Country music

Musical topics not directly related to steel guitar

Moderators: Dave Mudgett, Janice Brooks

User avatar
Leslie Ehrlich
Posts: 1295
Joined: 21 Nov 2002 1:01 am
Location: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

Country music

Post by Leslie Ehrlich »

Although I don’t play country music, there are some classic country songs I thoroughly enjoy listening to. Here are some examples of songs I like:

Girl On The Billboard – Del Reeves
Ring Of Fire – Johnny Cash
Battle Of New Orleans – Johnny Horton
If You’ve Got The Money – Lefty Frizzell (later version)
Love’s Gonna Live Here – Buck Owens
Mama Tried – Merle Haggard
Dang Me – Roger Miller
Bed Of Roses – Statler Brothers
Louisiana Man – Doug Kershaw
Kiss An Angel Good Morning – Charley Pride

On the other hand, there are a lot of songs that really turn me off to country music. Here are a few examples of country songs I hate:

Achy Breaky Heart – Billy Ray Cyrus
Whiskey If You Were A Woman – Highway 101
There’s A Tear In My Beer – Hank Williams
Gimme A Redneck Girl – Bellamy Brothers
Chattahoochie – Alan Jackson
Fireman – George Strait
Convoy – C.W. McCall
Swingin’ – John Anderson
Jukebox Junkie – Ken Mellons
Hard Workin’ Man – Brooks & Dunn

What do you like or hate?
User avatar
Walter Stettner
Posts: 5744
Joined: 21 Nov 2003 1:01 am
Location: Vienna, Austria
Contact:

Post by Walter Stettner »

Tough question!

I like the real country stuff - Connie Smith, Mel Street, the early Paycheck stuff, Charley Pride, Merle Haggard, Buck Owens, quite a long list (of course Steel has to be on it!)

I don't like most of the newer top 40 stuff, but also the Country-Pop style of the 60's/70's/80's (Kenny Rogers, Eddie Rabbitt,...), the kind with lots of strings horns, orchestra and all that syrup.

Kind Regards, Walter
www.austriansteelguitar.at.tf

------------------
User avatar
Cal Sharp
Posts: 2873
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: the farm in Kornfield Kounty, TN
Contact:

Post by Cal Sharp »

You'd hate those songs a lot more if you did play country music and had to play them every night. ;-)>
Fortunately, the really stupid songs like Achey Breaky Heart don't enjoy the tenure that real music like Mama Tried does.

------------------
Image
Cal's Corral
C Dixon
Posts: 7061
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Duluth, GA USA
Contact:

Post by C Dixon »

too many in either direction to mention. I will just comment on Achy Breaky Heart – Billy Ray Cyrus.

That was about as "country" as Michael Jackson. So needless to say I am in total agreement with you on that one.

Image

carl
Paul King
Posts: 5524
Joined: 27 Sep 2002 12:01 am
Location: Gainesville, Texas, USA

Post by Paul King »

I like more of the 70's and 80's music. To hear John Hughey on a Conway Twitty record or Hal Rugg on a Loretta Lynn record does not get any better. To hear the country music of today, I would rather be fishing or doing something better with my time. Shoot, the Grand Ole Opry to me is not even worth watching anymore. That is just me and not downing anyone else that likes the music of today or anyone woh watches the Opry. I sure wish we could go back in time and see and hear all those old country hits on television and radio again.
Doyle Weigold
Posts: 367
Joined: 8 Sep 2001 12:01 am
Location: CColumbia City, IN, USA

Post by Doyle Weigold »

I would like to hear a new album, with new songs, done the old way. Heavy on steel, fiddle, and lead
User avatar
Larry Robbins
Posts: 3521
Joined: 18 Feb 2003 1:01 am
Location: Fort Edward, New York

Post by Larry Robbins »

Achey,Breaky,Heart...no matter how many times I vomit,I still feel the need to hang myself, Image
Charles French
Posts: 394
Joined: 9 Jun 2003 12:01 am
Location: Ms.

Post by Charles French »

If ya really want to make them dancers mad, try playing achy breaky with a swing tempo.
User avatar
Joe Casey
Posts: 6185
Joined: 25 Jan 1999 1:01 am
Location: Weeki Wachee .Springs FL (population.9)

Post by Joe Casey »

Charles: If you run into Drummer Tommy Horton tell him I said hi. Tommy once spent about 4 months in the frozen North working for me. One terrific drummer.

------------------


Charles French
Posts: 394
Joined: 9 Jun 2003 12:01 am
Location: Ms.

Post by Charles French »

Hey Joe, I worked with Tommy for about 10 years back in the late 70's. Tommy accidently? shot himself last year. He is buried outside Tupelo. It was a great shock to us all.
User avatar
Joe Casey
Posts: 6185
Joined: 25 Jan 1999 1:01 am
Location: Weeki Wachee .Springs FL (population.9)

Post by Joe Casey »

CHARLES ,I am real sorry to hear that. Tommy was an excellent drummer. Him and Bobby Allen lived with us for the time they played in my band.We had some great times. I took him snow skiing and that was a riot. this is sad.
Chip Fossa
Posts: 4366
Joined: 17 Sep 1998 12:01 am
Location: Monson, MA, USA (deceased)

Post by Chip Fossa »

The upper list - OK

The lower list - not OK
Eddie Lange
Posts: 688
Joined: 9 Apr 1999 12:01 am
Location: Nashville, TN

Post by Eddie Lange »

Leslie, last time I checked I thought Whiskey If You Were A Woman and The Fireman were pretty good country songs, and take it easy on Ol' Ken Mellons.
Donny Hinson
Posts: 21192
Joined: 16 Feb 1999 1:01 am
Location: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Post by Donny Hinson »

<SMALL>I would like to hear a new album, with new songs, done the old way. Heavy on steel, fiddle, and lead.</SMALL>
Buy a CD by Justin Trevino. You <u>won't</u> be disappointed! Image
User avatar
Joe Miraglia
Posts: 1607
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Jamestown N.Y.

Post by Joe Miraglia »

What if Acky Breaky Heart had alot of steel And fiddle on it? What not country! Why it's a song about the heart, it makes you cry,two chords,Key of G,- Now That's Country Image Joe
User avatar
David L. Donald
Posts: 13696
Joined: 17 Feb 2003 1:01 am
Location: Koh Samui Island, Thailand
Contact:

Post by David L. Donald »

I still like tear In My Beer, but otherwise this works for me.

I lean heaveily to the bluegrass/bluesy side of country, but there is plenty of pre sacarine country that is still cool.
Hank Snow was much better than he is remembered these days.

I love Chet's pickin' but much of his 60's country producing work I HATED then and haven't much warmed up to since.

But there have always been a few songs on the country cannon even Billy Ray couldn't ruin for me. If he was fool enough to try and cover them.
Mike Kowalik
Posts: 1752
Joined: 29 Nov 1998 1:01 am
Location: San Antonio,Texas

Post by Mike Kowalik »

If you want to hear some great country buy cd's by Jake Hooker....you can get all 4 from the Ernest Tubb record store in Ft.Worth Tx...phone number is 1-817-380-4568....Bobby Flores and Dickey Overby to the max...you won't be disappointed!!
Jerry Bruner
Posts: 69
Joined: 17 Oct 1999 12:01 am
Location: Albany, NY

Post by Jerry Bruner »

If you're looking for "real" country music you don't need to look any further than Dale Watson (particularly anything he recorded that has Ricky Davis on steel). And one listen to "Country My @$$" and you'll know where he stands on the issue.

Good stuff coming out of Texas: The Cornell Hurd Band (any CD will do) or fiddler Howard Kalish's "What The Hey" (there's some great steel on it as well. Howard writes, plays and sings. Yee friggin' HAW!!!)
User avatar
Ron Sodos
Posts: 1185
Joined: 27 Oct 2003 1:01 am
Location: San Antonio, Texas USA

Post by Ron Sodos »

Play Achy Breaky Heart in 11/4 time or 7/4. Watch the dancers. Its great..........
Robbie Bossert
Posts: 1588
Joined: 5 Feb 2000 1:01 am
Location: WESCOSVILLE,PA,U.S.A.

Post by Robbie Bossert »

It's a very strange situation. Traditional sounding country music and country music artists still exist. Why the industry ignores them is a mystery to me. What I'd like to know is: who decided to rename this crap they're playing today "Country Music"? It's not just that they've decided to change the name from rock music to country, it's that they've totally abandoned a whole genera of music completely!

"Rock N' Roll Back In The 70's Sounds Like The Country Shit Today".

Dale Watson ........Nashville Rash.
Doyle Weigold
Posts: 367
Joined: 8 Sep 2001 12:01 am
Location: CColumbia City, IN, USA

Post by Doyle Weigold »

Pix1, I agree 100%. In my opinion, Dick Clark had to have something to do with it. He was never involved in Country Music before. I think he's doing the same thing now with Country Music as he done with rock back in the late 50's, early 60's. That's where the need to be "young and pretty" and "no talent" seemed to start, and he was there?????
Robbie Bossert
Posts: 1588
Joined: 5 Feb 2000 1:01 am
Location: WESCOSVILLE,PA,U.S.A.

Post by Robbie Bossert »

Doyle, you're probably right about the DICK clark connection. Any time I see him lurking around backstage at an awards show, I know it couldn't possibly be legit. I just read where they're bringing back American Bandstand. Hopefully, that will take his mind off devising more ways to screw up country music even further.........IF THAT'S POSSIBLE!

Robbie Bossert
Steve Hinson
Posts: 3879
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Hendersonville Tn USA

Post by Steve Hinson »

...anybody notice what instrument is missing on most of the records Leslie likes?
C Dixon
Posts: 7061
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Duluth, GA USA
Contact:

Post by C Dixon »

<SMALL>"What if Acky Breaky Heart had alot of steel And fiddle on it?"</SMALL>
Well, I will go to my death believing it is precisely "that" that they did, so it would NOT sound country. If so, it would be typical of soooooo many stories I have heard about them mixing the steel (and fiddles) out so they could appeal to those who hate country music.

carl
User avatar
Joe Miraglia
Posts: 1607
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Jamestown N.Y.

Post by Joe Miraglia »

Steve, Bag Pipe Image. How have you been, When are you playing in Westeren New York, again Joe
Post Reply