Is Country Music Broken?

Well ain’t this just a sensitive topic as of late? Country music is in a strange state right now folks. We’ve got Nelly on CMT. Cowboy Troy is rapping about hay bales, Willie Nelson has proclaimed his respect for Jessica Simpson (I am convinced he’s just trying to promote a movie… right Willie?), and Shania Twain is getting airplay on country radio, with blatantly pop songs… oh wait, that’s the same ol’ crap.

So what’s up? Is country music falling apart? Or is it stronger than ever, as the record sales would have us believe. Well this week, we’re going to have a look for ourselves.

What’s Wrong…

1. They put Pop in my Country
No shit Tim McGraw, your wife is one of the ones who did it! You need to look no further than country radio to hear one of the biggest things that’s wrong with country music. For years, the suits in Music City have insisted that country music fans were 30-something soccer moms. It is the phenomenon that took a great Honky-Tonk band, Lonestar, and turned them into a bunch of sissies looking to cash in on ballads after the runaway success of “Amazed.” It is the same phenomenon that replaced radio artists like Waylon, Coe, and Kris with today’s ninny-princes like Gary LeVox, Josh Gracin, and Jimmy Wayne. And it’s the same phenomenon that has cluttered our radio stations with female-sung ballads that after your initial listening, fade off into your memory’s wasteland of their clones. So you’d think they’d just go away, right? Enter problem #2.

2. Clear Channel
Make no mistake about it. Clear Channel is an equal opportunity destroyer though. It’s not just after country. It destroyed Rock and Roll, Alternative, and R&B (not that garbage that they are selling as R&B- I mean the real thing) as well. But I love country music, so that hurts me the most out of all of them. But to be fair, it isn’t just Clear Channel. It’s every conglomerate media group that sets out to tell us what our favorite songs are, instead of asking. Instead of asking, “Hey Country fans, are you all soccer moms?” They just assume we are, and deliver us the latest poo poo pop song from a fresh young face. They control who gets played and who doesn’t, and many of their stations don’t even take requests anymore! Hell, you would be surprised to learn how many of your favorite radio shows aren’t even LIVE! If you want to know, try to call and talk to a DJ. You might be surprised. I could go on, but I will leave this topic with a quote from modern day outlaw Gary Allan on CMT.com: “Country's changed because of monsters like Clear Channel who bought up all the stations and sliced them up into formats. Our demographic is now the soccer mom. Willie, Waylon, they didn't give a (expletive) about soccer moms, and I don't either."

3. All ass, and No Class
Image is important. I used to think it isn’t but I have changed my mind. It is a very effective promotions tool in country music. It is what made Johnny Cash the Man in Black, and Willie Nelson “The Redheaded Stranger.” And I think we know the two greatest things it did for Dolly… But those artists had something else that the image-driven country stars of today are missing- personality. I want a country star who wears black because he is mourning for all of the oppressed people in the world, not because it is sexy. I want a singer who grows braids, smokes herb, and wears red bandanas because that’s who he is, not because a recent poll said that would help draw the Generation X crowd. I want a female singer who has long blonde hair and fake boobs to say things like “It costs a lot of money to look this cheap”, rather than thinking her jewelry, designer dresses, and cosmetic surgery gives her a right to look down on other people. Image is important. But your image should be a reflection of who you are. Little Jimmy Dickens’ outfit will not be mistaken for trendy in 2005. But it works, because he is just being himself. And the same goes for Hank Jr., with jeans tucked into insanely loud, and often ugly boots. Not to mention George Jones’ “not a flaw” hairstyle, which he has sported since his coke-inspired “old man and the duck” days. Image is important, but it should be based on who you are. If you perform at an awards show, and all people can say is “he (or she) looked so good” your ass is in the wrong business. Move to the runway, and let in some of the artists who give a damn about music.

What’s Right…

1. Gretchen Wilson
And I am not even a huge Gretchen Wilson fan! Here’s what I love about her, and what she has done. As I said, country music’s “so-called experts” have been feeding us this demographics shit for years, and Gretchen came out and flipped them on their ass in no time at all. “Redneck Woman” was the single most important song in the past 25 years for women in the country music. It saved them! It saved them from being typecast as balladeers who only sang about love and children. That shit is fine now and then, but it is nothing to build a career on? And why shouldn’t women sing about getting drunk and raising hell? I play the bars several times a month, and I can assure you of this: women do in fact like to have fun and cuss, and sing along just like guys do. I love female country voices, but the songs they have been recording were killing listeners and the careers of these amazing vocalists. Faith Hill has already come back with at least a more country-inspired sound, and Sara Evans has started playing guitar onstage. You better believe that Gretchen had something to do with that. I look forward to seeing how much further her impact is felt.

2. Modern-Day Outlaws
They’re coming out of the woodwork. Nashville artists like Dierks Bentley, Montgomery Gentry, Gary Allan, and Chris Cagle are bringing a rock-inspired edge to country music that feels like an old pair of shoes. It’s gritty, and edgy, and makes you raise a fist when you hear it in the bar. Brilliant writers like Jeffery Steele and Anthony Smith inspire memories of 70’s Outlaw tunesmiths like Billy Joe Shaver and David Allan Coe. Big and Rich are inspiring fans as a result of their love for their own brand of country music with the Hillbilly Central-like mentality of the Music Mafia. And then there are the Texas boys and Okies like Ragweed, Cory Morrow and Jack Ingram. Fueled by their disdain for the Nashville system, and driven by the persistent support of their legions of young fans, they are making a noise that Nashville can’t pretend to ignore and it is spreading. And I couldn’t be happier about it. If you are looking for real country music nowadays, it is out there. You just have to look a little harder.

3. Diamonds in the Rough
I believe that country music goes in cycles. It will be in an amazing state of growth and confusion for a few years, and then it will slow down. It always seems to happen. I do think this is a great stage of growth for country music. As an act, I don’t know what the future of acts like Big and Rich has in store. But their impact will have made a difference. You don’t have to like their music to respect and admire the way they networked with other Nashville outcasts to build the biggest revolution in country music’s recent history. And the horizon looks bright too. Bobby Pinson has an amazing song called “Don’t ask me How I Know” from his CMA-worthy debut album. Rock and Roll brothers of Ronnie Van Zant, one of the greatest rock lyricists, have united to form Van Zant, who is also blazing a trail with their single “Help Somebody”. Jason Aldean has a great song with “Hicktown”, Keith Anderson is getting it done with the well-written “Pickin’ Wildflowers” and Craig Morgan continues to kick ass on an indy label with his 3rd single “Redneck Yacht Club.”

All in all, we’re doin’ alright folks. Country music isn’t dying or dead. The greatest thing about country music is that the cream always rises to the top, and the horseshit disappears. I do fear what potential conglomerates like Clear Channel have to strongly and adversely affect the format, but I don’t see it happening any time soon. Not every song appeals to everyone. Your music might not be my favorite, and mine probably doesn’t appeal to the soccer moms (who by the way I think are amazing, hard-working women. Don’t want you think I am starting a militia to take out soccer moms, J). So hang in there, love what you love, and leave the rest. By the way, the picture at the top is our cat, Hank Williams Watters. I think he is taking his name a little too seriously. What do you think? More importantly, what do you think about country music today?