the state of country music (or the lack there of)

[songz]

I miss the great songs from the late 50s through the early 80s. I just got off the phone after an hour conversation with my old friend, Jerry Chestnut, who is one of the greatest writers from that period. Neither of us even attempt to write what would be recorded today. We think real country music died a long time ago, and the audience decides what they will buy, but where are the "standards" songs for tomorrow?

Ron

[jimmybee]

Check out Elizabeth cook, Kasey Musgrave, Eileen Jewell for some good singers

[harmonics101]

I gave up categorizing music after the late 1970's - you either like an artist or a particular genre of music or you don't. I like some of Taylor Swift's songs, some of them are quite kitchy, but they get me in a good mood. That's the important thing, if the music you listen to makes you feel good, who cares what genre it falls into. Heck, the Doom Despair Agony on Me song makes me smile , is it country ? Who cares,

H

[sdelsolray]

Modern musical styles usually evolve, change and adjust. Often, different elements from one style are blended with other elements from another style.

Of course, some performers within a style try to resist such changes and desire to stay more traditional with that style.

Distinguish popularity from whether a style is a new hybrid or traditional.

[grim83]

Originally Posted by Willie Voltaire

Hell yes, and I agree completely! My faith in country as a genre is rejuvenated when I hear bands like this, and artists like Crooks, Dylan LeBlanc, Carson McHone, Redd Volkaert, Slaid Cleaves, Hayes Carl, etc. There's a healthy resurgence of quality country coming out of Austin and other cities these days -- the backlash against The Nashville Machine is rising!

Jamey Johnson is probably the biggest one holding on to the older ways and I give him props for finding a way to survive in the middle.

[aknow]

Originally Posted by Phelonious Ponk

Fair enough. Country has been crossover music from its inception, shamelessly commercial for decades, and even great country music and singers have been buried in gooey, overwrought production for as long. It is such a consistent problem that formal rebellions against mainstream country are a normal, repetitive theme -- Rockabilly, Outlaw, Alt Country, Americana...it's all very old news, frankly, though I can't ever remember the writing being as bad as it is right now...

Then again, Kenny Chesney, a bad Jimmy Buffett impersonator in a hat (and no shirt) seeking artistic integrity? I don't care who you are. That right there is some funny stuff.

P

Well said. At least Keith Urban plays guitar really well.

[songz]

Originally Posted by grim83

Jamey Johnson is probably the biggest one holding on to the older ways and I give him props for finding a way to survive in the middle.

Jamey writes fantastic songs, and I wish we could hear more of him

Ron

[Silly Moustache]

Originally Posted by AMW

...and then there's the great Sturgill Simpson! Best country record so far this year, IMO

Yeah, I like ol' Sturg and his band. Can't understand a word he sings but it all sounds great.

[appliace mike]

check out the Cactus Blossoms

[Chicago Sandy]

There’s so much cross-pollination between genres these days that one could start a thread about “the state of (insert genre here) music...” You think commercially-successful country has gone pop? Hang out on one of the folk music listervs if you want to hear “that’s NOT folk!” rants (a viewpoint of which I’m trying to cure myself). Soul became R&B became “urban contemporary” into which crept elements of rap & hip-hop (and then there are those bemoaning the death of “old school rap”). Surf on over to the rock side, where you’ll hear arguments over rock vs. power pop vs. pop vs. “rawk;” and the house & electronica pioneers are grousing about their genres morphing into dance music. (I’d like to have been a fly on the wall during the rise of classical after baroque and then the birth of the romantic movement--and I’m sure there are neoclassicists dissing modern music as “math” and modern classical composers sneering at the neoclassists as derivative cornballs). And anyone wish they had tickets to a hypothetical cage match between big band, bebop, and progressive jazz....followed by riding the New Agers out of town on a rail?

[grim83]

Originally Posted by Chicago Sandy

There’s so much cross-pollination between genres these days that one could start a thread about “the state of (insert genre here) music...” You think commercially-successful country has gone pop? Hang out on one of the folk music listervs if you want to hear “that’s NOT folk!” rants (a viewpoint of which I’m trying to cure myself). Soul became R&B became “urban contemporary” into which crept elements of rap & hip-hop (and then there are those bemoaning the death of “old school rap”). Surf on over to the rock side, where you’ll hear arguments over rock vs. power pop vs. pop vs. “rawk;” and the house & electronica pioneers are grousing about their genres morphing into dance music. (I’d like to have been a fly on the wall during the rise of classical after baroque and then the birth of the romantic movement--and I’m sure there are neoclassicists dissing modern music as “math” and modern classical composers sneering at the neoclassists as derivative cornballs). And anyone wish they had tickets to a hypothetical cage match between big band, bebop, and progressive jazz....followed by riding the New Agers out of town on a rail?

You'll get no arguments from me many of the styles I love are dead or dying and I accept that. I was just putting a little something out there for public consumption because as someone noted earlier a shirtless Jimmy Buffett wannabe was complaining about artistic integrity. I like that sturgill guy he has an authenticity to his sound that many have lost in country, rock, blues, soul etc. Many of the front runners of the modern styles have completely lost touch with the roots of the music. Take Jason aldean for instance arguably one of the biggest stars in the genre right now and when asked for his influence it was all 80s rockers not a single country artist could be found.

[LindaW]

I'm liking what they reclassified (?) as Americana, i.e. Holly Williams, Rosanne Cash, etc.

[SMan]

Country like all other forms of music evolves. Its not on the verge of death but always on the verge of change.

[noledog]

I happen to like Kenny Chesney's direction in "Caribbean Country" as I like to call it, and I play several of his & Blake Shelton's songs in my live set...I also happen to like KC's Sig. Tak & it's my main gigging git these dayz, palm trees and all!
Growing up on the Florida coast from Miami to Jax./St. Aug., I've heard & played tons of Buffett, and Chesney's songs are way more to my liking both playing & listening, in fact, I avoid Buffett these days.
As far as not being "traditional" country, well it's not; no big deal.. When I want to get my trad-country on, I go to Merle Haggard and I also do some older Vince Gill. I also like me some Yokam & Lovett too...it's a good thang when there is a lil' sumthin' fer evr'yone! ...then there is outlaw country on steroids, it's called southern rock and my homies rule; can you say SKYNYRD?! ...thats "bro" rock, now "gimme back my bullets".

[Bikewer]

We just watched the CMA awards show and I didn't see a lot to like. Seemed like most of the lead guitar work (from carefully-concealed musicians) was handling 70s and 80s rock licks...


However.... Most all the guys I do like might be argued as having country influences... It's what they are calling Americana these days.
Tom Russell and James McMurtry and Guy Clark and Steve Earl.... Certainly a "country" or "Western" vibe there... Russell has several albums celbrating the West... Both current and historically.
There's a relationship of sorts with bluegrass and country, but it seems to be growing apart.... There were no bluegrass artists at all on the CMA awards this year.
Lots of the progressive BG artists are getting pretty far from the traditional.

I recall when I was in the army in the mid-60s, numbers of the guys were country fans and would play that weepy Hank Snow sort of thing... "I got drunk and ran over my kid in the driveway"..... That stuff really turned me off. But I listen regularly to the "Classic Country and Western Show" on our local community radio station.