Classic Country Comeback?

Larry Robbins · Post by **Larry Robbins** » 2 Mar 2005 4:47 pm

Where I live in upstate NY. there are two main Country radio stations.Untill recently they both played "Todays"Country. Now all of a sudden,They are both playing a lot of
Classic(older) Country! Even starting to advertise as such!...And to make a good thing even better, all of a sudden we have a third Country ststion that is ALL CLASSIC COUNTRY 24/7!!!Plus I just got a new gig in a local club thats haveing a "Classic Country Sunday" Whats it like where the rest of you are? Anyone notice any trends like this? I sure am smilen'

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Sho-Bud ProII, Pro III custom,
Fender Steelking,Hilton pedal,Tut Taylor "Virginian"

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 2 Mar 2005 7:17 pm

Country is exploding in Buffalo. Three new places opening with live country music, two with national acts. Blues is on the run.

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 2 Mar 2005 8:21 pm

I was telling a couple people on LB that the way to empty out the "younger rock crowd" from the bars that played mindless "country rock" is to go "Retro".

It's selling big wherever it's tried. Band uniforms, loud tune amps, and old songs played close to the original covers. Lorretta, Buck, Waylon and ET.

I've played a couple venues where the "vampire girls" and their 'bowling shirt daddies" jitterbugged their brains out to 'Johnny Cash'.

Ripped Tshirts, Sweet Home Alabama, and "Southern rock" are going by the wayside. I won't miss it.

In my area sadly, an "All Comedy Network" has taken over my AM "Country Oldies" station, but I'm still looking. Why buy a 300 satelite radio for a hundred dollar pickup...

EJL

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 2 Mar 2005 8:51 pm

Looks like New York may become the true home of country music after all. Well, it had to happen sooner or later...

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 2 Mar 2005 9:57 pm

I was born there after all in the town of Romulus, in '53 where my friend lives and makes Hipshot Guitar products.

It's a small wolrd, but I'd hate to have to paint it all..

EJL[This message was edited by Eric West on 02 March 2005 at 09:58 PM.]

Webb Kline · Post by **Webb Kline** » 2 Mar 2005 10:23 pm

Yup. I've been doing a 25th reunion tour with my old "classic" country band and we've been selling out all our shows. Making 3 to 4 grand a show playing for the door. That's more than we used to make in a whole month! No rock act around here is coming close to that.

I'll tell ya something profound. My youngest son, who is a fine musician and singer himself, was embarassed that the old man was playing country until he came to a show with some of his buddies and they were blown away. Absolutely loved it.

Why? Because he had never heard that kind of country. Country to him was the crap on the radio. He knows of no one his age who listens to it. Now if no one my age listens to it either, doesn't this say something?

Craig A Davidson · Post by **Craig A Davidson** » 3 Mar 2005 6:22 am

I agree with Webb. I have friends that hate the stuff that's out today but like Tubb and Haggard. The age range is 30-50.

Tony Farr · Post by **Tony Farr** » 3 Mar 2005 6:47 am

Larry what are the call letters to the radio stations there in your area? It's possiable that I sent my latest CD to them.

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 3 Mar 2005 9:08 am

Almost every rig driver I know is tuned to XM-13 in one way or another. Where else you gonna get "Six Days on the Road"? Maybe the terrestrial folks are gettin' the idea.

Fred Shannon · Post by **Fred Shannon** » 3 Mar 2005 9:28 am

My friend Eric L. says:

"Ripped Tshirts, Sweet Home Alabama, and "Southern rock" are going by the wayside. I won't miss it."

Hear, Hear!! neither will I. Fortunately the "Modern Mess" never made it big out here in the heather lands. We didn't have to "dig it" to play it. Bob Wills, is still the King out here. To put 'em on the floor we simply crank up "Heart over mind", "Release Me", "Good Hearted Woman", "Roly Poly", or some such and it's party time on the dance floor. Love it, simply love it.

I guess this is one place where "Classic Country" never left. Thank goodness. Texas Pride, the band I'm with, playes to SRO at every Tonk we play, so I guess that's reason enuff' not to change anything. Think about it.

fred

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"From Truth, Justice is Born"--Quanah Parker-1904

Larry Robbins · Post by **Larry Robbins** » 3 Mar 2005 2:22 pm

Tony,
Those stations are: Froggy 107.1 FM
:WGNA 107.7 FM
:Classic Country 93.7

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Sho-Bud ProII, Pro III custom,
Fender Steelking,Hilton pedal,Tut Taylor "Virginian"

Tom Zielinski · Post by **Tom Zielinski** » 3 Mar 2005 3:05 pm

Kevin Hatton----Are you from Buffalo, NY? I am new to this forum, do you teach? I played bass in several blues/country bluegrass acts out here including Doug Yeomans and Mick Hayes Band. We should really get together---blues IS on the run!!!!!!

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 3 Mar 2005 3:16 pm

Greetings Tom. Yes I do teach. Doug Yeomans and I played together two years running in the "Always Patsy Cline" productions at Artpark. I am currently playing with Bareback Jack, Buffalo Country Music Award winners for 2004. Tremendous band. If you have interest in learning steel email me. I can save you alot of wasted time in bad habits and information that I had to go through. I've heard of you. Now is the perfect time to learn and play steel in western, N.Y. Many new bands forming.[This message was edited by Kevin Hatton on 03 March 2005 at 03:18 PM.][This message was edited by Kevin Hatton on 03 March 2005 at 03:19 PM.]

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 3 Mar 2005 3:49 pm

Now, y'all, blues doesn't have to run anywhere for good country music to thrive! They can coexist in peace, I never saw much difference between any good, honest American music styles. The surest way to ruin in honest American music is for us to fight amongst ourselves. IMO.

In State College (Penn State University) proper, commercial radio is a complete wasteland, with the same 100-or-so alt-rock, classic-rock, and hip-hop songs rotated ad nauseum on corporate-style stations. But 20-30 miles out of town, it's rural Appalachia, and small AM stations never stopped pumping out real country during the day (the only time they can broadcast - thank the FCC for that).

Another thing is that many of the students here know that they're being fed pablum, and are fed up. My current band is with four young guys, age 20-26, either students or ex-students (two are the kids of friends my age), country is not a dirty word anymore, and we're getting good response in town. A similar band I was in could hardly get a gig here 4-5 years ago. Tons of younger musicians are trying to get into this style. Let's not kid ourselves, however - hip-hop is still the dominant force in American music right now. But there truly is hope somewhere besides Texas. Again, IMO.

Drew Howard · Post by **Drew Howard** » 3 Mar 2005 4:07 pm

I'll chime in here from mid-Michigan and say, classic country is making a comeback. It has been in exile so long it is fresh. Lots of young twangy bands around, some classic country, some alt country.

It's a good thing

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<pre>Drew Howard - website - Fessy D-10 8/8, Magnatone S-8, N400's, BOSS RV-3</pre>

Les Anderson · Post by **Les Anderson** » 3 Mar 2005 5:05 pm

Anyone who has a BellexpressVu satellite feed can listen to classic country 24 hrs per day, 7 days per week. Channel 914.

My TV rarely moves off that channel (unless Cathrine Zeta Jones is on the tube that is)

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(I am not right all of the time but I sure like to think I am!)

[This message was edited by Les Anderson on 03 March 2005 at 05:07 PM.]

Ernie Renn · Post by **Ernie Renn** » 4 Mar 2005 6:16 am

Check out: The Nashville Show!

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My best,
Ernie

www.buddyemmons.com

Glenn Austin · Post by **Glenn Austin** » 4 Mar 2005 7:58 am

I firmly believe that there is a market for any kind of live music provided that it is well done in a professional manner. I've tried to drive this home with the few country bands that I have played with, but to no avail. Most of the country players that I know play out of tune, get drunk, argue on stage between songs..... I could go on, but there are country acts in my neck of the woods that are booked over a year in advance and charge serious bucks, simply because they play well, look good and put on a good show. It sounds so simple !

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 4 Mar 2005 8:39 am

Glenn, you are right on! Too many so called country musicians are unprofessional in there performance and appearance. If your good, you will work.

Terry Edwards · Post by **Terry Edwards** » 4 Mar 2005 10:34 am

Blues is on the run.

"Listen to the blues they're playin'" - classic country song "Night Life".

"Working Man Blues" - Hagg (Classic country artist)

"Blue"grass - Bill Monroe (classic music genre creator)

Let's not run blues off too far...I personally like the influence.

Terry[This message was edited by Terry Edwards on 04 March 2005 at 10:37 AM.]

Larry Robbins · Post by **Larry Robbins** » 4 Mar 2005 3:47 pm

Right on Kevin,
I have always felt a lot of bands were lacking in the image dept..I always show up early, clean, sober. With a western shirt,hat,boots, and clean and neatly pressed pants.All this from a fellow with VERY long hair,a couple of earings and tatoos'! I dont curse(in front of the ladies) and I dont have more than two beers all night long. I dont fuss or argue with the band leader. I do my job, enjoy the music and get my pay....Come towards my steel with drunken abandon....Ill break you in half!

I bet youve' been there

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Sho-Bud ProII, Pro III custom,
Fender Steelking,Hilton pedal,Tut Taylor "Virginian"

Les Anderson · Post by **Les Anderson** » 4 Mar 2005 5:50 pm

Larry, how about the ones who walk up to you and your steel nice and innocent like and just have to give one of the strings a pluck?

Or, the all time most favourite question, "how come you need so many strings when that other guy has only six?"

James Cann · Post by **James Cann** » 4 Mar 2005 8:51 pm

Since Western New York seems to be a 'hotbed' of classic country, does anyone know if Dino's Restaurant, just west of Churchville (west of Rochester) is still alive? I was steeler with the Innkeepers there in the mid-70s.

Larry Robbins · Post by **Larry Robbins** » 5 Mar 2005 12:03 pm

Les,
I always like to look at the Tele player and say,"well, some people can only handle six strings but, we let him play with us any way!)...they usually just smile and walk away