Country vs. Country

Joe Miraglia · Post by **Joe Miraglia** » 1 Dec 2004 7:32 am

Sorry, I made a mistake! From Henson Cargill's web page: "He is credited with bridging the gap between country and pop music." Isn't that what we have been discussing for months now, debating whether or not it is country? Many of Roger Miller's songs that made it big were not really country either (personally, he wasn't one of my favorites--Buck Owens, Bill Anderson and Ray Price and others were tops on my list). Today we are condemning new artists for doing the same thing. Joe

Walter Stettner · Post by **Walter Stettner** » 1 Dec 2004 9:40 am

Personally I am not condemning any of the new artists for doing what they are doing, it's just not my style and I prefer not to listen to it.

The thing that bothers me, though, is labeling them as "Country".

It is true that in the past a lot of country artists (yes, Ray Price was one of them temporarily) tried to appeal to a wider audience (which always means more sold records) and adapted or changed their style by going "Pop", but usually they got their original start in a way that reflected their country roots...

Kind Regards, Walter

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

------------------
[This message was edited by Walter Stettner on 01 December 2004 at 09:41 AM.]

Joe Miraglia · Post by **Joe Miraglia** » 1 Dec 2004 10:24 am

Who is doing the labeling? What are country roots? The music,where you come from, where you live? Are you country if you are from West Virginia,or Texes,but not if you were from New York? If that were true, is that stereotyping? What is country music--you pick one, is it: bluegrass, hillbilly, folk, country western, rock-a-billy, just plain country or "new country"?
Joe

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 1 Dec 2004 11:11 am

Herb, to answer your query. Henson is from a family of ranchers, lawyers, and a state judge. I think Henson had an deputy sheriff commission.

I worked for awhile with Henson and his "live musicians come see 'em in their cage" band, and there is at least one Henson story that I always tell. (Henson, you have my apology). One time we were in San Antonio playing a show at one of those big arenas that you find all over Texas, and there was a big crowd gathered around the front of the stage watching Henson sing. At that time he had the long, shoulder length hair that was typically worn by musicians, except as we were soon to learn, in San Antonio, Texas.

An enormous cowboy who looked like either a steer wrestler or an OU lineman, was becoming increasingly agitated because his girlfriend was enjoying Henson's singing too much, so when Henson finished a song and asked if anyone had a request this guy looked up at Henson and said, "Yeah, I got a request....why don't you go somewhere and get a d--ed haircut?" Henson gave him a steely look for a moment, handed his guitar to the bass-man, leaned over the edge of the stage and said, "Why don't you come up here and cut it for me?"

I was horrified because I was sitting right in front of that guy and I wasn't sure that I could get untangled from my steel guitar quick enough to run.

The security guards arrived about that time to save us and I felt as if we had a commutation of a death sentence when they escorted this big cowboy out the door before Armageddon began. He and some of his equally mean looking friends were still lurking around outside after the job while we loaded the bus, but the security guards stood by until we were safely gone.

www.genejones.com

Joe Miraglia · Post by **Joe Miraglia** » 1 Dec 2004 11:44 am

Gene, That story reminds me of one of then New Country songs. ROUGH AND READY

. Joe

Walter Stettner · Post by **Walter Stettner** » 1 Dec 2004 11:51 am

Joe,

For myself I do my own labeling (and I guess everybody has his/her definition for a music style), that means I consider something as "Country" or not - according to my personal criteria.

I always had strong objections against somebody saying "that's bad music" (unless it is badly played!), instead my wording would be "I like/dislike this or that" as well as saying "for me that is Country or not".

The country roots I mentioned are the typical style most of the artists mentioned (Ray Price, Bill Anderson, Merle Haggard, Buck Owens) started with - what I would refer to as pure traditional style (instrumentation with Steel/Fiddle).

That's how I use the term "Country" plus all the other category names - I don't want to start an academic discussion here, just put a Charley Pride CD on and enjoy the music!

Just my definition!

Kind Regards, Walter

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

------------------

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 1 Dec 2004 12:56 pm

He and some of his equally mean looking friends were still lurking around outside after the job while we loaded the bus,

... and if that ain't country, you can kiss my a$$!

Gene, thanks a lot for the road story. Sounds like home.

------------------
Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

Craig A Davidson · Post by **Craig A Davidson** » 1 Dec 2004 4:08 pm

Joe,Get a copy of Roger's "A Trip Thru The Country". The stuff he has on there maybe wasn't a hit for him but they were hits for Ray, Ernest,George Jones, and others. So if that ain't country and only pop, I'll kiss your butt on main street and give you an hour to draw a crowd. By the way the steel playing is the Big "E".