3 finger ninja - Posted - 06/12/2014:  08:00:39

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Originally posted by ScratchJohnson

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Originally posted by JTRoberts

Country music used to be by and about real people. 

That was before the suits took over and Taylor Swift became the country darling. Hank Williams 111 gives them nightmares.

And yes, there is a Scruggs style banjo player in the group. 

 

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I'm pretty sure Hank Williams gives "Real Country" folks nightmares. His shows currently have 3 sets. My guess is the "Real Country" folk aren't sticking around for this...

I like metal...but whats with the "Gwar" shoulder pads lol. 

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ScratchJohnson - Posted - 06/12/2014:  08:28:48

The whole look is a bit suspect, but the Misfits headstock on the guitar redeems it slightly. :)

oldwoodchuckb - Posted - 06/12/2014:  12:47:18

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Originally posted by JTRoberts

Woodchuck:



Excellent! I expect you to come to my defense the next time I post something on the Clawhammer forum, and folks start screaming "That's not old time music."



Or the next time I post a thread like this on on the Bluegrass forum and folks start screaming "That's not bluegrass" or "This doesn't belong here."



 

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JTR,

If you notice, I rarely post anything at all in the "That's Not" threads - even when they are about Taylor Swift, a young lady I find remarkably lacking in musical talent. This is based only on her singing since she at very least has a professional sounding back-up group - I've never seen her perform, and doubt I ever will. Whether what she does is "Country" or "Something Else" is of no concern to me, since she does what she does so remarkably poorly. 

Now, I grew my musical taste in the era when there were female vocalists around like Kay Star and Patsy Cline. People who could actually sing. In fact Loretta Lynn sets my teeth on edge and Dolly Parton's shriek gives me deep nausea. All the electronically enriched beyond human sounding voices of both current Country and Rock either hurt my ears or bore me - if not both. Swift is merely the latest reason why I rarely listen to any Country Music anymore. In fact, I can find no sign of an actual human voice in her "singing" It is all electronic processing - exactly like Brittiny (SP?), Gwen Stefani, and so many others - TO BE FAIR  so many other "singers" of both sexes. I just don't even remember most of the men's names.

When It comes to the music I play. These days I limit myself to the material my wife and our friends play. That is Old Time. If we hung out with a Bluegrass crowd I would probably play mandolin since I've never been interested in playing 3 finger banjo. It also helps that OTM is easy on my increasingly arthritis crippled hands, and I can get along on 2 left hand fingers most of the time.

I also see little point in arguing the "quality" of people's taste. If you like Taylor Swift and I like Patsy Cline that difference does not affect much anything at all in the real world, or even the cyber world. I spent enough time with an older brother who was willing to beat me up over taste differences that I would never attack anyone for liking the performers I can't stand, nor will I attack them for hating my favourites.  

I really don't give a r@ts @$$ if Earl was the greatest banjo player in the world - or the worst. His solos always bored me. My favourite bluegrtass banjo player was Ralph Stanley - even before he got his doctorate. In fact if I had never heard The Stanley Brothers back in the early 60s I would probably not listen to any bluegrass today.

There really is no accounting for taste and I do not try to impose mine on others save in a subtly seditious manner. There are only 3 Old Time tunes I hate enough to refuse to play them, and I never mention this to most people, but simply find reason to be doing something else (refreshing the ice in my water, getting a few more potato chips, or taking a breath of fresh air outside) when they come up in a jam. 

Edited by - oldwoodchuckb on 06/12/2014 12:57:18

ScratchJohnson - Posted - 06/13/2014:  06:26:44

Man Chuck, I think the youngest person ever signed to Sony records as a songwriter and the youngest person to ever write a #1 country radio hit used her remarkable lack of talent to write this song about you 

and she used a guitjo just to really annoy you!

Edited by - ScratchJohnson on 06/13/2014 06:27:22

JTRoberts - Posted - 06/13/2014:  09:26:38

Scratch Johnson:

OK we get it, you love Taylor Swift. Congratulations.

She is a rather cynical young woman who chose Country Music, because she viewed it as the best vehicle to fame, and she was right. And yes, she has a good writing team, and surrounds herself with excellent musicians. However, she cannot sing on pitch with any regularity, and her songs are ALL about how mean boys are, and how disfunction her relationships tend to be. Her fan base is 14 year old girls with self-esteem issues. She currently thinks she doesn't need Country Music any longer and has fully morphed into a Pop Princess.

ScratchJohnson - Posted - 06/13/2014:  12:56:11

Cynical? Were you shooting for the most ironic comment ever?  

oldwoodchuckb - Posted - 06/15/2014:  20:26:51

Scratch,

As I said above - you have your taste and I have mine. The success of Ms. Swift, or any other 3rd rate musical star I don't listen to, is of no importance to me since I don't have to hear them. My opinion of your favs should be of no importance to you since you don't have to read them.

Explorer - Posted - 06/16/2014:  01:18:20

My head is spinning. *laugh*

Given how so many folks who play banjo are extracultural revivalists, who never really came from the families and situations which are being touted as being "real" for the purposes of country (and bluegrass in other topics), how do you weed those folks out? I'm assuming that's the point, right?

If not, then why bring that stuff up? Especially if you're typing on a modern computer?

I guess my biggest question now is, what would Jimmie Rodgers make of my Charlie Pride recordings of "white man's blues"? *laugh*

I guess I'll just stick to music and whether people enjoy it when I share wtih them, rather than worry about whether something fits a particular definition.

For those who worry about enforcing those definitions, carry on!

Tradewinds Ted - Posted - 06/16/2014:  14:21:06

Lew,  It was gracious of you to apologize, but I thought your comment was appropriately funny.    When I first read JT's original post, I honestly thought to myself, "What could he possibly mean by Hank Williams one hundred & eleven?" for just a moment (because that is how it was typed), until I saw the Hank III on the link, and on the next thread, and realized my obvious mistake.

But it is late here.  Zzzzz.

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Originally posted by Lew H

JT: I apologize if my remark on "Hank 111" was offensive or obtuse. Perhaps it was both. I intended neither. I've seen Hank 3 on the Marty Stewart show and do appreciate his music.

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Edited by - Tradewinds Ted on 06/16/2014 14:24:49

ScratchJohnson - Posted - 06/17/2014:  13:56:59

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Originally posted by oldwoodchuckb

Scratch,

As I said above - you have your taste and I have mine. The success of Ms. Swift, or any other 3rd rate musical star I don't listen to, is of no importance to me since I don't have to hear them. My opinion of your favs should be of no importance to you since you don't have to read them.

I think the difference is that I don't feel the need to be overly condescending about other people's talents. Just be nice to those whos in whoville :) 

CliffK - Posted - 06/17/2014:  18:05:12

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She is a rather cynical young woman who chose Country Music, because she viewed it as the best vehicle to fame

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How about that Katy Perry......from God Girl to Mega Pop Tart.

One thing I have noticed in new country is that when ever the singer mentions his pickup truck, whether it be running down a red dirt road, or his girl is tapping her toes on the dash or dancing on the hood in cut-off jeans after partaking in some whisky under the moon light, it's usually a CHEVY truck. I have never heard any other truck brand mentioned, but a lot of CHEVY trucks. Seems like product placement.....is there something going on between Detroit and Nashville?

JTRoberts - Posted - 06/17/2014:  20:02:42

CliffK

The current group of faux country songs about pickup trucks, girls butts, and getting drunk, is by a new genre of Country called "Bro Country." It is young white guys with pumped up gym bodies and tattoos, who want to party all summer. Luke Bryan, Blake Shelton, and Florida Georgia Line are prime examples. They are rockers with a country accent and a fiddle thrown in. Sometimes rappers show up as icing on the cake.

JTRoberts - Posted - 06/17/2014:  20:13:34

Explorer said:

"So many folks who play banjo are extra cultural revivalists who never came from the families or situations being touted as being as "real"." How do you weed these folks out?"

How do you know this? Maybe lots of country, bluegrass and blues musicians come from tough backgrounds and have suffered. You don't have to be born in the foothills of the North Carolina Mountains like my Mother's family. People who lived dirt poor and struggled their whole lives. No paved roads, no indoor plumbing, cooking on a wood stove. Making shine to put a little food on the table. Sending 3 sons to the coal mines of West Virginia, only to have two killed in cave ins, and one crippled for life.

Lots of folks suffer explorer. Life is hard for most. Living on this planet it is easy to get the blues, and some express it through music whether they are Lightnin Hopkins, Hank Williams, Ralph Stanley or a guy sitting on his porch with a banjo or guitar, and an a** pocket of whiskey.

Explorer - Posted - 06/18/2014:  02:07:05

JTRoberts, your argument is with the original poster, not me.

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Originally posted by JTRoberts

Country music used to be by and about real people.

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I'm not among those arguing that this and that aren't real country, or saying that someone isn't country because they don't come from the right background.

I believe it's foolish to put so much energy into saying someone is the wrong kind of person to play any music. Saying that someone isn't a "real person," like the original post, is a little silly.

And later, someone said that one had to be from a particular background to be able to really be country. I instead think that one just has to love any kind of music enough to dedicate the time to it.

I'm glad we agree that one can't really judge someone else like that first fellow did.

Brett - Posted - 06/18/2014:  06:57:21

While I don't consider myself a Hank III fan, as I've only  heard him on the Marty Stuart show, when he wants to sing country, I think he's got a fine voice for it.  I think he sounds more like Hank Sr. than Jr. does, not that Hank Jr. is a bad singer.  He has a great voice and range.  Marty and Hank III did a great duet of "Picture from Lifes' Other Side" the first time Hank III was on that show.  While I might not care for how Hank III dresses or when he rages off into some sort of music I'm not crazy about, I do have to hand it to the man, he does have good voice control.  I'd rather listen to Merle or Lefty Frizzell, but I still have to recognize the mans talent.  I never cared for Liberace either, in any regard, but would have to admit he's probably a great piano player.  I remember he was on tv some when I was a kid and he could wear a piano out, so I have to give him that.

3 finger ninja - Posted - 06/19/2014:  00:13:03

I think someone suggested you had to be "rural" to be real country...there is a hard rural life and an easy rural life, just like in the city. Poor folks are poor folks no matter where they live.....so are the wealthy. But that said, money dont buy happiness....you can have a fat wallet and still have the blues...

3 finger ninja - Posted - 06/20/2014:  09:02:49

Its hard for me to believe that a guy from a "rural area" who owns several high dollar banjos, sees too many "hard times" lol.

country frank - Posted - 06/27/2014:  07:47:38

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Originally posted by ScratchJohnson

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Originally posted by oldwoodchuckb

Scratch,

As I said above - you have your taste and I have mine. The success of Ms. Swift, or any other 3rd rate musical star I don't listen to, is of no importance to me since I don't have to hear them. My opinion of your favs should be of no importance to you since you don't have to read them.

 

I think the difference is that I don't feel the need to be overly condescending about other people's talents. Just be nice to those whos in whoville :) 

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Now that's funny right there.

You have been consistently condescending [in my experience of your posts] and seized pretty much every opportunity that has presented itself to be so........if you don't agree with someone you seem to delight in letting them know where they are going wrong, and a condescending manner is your usual weapon of choice.