Country used to mean "cowboy" when it came to music (or at least that's how I've always pictured it). Now country has shifted to hillbilly, redneck, white trash, trailer parks and has little to do with "cowboy". About the only thing country about most of these guys is they wear boots.

The cowboy singing of Charlie Pride, George, Chris Ledoux, etc., is different than the PWT model that's being pumped through the songs of this generation.




I fully admit that I may be biased, old, and suffering from good ol boy syndrome.

I'd have to point out that Cash isn't cowboy. go on down to Jackson. Go on and wreck your life.

Sunday morning coming down by Kristoferson, not cowboy.

But your point is taken as far as Marty Robbins and so forth, yeah.

Brantley Gilbert's "Kick it in the Sticks"

Maybe the worst song I've ever heard. I'm not even sure what makes it country aside from the terrible bro country lyrics. There is the hilarity of him saving the girl from the preppy guy by beating him up though. So tough!

Not really responsive to any particular post, but as I've gotten tired of what passes for country music I've found more and more of the good music like it is under the genre of "Americana."

Putamayo has put out a couple of Americana CDs, and they're great:

Robinella is one group on there:





Jay Ungar and Molly Mason:



I gotta say, I don't like the guy, but Garrison Keillor has done more than any one guy I know to keep this kind of music alive.

Wife had GAC on this morning and Florida Georgia Line's "Sun Daze" came on and I swore it was Smash Mouth

That song is horrible. Kill it with fire.

quote:

---

Don Williams is greatness.

---

This. His show last night at the Stafford Center was outstanding. I wonder if some of these bro country guys will still be able to bring it at age 75.

YOu know, if you read some of the comments on those videos, it seems that even the country people are starting to realize it's not country. Many are saying it's southern rock.

I'm sure The Marshall Tucker Band is thrilled about being lumped in with these dewsh nozzles.

BTW, my son and I are going to see Sturgill tonight. Very excited.

quote:

---

YOu know, if you read some of the comments on those videos, it seems that even the country people are starting to realize it's not country. Many are saying it's southern rock.

I'm sure The Marshall Tucker Band is thrilled about being lumped in with these dewsh nozzles.

---

It isn't southern rock to me and I hope people don't label it that. Rock, at its core, is Southern.

More on that later. I have a meeting fellas.

I would also like to say that until this morning, I had never heard of Brantley Gilbert, and now I've watched three videos... so screw this thread.

quote:

---

I would also like to say that until this morning, I had never heard of Brantley Gilbert, and now I've watched three videos... so screw this thread.

---

Stop giving him clicks!

quote:

---

quote:

---

Rock, at its core, is Southern.

---

---

Like AC/DC & Metallica. Cant believe that both bands went to high school with Randall "Pink" Floyd in South Carolina

This was such a great show. I really enjoyed it.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/entertainment/concerts/article/Review-Sturgill-Simpson-at-Sam-s-Burger-Joint-5895407.php#photo-7147595

Sturgill Simpson is real good.

Just downloaded Sturgill's newest. Damn good stuff

quote:

---

I lump CCR firmly into the same group as jason Aldean and Florida Georgia line.

---

I blame them for it.

I'm stuck listening to bro country all day today. I may have to pull rank on my subordinate who has this Pandora going. Or a bullet to the head.

His?

Collin Raye is not impressed

http://collinraye.com/country-music-dead/

quote:

---

His?

---

I put REK on Rhapsody all is well

quote:

---

Collin Raye is not impressed

http://collinraye.com/country-music-dead/

---

I agree with Collin. That being said, I sills my old truck and have been driving SUVs for years. nothing makes me regret that more than hearing a good country tune (good being relative).

I blame Chris Gaines for the downfall of country music.

You shouldn't; it started prior to "him" and "he" wasn't even close to bro country. Garth is closer to Taylor Swift but not as successful in the crossover.

Lots of good stuff out there - check out Charles Kelley.

quote:

---

You shouldn't; it started prior to "him" and "he" wasn't even close to bro country. Garth is closer to Taylor Swift but not as successful in the crossover.

---

I don't really understand that comparison. A lot of Garth's early stuff actually really good.

Just my opinion. Swift went pop and it has worked out wildly successful. Garth went pop with Gaines and fell on his face. While Garth was somewhat mainstream as a crossover country star, when he tried to go full on pop it was aweful. Both were originally country.

Today's "country" that Swift was a part of is much more popish/rockish/adult contemporary than it was in Garth's heyday. And Swift was always straddling the line between country and pop. She was getting airplay on pop stations from the beginning, even when she was pretending to be country. For her to go full-on pop was to simply take a small sideways step.

Just some perspective from an old fart. Airplay 'mainstream country' music has lost its soul and has for some time. But to say prior to 1995, 1985, etc. that country was all strong fails to recognize that there has been some crappy music toward the pop side made over the years. For example, Crystal Gayle (remember the song 'Nobody'?), the BeeGees influences crap with Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton? Shania?

There has always been some mainstream country traditionalists such as George S and Allen J to keep things going. I will not include Garth Brooks in this mix for one simple reason. He is plastic. He changes his voice based on the song he is singing. He might have very well brought bro country into being but I am not sure about that.

Regardless, even though pop has infiltrated mainstream country before, the genre jumped the shark big time recently with bro country. It is mindless drivel with no soul. I recently heard a song with a disco beat with the 'artist' 'singing' about riding around in a truck, sleeping with his girl in the bed.......with a Love Boat type background. Unbelievable.

Nashville needs to burn and the industry relocated.

quote:

---

Today's "country" that Swift was a part of is much more popish/rockish/adult contemporary than it was in Garth's heyday. And Swift was always straddling the line between country and pop. She was getting airplay on pop stations from the beginning, even when she was pretending to be country. For her to go full-on pop was to simply take a small sideways step.

---

yep. today's country is mutt lange. aka the guy who made 80s ACDC and Def Leppard sound. all of the worst parts of 80s rock and none of the good parts of that music make up the current nashville pop country sound.

quote:

---

quote:

---

Today's "country" that Swift was a part of is much more popish/rockish/adult contemporary than it was in Garth's heyday. And Swift was always straddling the line between country and pop. She was getting airplay on pop stations from the beginning, even when she was pretending to be country. For her to go full-on pop was to simply take a small sideways step.

---

yep. today's country is mutt lange. aka the guy who made 80s ACDC and Def Leppard sound. all of the worst parts of 80s rock and none of the good parts of that music make up the current nashville pop country sound.

---

i'm puzzled by your thoughts her e. Back in Black and Highn Dry are amazing albums. I beg to differ with your assessment of that rock sound. Highway to Hell is too pop for you? ACDC is rock and roll at its purest.

Are you saying the heavy sound with evil added was too contrived and formulaic? I could see that, but Back in Black is one of the best albums ever .

how was my post critical of acdc/def lep?

i said that current pop country is made up of all of the worst parts and none of the best parts of that early 80s mutt lange sound.

quote:

---

how was my post critical of acdc/def lep?

i said that current pop country is made up of all of the worst parts and none of the best parts of that early 80s mutt lange sound.

---

I misunderstood with the Mutt Lange work, as if you didn't like his production.