You just liked them for the album covers? ;)
Posted on 05/20/2014 8:58:16 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
I’ve complained about the state of modern mainstream country music for a long time now. And clearly, I’m not alone. Singer-songwriter Collin Raye, one of the top country artists throughout the ’90s, recently took to Fox News to air his grievances at the state of country music today.
As a platinum-selling country music artist and, more importantly, a lifelong fan of the genre, I’d like to send out this heartfelt plea to the gatekeepers of the industry:
Enough already.
I’d like to think that I am expressing what nearly every artist, musician and songwriter (with perhaps a few exceptions) is thinking when I contend that the Bro’ Country phenomenon must cease.
It has had its run for better or worse and it’s time for Nashville to get back to producing, and more importantly promoting, good singers singing real songs. It’s time for country music to find its identity again before it is lost forever.
[...]
Disposable, forgettable music has been the order of the day for quite a while now and it’s time for that to stop.
Our beautiful, time-honored genre, has devolved from lines like, “I’d trade all of my tomorrows for one single yesterday … holding Bobby’s body next to mine,” and “a canvas covered cabin, in a crowded labor camp stand out in this memory I revive. Cause my Daddy raised a family there with two hard working hands….and tried to feed my Momma’s hungry eyes,” down to “Can I get a Yee Haw?”
And the aforementioned Truck! “Come on slide them jeans on up in my truck! Let’s get down and dirty in muh truck, doggone it I just get off riding in muh truck, I love ya honey, but not as much as muh truck!” Oh and we can’t leave out the beautiful prose about partying in a field or pasture.
He goes on to lay the blame at the feet of the label honchos rather than at the artists or songwriters. “They have the power and ability to make a commitment to make records that keep the legacy of country music alive, and reclaim a great genre’s identity.”
Raye has a point. Here’s Exhibit A: “Cruise,” by Florida-Georgia Line, which spent an astounding 21 weeks at #1 on Billboards Hot Country Songs chart.
Modern country music has become so formulaic that some wags devised a web-based Bro Country Song Inspiration Generator. For the most part, the poetry and beauty that have been hallmarks of the genre for so long are missing from mainstream country today, with a handful of exceptions, such as Zac Brown Band, The Band Perry, and Miranda Lambert.
The real Nashville could take a cue or two from the fictional Nashville. Most of the songs on the hit ABC series fit the mold of the country songwriting tradition - heartfelt and often poetic. And, though actors who just happen to sing populate the cast (with some of the best Southern accents in the business, I might add), these folks know how to interpret a song well.
Take Sam Palladio, who plays up-and-coming songwriter Gunnar Scott. The British actor/singer wraps his amazing voice around “It Ain’t Yours To Throw Away,” a beautiful tune co-written (in real life) by the great Pam Tillis:
In another clip from a concert special, members of the cast perform “A Life That’s Good,” which has become an unofficial anthem for the show, along with the songwriters:
Collin Raye has a point. If industry executives treated their talent as artists rather than as commodities and their music as art rather than as products, country music would improve. The next Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, and Dolly Parton are out there for discovery, but they’re taking a backseat to the “Bro Country” movement. I’m afraid one day we’ll look back at these last couple of years as a low point in country music.
I agree. There’s good pop music and good country music. I think that “country” music is now code for “white” and that’s what i’m seeing actually. I’ve played guitar for over 30 years and have come across some great tunes and musicians. Some are idiots in their politics and personal lives but really creative. If you or any Freepers like acoustic guitar check out Tommy Emmanuel and the label Candyrat.
There’s a web based show called Daryl’s House that is really nice and highlights some great live non doctored music in different genres
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsD6uEZsIsU&feature=youtube_gdata_player
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhFJXgBMlZM&feature=youtube_gdata_player
There are a lot of paradoxes out there.
Exactly, if it isn’t rap or hip-hop or Top 40 dance music, it sounds like Country by comparison.
I think Gospel Quartet music because it never became mega-popular still retains the realness and creativity of what was country music but in saying that, at the same time, one can’t substitute the music for religion. But it’s okay for reflection.
When my friends were listening to Foghat and Cream, I was listening to Herb Alpert.
Ha ha!
First album I got as a kid was Tijuana Brass album. Going Places.
Or even bluegrass, I don’t know if one can call that a sub genre of country but that has been around and really doesn’t run the risk of being spoiled.
You just liked them for the album covers? ;)
Why do DJ’s choose to give regular airplay to say, Rihana’s or Miley Cyrus’ music over some other equally talented singer?
Today, I'm gonna post a link to what's wrong with country today, a perfect illustration of what the writer of this article is talking about:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRh-vBOS-dU
This is a beer commercial, not music.
But it's not just country. Popular music today is in a bad way. All you have to do is to compare a Marvin Gaye or a Wilson Pickett to Jay-Z or lil Wayne.
Because outside of George Strait and Aaron Watson it sucks and has since late 90’s when I stopped listening.
To be a country star today: have some tats, a plastic hat or do rag on your head, men wearing girl jeans, girls wearing almost nothing, or basically look like you just left a Seattle Starbucks with a fedora. Talent is optional.
I heard a theory that most of the new singers are Georgia/Florida types versus the prior acts from Texas, Tennessee, Louisiana and the likes. They too that Lynrd Skynrd type southern sound versus Western Swing.
The mistaken impression is that a DJ has any choice in the matter, on the vast majority of radio stations airing today. They have songs in rotation. This rotation is played over and over again. It’s a rare thing to even encounter a DJ having enough discretion to actually play a request, unless that request is in the rotation. This is controlled from the central office of an entity that owns many radio stations. The end result is stultifying homogeneity. I’ve taken to listening to college stations when I listen to radio just because it can be surprising. There are no surprises on the vast majority of commercial radio.
Dwight Yoakam brought back some real country even though, DY’s music is likewise flawed but isn’t just schmaltzy stuff like George Strait or Garth Brooks, Garth who set all kinds of records for popularity. Yoakam’s music has some excellent violin work among other instruments. Subject matter can be negative.
Just my opinion, nothing more:
Alan Jackson remade the Pop A Top song and that’s a great country song: http://www.whosdatedwho.com/tpx_6682/alan-jackson/tpx_1159902 even if it might be pale compared to the original.
He also did Chatahoochie which for a fairly recent country song really isn’t that bad.
George Strait in the 80s &90s. I would include Allen Jackson and even Garth somewhat, but after that nothing has been good since.
Yeah, I brought that one to school and someone stole it. I have four pristine copies now. What can I say? Estate sales, ten cents a piece.
Interesting how often that album is featured in movies, though. I’ve seen it in at least three, but the only one that comes to mind is Boondock Saints. When their Italian sidekick comes home, frantically grabbing his stuff to go on the run, there it is in the albums he grabs.
Two years ago my granddaughter’s favorite country song was “Pontoon”. She was two.
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