The Steel Guitar Forum

I couldn't stand to watch the whole show. WORST EVER!

It quickly turned ugly. Not even music. I barely lasted twenty minutes. Flame me, I don't even care, I'm a geezer. Merciful God, when's "The Kennedys" coming on??

Total junk, had it on for awhile and even my dogs left the room. The last ACM I'll ever watch. I'm sure glad I play with REAL COUNTRY Musicians. If I had to play this crap I'd never play again.

I only tuned in close to the end and I really enjoyed the Zac Brown Band with James Taylor sitting in. I thought they were outstanding, and James is such an icon, when they segued into "Sweet Baby James" it was just great and the esteem the audience obviously held him in was really moving. And Bruce Bouton had a nice close-up shot and a good steel solo in Reba's tune.

B3 organs and fuzz guitars. All rock. I agree. If I had to play that crap I'd sell everything. Nothing country about it.

I saw parts of it. Most of the music was absolute crap, unlistenable... lame songs, terrible singers, idiotic lyrics, non-existent melodies. Typical "top 40 country"... a mix of bad rock, bad pop, bad country. The classic singers and songwriters of yesteryear can rest assured that their songs will live forever, because the stuff the industry is selling today will be long forgotten in future years.

Having said that... the Darius Ruker performance with the disabled kids was heartfelt and real. And the Zach Brown/James Taylor collaboration was pretty cool. The rest of it was disposable nonsense.

That's where country music has gone. R'n'R.
I wouldn't have minded playing it when I was 25. Come'on, it's for kids.
Donno that I'll renew my ACM card. I've been a member since 1979. It's not music I know anymore.

Jim nice to hear that you really enjoyed the parts you saw .... you guys have got bugger all to grizzle about - jeez we don't even have country radio stations down here, let alone the CMA's !

...we don't even have country radio stations down here

Paddy, we don't have country radio stations here anymore either. We have Top 40/pop/rock/country stations that are selling themselves as "country". It's a fraud that's being committed by the music industry on the public. They have hi-jacked the term "country music" to make money selling pop/rock/hiphop/country to the younger generation. Believe me, you wouldn't bother to tune in and listen to today's "country" if you lived here. You would not recognize it as such. If you want real country music you have to seek it elsewhere, on the internet, satellite radio, youtube, etc. New, real country music is still being recorded, but you have to search hard to find it.

Don't know why you guys even turn it on. I see the commercials for these things and who's going to be on. Why would I want to watch it??

Well,it's not what country players would call country,but think how much more dreadful all that stuff would be if it didn't have the little country influence it does have.

Watch out guys,Some of those that REALLY do think this was a country music show will be calling all of you old geezers that don't know the difference between country and rock or pop. James Taylor PLEASE.YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.

Jim Cohen wrote:. . . and James is such an icon, when they segued into "Sweet Baby James" it was just great and the esteem the audience obviously held him in was really moving. . .

I was watching some show back in the early to mid 90's -- maybe a CMA or ACM awards show, or maybe just a Garth Brooks special -- but I think I remember Garth doing "A Dream Is Like A River" with James Taylor and they segued into "Sweet Baby James" with about the same reaction from the audience.

How right you are guys! I agree with you, so, contemporary country music has good singers but for thousands of reasons they are and will remain niche...that's the reason why here in italy (country music is not too appreciated) we receive just rascal flatts, taylor swift and a few others...I like contemporary players as james lann, todd fritsch, justin moore, etc. can you gimme some suggestion about country players you like to listen nowdays? any suggestion is appreciated, thanks

Diego,
I, regularly, skim thru the9513 blog, and there are some links there to some other blogs that relate to Country music.

The ACM is obviously just another commercial arm of the production business.

The game is rigged, don't play it.

Many thanks to the pro steelers that are doing their best to keep some adherence to country music's roots.

I admit I haven't haven't watched one of these in a while but I thought I'd tune in try to catch a glimpse of a steel player..Don't get me wrong, I like rock music, I like Steven Tyler, I like some of the "Entertainers" but this is about as far as we've ever drifted from Country Music....seems like all you need is a twangy voice and a hot body and you're a hit...which is fine...just don't call it country. Its a disgrace to the tried and true of the genre..

Steven & Carrie did a great job!
I loved Sara Evans & Keith Urban.
I really wanted Easton Corbin to win, new artist!

Theresa, I would be interested in Gregg's 2 cent's.

And who taught those guys running the sound how to mix? Guitars and drums so loud you couldn't hear the singer (assuming you wanted to).

Guess i didn't miss much, and feel real lucky
we have a local radio station that plays real country 24 hrs a day[ 60-70-80s ]

Greg,
Gregg doesn't like all of it. He didn't like all the old stuff, either.

I'm with Gregg,,,,,,,,,,my wife's with you.!

I'm sorry I missed JT - if I'd have known I'd have watched.

I'm sure most of the show was an insult to the intelligence, but so was 'Hee Haw'.

And who taught those guys running the sound how to mix? Guitars and drums so loud you couldn't hear the singer (assuming you wanted to).

In my experience, this has been the norm for quite some time now.

I'm sure most of the show was an insult to the intelligence, but so was 'Hee Haw'.

The difference here being, "Hee Haw" didn't take itself so seriously.