GARTH The Vegas Years???

Rick Campbell · Post by **Rick Campbell** » 7 Nov 2009 12:12 pm

George - Good website. I like your setlist. Green Snakes on the Ceiling. I didn't know anybody was doing that one. Great song.

I remember when there was only one act on the Opry that I didn't care for. They got fired anyway.

Michael Johnstone · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 8 Nov 2009 9:16 pm

I wonder if Girth Brooks is in need of a part time steel player.....I might be able to squeeze that into my schedule.

Joe Miraglia · Post by **Joe Miraglia** » 9 Nov 2009 7:45 am

Why is it that so many of you dislike him? Is it because he makes big money,is a entertainer,a showmen,gives time and money to charitable works-I don't get

Joe

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 9 Nov 2009 8:49 am

I think many revile him for the fact that such a big deal has been made of him, and the fact that the influence of his huge success set the wheels of country music evolution spinning very hard in the pop/rock direction, but he certainly didn't originate this trend. Country has been a popular music style trying to reconcile with the dominance of rock and roll since the 50s.

In truth, musically Garth is pretty middle-of-the-road. Especially the early stuff is definitely recognizable as country, I'd say it's not bad, I'd say it's not great, I'd say I don't quite get what the big deal was or is, but that I also don't quite get a lot of things. My sense is that he somehow struck a chord with a lot of suburban northern yuppie types that had a lot of money and demographic (think of advertisers) influence, and set a very high bar for the idea of 'country crossover' that everybody has been shooting for ever since, but not remotely equaled. I guess he's despised by some for turning the attention of country music to Yankee yuppies, but all he really did was to play and sing his songs in a format that they could understand. As rock and pop styles got more and more difficult for them to relate to, there he was - a sort of cross between a country singer and, let's say, a more singer-songwriter guy like James Taylor or Harry Chapin - and it's not hard to understand why he appealed. He added some stage-antic trappings of a typical rock and roll show, and there you go.

Vegas? What's the big deal? How is this so different than Elvis, Wayne Newton, or Liberace? A really, really, really big shew for a certain type of demo.

My opinions, naturally.

Rick Campbell · Post by **Rick Campbell** » 9 Nov 2009 11:21 am

Dave M. - I think that explains it very well. A plan that acheived incredible financial success. I think most people here would have done the same thing if given the opprotunity. I know I would. On the other hand, as a consumer, I've never spent any money on Garth's music, and don't expect to. I know his management was not counting on guys like me, so no disappointments there.

Right too about Vegas. Vegas is a town designed for certain types of people. Something we'll never know: Would Wayne Newton have been able to sustain a career as a singer on his own without a regular gig in Vegas? We'll never know. Even as popular and well known as he is, I don't think you ever hear his music played on the radio. His job is to be the King of Vegas, and you go there and pay your money to worship the king. Another great marketing success story.

Peter Freiberger · Post by **Peter Freiberger** » 9 Nov 2009 11:33 am

Hey Mike, Get me on the gig on bass and we can carpool in and out of Vegas.

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 10 Nov 2009 11:29 am

Um, Peter and Michael - can youze guys use a guitar player on that Vegas gig with Girth? I could fly in from the east coast for weekends. I think he could afford it.

Even as popular and well known as he [Wayne Newton] is, I don't think you ever hear his music played on the radio.

Bingo! Yup, broadcast radio is not the only game in town anymore. It's possible to approach it entirely differently now. I think the hard part is getting recognition at the start of one's musical career - the noise floor is just so high that it's hard to get one's head above it.

Rick Campbell · Post by **Rick Campbell** » 10 Nov 2009 11:35 am

Dave Mudgett wrote:Um, Peter and Michael - can youze guys use a guitar player on that Vegas gig with Girth? I could fly in from the east coast for weekends. I think he could afford it.

Even as popular and well known as he [Wayne Newton] is, I don't think you ever hear his music played on the radio.
Bingo! Yup, broadcast radio is not the only game in town anymore. It's possible to approach it entirely differently now. I think the hard part is getting recognition at the start of one's musical career - the noise floor is just so high that it's hard to get one's head above it.

There's that word "noise" again. Gee you guys are walking on thin ice. Bravery at it's max.

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 10 Nov 2009 12:10 pm