Reader Response

James L: Yes, the country music genre has been hijacked by the large corporations. I listen to country music all the time, yet I have not tuned in to a
contemporary country radio station for any length of time in the last eight years. Many comtemporary country artists have very good voices and put out an occasional song I like, but it is not "country" music. But, like a lot of products and services the large corporations have taken over and ruined in the pursuit of higher profits (don't get me going down that road), things will never return to the way they were in the past. There is little sentimentality in business. True country music will survive as a niche genre, much like it was in the late 1950's and 1960's, after rock and roll pushed it completely off the airways. But now, thanks to the Internet, those of us who love real country music will be able to find and enjoy as much of it as we want.

Shearlene, Indiana: I could not agree with you more.. Keep on keepin' on is exactly what guys like Jack Ingram are doing.. (That is a song on Jack Ingram's New CD.. " Electric" which I love..) You hit the nail right on the head with your editorial.. I'm glad to know that someone will tell it like it is..

Larry Olmsted: Hello , I totally agree. I am an assistant manger of the webs largest old time country group ' and it is there that we keep the legends alive and also bring up as many new good artists as possible and we are sure finding a lot of them. A lot of members have come from all over the entire world to us to find good info on new and older stars etc. Thanks for this article and if you don't kill me later: I am going to post it in our group as proof that we can and do make a difference. I will credit your article as -tcb. http://groups.msn.com/OldTimeCountryMusicLovers

Mike: I like very much what you said in your editorial. Where can i get some of the albums ,artists you mentioned? Like you I am a dedicated Dale Watson fan, never saw him live though ,maybe soon though. An observation: did you ever notice how rap sounds a lot like disco?? Keep up the good work!

Bethany Braley, Nashville TN: Every fan of real country music agrees, country music is just not the music it once was. Those of us who are fans of the traditional country music sound know how hard it is to find authentic country music anywhere anymore, but it’s especially hard, if not impossible to find it on the radio. Earthy songs, simple arrangements, less production, a dance beat, a steel guitar, a fiddle, twin fiddles, less mixing, less overdubs, lyrics from someone’s heart (not from the work-for-hire room); these are country music characteristics missing from today’s coma inducing corporate country radio. This disappearance is not about old music versus new music. More>>

Toby Tobias Odessa, TX: I agree with the editorial. I have the radio in my pickup preset for 5 country stations. When songs come on I don't care to listen to I change stations. A lot of times all 5 stations are playing what I have been told I like and want to hear. so I put in a CD and listen to what I've been told I don't want to hear and enjoy the hell out of it.

Cheryl Arthur: My own way of coping is not to listen to clear channel and it's brothers. I buy only indie CDs and the CD player and live performances has become my sole source of musical entertainment. Believe me I am spending much more on CDs and live concerts and cover charges in the last several years than I ever have in the rest of my entire life. I put my money where my beliefs are and think that's all it takes in America. If enough Americans agree with me then we will make a difference. It will ruin the big record labels, but then they aren't doing a thing for us (or really even the artists under contract) that we can't do better for ourselves. I quote Earl Pitts, "Wake up, America!"

Terry Smith, WI: I agree! Whole heartily. I have given up listening to the radio broadcasts and have told CNN I refuse to watch their garbage. I go out and buy the music I like to hear. Waylon is and will always be my number one artist. Music that plays to your heart and soul! Not the spun out music that is out there now. I am also interested in some of the artists that you don't hear on the radio. Jimmy Miles lives in Alabama and has produced a CD "One For The Lady". Jimmy wrote or co-wrote each of the songs on this CD. I play Jimmy's CD every day along with my Waylon tunes. Jimmy's CD is available on www.cdbaby.com. I also now have a CD from Melanie Renfro. Melanie is in Goodlettsville, TN and her family has been friends with the Jennings family for many years. Melanie sings more traditional country. I am also enjoying this album very much. So much for the radio broadcasting. I would love to hear more of these two artists along with Waylon, Willie, George Jones, etc. Good luck trying to find a station that will play them.

By the way, my thirty year old son and my ten year old grandson listen to the same music I have. My ten year old Jacob rocks to Waylon and to Jimmy Miles! That is the music he is interested in. The music that plays to your heart and soul! My thirty year old son refuses to buy any of the so called country. Hank Jr is his favorite, along with Tony Stampley. Wonder if Music Row will wizen up one of these days?

Billy Michael Davis-Live Oak Records: I agree fully with your statement about the new music row cookie cutter performers should be called alt. country, not the traditional artists. I've been playing and singing country music for years, and when I first heard my music called alt. country, I thought they were crazy. Most of the airplay I get is in Europe. I get emails from DJ's over there that call my music everything from alt. country to Texas music, even though I live in Virginia. That's a shame that we have to invent new names to separate ourselves from what Nashville is now passing off for country music. You hit the nail on the head.

Mark Akins: I agree 100%. Why is it when a bright artist comes out, the sound of his initial release's seem to attract the traditional country audience? Because it is usually produced with more of the artist flavor than a Nashville producer! Why do artist like Bruce Robison, Brian Burns, and Radney Foster release independent CD? So they can put out to their audiences what they perceive to be a true fan appreciated songs? Some may, but most real artist put out a piece of their soul. They tour, they see the faces and real life reaction to songs being performed on stage. They are not afraid to try a song on a crowd. They will not let a producer, label or an unfriendly radio lyric stand in the way of their self expression. Hence the one phase we hear so little of anymore "artist". You see every artist has a canvass to which to paint, whether it be words, paint or an abstract object, art is art and an artist that is told what to paint is not an artist, he or she is simply a puppet to the industry.

Tom H: Copies of this need to land on the desks of each of the over paid idiots that run major record companies. This could be David & Goliath part II, the indie's are David, and he's winding up the sling shot.

The reference made to "micro-categories" is one of the biggest problems they face. I and many people I know listen to all types of music. The indie's have been developing artists and putting out quality CD's. The artists prefer the indie's, they have more control over the finished product.

Eventually the people in charge will understand and fix the problem....If they can.

Toby T. (West Texas) I'm really glad I have a CD player in my pick up. I keep my radio programmed to the 4 country stations I like (sometimes). When a song comes on I don't care for, or one that I'm tired of listing to I change stations. If I can't find some good country I just slip in a disk and listen to exactly what I want to. Even the one old country we have in this area gets a little too Nashville at times. Thank GOD for George, George, Waylon, Willie, Hank(s) Patsy ,etc.

Travelinman: Well once again the target has been hit. I am from New York....not one of the more well known places for country music. Yeah right, I have some ocean front property I'd like to sell. I work for a small company with 40 employees, out of those 4 of them like country music. Me and the other 3 are left with one option, our cd's. The only country station we have left is very hard to pick up, and they only play HNC, and now it's changing formats. So that leaves us with NO COUNTRY STATION.

They only solution for the state of radio is....I can't believe that I'm about to say this, The government must start to regulate radio again and place limits on the number of station a company can own. The competition alone will give us all better radio.

Maxine B. Right on......... I used to enjoy our country music stations, now not so much. I agree with your editorial. Now how to get the right people to realize it.

Kathy H. (Indiana) Hallelujah!! I knew there were more people out there like me! I can turn on the largest country station in my area at any time of the day, and 4 times out of 5, I hear the SAME SONG! It's maddening! I have, thankfully, searched and found one station that still throws in a classic country song, i.e. George Strait, Reba, Oak Ridge Boys, George Jones - fairly frequently. In the not so distant past, I could identify the artist of any given song played on the country stations. Seemingly overnight, that is no longer the case. Who ARE these people and what is going on???? Hey "Country" DJ's, listen up ... WE WANT OUR COUNTRY MUSIC BACK ON THE AIR!! (and if we don't get it, I'm afraid your mega-watt, conglomerate owned radio stations will be going bye-bye, just like most of your listeners) Thanks.

Domi (France): I always enjoy what you have to tell about country music! People who think that there is no damage done with mainstreet Nashville current do not know how it is NOT to have pure country music...I am French, and I have been sick and tired of so many kind of musics we have to endure...Now, country music is coming to us we enjoy it so much!

Roger L.: I certainly agree wholeheartedly, I do the sun morning gospel at WMOK in metropolis IL and during my show I play Porter Wagoner, Bill Anderson the Louvin Bros, my favorites Mr. Acuff and Hank Sr. I think if we forget the starters of country music how can we continue on. Remember if it weren't for your Louvins, Waylons, Willies, Hanks, Mr Acuff, E.T. there would be no Tim Faith or Reba. Thank you so much for a website for us LOVERS of GREAT COUNTRY MUSIC

Tom H.: I sit sometimes wondering if I am the only one that feels this way. Maybe what I think is wrong with country music is just.....ME, well after reading your editorial I can stop psychoanalyzing myself. It amazes me that the suits in Nashville, you know the ones with the Masters, Bachelors, etc. that are reported to be so well schooled in marketing and finance, can't see the money in the bank. If they stopped trying to impose their will on the listeners, and listened to us they would make more money, and make all of us much happier.

It's like they're on an ego trip, couldn't you just hear them at a party: "That's right all the music they listen to is because of me"

If they offered up at least 50% of the Texas acts so the listeners can hear them, they would be amazed at the money they would make and the increase in the popularity of country music. Let the big boys in Nashville know, Their job is to find acts sign them, and produce the music. After that the listeners will let them know that they are doing their job, by increased record sales. I am glad to see that your site is telling it the way it is.

Mark A.: Right On! You couldn't have been more on target! Texas is leading the revolution to bring traditional country back into the limelight. So many people are sick of the retro-pop sounding music machine in Nashville. It seems that all they want to do is put a pretty boy in a hat, slap some tight jeans on his @ss and overdub his first CD. Then if his willing to travel his rear off, they may cut a second release.

Well I'll take Robert Earl Keen, Cory Morrow, Houston Marchman, Davin James, Max Stalling and Brian Burns. They are by far the most talented group of singer-songwriters in the business at the moment. If you take the time to "listen" to each of the previously mentioned artists CD's, then you to will agree that traditional country music is alive and well. It's in Texas ya'll. Come on down for a listen, but as Brian Burns says, don't forget to go back home!

Shearlene J.: I Totally Agree! I Could not have Said It Better Myself! I am a Big Fan Of Jack Ingram~ ( Another Texas Artist Who Does His Music ~ his Way.. ) Thank You so much for The Article It said It All!

Don: when Nashville started letting the New York rock groups in, I knew it was the end of country, as we know it. can any country music lover walk away after hearing a song, and hum or whistle it? you cant, there is no melody in any of those songs. looks like gospel is headed the same way, I cant hum a tune after I hear it, can you?

Bjarni D.: I just have read your article. I have thought a lot since then. First this; Since I first heard country music 1970 I have been a fan. I live in Iceland/Europe and we have a USA military base here and a air force radio service that can be heard on the radio. When I learned to love country the most popular singers where Conway Twitty, Sonny James, Charley Pride, tom T.Hall. Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard & the Strangers, Donna Fargo Tammy Wynette. Loretta Lynn and many others. For few years the popular country music was almost the same year after year,- then came Freddy Fender, Eddie Rabbitt, Kenny Rogers, Larry Gatlin and The Oak Ridge Boys. A little change but not a big step. Then came Bellamy Brothers, Alabama, John Anderson and Ricky Skaggs... a little change from older top songs, but still a classic country with a pop-sound and better recordings. Do you remember the next big steps in country music,- Garth Brooks, Shenandoha, Eddy Raven, George Strait, Dwight Yoakam. Did you like them all from the first day you heard their songs ? Time cant stand still in music, a new recording tools comes in, better studio and a new ideas in making records.- also in country music. I agree with you a lot. But not all the way. New ideas must have a space on the airways. I do love some of the new songs and the young country artists. I even buy some of their cd´s.- but I´m always looking forward to have a new cd from George Strait or Alan Jackson. I buy a two or three country cd´s every month, mostly classic country but also the NEW country. Please give the young artists a change,- I ´m sure that the old classic country will survive. Thank you for a great editorial.