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Topic: So long, Nashville; Hello, Texas |
Ray Uhl
From:
Riverside, Missouri, USA
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Posted 24 Aug 2004 7:31 pm |
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Joey Ace, suggested I move this thread from (No more steel Roy Clark) to the "Music Topic", and solicit other's comments. Let's "brainstorm" and see what happens. Maybe some wealthy Country Music lover will buy into this. 
Original comment:
Bob, I too am sorry to hear of your situation. The country music we know hasn't died, it's been killed!! (Murder on Music Row). The business men of the music industry have "brainwashed" the younger generation by telling them who and want constitutes "Country Music". True country artists and writers have been replaced by people with music degrees and absolutely no emotional feeling for a true country song.
As long as I have my soap box, has anyone given any thought to abandoning Nashville and establishing a new Country effort in Texas? From what I read on the forum, and what I observe, true country is still supported in Texas. Do correct me if I'm wrong, but why can't all the true country singers and musicians ban together, seek financial investors, and do this. I know there's enough of us out there, that support true country. We all need to brain storm and think of something. I live to play steel guitar and "true" Country music. Let's do something fast....at my age, I don't have forever.
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Mike Sweeney
From:
Nashville,TN,USA
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Posted 24 Aug 2004 11:59 pm
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Ray,
You're not the first to come up with this idea. At one time in the '70's it seemed like everyone wanted to move to Austin. The late '80's a bunch went to Branson including Roy Clark. So my point is, Although it's unfortunate for Bob Hempker and he's been a friend of mine for years, You can't blame his situation on Nashville.
Mike |
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David L. Donald
From:
Koh Samui Island, Thailand
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Posted 25 Aug 2004 12:12 am
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We have a generation or two that grew up with Lynerd Skynerd and the like as southern rock, this was their link too country, so they haven't lost the like for a bit of grit in the guitars.
Now this in it's self and the lack of shuffles is the main thing I see as style istically different, oh yeah well less steel too.
The song writing has gone less to lost love and drinking your troubles away to looking for love and having a good time.
Sure the ladies sing a few liberation songs, and he mistreated me songs, but face it, this is a completelt different generation that the songs are written for.
Unfortunately there is not a business model to be built on doing the style favored by the grandfathers of the current buying generation.
And face it guys most steelers ARE the grandfather generation,
to much of the CD buying / radio lsitening public these days.
What was once mainstream is now a nitche,
just like Rockabilly is now country,
even though it was rebel rock when it came out.
In between the drek, and there always was and always well be pop drek,
are a few good songs, done well and cleanly produced.
So I guess we can live for them, and listen to the old favorites..
For every 6 Ride a Cowboy...
there might be 1 Three Crosses On The Highyway. |
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Herb Steiner
From:
Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064
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Posted 25 Aug 2004 7:11 am
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I've been in Austin since 1972, when the town was 1/4 of its current size. Even then the talk was of Austin being the "next Nashville."
Yeah, right. 
Country music is still popular in Texas, but not nearly to the extent that it was 30 years ago, and the population of the state has quadrupled. This would make you think that country music would flourish. Wrong. It's still more available here than in other parts of the country, but not nearly to the extent that well-wishers and dreamers imagine.
A cliche about the color of the other guy's pasture comes to mind.
I agree with David Donald. Traditional country like Ray Price shuffles is an anachronism played for a relatively small number of younger fans, like the nouveau-rockabilly types, and a dwindling number of aging fans who remember the music from days gone by.
There are resurgences, but they are phenomena, not trends.
Texas does not have the concentrated music business infrastructure to challenge N'ville. It has a lot of music biz activity, for sure, and great stuff coming out. Witness the recording scene Tommy Detamore is creating down in San Antonio, with an A Team consisting of himself, Bobby Flores, Dicky Overbey, Randy Reinhart, Justin Trevino, etc. But for most people, "Texas Country Music" is Robert Earl Keen, Pat Green, and their colleagues.
There's hope, perhaps. Johnny Bush plays concerts with Pat Green, as second billing. And we're happy to be part of that movement. But we're realistic as well.
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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association
[This message was edited by Herb Steiner on 25 August 2004 at 08:13 AM.] |
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Ricky Davis
From:
Bertram, Texas USA
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Posted 25 Aug 2004 7:56 am
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The Herbster speaketh the blatant Truth of course.
Ricky[This message was edited by Ricky Davis on 25 August 2004 at 08:57 AM.] |
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Janice Brooks
From:
Pleasant Gap Pa
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Posted 25 Aug 2004 8:14 am
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It's interesting to note Roy Clark is supporting an alternative Hall Of Fame that just relocated to the stockyards of Ft Worth.
As for Ricky and Herb I will state how many of the same folks I see at smaller shows in Austin.
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Janice "Busgal" Brooks
ICQ 44729047
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Mark Metdker
From:
North Central Texas, USA
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Posted 25 Aug 2004 10:30 am
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All I can say, we're playing Gruene Hall, The Midnight Rodeo, The Executive Surf Club......etc for crap money. Not much different than 20 years ago. Texas is not much different than Nashville in one respect. You are either selling out big venues for big $$$ (Pat Green) or playing local joints for crap money. It's no different now than it ever was.
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BMI S-10
Peavey Session 500
"Do Right, and Fear No Man"
Ronald Reagan
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Herb Steiner
From:
Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064
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CrowBear Schmitt
From:
Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France
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Posted 25 Aug 2004 1:04 pm
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maybe you Texas pickers oughta come to Europa w; yer bands
Pat James and Jim Loessberg had a good time here |
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Mark Metdker
From:
North Central Texas, USA
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Posted 25 Aug 2004 5:40 pm
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I'll be there in about 11 months Crowbear. I hope you'll come see me!
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BMI S-10
Peavey Session 500
"Do Right, and Fear No Man"
Ronald Reagan
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Rick McDuffie
From:
Benson, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 25 Aug 2004 6:36 pm
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David D.
Remember when everybody thought Macon (Capricorn) was going to be the next Music Mecca? Ah, those were the days.
Rick |
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Wayne Carver
From:
Martinez, Georgia, USA
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Posted 26 Aug 2004 5:37 am
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Here's a link to good music from Texas.http://cd-tex.com/catalog/index.php
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Drew Howard
From:
48854
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Posted 26 Aug 2004 6:28 am
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I'm no fan of the "New Country", but since the average age on this thread is middle-aged and up, there are realities to face.
Music + people + time = change, regardless of genre (well, perhaps bluegrass). Sadly, us old-timers have been shunted aside in favor of newer belly buttons. Shocking, I know :>)
Instead of mourning the changes in country music, do what I do. Ignore them. If you play well enough, you'll always have an audience. I have yet been asked to play "The Watermelon Crawl" or "Thunder Rolls".
Go to a steel guitar show, they function as preservation societies and as a parallel universe where the old is always in fashion and country shuffles never die.
I agree that venues are disappearing and the pay sucks (always did). And, no matter what your age, musicians still have to hustle to find work (always have). Just ask Herb Remington.
cheers,
Drew
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Fessenden D-10 8+8 / Magnatone S-8 (E13)
[This message was edited by Drew Howard on 26 August 2004 at 07:29 AM.] [This message was edited by Drew Howard on 26 August 2004 at 07:34 AM.] [This message was edited by Drew Howard on 26 August 2004 at 07:40 AM.] [This message was edited by Drew Howard on 26 August 2004 at 07:41 AM.] [This message was edited by Drew Howard on 26 August 2004 at 07:42 AM.] [This message was edited by Drew Howard on 26 August 2004 at 07:43 AM.] |
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Randy Carson
From:
San Antonio, Texas, USA
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Posted 2 Sep 2004 12:09 pm
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Dallas has more country gigs by far
than Austin.
maybe 20 times
ricky and herb are defitnly right
Ricky and I just had this discussion
about Austin being the live music capitol
of the world if you remember Ricky I
thought it was a joke
randy |
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Bill Terry
From:
Bastrop, TX
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Posted 2 Sep 2004 1:40 pm
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Randy said that there were a lot more country gigs in Dallas than in Austin. I can't speak for Dallas, but I grew up in Fort Worth and there were plenty of 'country gigs' around for a long time. I played a lot of dives and some of the 'nicer' places up on the Northside. (nicer being relative..)
The problem was that most of these clubs had a clientele that was hardly interested in live music. Most were either there to drink, find a 'date', or both. With a few exceptions, in most of those places the band was pretty much a non-entity.
I moved to Austin in about '97, and I have seen a few of those same sort of clubs, but on the other hand there are places like the Little Longhorn, Broken Spoke, Gruene Hall, and even a few of the old Dance Halls out from town a ways, where the folks (all ages) come in with the expectation of hearing good music of a certain 'genre'.. It's the main reason they come to the club. I guarantee nobody goes to the Little Longhorn because it's so modern, luxurious and comfortable.
It's quite rewarding to go setup and play in these places and see that everybody in the joint has their chair turned so they can see the band. They pay attention, they know good music, and a reliable barometer of how you're doing is how well you fill the dance floor. THAT's the difference I see in Austin... and it's great.
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Mark Metdker
From:
North Central Texas, USA
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Posted 3 Sep 2004 8:16 pm
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Bill, I played The Midnight Rodeo in Austin Thursday night. My band played, then Radney Foster played. It was one of the best live shows I have been a part of all year, and the response was just so-so. The dance floor was not packed until both bands were all through playing and the juke box came on with......hmmmmm....how do I put this....."urban music....hip hop..rap". A couple of fights broke out, some people got arrested. I like playing Gruene much better. Not sure if we'll go back to that place. We have several goodplaces to play around Dallas. We haven't gone over to Ft. Worth much yet, but that is next on our list.
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BMI S-10
Peavey Session 500
"Do Right, and Fear No Man"
Ronald Reagan
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Janice Brooks
From:
Pleasant Gap Pa
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Posted 3 Sep 2004 10:11 pm
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Just got in from Jason Milligans set at Ginny's. Rick Price and John Laushberg backed up an evening of standerds. My other option would have been Alvin Crow at the Broken Spoke.
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Bill Terry
From:
Bastrop, TX
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Posted 5 Sep 2004 5:00 pm
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Hey Mark,
Yeah, Midnight Rodeo is not one of my fav places. In addition to the 'stuff' you saw, they(?) apparently have a very agressive towing policy if you park somewhere you shouldn't.
I think I heard it costs $140 bucks or so to get your car out of the pokey. That's a racket...
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