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I used to really hate country music and anything that hinted of 'red-neck', until 9-11. After that tragedy I began to really think about, and appreciate, the many sides to American music culture. Now, I rather like country, even though I can't listen to it all day long.
Oddly enough, I'm not wild about the rockabily stuff. I'm a blues fan, and country and blues share a lot in common ~ similar content, and country blues is like it sounds. But rockabily is a form of blues, too, and again, not my favorite. I don't care for the $hit Shania Twain used to sing ~ her singing was awful to me.
But I like a little bit from various country performers. I also like the older artists like Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings. And, yes, a lot of today's popular country are like 70's Top 40. And in the 60s and 70s, actual country tunes hit it big on the pop charts. I don't think that has happened in a long time (although I stopped listening to To 40 several years ago).
I do really like Cody Sumpter's "Livin' In the Moment".
There's a lot of overlap between country and pop. Garth Brooks had productions as wild as any rock band, and his "Shameless" was written by Billy Joel. Which sounds more like country music--"How Do You Like Me Now" by Toby Keith? Or "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" by Poison?
The Eagles were folk rock, which isn't far from country...nor is "Southern" rock far from country. There were some artists that did songs that weren't really accepted by either genre, like Charlie Daniels. (Come to think about it, that's the only example I can think of right off). And some of these bands were later covered by country artists--I'm thinking Lynyrd Skynyrd, ZZ Top, and the Eagles here, although if you've ever heard the Bluegrass tribute to Led Zeppelin....
As the OP mentioned, there are many different kinds of music that can fall under country and western, including rockabilly, and Western Swing. Merle Haggard and David Allan Coe sound nothing like Randy Travis and George Strait. Hank Williams and Willie Nelson aren't the same as Toby Keith or Alan Jackson.
I guess each to their own flavor of music in general.
When I was growing up, country music was played by my elders and to me it all sounded similar, same sad story, a guy in his truck and his girlfriend left him for a guy with more money and now he is very sad and lonely. Oh do I remember HeeHaw, enough of that.. Today's country "in general" is much better and actually some of them are very close to rock -n- roll. Sugar Land, Brooks and Dunn, Rascal Flatts and Toby Keith , Trace Adkins to mention a few..
Thats soooo not true. Country had Western Swing, Folky ballads, Pop Country, Jazzy Country, Cow Punk etc NONE OF THE ARTISTS sounded the same.
Buck Owens is nothing like Johnny Cash. Patsy Cline is NOTHING like Loretta Lynn
Ya know what? In the old days when country was not popular, rock embraced country and let Dolly Parton and Charlie Danials and others play songs on rock stations. Today is the opposite. Country is embracing rock bands who are all doing country now. You have Bon Jovi, Robert Plant, Darius Rukas from Hootie, and many more. Hey isn't Def Leppard hosting the CMAs this year?
NOT TRUE. Country Music has always been very Popular. Ever since the Carter Family cut their records back in the 20s and 30s. Nearly every city in the South and Midwest had Country and the Grand 'Ol Opry radio.
Not only that, Country was always very divserified, ranging from bluesyness to pure folk and Mountain music. Now its just the same.
Country Music is much too complex and diversified to easily describe. Consider all the Chuck Berry compositions that were major hits by Country artists. Ray Charles's biggest influence early on was Country. One of my most prized possessions is a vinyl album of Country classics by Nat King Cole. Many music historians believe that the person most responsible for introducing Country to urban listeners was Bing Crosby. And that Bob Wills, the originator of Western Swing, also recorded the first Rock and Roll music at least 20 years prior to Bill Haley's "Rock Around the Clock" in 1954 (generally recognized as the first Rock single). Haley, by the way, was a Country bandleader who successfully combined elements of traditional Country and black Rhythm and Blues to create this new sound. Not far behind were Elvis, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly and other Rock-a-Billy artists whose roots were in traditional Country. Elvis's first Number 1 record was a tear-jerking, beer-drinking song entitled "I Forgot To Remember To Forget." At the time, he was performing on the "Louisiana Hayride" stage show in Shreveport, Louisiana which was a stepping stone for many future Grand Ole Opry stars. The Music continues to evolve because each succeeding generation has more influences to draw from than prior generations. But at the same time, the various sub-genres (Western Swing, Bluegrass, Honky Tonk, etc) can still be heard in their original unadulterated forms.
Country Music is much too complex and diversified to easily describe.
Agreed.
Quote:
The Music continues to evolve because each succeeding generation has more influences to draw from than prior generations. But at the same time, the various sub-genres (Western Swing, Bluegrass, Honky Tonk, etc) can still be heard in their original unadulterated forms.
Yes.
I tend to prefer the overlap, the country influence, and the sub-genres.
I enjoy performers such as Vassar Clements, Ralph Stanley,Willie, Waylon, Asleep At The Wheel, Loretta Lynn, Earl Scruggs, and Randy Travis.
I also enjoy what artists such as Gram Parsons, the Grateful Dead, Commander Cody, Neil Young, Jack White and Wilco have done with country influences.
However, when my husband dials up the country station on the radio, I usually cringe.
(I also cringe when he turns on the Classic Rock station, but that's for another thread.)
Yes.
I tend to prefer the overlap, the country influence, and the sub-genres.
I enjoy performers such as Vassar Clements, Ralph Stanley,Willie, Waylon, Asleep At The Wheel, Loretta Lynn, Earl Scruggs, and Randy Travis.
I also enjoy what artists such as Gram Parsons, the Grateful Dead, Commander Cody, Neil Young, Jack White and Wilco have done with country influences.
However, when my husband dials up the country station on the radio, I usually cringe.
(I also cringe when he turns on the Classic Rock station, but that's for another thread.)
I admire the lady's taste in music. I suspect that her local "Country" station plays the same stuff that makes me cringe. These stations that are in most major markets are the main reason many people don't know what real Country sounds like. Two of my favorite music sources are RFD TV and wsmonline.com.
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Today's country "in general" is much better and actually some of them are very close to rock -n- roll. Sugar Land, Brooks and Dunn, Rascal Flatts and Toby Keith , Trace Adkins to mention a few..
