The Steel Guitar Forum

Jean Shepard hosts
Wilma Lee Cooper
Paul Brandt
and
Lorretta Lynn

Those of us who can get WSM should also listen for the following
7pm cst segment
Larry Cordell and Lonesome Standerd Time
8PM cst segment
The Derailers

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Janice "Busgal" Brooks
ICQ 44729047

As for the first 2 listed, YUK.

I love Loretta Lynn although time is working on her a bit but she's still great. I don't know much about Paul Brandt.

I was told by some people in Branson last week that one reason that a lot of the newer artists (age 40 and below) don't want to be on the Opry is they don't want to be associated with all the aging, "has been " performers as it is percieved to damage their image with the younger crowd that buy recordings. of course Branson is full of "has been's" too.

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Pete Hunter

Pete, Sorry you feel that way about real country music. I'll let her know!

Dave Robbins
(steel guitar player for Jean Shepard& The Second Fiddles)

Hey Pete,
If those so called younger, so called performers were a little more concerned with the music, tradition, and its roots, country music might not be in the sorry state it's currently in. I hated this crap back in the 70's when they were calling it rock! There aren't a whole lot of "artists" being pushed out of the Nashville cookie cutter right now that are worth a rat's ass. I don't care how young and pretty you think they are.

It's unfortunate that the biz is geared towards video in this day and age. We're all missing out on some great music by some less camera friendly performers I'm sure. I'm off the soap box.
All Hail Texas And Bakersfield.
Robbie
SGWM

Dave,
It isn't anything personal against her at all, IMHO the Lady just can't sing anymore. She was great in her day and I DO love REAL COUNTRY MUSIC as much as you do.

I hated the Beatles and all the Rock and Rock n Roll since then. The bottom line is if country music is to survive it must make some changes.

Just for the record I don't like Shania Twang any more than the rest of you do but there is a lot of ground between her and the has beens or never was beens. Just because I'm honest enough to call it as I see it doesn't mean I like the new country sound either. Now I'm off my soap box and won't respond to anymore messages in this thread so as not to create anymore havoc.

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Pete Hunter

As a kid, I used to sit in the unairconditioned Ryman auditorium and think how beautiful Jean (Jeannie back then) Shepard was and how cool she sang. Then a slender Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper would come out and perform. They were all great then and both are still great today. If the younger performers don't want to perform with the older ones, it's their loss, not ours!

Dave, tell Miss Jean she is still beautiful 40 years later!

Pete, sounds like to me there isn't much you do like, let alone respect. Now if you will excuse me I have a TV show to play on.

Don't let them get to you, Pete. People complain that the new country is running the old country fans off. Well, the "old country" you see on the Opry will keep a new generation from ever coming in to the fold. I'm not so sure I would want to be associated with some of the stuff I see on the Opry, as much as i love tradition.

I seem to remember of late there were complaints made about the Opry and the "newer acts," right here on the forum. Some of those complaints were in reference to newer acts not using any steel guitar and sounding more like rock-n-roll. Given the choice of newer rockier sounding acts without the steel or older acts with steel I think I'd prefer the ones with the steel. Maybe if some of the new countrier groups who have steel guitar in there bands were to perform more often at the Opry, they wouldn't have to depend on the older ones so much. After all ,if it hadn't been for the older acts staying in there for so long there might not have even been a Grand Ol' Opry today. While my part of the Opry may only be a small part, I am very proud to be associated with it and the "tradition" or should I say "heritage" it represents.

All these new talentless acts that are here today and gone later today, should not even be defined as country music IMHO. What I think we're dealing with here is a bunch of wannabe' rockers that couldn't cut it. So, they went out, bought themselves a cowboy hat and now they're trying to cash in on the "New Country" movement.

Country music is country music. You either like it for what it is or listen to something else. When I watch the Opry, I want to hear country music. If you're looking for rock bands, the Opry is not, nor should it ever be the first place start. For example, if some of you out there had tickets to a Peral Jam concert and when you got there they started playing all George Jones and Haggard tunes, I think you'd be mighty ****ed off.

You wanna' rock? Go ahead and rock. But, keep if off the opry. I'd much rather watch and listen to Jeannie than watch some dork in a giant hat flying around on a cable.

'NUFF SAID
ROBBIE
SGWM

Dave,RIGHT ON!!! Without history there can be NO future. Will Garth etc. have their music in the Library of Congress or the Smithsonian like Wilma Lee Cooper? And Dave your boss lady still sings great Country Music and you and all of the Second Fiddles play your butts off!!!

I don't ever recall even in live performances Jeannie ever singing as out of key as Danni Leigh's performance on last week's OPRY.And look at all the people saying give her time. OK I'll give her as much time as Jean Shepards been a standout Country Artist. You know what? Danni Leigh and many so-calleds won't be around that long. And the beat goes on.MHO

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cjc

I think it's funny that people have posted that the new artists should not play their current records and only play traditional stuff.

Then a new artist like Leanne plays some traditional stuff, and she gets slammed for doing that.

I think tradition is great. But you can't bring in a new generation of listeners and teach them about it with a lot of performers who should be retired by now. Otherwise, the Opry will just fade away with the generation it represents. Maybe that's what you guys want.

By the way, I'm over 50, and I love Ray Price and Connie Smith and all great tradidtional country music. But, hey, I like Garth, and Trisha, and a lot of the new stuff, too. My kids like new country, and through it have discovered some classic stuff they like, too. But the Opry doesn't do much for them.

The Opry may need to make a few changes. I just don't feel that rock bands in hats with a fiddle squalking away in the background is the best place to start.
Robbie
SGWM

I’m 43, but my attitude is a lot older since Merle’s been my idol since I was 12. When you actually go visit the Opry, if you’re the least bit sentimental like me, then one of the best parts of the experience is being able to hear the older legends of the Opry perform. But I wouldn’t want to have the whole show be a nostalgia trip.

Unfortunately, with a 30-minute TV broadcast when you book three of ‘em you do in deed turn off a large portion of the audience. I would book no more than 1 legend per ½-hour segment, and I’d push for a 1-hour stage show in addition to backstage.

I better go now 'cause I can feel it slowly slippin' away.


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HagFan

Without a doubt there have to be some changes,Yes there are those that have outstayed their talents.I don't feel Jean Shepard is one of them. She still has a good band and vocaly still gets it done. Once the changing of the guard is done so to speak the opry will no longer need to exist. All of the very popular artist can be seen all over the country. There will be no need to travel great distances to Nashville.Unfortunately everyone thats lucky gets old,Some things get better with age,And some things deteriorate. If An opry is to succeed it has to draw new blood now.And mingle in with the old. The TV show portion of the Opry is sometimes not as good as the entertainment one has at a local bar (Vocals). No sense naming names and hurting feelings.Anyone with ears knows who they are. I have brought People unfamiliar with country music to the Opry. Sad to say they wouldn't go back.And their first impression is the lasting one. The Beat goes on.

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cjc

Hey Ron and Joe,

Those are some good posts, and I agree. Mix up some GOOD tradition with the better new stuff, and we might see the GOO survive yet.

Joe,
How can you say that there will no longer be a need for the Opry? Why are there museums? Historical landmarks? why do we erect monumenets honoring any of our heros? Why did people make such a fuss about getting the Ryman up and running again?

OK boys. Slavery has been abolished, Lincolns been dead for quite some time. Let's tear down the Lincoln Memorial. Who needs it? It's just taken' up a lot space. Nobody's gonna' travel for miles to see anything like that.

Let's have a little respect here folks. I'm not saying that we don't need to hand the ball off once in awhile to move ahead. But, let's give it to someone that's on the same team. i.e. Dale Watson, The Derailers, Wayne Hancock, Robbie Fulks, Charlie Robision, etc... Guys who have taken the music forward without forgetting about the people who got 'em there.
AMEN!
Robbie Bossert
SGWM

All you have to do to rile a picker, is say something negative about the Artist,that they work with! Guess Who?

Dave,
I remember not so long ago a certain artist got slammed for using certain musicans. It seems someone always complains about something, whether it not being country enough, just old acts,no new acts, the way they dressed, etc!
Some really good points have been brought up here. Yes, we need to keep traditional country acts on the Opry. But alot have needed to retire along time ago. Talking about singing out of tune.
Lets please mix the new with the old, this can only carry on the tradition. Theresa<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Theresa Galbraith on 03 March 2000 at 03:45 PM.]</p></FONT>

Theresa, right on.

Dave! let us know where we can see the T.V. Show?????? Hasn't been any on for quite some time!

PIX: How about Janie Frickie,Freddie Hart Gene Watson,Darrel McCall,Curtis Potter,the Bush man Brad paisley,Mark Chestnut.Dwight Yokam,Tommy Overstreet,The Geesenslaws (for good Comedy)add some of the latetest artist and Bingo the Opry is in good hands again.Feature some regional guest from,Canada,and all over the US. otherwise maybe a Museum is not as far off as you think,or is it mausoleum. Oh well nobodys perfect.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Joe Casey on 03 March 2000 at 09:38 PM.]</p></FONT>

Hey Joe,
I can live with that line-up. Throw in some Hag and Jones and I think you got a winner there.
Robbie
SGWM

Everyone was in key tonight. the worst moment was when Jean Shepard introduced Paul
Brandt as Chad Brock.

Dave Robbins you were awsum particuarly on the intro of Dear Hearts and Gentle People.

However I thought the best number was the folk song Legend of the Dogwood from Wilma
Lee Cooper.


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Janice "Busgal" Brooks
ICQ 44729047