Ever experience people who clearly have no grasp of country music by what they say?

My grasp of country music doesn't include Garth Brooks

 

What an insult to Led Zeppelin.

 

I would rather listen to Garth.

 

Watching the Ken Burns documentary, it seems that a lot of the earliest "country" records really *were* folk music and the records were folk songs that were handed down thru the generations, collected by song collectors. I can see where some of the oldest stuff may have sounds that became "country", but a lot of it is folk no matter how you slice it or categorize it.

 

I'm still keen to find out the names of American folk performers that are regarded as country in Europe.

 

I know Nesmith names Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and IIRC Hank Williams in the liner notes on his "Magnetic South" album, so take from that what you will...

 

One of the most disturbing things about young people today is their complete disinterest in history - in music, entertainment, and really everything in many cases.

Certainly not everyone, but way too high a percentage of 20- and 30-somethings I've spoken to over the last decade and a half or so act as if the world started with their birth.

Like you, I sought out the roots of the music I loved growing up in the 70's and even the 80's. I don't see much of that kind of intellectual curiosity anymore, and while it might not be such a big deal with regard to entertainment, it's a huge deal in more important matters.

Sorry for getting off topic.

 

Well, believe it or not, at least in certified RIAA sales for albums, Garth has out sold Led Zeppelin.
Zeppelin is at 111.5 million with Garth at 148. And he's outdone them in Diamond (over 10 million units) albums, 7 to 5. Crazy but true.

 

Hell yeah (meant I'd rather listen to Zep.)

 

I prefer my opinion to numbers.

 

I prefer Zeppelin too but a lot of their iconic status is based on their numbers.

 

You are right, much can be learned from experience, and problems avoided looking at History. Ironically, we have so much information (educational and facts,) easily available to us via the internet.
Young people have a tendency to not think outside of themselves, maybe we all do sometimes. Happy Holidays, btw - I like your new avatar!

 

I don't like most modern mainstream Country music, but I do understand it's appeal for younger people. It's lighthearted and fun. Bro-Country is basically this generation's answer to 80's Hair Metal. Fun upbeat music you can party to.

So much of old-time classic Country music dealt with hard times and loneliness.

Ain't no fun tubing down the Chattahoochee listening to Hank Williams' First Fall of Snow or Lefty Frizzell's Long Black Veil.

 

Well said.

 

How can anyone not get stuff like early Waylon Jennings? It's as cool as it comes:

 

I don't think that this is something that is unique to just 20 to 30 year olds of the current generation.
For example we have a large number on this forum who seem to think that music started with The Beatles ( or Elvis). More importantly there are many that believe good music stopped sometime before the 1990's.

More important matters than music ?
I can't think of any except the health of my family.

 

Young people have never been interested in history.

 

"Ever experience people who clearly have no grasp of country music by what they say?"

I usually think that when people dismiss all modern country (and "modern" might start anywhere from the 90s all the way back to the early 70s for them).

And there are a lot of people who do this.

Same for hip-hop. Only there it's the entire genre, not just a certain period of it.

Same for mainstream/commercial pop music. Or any genre, really.

 

I beg to differ. When I was a kid we were. At the very least kids were aware that the world existed before them.

 

Recently, I attended a bro country concert with one of my nephews. We had free tickets which also included meals. I genuinely tried to remain objective and give the music a chance, but failed to find any redeeming qualities in the music or the experience apart from the camaraderie displayed by the reasonably friendly fans in the audience.

While I understand that this music is supposed to be "new" and "fresh," it's downright irritating. About halfway through the show, my nephew turned to me and said "this guy is a douche," causing me to spray tea out of the mouth while briefly laughing in an uncontrollable manner. Based on his Limp Bizkit attire (baseball cap, t-shirt and designer jeans), the artist certainly fitted that description as he held a microphone and danced around onstage. My nephew wasn't sold on the music and yet there were guys in the audience who were at least my age if not older. I came to realize that this isn't an issue of old people vs. young people, it's simply a matter of expectations and artistic differences.

Some say that bro country is guitar-driven and that probably is true, but it seems to be more about depicting the lifestyle than utilizing quality, well-written songs. None of the songs were memorable and if I want to hear so-called "guitar-driven music," I'd much rather listen to something where the lyrics don't insult your intelligence. The songwriting is condescending, childish and primitive, leaving much to be desired with lyrics and compositions so terrible, they make you feel ashamed for even using the word "country." There is very little honesty in this contrived music they call bro country. While I understand these producers and artists are creating this formulaic "art" for the purpose of consumption and generating profits, that's about where it begins and ends.

 

"Ever experience people who have no grasp of country music by what they say?"

That would be you then.

 

Your post reminded me of the scene in ' The Blues Brothers ' when they and the band show up at that redneck bar and ask the wife of the owner what kind of music is played there.
She replies : " We have two kinds--- country and western "
Of course the only song the Blues Brothers have in their repertoire even vaguely resembling country and western is ' Rawhide ' !
" Rolling, rolling , rolling keep them doggies rolling though the river's swollen . Rawhide! "

 

They say, without any context

 

I once met a person who said, "I clearly have no grasp of country music."

I replied, "I can tell that by what you say."

 

I hope the meals were good.