PG Music Home Forums General Discussion Off-Topic What do y’all love, (or hate) about country music?

I had never been a true country fan until I spent about 8-9 years in Nashville. It was then I got to meet just about anyone who was anyone in the business and 99.9% of them were very nice true genuine people, so it was then I started listening and studying the history of country and have been hooked ever since.

Another reason is that country music, the classics anyway, can be re-arranged into some pretty cool sounding swing tunes. For instance Norah Jones recording of Cold Cold Heart renewed my interest in Hank Williams songs, in particular I love to do a swing version of Hey Good Lookin in my shows, always a crowd pleaser.

Later,

Speaking of Norah how about Norah and Willie The Wurlitzer Prize I don't Want To Get Over You

Later,

Many of the song have lyrics that are written in such a way that I best describe them as "clever".

Dallas Smith - Somebody Somewhere. This is the chorus

Somebody somewhere is saying those things I know I should have said
Somebody somewhere ain’t gonna let her go quite as easy as I did
I hope that she’s happy as much as it hurts me to see it all go down from here
Ya there’s somebody out there holding my somebody somewhere

That phrase is turned so well into a different context, and that is what I consider "clever".

Or the way to take some common phrase and make a play on it. One of my songs was written about when a girl dumped me saying that she was just way too busy with her job, her kids and her band that she just didn't have enough time to spend with me and wanted to part ways because I was distracting her from her life. So, as my significant other sent me packing, that line became

You said you had no time for me
And so I guess I'm gonna be your
INSIGNIFICANT OTHER from now on

Some GREAT lyric writing in country music. Usually very good harmony singing, and as the line between what is country and what is not are becoming less and less defined, some really good guitar players are popping up. Keith Urban is one of my faves. Of course Real Band makes Brent Mason very visible to Real Band users, but I don't know if I ever saw anything of his own on the market (though I never looked). He just plays for everybody on the planet in the studio.

That and the level of some of the girl singer push the "hot-o-meter".....

Hot-O-Meter

Martina McBride ..... NOT HOT _____________/_ HOT
The Dixie Chicks ..... NOT HOT _____________/_ HOT
Leann Womack ......... NOT HOT _____________/_ HOT
Jo Dee Messina ....... NOT HOT _____________/_ HOT
Shania Twain ......... NOT HOT _____________/_ HOT
Jessica Harp ..........NOT HOT _____________/_ HOT
Michelle Branch .......NOT HOT _____________/_ HOT


And those are just a few..... I don't even know the newer breed.

I would add Alyson Krauss to that list of very attractive Country singers. She's also a fabulous fiddler.

That brings me back to a question posed a couple of months back: Can a so-so looker make it big in today's music scene? Bobcflatpicker pointed out Zak Brown but his look tends to grow on you and my Mexican Aide just swoons over him. So the question remains open for discussion.

I loved Emmylou Harris long before her total body make-over. Her teeth were bad and her complexion was bad but her voice shone through. Her Trio Albums with Dolly and Linda Ronstadt were unforgettable.

To fully appreciate country music, you have to play the songs backwards: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEj4_iN1tiw

Sadly, today C&W is becoming a lot like all other music genres: meet the "A LA" in the Taxi listing service and you might have a chance...

Very clever idea. Thanks for the giggles!

What I do like - skillful playing like Allison Krauss and Union Station, particularly when Jerry Douglas is included. I have bluegrassy AK & Union Station and country-rock AK & Union Station and it's all good.

I also like some of the more fringe country, like Junior Brown who never gets played on the pop-country stations. Crazy guitar, Crazy lyrics, Crazy hat, and leaves a smile on the face.

What I don't like - most of the rest of it, where it's basically just poorly done party rock, with a sugary glaze over the top to try to sweeten it up. Some of the guys are good guitar players, but if I want to hear twangy guitar done crazy like, I will take Junior Brown in a heartbeat.

With that said, John DeHoyos, with whom I've had the pleasure of playing with in a benefit band a year or so ago, supposedly just got signed to a deal with one of the big labels with a band called Stevens Layne. Here's a poorly recorded living room YouTube of the two looker ladies and John on Guitar and harmony vox. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5r0-Eq4Lnos

Just more evidence that being easy on the eyes doesn't hurt one's chances of being signed - but also evidence that harmony vox still has a place in at least some of pop music.

-Scott

Very strong indeed, I wish them much success. The talent is definetly there that's for sure.

Scott thanks for the post.

Later,

On a similar note, I found this wonderful Country female vocalist today. I had never heard of her before today when she popped up on Pandora so I tracked her to YT. This particular song: "I'm A Little Bluer Than That" has a great hook and story line. All the ingredients of a Country hit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBdeIIkBQMY

Sorry, I forgot to mention her name. It's Irene Kelley.

Don,

Coincidence I just added that tune (the Alan Jackson version) to my rep last week.

Good tune indeed.

Later,

Sompin' about "great minds." I like Irene's version much better. Not that Alan doesn't do a great job but I relate it more to the female point of view.

Country music shows the widest range of versatility. On the other hand [mainstream] country music seems to lack character. It always sounds like the best selling pop music of the era.

Sometimes I think Garth Brooks was country only because of the hat he wore/wears on stage. By listening to some of his music I tend to think that he's a camouflaged jazz musician.

No other type of popular music lets you play with such a variety across styles. There is Western Swing, sometimes only distinguished from Swing because of it's unique instrumentation; there is Bluegrass where falsetto is used ages before the BeeGees encountered it, there is Rockabilly with its pumping rhythm; there is Andy Williams and Perry Como type stuff; even the religious crowd has the gospel country western style. For others there is Cajun and Texmex.

And you have the people that are unique to country like Johnny Cash, Don Williams, Tom T. Hall each with their own minimalistic style -- or ... (too many to list.)

What I like most about Country is that if you have a good mix it doesn't bother too much while driving long distance. It doesn't make you aggressive nor does it put you to sleep. It is mostly predictable, usually telling a story. If you're open minded, of course...

But if I want to listen to music as a sole activity, then I prefer some, imo, good jazz.

Hi

i have played in most types of country and blue grass bands and it gets in ones blood the one type i have not played in is contry swing and i like it as much as all the rest
regards Dave Hoskins

I like most of the incarnations of “Country” music, from the traditional songs to the ones that incorporate southern rock and even some pop.

Here is a song that epitomizes “traditional” country and is from a Patty Loveless album called “Mountain Soul”.

Loretta Lynn, her little sister Patty Loveless, Ricky Skaggs and Dwight Yoakum all grew up within an hour of where I did. I never got to meet them, but the music that dominated in our area was bluegrass, traditional country and gospel.

So here’s a live version of Patty’s song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98jNS8MmEqw&feature=related

One of my favorite traditional country songs with bluegrass roots is this one:

Marty Stuart / Vince Gill : Rank Strangers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYkG0uXeyjI&feature=related

Maybe the thing that I love about country music the most is that all it takes to move you is an acoustic guitar, a voice or two and a good song.

This was a sound check with cameras at “the ready”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9YWqjuJM...ture=plpp_video

That was the cut that made it to the CD.

I used to say I HATED Country Music. (until I actually listened)

Some people limit their listening & enjoyment of music. Kinda' like sitting down at a feast & eating only sweet potatoes.

If it's music...I like it.
Every genre broadens my feast.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!
Mick