Everybody wants to go country

[matto]

IMHO the definition of country music has always been hard to pin down.The sound changes pretty drastically every couple decades or so.Some people didn't think the Bakersfield sound was "real country" when it first came out.On the other hand what do the sirupy strings and easy listening chords of "rhinestone cowboy" Glen Campbell have to do with, say, Johnny Cash? If those are not completely different musical styles then I don't know what is. Certainly Glen Campbell sounded an awful lot like the pop music of those days...IMHO there is no such thing as "real country", most likely everyone considers the stuff they grew up with to be "the real deal".Right now country is, for the most part, in a "corn pop" phase, but after that's lasted long enough the pendulum will probably swing in a different direction once again. As it has many times before.

[mojobone]

Yeah, I love Patsy's jukebox-oriented stuff, but her later records had strings. STRINGS, not fiddles! (horrors) Guess we can blame Chet Atkins. Heck, same thing happened to Dolly and Faith hill, later on; I guess you reach a certain saturation point where you have to start watering down your music to keep growing your audience. (sigh)Oh, and Steve, you're right. Everybody gets to shovel some metaphysical manure. (but I was talkin' 'bout horseshit)

[ontariolightning]

Aug 10, 2009, 11:05am, tedsingingfox wrote:I can't for the life of me figure out WHY Taylor Swift's music is considered "Country". Cause they use a fiddle? Cause she wears cowboy boots? Her latest ("You Belong With Me") might as well be Avril Levigne. HOW is that "country"?It's pop, disguised as country. Big and Rich, same thing. Glorianna's big new hit, "Wild at Heart", holy moley, more of the same...woah wait a minute, I'm a big fan of avril lavigne and taylor swift... have their cd's and their songs sound nothing alikecountry is always evolving, it goes in phases, can't be the same sound forever, have to progress

[ontariolightning]

Hey Ted, just wondering hereWhy don't you consider Taylor Swift's music country?

[matto]

Aug 11, 2009, 1:56pm, mojobone wrote:I guess you reach a certain saturation point where you have to start watering down your music to keep growing your audience. (sigh)Of course it's also possible that after years of doing the same thing you might just get bored with it and want to try something else... (btw I prefer cow patties )

[adrienne]

Whether he's considered country or not, I would do anything for the chance to work with Dann Huff. He's one brilliant guy!

[ottlukk]

Frankenstein's country cousin is Pop&CountryStein ( acronym PCS, also known as popular country songs). She (usually a female, the males can't reach the higher registers), soars to the heights of the known vocal ranges, warbles, occasionally screeches, and then flutters (along with her heavy mascarad eyelashes) down to more earthbound tones . . . then she actually sings a recognizable melody ad lyric . . . but she can't help herself, she has to SOAR again!!! Off she goes, singing to other Pop&CountrySteins, leaving all mere mortals to contemplate her vocal range . . .Hey, where did everone go? Come back, cousin Frankie . . .

[claire]

IMHO there is no such thing as "real country", most likely everyone considers the stuff they grew up with to be "the real deal".----------------------------------------------------Very true. I remember when Bob Dylan plugged in a guitar and all of folkdom threw up their hands in horror. My parents constantly talk about how "their" music was the best. I personally think the '80s was mostly a waste of time. Music changes and the debate over what's "real" country has, as others have said, been going on since hillbilly music turned into country & western turned into country turned into pop-country and will undoubtedly turn into something else as it heads back towards hillbilly. If it makes you smile or cry or tap your feet or the melody gets into your head and won't go away, to me that's good. Whatever name we put on it.Claire

[Mark Kaufman]

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes...(Hmm, hope Bowie doesn't go country...)As less and less actual countryside exists, and as someone in Butcher Holler can now interact with someone in New Zealand or China at the click of a mouse, what IS country music?It used to be old time music, or bluegrass...then it was Opry...then it was Hank...and you got yer Patsy and your Waylon and Willie and yer Merle...Garth...Taylor Swift...Brad Paisley...Who can tell me what country music IS? If it's all those things (and I would say it ISN'T anymore) then just about anything goes if you sing in a fake drawl.But what I believe it is, is an ever-changing style. Same with pop...you sure won't get far today writing a song like "Hey Jude" other than getting lucky in some alternative niche, but that was Pop then, and Kate Perry's "Waking Up In Vegas" is Pop today.As songwriters, I think it's important to resist the impulse to cling to tradition. Sure, we can love it more, and go ahead and write it...but if we want to sell, we had better embrace change.

[markjsmith]

What do we do with listings then? I just got a forward on a "rock"instrumental tune for a "country"instrumental listing!There are more times than not lately when I feel I'm second guessing listings cause of splintered genres (ie Traditional Country, Contemporary Country, Country Rock, Pop Country, etc...) being listed as "country". My main beef is the actual classification, it just leads to confusion if it isn't spelled out!I have no problem with the music, it for the most part is great!