if you play out..

[billyfamilyvide]

Originally Posted by Skip Ellis

" Music after the early 70s lost me as an audience."

Lost me in the early 60's - nothin' much worth listening to after that unless it's Doc, Norman or Tony. It seems like the older I get, the further back my music goes: Blind Blake, Delmore Bros, Floyd Tillman, Bob Wills, Mississippi John Hurt. Almost my whole CD collection is old stuff.

Sure, I have to play some newer stuff to make $$$ but I don't have to like it and, in most cases, I don't.

Hmm. Perhaps I am more easily tickled than most.

I find that the music of the fine players you mentioned is still being played. Just not on MTV. I am of the opinion that there are great players in every genre of music from year 0 until today.

[billyfamilyvide]

Furthermore, isn't the whole idea of music expressionism? To say 50 years of guitarists aren't worth being heard is really a jab at music itself. In my opinion anyway.

[macmanmatty]

" Music after the early 70s lost me as an audience."

Lost me in the early 60's - nothin' much worth listening to after that unless it's Doc, Norman or Tony. It seems like the older I get, the further back my music goes: Blind Blake, Delmore Bros, Floyd Tillman, Bob Wills, Mississippi John Hurt. Almost my whole CD collection is old stuff.

Sure, I have to play some newer stuff to make $$$ but I don't have to like it and, in most cases, I don't.

you listen to 70's music?? really?? That's way too new age for me. I'm a 60's guy myself ("Yellow Rose of Texas", "Battle Hymn of the Republic" , "Faded Coat of Blue", "Dixie" ECT.) anything after that and I'm lost

[billyfamilyvide]

Benjamin Tod is one of my favorite players. He is in a band called lost dog street band. Who I believe to be him and his partner who plays fiddle. I don't know when they started but I believe it was sometime after 2000. Maybe even 2010. I thought I'd share this little song because I find it to be a good representation of good music still being made today. Maybe nobody will like it, I don't know- but I'm certain there is some music for everyone in the last 50 years.

https://youtu.be/NACMpkxm-fA

And with his partner

https://youtu.be/1xIDx7AxWVk

[semolinapilcher]

Anything post-Gregorian ain't worth the lute it's played on

[semolinapilcher]

That said, about 80% of what I play is twentieth-century

[rogthefrog]

Originally Posted by Skip Ellis

" Music after the early 70s lost me as an audience."

Lost me in the early 60's - nothin' much worth listening to after that unless it's Doc, Norman or Tony. It seems like the older I get, the further back my music goes: Blind Blake, Delmore Bros, Floyd Tillman, Bob Wills, Mississippi John Hurt. Almost my whole CD collection is old stuff.

Sure, I have to play some newer stuff to make $$$ but I don't have to like it and, in most cases, I don't.

This and Pitar's post are so sad.

[Stratcat77]

I can understand why some have strong opinions about liking music from a certain era. Much of what I like and play was from the 70s & 80s, but I do like some stuff from before and after that era.

Here's my current solo songlist.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ciqg83qrcg...list.xlsx?dl=0

[Kalani]

I play a lot of newer stuff as I do quite a bit of weddings and it's mostly couples in their 20's. But I still enjoy the JT classics, Sting and some Sinatra!

[Goat Mick]

I'm lucky that I mostly get paid to play my songs but you've gotta read the audience and be prepared to change direction at the drop of a hat if your original game plan isn't working. Played 3 shows this weekend. Friday night was at a venue that usually goes nuts over our original material but Friday was a different crowd and a different mood so we ended up about 75% covers. Saturday night was the opposite at a different venue they wanted the originals do we played less than 10 covers during a 3 hour show. Yesterday's gig was 100% originals with no need for a cover thrown in. When choosing covers I try to choose something that will appeal to a broad range of people. I really don't play anything off of Top 40 radio from any genre because those songs haven't proven their sustainability yet. Most of them are on the charts and gone forever in 6 months, however if a newer song proves its got some legs to it then I'll add it to my list. The main thing with a cover is you want at least 75% of your audience singing along with you, otherwise the song hasn't engaged them and pulled them into the show. An engaged audience feels they have an emotional investment in the show and they stay longer, spend more money and get you hired again which equals more gigs for you.

[Mandobart]

This is a pretty much weekly subject. I've posted my thoughts/observations on it many times. I have enjoyed a long, solid technical career that gives me enough time and money to pursue what I really enjoy in my somewhat limited spare time. Music in multiple forms is something I've pursued for over 40 years. My favorite musical activity is playing songs with friends just for our own enjoyment. No amps, mics, drunks, drama, etc. We cover a lot of bluegrass, old C&W, folk, jazz, some rock - whatever we feel like. I'm lucky there are 3 local acoustic musical organizations that have regular jams and festivals to participate in.

I also have a very low key performing schedule (maybe 3 paid gigs a month, most of them farmers markets, restaurants, some wineries and a few non-standard bars). It still has to be fun for me or its not worth doing. In my area, there are hundreds of musicians playing guitar at various levels of proficiency singing about 100 basic tunes that have been popular and well known for the past 50 years. Nothing wrong with that, its just not for me. I describe what I do as "obscure music on obscure instruments." I purposely don't play the standard covers. I rarely play guitar - usually I play mandola, octave mando or mandocello. Sometimes fiddle or banjo. I play music from the 1700's all the way up to current artists. Rarely anything that was a hit in its time. To the audience its all "originals", even ones I don't write, because unless you actively seek out new songs and artists you've never heard them before. So I like to give a little background on some tunes to describe the genre, or artist that wrote it, or the particular instrument I'm playing. This is a good fit for me and the places I choose to play. I'm a niche player in a niche market. But, I have very little competition in this market and as a result get asked to play more gigs than I have time for.

[roylor4]

My wife and I play out regularly. We play multiple genres of music, and IMO, that makes us an Americana type duo.

They range wildly. Seriously. A few original, but mostly covers. A few of the bands whos songs we cover:

Muddy Waters
Alice in Chains
Del McCoury
Steve Earle
Chris Stapleton/Steeldrivers
Modern English
Carolina Chocolate Drops
Boston
Son House
Blind Willie McTell

You get the idea. I was influenced by many styles growing up and if a song is interesting or fun we are willing to give it a shot

[Skip Ellis]

Originally Posted by billyfamilyvide

Benjamin Tod is one of my favorite players. He is in a band called lost dog street band. Who I believe to be him and his partner who plays fiddle. I don't know when they started but I believe it was sometime after 2000. Maybe even 2010. I thought I'd share this little song because I find it to be a good representation of good music still being made today. Maybe nobody will like it, I don't know- but I'm certain there is some music for everyone in the last 50 years.

https://youtu.be/NACMpkxm-fA

And with his partner

https://youtu.be/1xIDx7AxWVk

You're right, I don't like it. Sounds like he's trying to sound like somebody else....not sure who....early Dylan maybe? Anyway - not my cup a tea.

[DupleMeter]

about 90% originals with some covers that we really like and can do something fun with. They can be (and are) just about anything.

In Austin, we are blessed with audiences that expect you to play originals. I have a couple of covers up my sleeve that I break out occasionally, acoustic renditions of a Bowie and a Spoon song, but otherwise my set list is 100% originals.