CMA Aweirds

Stephen Gregory · Post by **Stephen Gregory** » 10 Nov 2004 3:27 pm

The argument that this trash is the same as the Beatles etc. 40 years, was to us, doesn't fly. Try listening to the Beatles version of "Till there was you" for instance. A wonderful example of vocal and instrumental execution from 4 guys in their early 20s that has stood the test of time, no comparison to the crap we heard on the CMA awards. Second, just because "everyone has an opinion" doesn't make something good. Out of tune, mindless music performed by marginal, at best, "entertainers" is not good and not just a matter of an older persons opinion.[This message was edited by Stephen Gregory on 10 November 2004 at 03:28 PM.]

Jesse Harris · Post by **Jesse Harris** » 10 Nov 2004 4:14 pm

amen stevie

Tim Hurst · Post by **Tim Hurst** » 10 Nov 2004 4:27 pm

My seventeen year old daughter, who listens to and appreciates classical, rock, and country music came out of her room last night after the Big and Rich fiasco and remarked that it was some of the most worthless "music" she had ever heard.

Steinar Gregertsen · Post by **Steinar Gregertsen** » 10 Nov 2004 4:47 pm

Guess I watched out of hopeless desperation.

Thanks for clarifying that, because as I read through this thread I started wondering "Why on earth are these people looking at this?"
I don't have cable so I didn't see it, but usually one of our 'regular' channels air these awards show after a while. And guess what? I NEVER watch them, no matter what kind of 'musical' award show it is because they rarely reflects anything else than the so-called 'music industry's greed.

No matter what musical genre is your favorite, there is a huge universe of high-quality music to be found if you take the time to search it up through the web,- that's where the REAL action is these days. Over 90% of the music I've bought this last year has been directly form the artist themselves or their independent labels/distributors.
Not only is the music a lot better, but it also feels a lot better to know that your money is supporting a working artist instead of going into the pockets of a greedy industry that cares as much about music as I care about fishing in the desert.

Steinar

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www.gregertsen.com

[This message was edited by Steinar Gregertsen on 10 November 2004 at 04:48 PM.]

Chris Lasher · Post by **Chris Lasher** » 10 Nov 2004 5:06 pm

To all who are bitching,

I drove over 600 miles and paid $40 to see Brad Paisley play in Birmingham a few weeks ago. In two days, I'm going to see Alan Jackson in Atlanta, and that ain't cheap, either, because Martina McBride is also on the ticket. I've got CDs by Brad, AJ, Dierks Bentley, Joe Nichols, and Gary Allan. I work hard all day and make little more than a living at my job; every dollar means a lot, especially these days, but I still put up the money to support these artists who know what it means to be true to the music. If you feel the need to complain, just do what I do, and stick your money where your mouth is. People might look at you funny, at first, (joke,) but you'll actually gain credibility.

More importantly, don't confuse Country music with the music business. There's still real Country music around, just like there's still Dixieland music around. Nobody gets rich playing it anymore, most people don't even make any money playing it nowadays, but if you're true to the music, money's not the point--you play anyways.

And bitch if you want, but at least Big & Rich carry a pedal steel player--something more than most "Country" acts these days. So does their Muzik Mafia cohort, Gretchen Wilson. Both players are forum members. I saw Gaylon Matthews (Gretchen's steel player) with Gretchen last month and they are both doing credit to Country music.

Dad gum, you guys are like a broken record!

Don, I appreciated your posts. They are very well written and very insightful.

And hey Bill, can you give more info on Daisy's music? Any good pickin' on it? How's the songwriting?

Don Joslin · Post by **Don Joslin** » 10 Nov 2004 5:30 pm

Stephen -

I think you misunderstood what I was trying to say.

A wonderful example of vocal and instrumental execution from 4 guys in their early 20s that has stood the test of time

I couldn't agree with you more. I wasn't trying to say that the music equals or even comes close to the Beatles. What is the same now as 30-40 years ago is the generation gap. Youth, for the most part, will always rebel against their parents tastes and opinions. At least I did, and all three of my kids do.

Second, just because "everyone has an opinion" doesn't make something good

I didn't try to say it was good or bad. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder or, in this case, the ears of the listener. I'm telling the truth when I say my wife has spent good money on CD's that you couldn't pay me to listen to, much less buy. Most of the stuff in my son's collection is simply noise to me and he can't understand why I can't see the genius in it. We're not even going to talk about the stuff my daughters listen to.

mindless music performed by marginal, at best, "entertainers" is not good and not just a matter of an older persons opinion

Actually, it's a matter of a younger persons opinion. They are the ones spending the money. I tried to make it pretty clear that I don't like most of what is played on the radio. However, my teenage daughters (14 & 16) and their disposable income love it. I can't begin to tell you how many times I have heard, "But Dad, Kenny Chesney is soooooooo cute." I tell them, "Yeah, but he's horrible and his band is horrible." They reply, "But they're cute. I want their CD." I have a niece in Grad School who loves Big & Rich. Why? Because her Mom & Dad hate them. Those guys like Chesney and B&R are selling A LOT of units for whatever reason. Like Steinar said, nobody makes you watch those shows and nobody makes the kids buy the CD's.

Check out the thread in this section called "Article: Why Country Bands Suck" and read the entire article. It's pretty straight forward about the state of the popular country music business and a very interesting read.

Don.

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My favorite baseball team is the Minnesota Twins...
-------- ...my second favorite is whoever is playing the Yankees!

Gene H. Brown · Post by **Gene H. Brown** » 10 Nov 2004 5:30 pm

Well.....as long as you have 25 year old record executives and producers, thats the kind of mentality you are going to hear come out of music scene. I just wish that some of the new acts had a little more talent than to show who can dress the sloppiest and show more skin, I'm not jealous either. I've been in the business of music for almost 45 years and I have never respected anyone who gets up in front of paying customers and dresses like a bum, talent or no talent. TMHO

Zach Parish · Post by **Zach Parish** » 10 Nov 2004 5:50 pm

No kiddin Gene. Whats goin on with Toby Keith? Did his barber die? Maybe we should all chip in and buy him a new hat.

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 10 Nov 2004 5:55 pm

The problem that hacks off so many here is that there is so much fine "real country talent" that gets "passed by" because they are not as marketable as some of those on the CMA awards. You know it does not seem to be about country music anymore, but rather about funneling money you know where. Trouble is, most of us still remember what "Real Country Music" is, and we ain't ready to let go. It just hacks us off, about times changing and all. Me, I'm gonna keep playing country music anyways, and if they don't like it, they can kiss my country

!![This message was edited by James Morehead on 10 November 2004 at 07:41 PM.]

Rick McDuffie · Post by **Rick McDuffie** » 10 Nov 2004 7:22 pm

It's time for a revolution. I'm game!

Bruce Meyer · Post by **Bruce Meyer** » 10 Nov 2004 8:14 pm

Most of today's "top 40 Country" is as relevant to good music as McDonald's is to good nutrition. Thank goodness for satellite and internet radio.

James Cann · Post by **James Cann** » 10 Nov 2004 8:53 pm

Bruce, your analogy speaks to devolution rather than evolution, and right you are.

James
Sho-Bud LDG

Dale Bessant · Post by **Dale Bessant** » 12 Nov 2004 12:04 pm

Its the young that spend most of the dough so thats who they are trying to entertain and retain....I guess, "cause it dont do much for me" .....

Stephen Gregory · Post by **Stephen Gregory** » 12 Nov 2004 12:22 pm

Personally, the young kids I know would not "dig" an a act like M.G. or B&R. no matter how they are marketed with rappers and rock stars. "Musicians" that simply holler and pound chords are not my idea of good musicians nor are they most peoples idea of good musicians. The problem is that the current breed of Gnashville "Einstiens" believe that kids listen to only loud, bad music. I thing they are underestimating our youth.

Doyle Weigold · Post by **Doyle Weigold** » 12 Nov 2004 6:59 pm

James Morehead, what you say makes a lot of sense. As for Don Joslin, I don't think all his formal music education and theory study taught him a thing about Country Music. Not knocking Rock, Rap, the Beatles or any other kind of music but this is Country Music Awards we're talking about. Doyle

Don Joslin · Post by **Don Joslin** » 12 Nov 2004 7:33 pm

Doyle -

Maybe college didn't teach me about country music but all my Mom's 78rpm Bob Wills records did.

What my education did teach me is to look for the beauty in all that is done in the name of creative exploration. If music, even country music, were to remain constantly the same it would stagnate and eventually die. The new stuff is brining in new listeners and perhaps someone with an open mind will teach them about Bob Wills like my Mom did for me.

Don

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My favorite baseball team is the Minnesota Twins...
-------- ...my second favorite is whoever is playing the Yankees!

Doyle Weigold · Post by **Doyle Weigold** » 13 Nov 2004 1:19 am

Well Don, I'm not gonna sit here and argue about this, but IMOP as far as radio and tv, tradional Country Music has already died, but there is a demand from the public (not musician's) for this style of music or the band I am in wouldn't be working every weekend. As long as there is Buddy Emmons and Jimmy Crawford, just to mention a couple of the greats, out there, there is always enough to learn to keep your music fresh. We gone. Doyle

Larry Robbins · Post by **Larry Robbins** » 13 Nov 2004 4:24 am

Like the man said, "Theres been an awful
muder,down on music row"

Steinar Gregertsen · Post by **Steinar Gregertsen** » 13 Nov 2004 5:17 am

Isn't it always a matter of 'action' followed by 're-action'? I've been watching a TV series over here about the development of country music (both very entertaining and educational for me, who's never been deeply involved in this music), from its very roots up to the present day.
One thing I noticed was that this isn't the first time country has been "popified", it was also streamlined to meet the challenge from the 60's pop explotion and many people meant that country music had lost its soul back then.
Then came the rebellion, in the shape of the 'outlaw' artists and others who wanted to be more true to the original roots of the music.

Isn't this all something that goes in circles, or perhaps a pendulum that swings from side to side, and once it's gone to far out to one side there will eventually be a reaction to this, and the pendulum will swing in the other direction?

Steinar

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www.gregertsen.com

[This message was edited by Steinar Gregertsen on 13 November 2004 at 05:18 AM.]

Bart Maloney · Post by **Bart Maloney** » 13 Nov 2004 8:42 am

Seeing Gaylon, Gary Morse, and Mike Daily play on the same show sure was great to see. It made it all worth it for me.

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"Keep on Keepin' on"
www.bartmaloney.iwarp.com

Steinar Gregertsen · Post by **Steinar Gregertsen** » 13 Nov 2004 9:09 am

Only if the pendulum is in the shape of $$$$

Yeah, you're probably right...
But I wonder,- when was the last time any of you who complain about the direction country (or any other 'popular' music) is going in, bought an independent CD release from, for example, CD Baby?
Never mind the silly name, it's places like this, who operates 'under the radar', that offers the most exciting music today, regardless of style.

Steinar

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www.gregertsen.com

Donald Dunlavey · Post by **Donald Dunlavey** » 14 Nov 2004 8:17 am

Steiner, You are so right about CD Baby.com Its a great venue for new music of all types and growing all the time. Another is E.V.O.R..com. Its kinda like underground radio in the 60's and 7o's playing a lot of good music you wouldn't hear commercial stations with the same 200 song playlist. Thats the reason these new satellite stations where created. XM and Sirius I believe. Ex-DJ's who could no longer stand the same songs over and over which is cause by payola that everyone wants to deny. A good example would be a group called Rush, who was underground for some 10 years, with no record Co. wanting them. They got so big own their own. Record companies couldn't ignore them. Its always been this way hasn't it How about the labels who refused the Beatles, you suppose their licking their wounds now? Paul McCartney is a Billionaire.

Janice Brooks · Post by **Janice Brooks** » 14 Nov 2004 12:47 pm

I usualy get at least 3 orders of 5 or more cd's from Texas Music Roundup a year.

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Janice "Busgal" Brooks
ICQ 44729047

Leslie Ehrlich · Post by **Leslie Ehrlich** » 14 Nov 2004 6:43 pm

Grumble grumble grumble ... no steel or fiddle ... grumble grumble ... no solos ... grumble grumble grumble ... don't sound like Ray or Connie ... grumble grumble ... generation gap ... grumble grumble grumble ... more interested in making money than making music ... grumble grumble ... poorly dressed ... grumble grumble ... they act like idiots onstage ... grumble grumble ... what a bunch of noise ... grumble grumble grumble ... whatever happened to good old fashioned country music ... grumble grumble grumble ...