Tom Petty Calls Out Contemporary Country Music

[Rune Blackwings]

Didja get any on you?

personally, i thought only cobain's head exploded...

[GuitarGeek]

BTW, if anyone here gets RFD-TV or FamilyNet on their cable TV system, check out the Marty Stuart Show. That's what country music is SUPPOSED to sound like. And once, in awhile, he plays does an instrumental or two.

[Banquo]

BTW, if anyone here gets RFD-TV or FamilyNet on their cable TV system, check out the Marty Stuart Show.

I can't watch Marty Stuart because his haircut is almost as old as he is. Besides, there can be only one Marty...

[progholio]

Mr. Petty is unhappy with current country & he let the world know it last month. Agree or disagree with him? Does he *have* to be part of the genre to have an opinion about it? (as one country artist suggests) Is he just being a curmudgeon? From the little country *I* get to hear, I agree with him. I don't think what he's saying is so outrageous at all. But several younger country artists lashed back at him for it. (Google em)

Does he *have* to be part of the genre to have an opinion about it? - Well, I think he was part of the genre having worked with Roy Orbison, plus he and his band were pretty heavily involved with the Johnny Cash American series so hell yes he's able to have an opinion.

And younger country artist opinons don't count, so there!

Regarding Marty Stuart - the dude's paid his dues, his band smokes and he's got the most bitchin' hairstyle going, what more do you want?

[Rickenbacker]

Personally, I wish more established entertainers (esp. musicians) would do a lot more of this public 'calling out'. (I'd say the same on the Miley Cyrus thread)

[Camelogue]

Well if he doesn't know that much about it then why is he so opinionated about it?

That doesn't stop anyone on PE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Adm.Kirk]

When I started in radio in 1983 for the local AM country station the hit makers were George Strait, Reba McEntire, Merle Haggard, George Jones, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Shelly West, Conway Twitty, Ricky Skaggs and Kenny Rogers among others. Today, George Strait and Reba still have hits at country radio but the rest are either dead or haven't make any in roads at country radio in years. In '83 Strait was on his second or third album and Reba, who came up doing duets with Jacky Ward in 1977, was on her 4th or 5th album. After that, people like Vince Gill, Keith Whitley and Randy Travis got popular and they all had a traditional theme to their music but in the 90's it really began to change and become much more contemporary sounding. I think country was trying to attract a younger audience as its marketplace was shrinking. They took a look at the aging baby boomers who were being disenfranchised by rock radio and saw an audience. Rock radio was moving into grunge and away from Classic Rock and country welcomed them with open arms. Brooks & Dunn took a look at the Rolling Stones song book and rewrote Tumbling Dice for a hit and those old classic rockers found themselves listening to country radio and Garth Brooks was having #1 hits with Bob Dylan songs. As that proved successful I think it was decided let's add even heavier guitars and look for younger singers and sex them up and see if we can get the now disenfranchised rock fans of the 90's to join up with the baby boomers. Hence you get people like Jason Aldean. Heavy Metal for the country crowd. Now you've got rappers, such as Nelly who hooked up with Florida Georgia Line for a huge hit. And people like Colt Ford who is a country rapper.

It really has changed. A guy like Alan Jackson, who always was traditional and owned the airwaves of country radio up until 3 or 4 years ago, can't buy a hit these days and has had more success making gospel and bluegrass albums. Much of this new music is marketed as country but I have hard time finding much of a country sound to it. Keith Urban doesn't sound country to me, nor do many of the other singers being promoted as country. Hank Williams Sr. is probably rolling over in his grave right now.

Bill