What happened to country music? A vent.

[nannerbadnanner]

I get what you are saying. It has became mass marketed. (Personally, I blame it on Shania. Very astute business woman. Play to two markets...make twice as much money. Unfortuntly, the integrity of the music has suffered. imo It is more about fashion, spectacular rips, & pyro tech concert displays than about the message simply sung. imo Add in the changes in technology...today, being able to sing isn't as important when they can go in & edit/synthasise. Looking good on a cd cover or in a video is more important.)

Blue Grass is turning into the Old Country. They still play a lot of the traditional ballads & hymns; but a lot of the newer artist are blending sounds.

I miss the old days, too. When Meryl sang "Take This Job & Shove It." I knew he had "been there". Tammy Wynette's and George Jones' voices blended perfectly (even if there match was not made in heaven). And Conway simply stating "Hello Darling" still makes the hair on my neck stand up, my knees feel weak, palms sweaty, and a blush crawl up my neck. Now that was a powerful voice.
A lot of the Old Country stars can be found giving shows in Branson, MO. I know Mickey Gilley, the Oak Ridge Boys, the Gatlin Brothers all have shows there.

Many also do shows at the casinos. And every summer there is a week long country music camp-out in Ohio. Mainly new stars, however; a few of the older ones will show, also.

As for Bocephus, he is still around. He did a performance for a McCain/Palin rally. And has been touring. Sadly, even he is mixing genres on some of his music. However, he is staying fairly close to the "kick butt" roots. Rumor is that he may have something in the works with Kid Rock. The shows I have seen them perform together, in the past...AWESOME!!! Every once in a while, the Outdoors channel will show a hunt/fishing trip that Jr. is on. The day is usually ended with a sing-a-long around the campfire. He is still a very outspoken proponet of gun rights, hunter/fisher safety, and conservation. Giving benefit concerts & speeches for the causes.

Hank Williams Jr. fan site link

I read that line and got chills. Whew! Anyway, I grew listening to Hank Williams, Sr., Patsy Cline, and George Jones. I still think "He Stopped Loving Her Today" is the best country song ever written so yeah, I agree with you. I will never be a fan of Kenny Chesney because his island music is not country music. I do think that their are still some really good newcomers though. Miranda Lambert is an amazing singer and songwriter. I loved her since she appeared on Nashville Star. After hearing her sing, "Greyhound Bound for Nowhere, " I was just in awe of her talent. That song stayed in my memory for two years before it was release on her first album.

 

[jordansmomma]

Nobody but a country fan could respond to a "What happened to country music?" thread, so I'm not sure why you asked country music fans to not respond.

For me, it isn't an either/or thing. I like both. I like the old and I like the new. Like with all kinds of music, there are country songs and artists I like more than others and some I can't stand ("Honkytonk Badonkadonk" comes to mind. I HATE that song with a passion unknown to Song Hatred until that came along.)

I forget which concert it was (Kenny Chesney, I think) that had Sugarland opening for them. Jennifer Nettles entered singing, "She lies and says she's in love with him...can't find a better man!" and the place went nuts. She didn't actually sing the song, just that one line as she walked on stage...but talk about crossover. I kind of liked it and would have enjoyed hearing her sing the song.

Pop and rock have changed over the years, too. All music evolves. It's all good.

Yes, that would Jennifer Nettles. I LOVA LOVA LOVE HER!!
I was at the concert in Seattle..Kennys concerts with the exception of this past year have always been FABULOUS!!!
Ok so I love KENNY!!

Your hate song..I hate it too.
I also HATE Good time by Alan Jackson...

One of the things I love best about country music is how often it is very honest and plain. People go on and on about alcoholism and its causes and talk it to death.

Q: Why do you drink?

A: To get drunk.

Duh. Sometimes you just want an honest, easy answer.

I agree with you about Shania. I like a couple of her songs a lot, but she was the big push. I don't blame the artists for wanting to make more popular songs that will make them more money, though.

I love Family Traditions.


I grew up on country music.

I love all sorts of music.
But mostly I watch the shows to see what people are wearing.

Sometimes I am like..please tell me you were paid to wear this..like some of Carrie Underwoods clothes last night...

 

[c4a]

The newcomer I really like is Carrie Underwood. She nails it in "Maybe next time, he'll think twice before he cheats". Got the attitude, just right. Anyone who has been cheated on...once the crying is over...and the anger begins can relate to the song.

Right now, he's probably slow dancin' with a bleach blonde tramp and she's probably gettin frisky
Right now he's probably buyin' her some fruity little drink cause she can't shoot whiskey
Right now he's probably up behind her with a pool stick showin' her how to shoot a combo
And He don't know...

I dug my key into the side of his pretty little suped up four wheel drive
Carved my name into his leather seats
I took a Louisville Slugger to both headlights
Slashed a hole in all four tires
Maybe next time he'll think before he cheats.

Right now she's probably up singing some white trash version of Shania karaoke
Right now she's robably sayin "I'm drunk" and he's a thinkin that he's gonna get lucky
Right now he's probably dabbin on three dollars worth of that bathroom Polo
Oh and he don't know that...

I dug my key into the side of his pretty little suped up four wheel drive
Carved my name into his leather seats
I took a Louisville Slugger to both headlights
Slashed a hole in all four tires
Maybe next time he'll think before he cheats.

I might a saved a little trouble for the next girl
Cause the next time that he cheats
Oh you know it won't be on me
Cause...

I dug my key into the side of his prety little suped up four wheel drive
Carved my name into his leather seats
I took a Louisville Slugger to both headlights
Slashed a hole in all four tires
Maybe next time he'll think before he cheats.

Oh maybe next time he'll think before he cheats
Oh before he cheats

Not that I condone it..but yeah, these were the kinda' thoughts I had when I found out. Great video. Not quite the same thing as "Stand by Your Man".

 

[c4a]

Sometimes I am like..please tell me you were paid to wear this..like some of Carrie Underwoods clothes last night...

[/QUOTE]

She can sing. She just can't dress herself.

 

[LotsOfQuestions]

I enjoy all types of music from classical to rock, so I guess I can reply

Music has always gone through changes, both good and bad.

For instance, the music I listened to when I was young and my parents hated is now on the easy listening station.

It cracks me up that the evil rock music from the 60's and 70's is now often what you hear in elevators.

 

[c4a]

I enjoy all types of music from classical to rock, so I guess I can reply

Music has always gone through changes, both good and bad.

For instance, the music I listened to when I was young and my parents hated is now on the easy listening station.

It cracks me up that the evil rock music from the 60's and 70's is now often what you hear in elevators.

Makes me feel...old.

 

[Becky2005]

I agree. I keep telling my DD that country today is more like what was considered soft rock when I was growing up.

I am a person that listens to all types of music since my sister enjoyed country & my brother liked hard rock -- I somehow fell in-between them.

Now, I do like the new country since it's the type of music I liked some of the old style too.

Heck, I'm not even sure what I like now (is pop considered what soft rock was called back in the 80's? OR my DH just tells me there was no good music in the 80's and leaves it at that! ). The lines have kind of blurred on some of those.

 

[c4a]

I agree. I keep telling my DD that country today is more like what was considered soft rock when I was growing up.

I am a person that listens to all types of music since my sister enjoyed country & my brother liked hard rock -- I somehow fell in-between them.

Now, I do like the new country since it's the type of music I liked some of the old style too.

Heck, I'm not even sure what I like now (is pop considered what soft rock was called back in the 80's? OR my DH just tells me there was no good music in the 80's and leaves it at that! ). The lines have kind of blurred on some of those.

Oh, but they had the hair....

 

[daisax]

I remember in the 70s when country purists freaked out about Olivia Newton John winning country awards -- she wasn't even an AMERICAN! If I recall correctly, Dolly Parton was the main person who stepped up and told them to get over it, that country was a state of mind!

The tide goes out, the tide comes in. I love many of the old hits, but there were lots of awful songs in the "classic" days. Probably about the same percentage of good to bad. (I listen to Country Music Oldies every week and there is a horrific song about a dying boy talking to truckers on the CB that's worse than the stupid Christmas Shoes!)

When Meryl sang "Take This Job & Shove It." I knew he had "been there".

Actually, that was Johnny Paycheck!

 

[Becky2005]

Makes me feel...old.

Me too along with having to explain who Dolly Parton is along with Vicky Lawrence!!! When they showed up on Hannah Montana my DD couldn't figure out what the big deal was. *sigh*!!!!

At least it got me to show her The Carol Burnett show which she loved.

Now I have some Dolly music so whenever it's played, DD will say "It's Aunt Dolly"

 

[DancingBear]

Hank Jr. is real country? Hank Sr., of course. Hank III, perhaps. But Hank Jr.?

 

[sdarwkcabemanmy]

ITA..I turned on a local "classic" rock station one day in the car and they were playing BON JOVI! Bon Jovi ain't classic rock, peoples! Then again..this is the same station that seems to have Eric Clapton's "Cocaine" on heavy repeat some days.

She don't mind, she don't mind, she don't miiiind cocaine.

 

[just4today]

I mostly listen to country, but I agree with you to an extent. Taylor Swift's music is pop. Most of what Brad Paisley has done recently is pop. Same with Rascal Flatts. Kenny Chesney is trying to be the new Jimmy Buffett. I like some of it, but yes the lines are getting blurry.

 

[DancingBear]

She don't mind, she don't mind, she don't miiiind cocaine.

I believe that's "She don't lie, she don't lie, she don't lie..."

 

[eliza61]

I think it's like any other genre. You have your hills and valleys. I'm a fan of many types of music and unfortunatly a lot of stuff today is driven by marketability. You don't have to have talent (Brittany spears any one?) you just have to be marketable.

 

[CowboyCO]

We used to love Country Western music in the 90's. We took dance lessons for about 2 years and saw Garth Brooks, Brooks & Dunn and Reba McEntire live. My radio was stuck on the local Country Western station and we even had our honeymoon on a Country Western cruise on the now scrapped NCL Norway. The turned the Disco into a Honky Tonk and they had some "B" rated acts performed. It was great fun!

Then Country Music changed a few years later. God and Jesus began to creep into CM more and more. I am an atheist and my DH is Jewish and I really don't want to listen to Christian music ... so I would turn the channel every time a God/Jesus song came on. Don't get me wrong! There was always an element of God and Jesus in CW music but it had been rare enough that we could easily ignore it. Not so in late 90's and the early 2000's. I would turn on the radio and start listening to one song or maybe two and *poof* I would have to turn the channel. When John Michael Montgomery's "The Little Girl" became a big hit it was the last straw for me and Country Music.

FWIW, I don't mind the pop influence. Every music type has to change and I personally think that Shania Twain did more to change it in that direction than anyone else. I still do have a radio pre-set for one of my local CW stations and I turn it on about once a week. I don't have to turn the channel as often as I used to but I only listen to the station for a song or two anyway. I'm just not that into it anymore.

God and Jesus have always been a huge part of country since it's roots are from gospel.

I don't know if you are just more sensitive to it since the John Michael Montgomery song, or if in actuality there are more country songs with religious themes in the last decade. I do know that as times get hard, people look to their faith to help them get through hard times, so that may result in more playtime for songs with religious themes.

If you enjoy country music, I'd suggest you burn CDs of the stuff you love. Although I am touched by some songs with religious themes like "Unanswered Prayers", "Angels Among Us", and "I Believe", I don't think country is over-run by it.

There are a ton of different sounds in country music with a lot of cross-over to rock and pop. Since country has gotten so broad with so many groups and artists you just have to look for what you like. It's a lot better than the pop and rock music out there. Nobody plays and sings any more...

I have a bumper sticker on my truck that says, "The older I get, the more I like Country!"

 

[POPCITY]

We used to love Country Western music in the 90's. We took dance lessons for about 2 years and saw Garth Brooks, Brooks & Dunn and Reba McEntire live. My radio was stuck on the local Country Western station and we even had our honeymoon on a Country Western cruise on the now scrapped NCL Norway. The turned the Disco into a Honky Tonk and they had some "B" rated acts performed. It was great fun!

Then Country Music changed a few years later. God and Jesus began to creep into CM more and more. I am an atheist and my DH is Jewish and I really don't want to listen to Christian music ... so I would turn the channel every time a God/Jesus song came on. Don't get me wrong! There was always an element of God and Jesus in CW music but it had been rare enough that we could easily ignore it. Not so in late 90's and the early 2000's. I would turn on the radio and start listening to one song or maybe two and *poof* I would have to turn the channel. When John Michael Montgomery's "The Little Girl" became a big hit it was the last straw for me and Country Music.

FWIW, I don't mind the pop influence. Every music type has to change and I personally think that Shania Twain did more to change it in that direction than anyone else. I still do have a radio pre-set for one of my local CW stations and I turn it on about once a week. I don't have to turn the channel as often as I used to but I only listen to the station for a song or two anyway. I'm just not that into it anymore.

I know exactly what you mean. I thought it was just me! My last straw was Jesus Take the Wheel, I just couldn't listen to country anymore after that.

 

[c4a]

Hank Jr. is real country? Hank Sr., of course. Hank III, perhaps. But Hank Jr.?

Don't know many other genres (maybe Southern Rock) where singing about guns, hunting, fishing, being country, drinking, and Jesus are all acceptable.

Yeah. He's country.One of the first edgy country singers. I will always love Bocephus!

 

[DancingBear]

I do know that as times get hard, people look to their faith to help them get through hard times...

Clinging to guns and religion?

 

[c4a]

Clinging to guns and religion?

yep. got a problem with that? Careful what you say? It might be a bullet, or I might wack you over the head with my bible.