars are the good guys of the music world, pound
for pound the most gracious and fan-accommodating.

But today's country music is safe and supportive and chronicles the heartache
and sorrow of minivan-mom angst.

Old Country Music needed a shot of Jack before noon. Today's Country Music
needs a play date and a support group.

So maybe the new slogan doesn't go far enough. Maybe New Country should really
embrace what it's become:
"Country. When you feel like a microbrew (and drink it responsibly)."
"Country. Almost Dave Matthews."
"Country. Because being a mom and secondary wage-earner is no picnic."
"Country. Not all icky like it used to be."

© 2001 The Washington Post Company

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Leigh Howell · Post by **Leigh Howell** » 2 May 2001 3:31 pm

When Garth Brooks came along a lot of people started making money. Most of them had no Idea what country music was, and did,nt care. They just started cloning singers, and marketing them to the public.Aiming mostly for the young folks. Well as most of us know, young folks can be very fickle.I think now there ready to move on to something else, and the big wigs are starting to panic.They would never admit that they might have to start playing some traditional country on their computerized radio stations, so they come up with this idiotic corporate mumble jumble. Ok I,m gettig off of my soap box now!!Boy That was fun!!

Leigh

Smiley Roberts · Post by **Smiley Roberts** » 2 May 2001 6:27 pm

Actually,"today's country" isn't # 2. The majority of it just smells that way!!
(I'm still tryin' to figure out,what "country" it's from!)
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<pre> ~ ~
©¿© ars longa,
mm vita brevis
-=sr€=-</pre>

[This message was edited by Smiley Roberts on 02 May 2001 at 07:32 PM.]

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 3 May 2001 7:50 am

Bobby Lee...you're a man after my own heart!!!

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 3 May 2001 8:34 am

Yeah, but b0bby, tell us how you really feel about it. Don't hold anything back.

David Pennybaker · Post by **David Pennybaker** » 3 May 2001 10:02 am

Its really just bad pop rock now.

Assuming it's just "pop rock" (which I won't bother to debate), I'd say it's some of the best of that format I've ever heard.

Or do you really prefer the music Nsync, Back Street Boys, Britney Spears, etc. to that of Garth Brooks, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, etc. ?

Deanna Carter? Loved her first album -- didn't care for the second one at all.

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The Unofficial Photographer of The Wilkinsons

Bobby Snell · Post by **Bobby Snell** » 3 May 2001 1:56 pm

Great thread, Janice. I LOL'd at the Post article.

Janice Brooks · Post by **Janice Brooks** » 3 May 2001 2:32 pm

All i did was forward the articles. From the responces I see in a couple usenets groups etc, the feeling is mutuel that the slogon does not speak for us.

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Janice "Busgal" Brooks
ICQ 44729047

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 3 May 2001 3:30 pm

Most of today's "Country Megastars" might seem congenial, but getting close to them is next to impossible. Their "security detail" is second only to the President's.

Leigh Howell · Post by **Leigh Howell** » 3 May 2001 3:58 pm

And besides that, I cant tell You how Much! And then there was this other time! Boy i dont know why it is or what we,re going to!!I just wish that, and that,s about the size of it!!!!!Already even!!

Leigh

Bowie Martin · Post by **Bowie Martin** » 3 May 2001 4:22 pm

I hate to admit it, but I have given up on country radio, and just play my cd's now. The last time I listened there was some country music left but I am not going to listen to 10 pop songs to hear one country record. So, the same thing is happening to country radio that happened to television - the ratings go down because we can go rent the videos we want, and eliminate all the cra....mess, that we don't want to listen too. Thank God that I have two lead singers who love country music and steel guitar, and want to hear it on every song. One is a pure country George Jones/Alan Jackson/George Strait singer, and the female loves and can lay down some Patsy Cline, Loretta, Tanya stuff from the old days. Man, I love it...now if I can just learn to pick like the guys on those records, we will have it made...

chas smith · Post by **chas smith** » 3 May 2001 7:30 pm

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>CMA was the first trade group formed to promote a type of music when it was founded in 1958. GSD&M's culture of
creativity inspires award-winning work for redefining brands such as Southwest Airlines, DreamWorks SKG, Chili's Grill
and Bar, Wal-Mart, SBC Communications, MasterCard, Land Rover, Pennzoil and Charles Schwab.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
you of course can see the connection between these corporations and country music.

Craig A Davidson · Post by **Craig A Davidson** » 4 May 2001 7:03 am

David P, Of all the acts you mentioned in your post, I prefer none of them. Not even the so-called country acts. To me,( and I know this will tick someone off), but they are not country. Anyone of the three would sell out to get a hit. They all started out sounding country, but then they got famous and forgot where they came from. I do not care for country music that sounds like Eddie Van Halen produced it. I like Eddie, though but on a rock station. When I listen to Country that's what I want. When I listen to Rock that's what I want. If I upset anybody here I am sorry. I have been sitting helplessly by for the last few years watching Country music go down the crapper, and there's nothing I can do about it. It's the music I grew up on and the music I dearly love and it's so sad to watch something you love, die.

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David Pennybaker · Post by **David Pennybaker** » 4 May 2001 8:56 am

Of all the acts you mentioned in your post, I prefer none of them. Not even the so-called country acts. To me,( and I know this will tick someone off), but they are not country.

All I'll say is that today's "country" music is the best music (IMO) being produced TODAY.

Maybe THAT should be the slogan.

I still hear a WORLD of difference between today's "pop-country" and plain ol' "pop".

Do I like all of today's "pop-country"? Absolutely not. Of course, I didn't like all of yesterday's "traditional country", either. I'm really much more of a "song" person than a "group" or "singer" person anyway.

IMO, though, you can still find good COUNTRY songs today -- you just have to try a little harder.

Check out Darryl Worley's CD. How about Tracey Lawrence (he seems to be coming back to traditional country now), George Strait, Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley, Clint Black, Allison Moorer ? Lots of good COUNTRY songs on their albums, IMO.

The problem is that right now, there just doesn't seem to be a big market for "classic country". Or if there is one, the radio station owners sure don't see it. Personally, I think they're missing out on a market that could make good money for them. But with financial contraints, they go for the "easy pickin's" of the pop/country.

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The Unofficial Photographer of The Wilkinsons

David Pennybaker · Post by **David Pennybaker** » 4 May 2001 9:02 am

I do not care for country music that sounds like Eddie Van Halen produced it. I like Eddie, though but on a rock station. When I listen to Country that's what I want. When I listen to Rock that's what I want.

Can't say I'm a Van Halen expert, but what I've heard I don't like at all. And I'd be hard-pressed to name any "country" songs today that even remotely sound like Van Halen.

There might be room for "rock", "rock/pop", "pop", "pop/country", and "country" station formats, but I'm not sure. I don't do a LOT of listening to other formats today, but I'd say that there are only really 3 radio station formats (out of those 5), with "pop/country" and "country" being ONE of them.

Personally, I'd rather have the pop/country grouped with country, rather than having it grouped with pop. I'm not sure why the "powers that be" have grouped them that way, though.

You'd obviously rather have the pop/country grouped with pop.

But like they say, you can't please everybody all the time.

What's a person to do? Other than (if they think the market exists) start a company that has "true country only" as its format, and see how it works out.

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The Unofficial Photographer of The Wilkinsons

Craig A Davidson · Post by **Craig A Davidson** » 4 May 2001 11:51 am

David, I was referring to the three artists you mentioned in your posting: Brooks,Hill, and McGraw. I admit there are good ones like Strait, Jackson and so on. But so much of today's country sounds like it came of the pop charts with distorted guitars and techno pop beats and pop music video imatation. I like all kinds of music, but I like my rock,rock and my country, country. It unnerves me when so-called country acts like Shania can't even come up with original videos. The "I Feel Like A Woman" video is just like Robert Plant's "Addicted To Love", only the genders are reversed. Do video producers think we are so blind we can't figure that stuff out. Different strokes for different folks I always say, and if some people like it it's fine. But not for me. I always felt if you had enough talent you could entertain a crowd without smoke, lights, and a bunch of running all over stage. Not to mention trapeze wires and busting up guitars. To prove my point check out George Jones, or George Strait. They get their point across without all that stuff. I didn't post to offend you or anybody else, and I agree with you to a point. I just had to get it off my chest and this looked like a good place. Oh by the way I wouldn't mind pop-country on the radio if they would play some pure country too. But don't cram it down our throats like this is the only choice. There is no such thing as TOO COUNTRY on a country radio station.

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Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 4 May 2001 12:06 pm

Shania can't even come up with original videos. The "I Feel Like A Woman" video is just like Robert Plant's "Addicted To Love", only the genders are reversed.

God, I'm embarrassed to even say this..., I mean, y'all know how much I like traditional country, play it with Johnny Bush, Justin Trevino, and others, so it's like, I mean, I do have some credentials and all... but I believe the Addicted To Love video was by Robert Palmer, not Plant.

Right now, I'm watching a video of the old Pet Milk Grand Ole Opry TV shows with Ray Price and the Cherokees with Buddy Emmons, Pete Wade, and Buddy Spicher. This is what I prefer. But given my choice of the two mentioned above, I'd choose Shania... provided I could turn down the audio!

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

David Pennybaker · Post by **David Pennybaker** » 4 May 2001 12:34 pm

I was referring to the three artists you mentioned in your posting: Brooks,Hill, and McGraw.

I liked their earl stuff. Not really the later stuff as much, though. Oh, well -- they have their audience. I just enjoyed what they did give us before they went "too pop" (the definition of which is highly personal, and really depends on the song, not the artist).

I like all kinds of music, but I like my rock,rock and my country, country.

I guess that's where we primarily differ. I really don't like "rock". And I'm quite happy to listen to a good ballad, where they've blended some elements of "pop" and "country" into the arrangement -- though I like it better when there's more of the latter.

It unnerves me when so-called country acts like Shania can't even come up with original videos. The "I Feel Like A Woman" video is just like Robert Plant's "Addicted To Love", only the genders are reversed. Do video producers think we are so blind we can't figure that stuff out.

Can't say I've ever seen the rock video. And, to be honest, I never really liked Shania, even when she first came out. Only one or two of her ballads, really.

I always felt if you had enough talent you could entertain a crowd without smoke, lights, and a bunch of running all over stage. Not to mention trapeze wires and busting up guitars.

You'll get no disagreement from me there. I fail to understand why people want to see "a show". I want to hear the music, and see them play/sing. A little "showmanship" is OK -- but not much. I'm reminded of Don Williams -- if his band weren't tapping their toes, you'd swear the bunch were dead -- other than the great music coming from them, of course.

To prove my point check out George Jones, or George Strait. They get their point across without all that stuff.

I hear ya. Though I've never attended a George Strait concert -- too many danged people for me.

I didn't post to offend you or anybody else, and I agree with you to a point.

No offense taken at all.

I just had to get it off my chest and this looked like a good place. Oh by the way I wouldn't mind pop-country on the radio if they would play some pure country too. But don't cram it down our throats like this is the only choice. There is no such thing as TOO COUNTRY on a country radio station.

Let's just hope for more from guys like Brad Paisley and Darryl Worley getting played on radio. If this "truer country" shows signs of success, you can bet that others will follow. The guys in charge of the labels want success -- and they seem very reluctant to try anything but the latest fad that's "working".

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The Unofficial Photographer of The Wilkinsons

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 4 May 2001 1:53 pm

I wore "the Country Joe" Label for years and am still proud to do so.I like other types of good music but prefer pure bone A$$ Country.

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CJC

[This message was edited by Joe Casey on 04 May 2001 at 02:55 PM.][This message was edited by Joe Casey on 04 May 2001 at 02:56 PM.]

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 4 May 2001 2:47 pm

* [This message was edited by Gene Jones on 01 May 2002 at 05:20 PM.]

Craig A Davidson · Post by **Craig A Davidson** » 4 May 2001 4:06 pm

Thank-you David for understanding and Herb for correcting me. I must have had a Pink Floyd moment there. It is just a topic that fires me up. Oh yeah, and Herb, I think you like Shania for other reasons. Shame on you! Ha Ha! Thanks again guys.

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David Pennybaker · Post by **David Pennybaker** » 4 May 2001 6:17 pm

Some of those guys mentioned above actually do the entire show without changing shirts!

What is it about set changes and costume changes that people like? I just don't understand.

Then again, I'm a simple guy. I prefer videos that just show the band performing live. I prefer to hear a few songwriters/singers just sit around and sing with only their guitar/piano to back them up.

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The Unofficial Photographer of The Wilkinsons