The Steel Guitar Forum

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FOLLOW THE MONEY.... BUSINESS IS THE KEY WORD IN "MUSIC BUSINESS".... FOLLOW THE MONEY

Nothing new about that.

I don't know about the CMA but I still think there is a pedal steel guitar revival in progress. I think that the percentage of music listeners who think it is the coolest instrument on earth is growing and will continue to grow. But whether there will be an (economic) revival of good old country music also remains to be seen. I sure hope so...

Chris LeDrew wrote:While I am not a fan of much newer country, and definitely a fan of the classic stuff, I can understand why people such as Faron Young and other singers of yesteryear are not present in the business of country music anymore. You have to make room for a constantly changing musical environment. Alvin highlights an important point in mentioning that many country greats 100 years ago were pushed aside to make room for what many then considered watered-down country. This is now what we consider "classic" country. It's a generational thing. We all want to defend who we think is the greatest and means the most to us and our generation, but unfortunately the music business only works that way if the old stuff is profitable, like the Beatles, Johnny Cash and Led Zeppelin. If Faron Young's image could still sell 100,000 t-shirts, believe me he'd still be relevant.

Well said.

Dave A. Burley wrote:Bob Wills was country music in the thirties. Pee Wee King was country music in the thirties.

No, they were Western Swing Music, not Country. NOW, they're Country.

Dave A. Burley wrote:Go to Deano's in Muskegon, Mich. on Sunday afternoon and you will hear Bob Wills country music in 2010.

They buy a lot of records up there?

Dave A. Burley wrote:Granted, when Wesley Rose went to Nashville he wasn't country but he did join country and he didn't try to change country music. If he had, Roy Acuff would have sent him back to New York.

He didn't? Ain't that about the time that the "new" artists like Stonewall Jackson and the like started gettin signed?

Dave A. Burley wrote:Have their awards show for their pop stars in New York. Call it something different. Leave our CMA alone rather than sucking off of it and changing what has been around for sixty or seventy years. Remember the old Disc Jockey Convention in Nashville?

I bet that's probably what Sam McGhee thought about 1965.

Dave A. Burley wrote:George Strait, Vince Gill and a host of others still do great classic country music. The rock/sometimes country artists have taken over everything.

Wait, didn't someone else somewhere earlier in this thread complain about George Strait not doing anything to stop this trend? What do you suppose RAlph Peer would have thought of George Strait using the same vocal processor as Cher on a Country recording?

Dave A. Burley wrote:The radio stations, Billboard charts....Although good country music is still here the rockabillies have stolen our venues.

That's great, considering that the Bluegrass Inn is a predominantly Rockabilly venue.

Dave A. Burley wrote:Go to the Convention Center during the Music Festival. Unbelieveable. You won't recognize too many of the Classic Country artists because they won't be there. Taylor Swift, the Electric Washing Machine, Barnyard Horse Manure, the Nose Snot band, The Feedback Guitar band, The Smokin Pot band, Ole Tight Jeans and His Cowboy Hat Rock Band..... Rings all the way from their noses through their tongues then their nipples and furthur on to unknown parts.

Kinda like that buncha punks that hit Nashville a while back called "The Crazy Tennesseans?"

Dave A. Burley wrote:My complaint isn't with todays so called country music. It is with the CMA, Country Music Association. I lived in Nashville during the sixties. That was the big era of Ray Price, Faron Young, George Jones, Webb Pierce and so on. I was backstage at the Ryman auditorium almost every Saturday night. I remember the tremendous respect that was always showed towards artists such as, the Fruit Jar Drinkers, Sam and Kirk McGee, Curly Fox and yes even Roy Acuff who was from a different era. The artists that had help build country music, although not in demand anymore, were still given the utmost respect from the younger artists. During the CMA's early awards broadcasts the legends of the music were most always in attendance and were recognized by film crews and the announcers. Sure enough..even Lonzo and Oscar, Cousin Jody and Del Wood. I doubt if there was one person there in the midsixties that didn't know who Jimmie Rodgers was and he had been gone for over thirty years. I was there...I seen it all. Today there is no respect from these young whippersnappers that are now running the CMA.
I would think that the main requirement to work for the CMA would be to know the history of who you are working for. What a slap in the face to Kitty Wells, the Queen Of Country Music, to not even be recognized by people that are representing the CMA. Lynn Anderson, Charlie Louvin, Jeannie Kendall......nope, they don't know them and even refused to let the booth that represented them at the Fan Fair be allowed to have a booth again this year after ten years of faithfulness to the real country music.
As long as some of you people keep accepting the change, it will do nothing but get worse.
Thanks,
Dave Burley

No offense Dave, but it sounds as if your complaint really is with Country music itself, not so much the CMA? I don't like the new stuff either, but, it's what's keepin the industry alive. Always has been, think about it. Elvis was sellin records when Hank Snow wasn't.
The Fruit Jar Drinkers were not selling records in the 1960's. It wasn't (and isn't) about mutual respect or The Opry or even Country music itself. It's about record sales. Like someone said earlier in this post, it's about relevancy. If you're not selling records, you cease to be relevant.

Bluegrass Inn is just a name, I don`t even remember how many times I passed by there and saw some long haired rock guys tering it up on electric guitars...if you want to see the real country music there is one place left , "Station Inn"..and thats about it...

Db

Amen Damir. And occasionally Robert's.

I had posted about spending a few days in Nashville this week. I guess I lost it someplace.
As I said in that post, my faith in the classic country music has been renewed somewhat. Great country music on Lower Broad later in the evening. At one time I shuffled between five different bars just between 5th and 4th that had good country music with steel guitar. Mike Jones at the Legends. Several others that I didn't get the names. When the real music comes out, the real fans show up and all the places had great crowds. The Legend was packed and they even had a line of people waiting to get in.
No, the Classic Country isn't dead in Nashville, It's still there and the fans are still there.
Having a CCMA, Classic Country Music Assn., as someone had written, isn't a bad idea. In the other post I mentioned that with a good Classic Country president, with the finances, it might get off the ground. The CMA today has a president that has a background of promoting only rock concerts. Unbelievable. There is a faint glimmer of hope out there if we all keep promoting the greatest music and greatest instrument ever invented. I personally plan to get actively involved in a Classic Country revival.
Dave Burley

That's good news Dave. Maybe there's hope!

Dave ....you have e-mail

****Bob V****

Billy Carr came up with the name 'Classic Country Music Association.'
I really believe that he has something there. Why not a CCMA included within the CMA?
When WSM was contemplating changing the Grand Ole Opry from am to fm, many of us got together and signed petitions opposing. I put on a sandwich type poster, one on the front and one on the back, and stood at the entrance of the Ryman Auditorium and collected hundreds of signatures from people contesting the switching from the am to the fm. After several days in Nashville, walking up and down Lower Broadway and other areas, I had collected pages and pages of signatures which I gave to Buck White with the promise that he would give them to Vince Gill who was on the Opry that night. I listened to the Opry and sure enough Vince mentioned that he had got a few thousand signatures on a petition. They had a meeting the next week with the media present and the petition and Vince Gill apparantly changed the minds of Gaylord and they decided to keep the Opry on am.
What I am saying is that with enough of these kind of things I really believe that the CMA would have to take a look at our complaints I will sponsor some of those petitions this year. I will need the help of you all. One of these petitions will have a website address that you can visit and sign if you like what our agenda is.
Please post with any suggestions as to what the body of the petition should say.
Thanks,
Dave A. Burley

As long as some of you people keep accepting the change, it will do nothing but get worse.

Truer words were never spoken - just look around you.

...which was the basis for the term that became known as "the coolidge effect"....

The Coolidge Effect as applied to steel guitar at Steel Guitar Insanity.

Funny, Cal, but I'm not ready to throw the TV remote out on the lawn just yet ....

When did they or who start calling it,Country Music? I mean Any country music, classic,or what ever. Is using the word "Country"the wrong word to use in the first place?Most people don't live in the country anymore.What is Country

I think many syles of music jumped on the word"country music" and they are still doing it. Joe

Look, music evolves ,I understand that. There is some good country music out there, among the crap, if you look.. However, there are WAY too many of you defending the indefensible.. KID ROCK?? Give me a break.. seriously.

I think Kid Rock is about where I gotta step in..

I heard a cut of his on Outlaw Country and something about it made me say YESS!!! It wasn't the music, it wasn't the naughty words, but it was just something... Marketing, and MONEY.

Somthing akin to that black guy that's made more money than any steel player I've heard of in the last decade...

I have no absolution for a sector of people that lay down and play for nothing, and try to antagonize more people into playing for nothing until some day, some way, people PAY for it.

I read over the thing about needing a New President "with finances".

What? That they get from MUSICIANS?

They need a PROMOTER that GETS MONEY from Customers and pays it to MUSICIANS, MARKETS it, and is ROUGH with the competetion.. Think it's a cultural glitch that a lot of"rappers" end up getting "capped"?

Matter of fact I think we already have more than enough "Presidents"...

I'm thinking that before anybody enters Nashville, with the idea of playing music in ANY venue, at the City Limits, they are FORCED to watch "Hoffa", or "FIST", and "Scarface" at least TWICE.

Hey, Hank Snow did OK. So did most of the old guys.

Stonewall Jackson?

I just played a gig for him last month in Kennewick. Paid 300$ EACH for an hour and a half show. Plus rooms and food. If I remember he SUED the CMHOF and WON. THEN he went out and HIRED MUSICIANS and for all I know is still doing a tour, PAYING THE BANDS.

There's a lot of stuff that's been forgotten.

Musicians have become the targets of moneygrubbers.

It should be the other way around.

When "they" hired Alabama and the like and parked the old Silver Eagle Fleet, there should have been a few horses heads in high placed people's beds and "offers they couldn't refuse" made.

Some things should stay in style, if not be revived and refined once in a while...

Hey, it got to the point where somebody like Colin Ray, a guy I grew up with musically here, actually had to PAY to be "a star". I played in "his" band at a function in 02 or 3 and I actually had MORE money than he did. I didn't have Steve Cox escorting me to make sure he got his cut. I GOT a check..

If people in the "Real Country Music" field don't make a decision to turn it around and MAKE PEOPLE PAY for MUSIC, and MUSICIANS...

Well, just sit back and whine about those that do.. and are willing to do the dirty work.

I think an HL Menchen quote or two might be appropriate..

Somebody hoist the Jolly Roger.....



EJL

I have played for several artist's here in Nashville, some of which I will name later. The latest was Luke Bryan. I asked Luke if he liked Gene Watson and he said he wasn't familiar enough with Gene to have an opinion and that is just one example. I find that it's not just associations and radio stations killing traditional country but also road musicians here that really don't like it.I have defended the genre in more than one camp. I like most genres, and listen to more than country, but my question is always this.. If I go to a rock concert I don't go expecting to hear George Jones and I wouldn't leave disappointed, so why do Country artist's think their fans will be if they don't do a classic rock song? Because most Country Artist's don't like "old school" country as they call it now. So this dilemma is beyond CMA and Clear Channel.I worked for a few Artist's that do like and respect traditional country and I'm happy to have worked with Kevin Denney,Joe Diffie and Tracy Byrd. And you can go to The Wheel Thurs and Sun nights and hear Classic stuff. Also the last Wed of each month at Douglas Corner with 45 RPM. I just wish we could have that option every night here in Nashville, but it is getting harder and harder. Sad really. Somebody should start a new label and sign Ken Mellons, Kevin Denney, Joe Diffie, Tracy Byrd, Daryle Singletary, etc. and send out some younger singers I know to open and keep real country alive. May not be a whole lot of $ in it, but it would sure be good.

Hey Vic Lawson,It's sad.But,I know all those artist you named personally.They had their turn in the big picture of this music business and some great people behind them at one time.You are very lucky to get any work out of Nashville,because it's not what you know,but,who you know.Unless your under the belt of who's running the show or management,and that great Union behind you for your money,I don't think you should be talking about this Topic in your our opinion underless your done with Nashville for work.That's my true opinion for you.Sincerely in Music,Leo J.Eiffert,Jr. a life time member of the ACM & once with the CMA.

Vic so much of what you said is the bare truth..I remember auditioning a lead player who had just lost work because his band had broken up..He was good alright but his Idea of Country was Allman Bros,Marshall Tucker (both bands I do like)..When I threw some Haggard songs at him he blew me off the stage with his impression of Jimi Hendrix and people out the door..He told me he never listened to Country but he'd do anything for a gig..I hope he found someone to do his anything with..Right now you have to have a rock attitude to succeed in Nashville..I wish I could run into that Guitar player again so I could tell him..I never listen to Country either..(anymore)

Let me say I did not mean any disrespect to anyone. AT ALL! I was merely stating that the subject of this post runs deeper than CMA etc. I love Nashville and the people here. And I thought this was a place for steel players to voice an opinion about steel guitar and it it's place in today's Country Music, guess I was wrong.Plus I was just trying to let some know that there are other factors changing the music. Sorry if anyone took it the wrong way,it was just an example.

Vic Lawson,Most people or musicians think on this forum means nothing.But,the truth is,it has alot more pull-power that even Bob Lee himself don't believe or don't want to know or maybe he just being kind. This forum is getting big not just by steel Guitarist on here,but the outside world who look in to see what's going on. I've test this run and it works.Know matter how much we talk about what good or bad,it's only as good as the people your working with.Vic, You said nothing wrong nor did anything wrong,but,I know them killers on the wall people who are just in it for them money and not the heart of a true everyday musicians who love it for what it is,Music. Just listen and look at the everyday neighobhood in our Country,The USA.I play all styles of music. I love Country Music because it make's more sense with it words of truth. I'm behind you in your opinion,but,it just like the Louisian Oil.You can't talk about how you really feel because it become than the topic of rubbing people wrong.And that my opinion. See,nobody knows what Laws are Laws anymore because they have somany on the books in each neighborhood or Cities in Country Music.I have no codes,but,this is how everything is run.Murderer/Criminal/Brutal and I tell it like it is,Leo J.Eiffert,Jr.& Pigeons Band just playing Music for fun and getting a little feed.