For almost twenty-five years, I have participated in the
industry in some form or fashion. Whether it be as a radio personality, a
record promoter, or as a journalist, I take a lot of pride in what I do for a
living – and what I do as a passion. For years before that, I was also a fan of
Country Music. And still am.
That’s why it upsets me when I read an article talking about
how Country Music is a little less than – or when someone makes a subtle dig
toward the format. I take it personal. It’s not just my vocation. But, it’s
also my life. Just this week, a writer penned an article with this line in it….
“It's traditional, sure, but country music is changing.”
I will go on record by saying that it was one line – in a
story that was actually about something pretty interesting. But, the attitude
of the sentence just ticked me off. Would they write that about the Blues?
Jazz? Would they have something to say about Classical Music being too old
school, and needing something to freshen it up a little?
Absolutely not. So, why do people feel the need to take a
swipe at Country Music? To some degree, I guess you could blame the format
itself. After all, there are tons of lists of “Classic County Song Titles” out
there. But, if you listen to most of those songs with the corny titles…..you
would find them to be pretty good.
That’s not to say that there haven’t been excesses, at times.
Are you thinking “Bro-Country?" Go back a little further. There were excesses
during the Nashville Sound era, the Billy Sherrill “Countrypolitan” period, and
the Urban Cowboy sound of the early 1980s. But, Country Music is not alone. How
many one hit wonders have there been in Pop Music? Exactly.
Simply said, I will put the best of Country Music up against
anything from any other format – Jones, Twitty, Haggard. You name it. But, it
doesn’t end there. To me – someone who grew up in the era – there’s something
about the music of the 1970s and 1980s that I was hearing on the radio as a
child on Bob Kingsley’s “American Country Countdown.” Songs like “I’ll Be True
To You,” “Years,” and “Holding Her and Loving You” are as etched into my childhood
as much as anything.
In an essence, Country Music has been one of the best friends
I have ever had. So, it makes me mad when people seemingly don’t respect it as
I think they should. I have always tried to appreciate much of the sounds of
some of the other genres. I do like some of the Beatles songs, but I can’t tell
you one track from The White Album. I actually didn’t listen to Rumours by
Fleetwood Mac until last year, and I have never listened to an album from
Jackson Browne. That’s not a swipe at any of those artists – Rumours, for that
matter, is exactly what it was cracked up to be – I just never was exposed to
it. But, I don’t take shots at them – or make subtle digs.
I do, however, know the emotional wrenchings of Earl Thomas
Conley, the sensual yearnings of a Barbara Mandrell or a Lee Ann Womack, or the
nostalgic harmonies of The Statler Brothers. I know the bad-assery of Hank
Williams, Jr., the classic honky-tonk of Mel Tillis, and the vocal acrobatics
of Gary Morris – and I turned out very well in my musical tastes, thank you
very much.
So, if you aren’t a fan of something, or if you don’t
understand it, please be up front about it. Just because a critic can write a
review of something, using twenty-syllable words to describe how great it is….doesn’t
exactly make it so. Country Music. You know, that twangy sound about Mom,
America, Sunday Mornings Coming Down, Back Street Affairs….and even Crusing
down a backroad….We’re pretty good just the way we are. And, it's definitely nothing that I would ever be ashamed of!
Change? Funny, I didn’t think we needed to. And still don’t.
