Old Country Played Nude

[Jaclyn Jones]

I knew that would get your attention. Sorry.
Lets start with age. I am 59 and proud of it. I play country, bluegrass and a little bit of blues. All of these styles have evolved from the way they sounded in the decades past. Sometimes the musicians have not evolved. I am very sure that in the 1600’s when some young lute player tried something new his grandpa or dad said “What kind of trash is that!”.
When I go to bluegrass jams or shows I could write out the song list weeks in advance. Always the same 20 or so songs. If you introduce them to a “newgrass” song you may not get a kindly reception. It is the same here on the forum. I love classic country but many of my favorite artists are gone. The music they gave us lives on because it touched an emotion in us. However many of them did not play the same music that their grandpa played. If they were still with us they would also evolve.
If the new song you are working on was a hit in 1945 your horizons will be limited. Most steel players are not playing a old lap steel with rusty strings, well ok, I do know one, but instruments that have improved and evolved. I may not like all of the current country music but I remember what I like when I was 18, take a deep breath and look for new songs that rise above the racket. Don’t complain so much. If you are a writer, write something new. If you only like country from 1950 or 1960, play it. Remember, even Earnest Tubb moved from vinyl to 8 tracks. Bashing what is new or different only makes your blood pressure go up. In another 40 years, someone will be complaining about how much better it was when “real artists ‘like the old lady, what was her name? Hmm, oh it was Taylor something, were doing real music. For the love of Mike, SMILE!

[Lee Baucum]

[Rick Campbell]

I just turned 50 and my preference in music is not the same as my friends of the same age group. Most of them enjoy the new country. Now understand, when we were in 20's they didn't like country, but they liked rock...Eagles, Lynard Skynard (sp?)etc... so it's no surprise that they like country now. This is because new country is the same music as we called rock in the 70's and 80's.

It didn't evolve to that. The evolution of country was in the late 50's to 60's. This is when, due to better electronics and the introduction of pedals on the steel guitar, provided ways to have a clean and realistic sound with use of effects like delay and reverb. This was also the time that HiFi stereo phonographs were introduced making it possible to reproduce good sounding records in the home. Until then you couldn't hear a good bass note on a record because the systems couldn't play it. Remember the big console stereos with turntable, 8 track, and AM/FM?

So, in my opinion, the new country is not an evolution of the traditional country, it's just the 70's rock music being spoon fed into the country scene. All the stage gymnastics, guitar players hunching on one another like a dog in heat, dress code, etc.... is all a product of the rock era of the 70's.

I'm with you on the bluegrass jam thing. I could probably name the 20 songs that will be played too. But, you know steel shows are much the same way. Look At Us, Love You So Much It Hurts Me, Way To Survive, Love Yo Because, etc...

[Chuck Thompson]

Jaclyn, for me your post nails the whole thing

[Allan Munro]

Oh poop! I hate these threads that start out with a huge dose of common sense! Nothing left to complain about.

Spot on!...

Regards, Allan.....

[Papa Joe Pollick]

I liked the nude intro..Don't care what it sounds like..

[Jim Wilson]

You hit it rite on the head Jaclyn, I had quit playing for around 12 yrs had played in band's since age 15 iam 62, I had never even heard of a jam till i decided to play again and got out looking around for people to play with, I now call the most of them basement musicians and i can't beleive how good most think they are with the couple song's they know, that are from the 40's and 50's.
Some of those song's are very good and i am far from mr perfect musician however i try to progess and learn new song's down thru the year's i know one guy who has been diong the same few song;s since 2004 and think.s he is really sompthing,Just my thoughts as i read your post. J Wilson www.makeminecountryband.com

[Jaclyn Jones]

It is nice to know some folks feel the same for the most part. The band I am with works steady. We play classic stuff but also pick some new country that fit our style and taste. Our crowds are a mix of ages and I don't forget that we are there to entertain them, not us. I am new to pedal steel, about a year now, but a bunch of younger folks always come and ask about my Mullen. Slide on guys!

[Jim Wilson]

You are very rite Jaclyn it is the croud you have to please their are the ones that really matter, We play best we can each show off a set list but are always ready to change to suit the croud we have,Sounds like your's is just about same age group as ours. J Wilsom www.makeminecountryband.com

[Ron Scott]

You are right about everything Jaclyn. I don't play out anymore and if I did I would have to play what everyone else likes not what I like so that is a good reason to just play for your own entertainment or get guys together and have a jam and play off of each other....Just my 2 cents worth...RS

[Nick Reed]

Jackie,
With that 59 year old HOT BOD of yours, I'm sure we'd all like to see some old traditional country & bluegrass played in the nude. . .

[Jaclyn Jones]

Thanks Nick. I thought about that once. I played at a nudist colony in Wrightwood Ca. back in the late 70s. It was clothing optional but thank goodness the band had good sense! It paid well and the folks dancing proved thet gravity is a powerful force. That was the last time I thought about it and I still have nightmares!

[W. C. Edgar]

I'm not buying it, what I mean by that is that 99.9% of this so called "Country" music today isn't believeable lyricly. When George Jones or Haggard sings a drinkin song, they've been there, lived it. The sound of a lonesome Country fiddle and the moans and whinning of a Country steel guitar pull at your guts as you listen to a believeable story the artist is tring to paint in your mind. George Jones use to go to the river in an old car and sit and drink whiskey and watch the river roll by and was hit hard by his D I V O R C E to Tammy and you can hear it in his songs like "If Drinkin Don't Kill Me Her Memory Will" and that makes it believeable. What the heck is believeable about a 18 year old kid singing a drinkin song when by law he's not even able to drink? (none) On the Chesney issue, what is the association between the Caribbean and Country music? (none) When Taylor Swift sings about a breakup it's a bubble gum boy friend girl friend thing or a girlfriend girlfriend thing and not a nasty
D I V O R C E where he gets the kids and she gets the house and the childs life is torn up like in real life, so there again the majority of the new songs are NOT believeable and the artists don't do the real music any justice.
I think that to be an artist today (and not just a singer) that you have to be honest first with youself and then with your fans and if you do that maybe you'll come across as being a bit more "believeable".

I have not listened to a Country station of any kind in over five years because as a writer I want my music to remain fresh and not cluttered up with the same kind of putred programming you are being force fed by your Corporate Radio stations today.

There is more than enough "Country Music" of all kinds to go around for everyone to have a piece or a taste of whatever appeals to them.
Thats my story and I'm stickin to it.

WC Edgar

www.wcedgar.com

www.myspace.com/wcedgar

[Jaclyn Jones]

Wow W.C., I have to agree that many of the songs were believable done by the artists you mention. I still get moved by many of those old songs. But that was sort of my point. If you or I don’t like a style of music we are not forced to listen to it or buy it. But you can’t blame the entertainers doing what works for them. A good song will stand on its own no matter what style it is.
I don’t think that Nashville is a whole lot different than when it was releasing over produced music in the 70s with violins, double tracked vocals and such. They are going to produce what sells. We can only write what we feel and hope somebody will listen. I have never written a hit, but I keep writing and play them every chance I get. Dickinson, Tx is a long way from Nashville so I don’t think I pose a threat to Taylor Swift!

[Joe Casey]

Don't Yall miss the way the bands use to all dress alike.....?????
Well its not Nudie's best. Hope the guys forgive me..

[Jim Smith]

Hey Joe, you put my tie on crooked!

[Marlin Smoot]

Rick keeps suggesting todays country music is just 70's and 80's Rock-n-Roll...

I think it was sounding that way a couple of years ago but to my ear, todays country music has moved up a couple of decade's and is sounding more like Rock-n-Roll from just a couple of years ago.

Thanks to guitar player/producers like Dann Huff, it should keep going this way and even more extream hopefully. I love classic country and todays country.

A quick check on the current country chart shows drinking is still a country music past time with about 11 songs in the top 40 sing about drinking - none of the artist singing/mentioning about drinking are underage. Josh Thompson puts it front and center with "Beer On The Table" (the song has pedal steel guitar in it)

I always thought Johnny Paycheck and Vern Gosdin could sing circles around George Jones in their prime. Jones is one of the great ones but there have been a few others with the 'goods' too. Listen to Vern sing "Chisled In Stone" and "Is It Raining At Your House" or Paycheck sing "Old Violin". IMO.

The Nashville labels are the one's who release the music - corporate radio only plays it. It's all about demo's and money - as it's always been since music was sold.

This is just my 2 cents - not trying to change anyones thoughts.

[Rick Campbell]

Rick keeps suggesting todays country music is just 70's and 80's Rock-n-Roll...

I'm was just trying to be nice about it. Actually, I agree with everything you said.

[Joe Casey]

Jim,I did not want to hide your mike,I was hoping you would not recognize yourself. .You know for the life of me I can't remember who the bass player was..He must have been with us for just a short time.I'm thinking Doc brought him in..Any clues? I believe that was at Lynns upstairs.. You can tell I'm getting old..

[John Floyd]

Joe Casey Writes:

Don't Yall miss the way the bands use to all dress alike.....?????

7 Key West, Fla Pickers Who All Became Nashville Pickers and Wore Band Uniforms of Some Type.


Ted Alsup, John Floyd Harley Alsup, Corky Tittle At The Tomato Patch Lounge Around 1963 With a Small Fortune in Equipment at Todays Prices.


Eddie West, Harley Alsup, Bob Woods, Jeff Newman Playing at Sloppy Joes Bar Around 1964


Old Picture of Sloppy Joes Bar, Key West Fla

[Joe Casey]

Hey John I got pictures I think of the same band...

Don't you just love it when Bands dress up?

[Jaclyn Jones]

There is a local band that still dresses like that. On top of that they keep working.

[Paul Crawford]

I'm a fan of Willie's satillite station. I agree with Willie, not all "classic country" is old.