The City Slicker Nightmare

Bill Hankey · From: Pittsfield, MA, USA

Have you ever been in a room full of city slickers? Have you ever tried to promote country music in their midst? I doubt that it would carry much past the first tune. As long as I can remember, the sophisticates living in New York City for example have snubbed country music since day one. Now that new country has become more selective in terminology, the city dwellers' offspring are commencing to check out the concert series. There are tons of doctors and lawyers from the city who are too busy collecting their fees to notice.

Edward Meisse · From: Santa Rosa, California, USA

All the, "City Slickers," I know-of all ages and socioeconomic backgrounds LOVE Hank, Lefty, Willie, Johnny Cash, Bob Wills, etc....... But modern country music is not distinct from mainstream pop. The homogenous character of most of todays pop is a bore. I think this subject has been beaten to......no. Well beyond that.
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Amor vincit omnia

Bill Hankey · From: Pittsfield, MA, USA

Edward,

That is news to me. Go to Broadway and pick out randomly a dozen or so dwellers who are dressed properly. Let me know how they respond to the question; do you like hillbilly music? I would like very much to hear their answers in verbatim.

Brint Hannay · From: Maryland, USA

Shucks! I thought this topic was going to be about Spike Jones And His City Slickers! Mr. Green

Edward Meisse · From: Santa Rosa, California, USA

You got me wrong, Bill. You do actually have to introduce them to it. I lived on a commune for awhile. I brought my record collection with me, of course. By the time I left Hank Williams Senior was the favorite musician of the mostly 20 something group. And the favorite song (among the males, anyway) was, "El Paso." What people like to hear is music with passion and a distinct feel to it.
But I do think also that audiences differ. There are some people who want to hear the music of their particular social identity. But those people arent' interested in the music, per se. They are interested in having their own world view supported in song. It's two different things.
The people I'm talking about are people who are interested in music for its own sake. That is to say, for the sound of the music. And it's also very good if the words are cleverly done, whatever they're saying. All my hippie friends and I LOVED Merle Haggard's, "Okie from Muscoggee," back in the day (I was a bout 20 at the time). It is a masterpiece, no matter who is listening. But you do have to actually hear it in order to know this.
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Amor vincit omnia

Bill Hankey · From: Pittsfield, MA, USA

Edward,

Thanks for the good insight into how folks with musical preferences have been known to adapt to other forms of music. I enjoyed reading about your experiences. This subject matter would be great to discuss as a fireplace chat.

Bo Legg · Posted 25 Mar 2009 3:04 pm

When I was touring the easiest and most enjoyable jobs to play were in the northeastern part of the U S A, Canada and Alaska.
It seemed that in those areas, city slicker or no, they had no expectations and accepted our version of country music without question and seemed to enjoy it as something new.

The least enjoyable and hardest jobs were in Western U S A and in particular Texas where the expectations of what a country band should sound like was etched in stone and a city slicker was anybody from N Y.

Bill Hankey · From: Pittsfield, MA, USA

Bo Legg,

Those touring accounts are interesting. In the U.S.A. there are country music fans who are surrounded by other tenants in housing projects who literally give the term music a bad name. As soon as the weather warms, they will drag out their boom boxes and play deplorable junk suitable for driving others insane. Neighborhoods that rent to tenants from far away places destroy the peace and quiet of country oriented occupants. People who strike it rich, manage to avoid many annoyances by moving out and away from the disturbances.

Alan Brookes · From: Brummy living in Southern California

I've lived in big cities all my life, from Birmingham, England, to San Francisco, and I was brought up on country music. I don't think one's like or dislike of country music bears any relationship to one's location, even one's country. In fact, I knew more people who were interested in C&W in England than over here.

Maybe before the advent of radio there were more people fiddling and picking in the hills than in the big cities, but nowadays you're never further away from music than the click of a button.....

Peter Siegel · From: Belmont, CA, USA

I used to play regularly in NYC, at the late great Lone Star Cafe, to a very warm reception. If you are open minded you may find others are too.

Jack Dougherty · From: Spring Hill, Florida, USA

I hope living in a double wide is not the criteria for appreciation of country music. (not Hillbilly)
I too worked in NYC in the Eighties and Nineties. A lot of venues back then. The City folk seemed to like it. No double wides but high rises. Not quite sure why you say there is a problem. I would guess Country music is for the whole Country. Now as to the type of Country or whether its changed for better or worse is another story.

Joe Miraglia · From: Jamestown N.Y.

Hi- What is a City Slicker? Where do they live? I live in Jamestown N.Y. population. +or -, 32,000. How large is your city? If you live in Nashville, Tenn., you would have more City Slickers as neighbors as I do.That being said, Jamestown N.Y. is more country than where you live. New York STATE is one of the largest dairy producting states in the U.S. Apples, cheese and grapes, abundant now thats country.Joe

Bill Hankey · From: Pittsfield, MA, USA

Peter,

As far as I know Buck Owens dignified country music at New York City's Carnegie Hall. No other band to my knowledge had the impact on the city slickers as the sell-out croud on the night of March 25, 1966. He commanded the same nightly fee as Johnny Cash. Tom Brumley, Don Rich (Donald Eugene Ulrich), Doyle Holly, Willie Cantu were on his team of entertainers. They were the best in the business. "Together Again" and the instrumental "Buckaroo" are two of the best reasons.

Bill Hankey · From: Pittsfield, MA, USA

Jack,

I'm not about to perceive of something contrary to something that has been a tradition in the big city for I'd say 70 years. They take pride in denouncing country music. Prior to that time The Gibson Guitar Company hired experts like Alvino Rey to travel about to demonstrate the musical instuments. There were several players in that era who could play more chord positions that would be thought impossible by today's standards. Alvino Rey was one such individual. I believe Les Paul frequented studios in New York City to do recordings. Country music was concentrated in Wheeling and Nashville, Tn. The west coast was overrun with straight steel players and 10 piece bands. I think Buck Owens and his his group set the
record for how to impress a city slicker.

Tommy Shown · From: Denham Springs, La.

I don't mean to get off subject here, but the other day I learned that if you want a major record deal in Nashville,You're just SOL.Because the industry is having problems with their sales at this time. No one is buying, simply because the music is not Country. So thanks to the masses who want Real Country,Nashville is suffering. The closest thing I've heard to Real Country was John Rich Shutting Detroit down on Glenn Beck this afternoon. After hearing it I told my wife, I like the lyrics and I can understand it. And I like the melody and the beat.Tommy Shown

Alan Brookes · From: Brummy living in Southern California

Bill Hankey · From: Pittsfield, MA, USA

Alan,

Thanks, I'll pick up on your comments in the morning. Thanks to Tommy and Joe! Tomorrow is another day... Smile

Tommy Shown · From: Denham Springs, La.

I remember that one Alan, and you could hear a siren from a police car, fire truck, or an ambulance wailing in the background. Sounded like he recorded it on the street of New York, if I'm not mistaken.
Tommy Smile

Charles Davidson · From: Phenix City Alabama, USA

Just my opinion,but there is just TOO much crap all over the place today,It's whatever young people are exposed to,I grew up in the 40's on a Georgia farm,[way,way, back in the sticks,]had a little radio that stayed on most of the time,you had two choices,country[they called it hillbilly then] or big band jazz.From the time I was ten till today two of my musical heros were Charlie [Bird] Parker and Hank Snow.How far apart could that be ? But THAT'S WHAT I WAS EXPOSED TO. Still love big bands,mostly horn players AND classic country and honky tonk music.That's why my favorite guitar player was Hank Garland,He was a great country player,but also cut [in my opinion] one of the greatest jazz guitar albums of all time,Jazz Winds,With Gary Burton.Was he a CITY SLICKER or a COUNTRY BOY. DYKBC.
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Hard headed, opinionated old geezer. BAMA CHARLIE. GOD BLESS AMERICA. ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST. SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC !

Tommy Shown · From: Denham Springs, La.

Hey Charles, my dad called it Hillbilly too.
Great minds do think alike.
Tommy

Bill Hankey · From: Pittsfield, MA, USA

Joe,

Your questions about slickers, and locations are interesting. Your state produces apples, grapes, dairy products, and the stifling city slicker. To create an image of a populace that actually supports country musicians, would be a difficult thing to do. I feel that the scores of remarks that have been overheard, clinches the justifiable relentless commentary on my part. Country music could be shaped into something very beautiful. The trending away of real country by the spread of bad influences, stemming from totally ignorant anticultural confluences, will require much hard work to effectively change its course of destruction.

Bill Hankey · From: Pittsfield, MA, USA

Alan,

Actual detailed accounts of what took place when Buck sang that song in New York City, would be helpful in arriving at conclusions. The Naked Cowboy in New York City reflects the mockeries and lack of morals within the cemented city. Speaking of cemented, I see very little progress in changing views by receiving country there on a large scale.

Cameron Tilbury · From: Peterborough, England, UK

Having lived in England now for 4 years, I have to say that the average person has no preconceived opinion about country music--they simply aren't aware it exists.
That being said, I also do work with British Reining and most people there love country because of their exposure to Americans, Canadians and Europeans through competition.
The big problem here in England is actually FINDING country music. Music stores don't stock a lot of it. I went into a big shop here in London where I work looking for Cross Canadian Ragweed and they'd never heard of it and had to check their computers. There's a lot of Cash, Shania but just try looking for lesser-known names. I went in to buy the latest Toby Keith CD and they wanted £19!!!
Even iTunes here in the UK doesn't have as much country. Even big artists like Keith Urban are hard to get there...because singles don't make it here as quickly. Gary Allan's latest CD isn't on itunes yet.

It's frustrating.

Alan Brookes · From: Brummy living in Southern California

Alan Brookes · From: Brummy living in Southern California

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