I'm primarily a song writer. I only play musical instruments because I need to in order to write any decent songs.

I don't listen to any contemporary music on the radio at all. I always avoid the awards shows, as they appear to be mostly popularity or political contests anyway.

I do listen to a lot of podcasts and amateur musicians and singers, or performers who will never get any kind of major music award. I find that people who love the music for it's own sake, and not as a means to fame and riches, are the very best. You won't see them on any awards program, but the music is from the heart and soul, and not from a Nashville or LA music factory.

I listened to an interview of a Nashville 'factory' songwriter, who described contemporary country music as 'light suburban pop'. He soon got weary of the vapid and shallow themes and music, and moved away to do some less profitable but personally enriching work. Ricky Skaggs comes to mind also. There are others.

So let the fame and wealth drive commercial music. I will stick with the obscure but brilliant and moving efforts of the struggling and creative artists who do it for the music, and not for the dollar.

Fire, the wheel, and the I IV V -- foundations of civilization.