What's wrong with this Picture?

Billy Poteet · Post by **Billy Poteet** » 1 Apr 2003 12:09 pm

I happened to catch the top 40 men in Country
music on the cmt channel and much to my surprise after all was said and done, there was no "Ray Price", They had Toby Keith, Dwight Yokham, Travis Tritt, Randy Travis, and several other new comers and a lot of the older guys that were deserving but no "Ray Price". How could you have a country music show with the top 40 men in country music and not honor this man who single handedly did more in my eyes for country music and our instrument than anyone else ever? How could this happen?

Billy P.

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 1 Apr 2003 12:59 pm

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>
Ray Price - 73 year old country music singer was arrested in his Texas home for possession of marijuana.

Source: San Francisco Chronicle, March 26, 1999<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Willie, Waylon and ...[This message was edited by Eric West on 01 April 2003 at 03:46 PM.]

Chas Friedman · Post by **Chas Friedman** » 1 Apr 2003 2:17 pm

I'd have to think about making my own list which I haven't done, but I think Ray Price would be on the top 10 of such a list. Can't
imagine why he was omitted.

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 1 Apr 2003 2:54 pm

I have been listening to "Time" this week and I can't imagine wht he was left out.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 1 Apr 2003 5:22 pm

My "short list"...(with just a little thought)

1. Hank Williams
2. Jimmie Rodgers
3. Bob Wills
4. Ernest Tubb
5. George Jones
6. Ray Price
7. Hank Thompson
8. Buck Owens
9. Webb Pierce
10. Roger Miller
11. Eddie Arnold
12. Hank Snow
13. Johnny Cash
14. Porter Waggoner
15. Mel Tillis
16. Johnny Bush
17. Spade Cooley
18. Jimmy Dean
19. Farron Young
20. Chet Atkins

Some of the "newer stars" might show up in the in last 20, but these are the guys who started it all!

Paul King · Post by **Paul King** » 1 Apr 2003 6:22 pm

Eric, I noticed the reply about Ray Price. I am shocked about him and marijuana. I had never heard anything about this. Was Willie and Waylon in the top 40? Was the accusation toward Ray Price true? I sure would be interested to know what happened. About the rest of the top 40 men in Country Music, I was shocked Johnny Cash was #1 on the list. I never considered him to be a great singer.

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 1 Apr 2003 6:45 pm

Ya know, I hesitated to post that, but for maybe a glimpse into the "puritanical blackball machine" that has plagued "our thing" from the old days.

Ray Price, in my mind along with Ernest Tubb might just be THE two top people in helping players and other performers that have been victims of this.

Hank W had been shut out of everything in "the industry". He had spinal bifida for one that made his life a living hell just coping with the physical pain. It meant a lot of drinking, missed shows, and probably use of whatever pain medication he could find. Ernest gave him a shot when nobody else would.

Another young man, Elvis Presley, was shut out because they were afraid he'd play too much "colored music". Ernest helped him too.

From my personal associations, often times when somebody "misbehaved" for some reason to arouse the puritanical ire of the "powers that be" in the Big N, Ernest and Ray were among the most helpful. Roger Miller was another one that fought a hard fight and passed on his "help" for some of those that ran afoul of "the system".

Nothing here but appreciation for Ray, Ernest, and the other TRUE giants.

There's a possibility that J C Day might have not worked as much if not for Ray and Ernest. The time I met JCD, he was playing bass for Ernest after a stint in the hospital.

Others may ammend or append this at their convenience.

Eric West.

Barbara Hennerman · Post by **Barbara Hennerman** » 1 Apr 2003 9:00 pm

*[This message was edited by Barbara Hennerman on 21 August 2006 at 01:16 AM.]

David Cobb · Post by **David Cobb** » 1 Apr 2003 9:08 pm

He looks kinda ripped on the photo insert for "Time".

I don't care if he did or didn't, he's DA MAN.

Alvin Blaine · Post by **Alvin Blaine** » 2 Apr 2003 3:23 am

When I first watched this show it really bothered me. I couldn't understand how they would include "The Eagles", "Elvis", "Kenny Rogers" those aren't country acts. Then to leave out so many great names and have Jimmie Rodgers and Buck Owens so low on the list.
Then I started thinking that besides Chet Atkins and Earl Scruggs of "Flatt & Scruggs" they were all singers. What happened to the musicians, the songwriters, the producers. Why didn't they call the show "CMT's 40 Favorite Male Singers"! Where were names like Harlan Howard, Fred Rose, Ralph Peer, Hank Cochran, A.P. Carter, Harold Bradley and about a dozen other writers, pickers, and producers. I would even add names that changed the sound of music like Leo Fender.
Then I went to work this week and realized something. I work in a Country band that plays on the strip in Las Vegas and most of the people that stop and listen to us are NOT country fans. Most of the request that we get from non-country music people are for songs by Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson & Waylon Jennings, Garth Brooks, George Strait, Allan Jackson, Hank Williams. All of these were in the top ten of the show. That's when it hit me, this list isn't for Country Music fans- It's for NON-COUNTRY music listeners.
People that aren't into Country Music don't care which singer used fiddle and steel or what singer influenced Merle Haggard or any of the history behind Country Music. But you can play a recording of Johnny Cash or Willie Nelson and almost anyone in the world can tell you who they are.

So after realizing all of this the CMT show doesn't bother me now, I just decided to rename it to "CMT's 40 Favorite Male Singers for Non-Country Music Fans"

Don Walters · Post by **Don Walters** » 2 Apr 2003 6:10 am

"CMT's 40 Favorite Male Singers for Non-Country Music Fans"

IMHO, That could be the quote of the year! It pretty well sums up current country music in general!

Damir Besic · Post by **Damir Besic** » 2 Apr 2003 10:52 am

Just another CMT half a$$ done "country"show.TNN is out and CMT is on its way.Anybody knows Tom T. Hall song "There`s no country music in this Juke-Box"?

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 4 Apr 2003 4:59 am

Ok OK you mean to tell me none of the aforementioned by the CMT list never never rolled one.:O

Horseshirt.

------------------
CJC

Stephen Gregory · Post by **Stephen Gregory** » 4 Apr 2003 1:45 pm

Alvin, You are absolutely right!!