Am I just getting old ?

Darryl Hattenhauer · Post by **Darryl Hattenhauer** » 17 Apr 2006 3:09 pm

We are not too old. The kids are too young. We know more than they do. I didn't know squat when I was as young as Big and Rich, and the young people I work with now don't know squat either. I don't let them tell me I'm a geezer. I know what it's like to be young and dumb, but they don't know what it's like to be old and knowledgeable.

I wouldn't let today's generation vote until they're 35. My dad belonged to the greatest generation. My generation's biggest contribution was the spread of dope. Now we have people who paint their hair green, tattoo their eyelids, and drive nails through their sex organs. But you can't expect much better, given the people who are working in education these days.

Big and Rich? More like Big and Dumb.

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 17 Apr 2006 4:43 pm

Darryl,Your right when I was a teenager I thought I knew it all,would'nt take ANY advice from the old geezers and paid dearly.I just knew I was sharp as a tack and knew it all,as I got older I realized I was dumb as a stump and knew nothing,What a shame youth is wasted on young folks.As far as Big and Rich,Yes they are big and I'm sure very rich,but they'er damn sure not country,Don't care what anyone thinks!!!!!

Joe Miraglia · Post by **Joe Miraglia** » 17 Apr 2006 4:49 pm

Where does Dirks Bently come off talking and singing about the Stanley Cup? He might not know it ,but it's on its way to Buffalo N.Y. Go Sabers. Joe

bill mitchell · Post by **bill mitchell** » 17 Apr 2006 6:30 pm

Try this as a gauge: can you sing harmony to it? Could almost anybody perform that song? In other words, was there any real meat to it..or just some words with an aimless melody? Some of that stuff has no real structure...just a "hook" line with a lot of attitude or outright anger.
I know every song can't be a "Help me make it through the night"..and that a believable voice like Reeves, Haggard, Wynette, Price, Jones and Patsy is hard to find. (If Chesney is at the top of the heap with THAT voice, Bill Anderson is officially exonerated.)
But, putting all these complaints aside...I have to admit I don't think I can take anymore CLASSIC country the way most stations do it. Yes, Patsy Cline recorded more songs than Crasy and I fall to pieces!No, we don't want to hear Family Tradition, Good Hearted Woman, Folsum Prison Blues ever again! ven newer country fans are sick to death of those records...and it just shows that your radio people are either lazy, or micro-managed by some damn consultant.
I got a hard lesson from my kids when they turned their nose up at what I have always thought was quality music. To them it was just "old Folks" music. They even included The Eagles in that condemnation. They don't find anything objectionable on modern country radio..they are comfortable with today's Christian music and even some rap.
Historically, music could take us away from it all...make us laugh, cry, love, remember, share it with others..and sing along.
Today, too much of it seems to be an excuse to shake your booty.
Pretty thin soup for my tastes.

Jim Bob Sedgwick · Post by **Jim Bob Sedgwick** » 17 Apr 2006 9:00 pm

Use your computer.... http://radioksey.com.
Jim Loessberg and others dj some of the best old country, and swing on the internet. Just the music we all miss. It's amazing how many old good songs I've forgotten. Lots of fiddles, steel guitars and COUNTRY guitar. No distortion. ENJOY!!![This message was edited by Jim Bob Sedgwick on 17 April 2006 at 10:07 PM.]

Kelly Hydorn · Post by **Kelly Hydorn** » 17 Apr 2006 9:08 pm

Hey John, consider yourself in good company as Bobbe so aptly put it, it's noise with lipstick on it and regardless of how much liptstick and whatever else you put on it, me thinks it's still noise. There were and are a bunch of "Rock" artists who couldn't make it in their genre, so someone in their infinite wisdom marked them as "country" like Kenny Rogers? BS and the list could go on. I share your opinion however about the opry and wonder when it will come back around as it always seems to do.

Joe Miraglia · Post by **Joe Miraglia** » 18 Apr 2006 7:09 am

Bobbe--My biggest dream has always been to play steel guitar on the Grand Ole Opry, but I never had the talent or opportunity to accomplish my ambition. Today it seems more like a nightmare than a dream. It is unfortunate that such a icon has degraded to such an extent. The Opry, as we knew it, is no longer there. It is said "change is good"--not in this case. I do play in a New Country band but I do try to add some of the original country with my steel. For example, our band plays Kenny Chesney's LIVIN' IN FAST FORWARD which the original recording had little or no steel in it. I add solo and licks that make it more country without comprimising the song. Bobbe--Uncle Doug was at the house Sunday and we had a nice visit. He is doing fine. Joe
www.willowcreekband.com

Walter Stettner · Post by **Walter Stettner** » 18 Apr 2006 8:50 am

First of all, let me state that I agree with most that has been said about what they call "Country Music" today - IMO most of today's hitparade/top 40/chart stuff is not worth the material it is pressed on. It is meaningless, without soul, produced for mass market, for people who go more for style, optics etc. Let's face it, we are living in VISUAL times, today the video, the clothes, the appearance sell more than the actual music. That's the way it is, the sales numbers is the only thing the record execs look for - and the success proves them right, they don't care about us few hundred mourning about the old times and old golden days.

MY personal decision is clear: I don't care for the new stuff, I don't buy it, I don't listen. Why should I always hurt myself and listen to something I don't like??? Especially because of the alternative - we are lucky to have a large number of artists to choose from, the material from the (what we call) golden days is mostly available, new artists in the old tradition are doing well enough to produce new records. Personally I prefer to listen to Justin Trevino, Robbie Fulks, Bobby Flores, Marti Brom, Peter Cooper, Dale Watson, Wayne Hancock, Gary Bennett,....Enough records to keep me busy listening for a long time!

The modern commercial stuff turns me off in general, I find the mainstream music of ALL styles (country, rock, pop) absolutely uninteresting and overcommercialized, meaningless music produced for mass markets, fast appearing and fast disappearing, mostly leaving no traces. Ask people how many chart hits from 3, 4, 5 years ago they still remember - the number will be almost ZERO. I can't think of any of today's mainstream songs that has the potential to become a lasting song, like Hank Williams, Merle Haggard, the Beatles, Rolling Stones etc.

One major point that hasn't been mentioned so far is the connection of music and living conditions/life styles. The conditions in the "good old days" were so far apart from our present ones that young kids can't even rely to what we are talking about. The radio being almost the only way of transporting music, TV being in its infancy, no videotaping, no internet, just the music being played on the radio - no wonder that the music was much more important than the optical effects. No video clips to be seen, no promotional appearances in shows. If you wanted to SEE the artist you had to drive a long time to see a show, maybe once or twice a year. Today's kids are growing up, being overloaded with visual and acoustic impressions, you have internet, TV, video on c-phones, car radios...and an industry that is perfect when it comes to create a hype for a new artist or album. 1000's and 1000's of copies are sold before anybody has even heard one note of that album, but that is not even necessary because you can rely that the industry gives you a product that exactly meets the expectations of the average buyer (and these expectations are also made or influenced by the industry).

And, in addition: Music business has always changed. How about the introduction of the "Nashville Sound" around and after 1960? When "hillbilly" artists like Jim Reeves, Patsy Cline and Ray Price all of a sudden dropped the steel guitars and fiddles and switched over to the orchestrated smooth pop country sound with strings, horns and background voices? How about the 70's when Kenny Rogers, Anne Murray, Olivia Newton-John and others climbed the charts? I think the pendulum swings back and forth and I hope that there will always be enough room for fresh produced music that I dig and want to listen to...

Kind Regards, Walter

www.lloydgreentribute.com
www.austriansteelguitar.at.tf

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 18 Apr 2006 10:26 am

Thanks Bobbe and Walter for saving me from a long diatribe. I can't say it any better.

To answer the original question "Am I just getting old?": No. I like all kinds of music - country, blues, jazz, rock, classical, bluegrass, soul, whatever - as long as I like it - how's that for recursive reasoning? And guess what - that's what I was like 35 years ago also.

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 18 Apr 2006 10:36 am

Good posts from Larry Bell and Walter Stettner.

I can remember an interview with Chet Atkins during which he unashamedly owned up to having a lot to do with the 'Nashville Sound' around 1960 - 'My bosses wanted hits, and that was my priority - that meant no steel or fiddles!'

It seems to me that the same ethic's at work today - and Chet himself may have been the greatest thumb-style guitarist of all time!

I still hear some great music-making even today. I'll admit that those dreary 'southern rock' 12-bar sequence songs with bags of overdriven guitar leave me cold, but there's still a lot of melody and musicianship abounding as Paul Franklin, Brent Mason, Matt Rollins (and a few more) lend their talents to a wide variety of styles, and I just love it!

RR

PS: Incidentally, I shuffled around the dance floor on Saturday night at a wedding, and the DJ played Tim McGraw's 'One Of These Days'; I had tears in my eyes before it had finished - THAT's a piece of music-making! Check out the playing on that track, courtesy of the guys I just mentioned...[This message was edited by Roger Rettig on 18 April 2006 at 11:38 AM.]

Darryl Hattenhauer · Post by **Darryl Hattenhauer** » 18 Apr 2006 11:41 am

Leave it to Walter, steel resource extraordinaire, to name 8 new guys I haven't heard of. I'm going to google those names and see what I've been missing.

Charles Curtis · Post by **Charles Curtis** » 18 Apr 2006 3:29 pm

Every morning when I'm in my car, I'm either listening to "Imus", or a CD. I just can't get into the new sounds; doesn't appeal to me.

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 18 Apr 2006 4:33 pm

XM Satellite radio. Hanks Place. I'm in heaven.

John DeBoalt · Post by **John DeBoalt** » 18 Apr 2006 7:55 pm

The opry is still a great place to hear the country legends. You have to go in person, or listen to the radio after the TV portion produced by GAC. Bill Monroe didn't use a steel guitar of course, but he stuck to his guns, and didn't let the Nashville money works mess with thing he created. The style he invented is still going strong today in festivals, and smaller venues all over the country. Fortunatly every so often, and Alan Jackson, or Randy Travis makes it big , and draws the country sound back to the center of it's roots. However music industry people are not country music fans, and are always pushing the sound , and visuals to appeal to non country music fans. I'll site as an example Martina McBride's producer who admitted on the video made about the production on the "Timeless" CD " he was not an old country music fan. He had not heard many of the songs that were on the album. Sort of shows you where state of the business is today.

Gavin Dunn · Post by **Gavin Dunn** » 19 Apr 2006 11:07 am

Country music isn't the only music.....even so, I'll agree that Big and Rich stink.

Pee Yoo!!!!

Gary Atkinson · Post by **Gary Atkinson** » 19 Apr 2006 9:16 pm

If you want to hear some new country done the old way,check out Keith Hilton's new cd Staring at the moon.All 4/4 shuffle's with twin fiddles and steel guitar.All new songs in the style of Ray Price with a bass sound to remember. Thanks Gary

Alvin Blaine · Post by **Alvin Blaine** » 19 Apr 2006 11:08 pm

I get a lot more entertainment out of Ray Price and Buck Owens

Funny thing is, those are the two my dad used to always complain about.
Every time a song by Buck would come on the radio back in the '60s he would say "to many drums and electric guitars. And that Ray Price had to much drums, strings, and background singers.

I guess it's all relative!!

Joe Miraglia · Post by **Joe Miraglia** » 20 Apr 2006 10:06 am

Alvin ,You said it all! Back than the bands I worked for didn't want to play,"You Are My Sun Shine"or any of that old stuff. Today same thing,the band won't play that old stuf that was new back than.Looks like the last 45 years I've just player in band that player that new s ***

Joe

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 20 Apr 2006 11:08 am

Gary, the singer on that CD isn't too bad and the songs are pretty good, too.

Keith Hilton · Post by **Keith Hilton** » 20 Apr 2006 5:32 pm

Gary Atkinson is the singer on my CD. Jack you need to talk to Gary about Tommy Cash. Tommy wanted to do one of Gary's songs, back when Gary was writing with Wayne Carson. Also, Jack, Lonnie Harper in Kansas City, at one time played guitar for Gary Atkinson. Now to the topic: If you want to hear country music like it used to be played, you still can. It is alive and well in Texas. Yes, and they still have Dance Halls down in Texas. Seems everywhere else the cops have closed most of the night clubs because people are afraid to have even one beer. People like Johnny Bush, Amber Digby, Bobby Flores,Jake Hooker and many more are putting out CD's of traditional country music, with fiddles and steel guitars. I just produced a CD with all new 4/4 shuffles in the style of the great Ray Price. My suggestion is this; If you don't like the material coming out of Nashville, support those that are making CD's you do like. Go to my web site and listen to sound samples from my CD. www.hiltonelectronics.com If that is the kind of music you like, listen to my CD instead of tuning into the Opry. I quit compaining and started buying Bobby Flores and Jake Hooker CD's. Just my opinion.

Keith Hilton · Post by **Keith Hilton** » 20 Apr 2006 6:19 pm

I am curious about something. I just did a CD with some of the best musicians from Nashville and Branson. Twin Fiddles and E9th Steel Guitars do the fill work behind the singer. Go to my web site-- www.hiltonelectronics.com and click on sound samples from the CD. Once you listen to the songs, come back and let me know if this is the kind of music you would like to again hear on the Grand Old Opry?

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 21 Apr 2006 2:24 am

Keith, I know Gary did the vocals and wrote the songs - the reason I made the comment.

I'll ask Tommy about the song, we're working with him on May 7th.

(sorry to hijack the post).

Larry Strawn · Post by **Larry Strawn** » 21 Apr 2006 6:39 am

Keith,
This is certainly what "I" would like to hear on the Opry again! I'm sure others have opinions also.

Larry

------------------
"Fessy" S/D 12, 8/6 Hilton Pedal, Sessions 400 Ltd. Home Grown E/F Rack
"ROCKIN COUNTRY"

Keith Hilton · Post by **Keith Hilton** » 21 Apr 2006 9:34 am

Jack, you need to talk to Gary about the song Tommy Cash wanted. The publishers wanted to save the song for Johnny Cash, and it made Tommy angry because he wanted it. It wound up Johnny never did the song. Anyway Gary knows all the details and wants Tommy to still do the song if he is interested. The publisher no longer has the song so Gary can call the shots. I am playing a big show with Gary this weekend and I will ask him to contact you.