Giving up on country music for Bluegrass

For the past 7-8 years my Sirius radio has been tuned to Bluegrass Junction because I just haven't heard much of any new, "real" country music anywhere else.

i had some hope for country music when Jamey Johnson, and Chris Stapleton (originally a bluegrass singer, The Steeldrivers) started making a little head way. And Aaron Lewis has a good country record out right now. But it's SO hard to find honest country music these days.

I never thought I'd hear drum machines and synthesizers in country music, but the 120 beats-per-minute thumping of today's kiddie pop/country has killed it for me.

I miss Waylon...

End of lament..... now, get off my lawn!

https://youtu.be/DXnlFAa5E7o

I totally agree. While setting up one of my online passwords - the user support lady asked for a security question.
I chose the category "Favorite musician" I answered "Merle Haggard" she asked "Who's that?" sigh...

I remember, back before television, my uncles would sit around the radio on Sat. night and try to tune in WSM and the Grand Ole Opry. We were in Ohio and getting WSM wasn't always a sure thing on our old vac tube radio. anyway Roy Acuff, Earnest Tubb and I think, Red Foley, were the stars of the day. This was in the 40's.

I'm not a fan of today's country but I have Hank and Patsy on a flash drive in my car. Johnny Cash could get it done too.

If you like Bluegrass...don't overlook the work that Steve Martin (yes, THAT Steve Martin) has done over the past few years. He got really serious about the banjo, has an excellent band and has several albums out, some featuring the lovely Edie Brickel on vocals.

There still are some folks doing more traditional country music, but the biggest part of the industry has moved more cross-over. That's what sells. I personally like it all. Some young artists to keep your eye on are Scotty McCleary (Idol Winner) and Kree Harrison (also Idol alumni). Both tend toward more traditional country the majority of the time.

I'm not a big country music person, but have added a lot of it to my song collection over the past few years as it goes well with the singer-songwriter and alternative stuff I listen to the most when I'm shuffling songs on long drives.

Speaking of Steve Martin, we saw the Steep Canyon Rangers, sans Steve Martin, the other weekend. We've seen them several times and they're always good. My favorite bluegrass band, however, is the Del McCoury Band. If you haven't heard them it would be worth your while to listen to their album : Cold Hard Facts, but most all of their albums are very good.

Makes me think of an old friend who said, "I listen to both kinds of music, country and western."

There is some C & W to which I can listen. Blue grass more so, also like Dixieland Jazz and Jug Band along with a lot of others. My shop mix is a fairly eclectic mix with performers like... While typing out my play list it occurred to me it would be easier to post images:

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There are other playlists on the iPod. This is the one listened to most often in the shop. Sometimes it is switched for a list with just Boogie & Blues, Piano or Ragtime if the mood hits. The above list has a bit of everything other than Christmas music which has a couple of playlists on their own.

jtk

Steve Martin has been a serious banjo player since the 1970s, at least. I remember him picking on the old Mike Douglas show and David Letterman always had him perform. He founded a bluegrass banjo award where the annual winner gets something like $50,000. He's an amazing performer and supporter of the art form.

Some of my favorite bluegrass performers on the newer end of the timeline include:

Balsam Range
Junior Sisk
Blue Highway
Cadillac Sky
Otis Gibbs
Ronnie Bowman
Steeldrivers
Dave Adkins
Kenny and Amanda Smith

By the way - can I get some love for really great Songwriters/Performers whose music actually has something important to say and makes you FEEL something or actually THINK for a second?

Lyle Lovett
Ray Wylie Hubbard
James McMurtry
Drive By Truckers
Randy Newman
Dawes
and
Billy Joe Shaver

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Harold Balzonia

For the past 7-8 years my Sirius radio has been tuned to Bluegrass Junction because I just haven't heard much of any new, "real" country music anywhere else.

i had some hope for country music when Jamey Johnson, and Chris Stapleton (originally a bluegrass singer, The Steeldrivers) started making a little head way. And Aaron Lewis has a good country record out right now. But it's SO hard to find honest country music these days.

I never thought I'd hear drum machines and synthesizers in country music, but the 120 beats-per-minute thumping of today's kiddie pop/country has killed it for me.

I miss Waylon...

End of lament..... now, get off my lawn!

---

"But I don't think Hank done it this way........"

Gave up on "country " years ago. Bluegrass Junction and Willie's Roadhouse. We like Nothin Fancy, Russel Moore & III Tyme out, Dry Branch Fire Squad, on and on. We saw Dry Branch Fire Squad at a local church last night for $15.00 a ticket and everyone was quite and listened.

I have at least 4 XM country stations as favorites including bluegrass junction.

We moved to Mountain City,TN last year and one surprise is the wealth of local Bluegrass talent. Ar our theater in town (Heritage Hall) we have seen the Krueger brothers ( Swiss born bluegrass musicians) Carson Peters ( 13 year old fiddle phenom) and others.

Gotta mention Wayne Henderson, who builds top notch guitars and is an excellent guitar player.

There is a service group called JAM, Junior Appalachian Musicians, that encourages kids to learn to play bluegrass music.

I have some Bluegrass tools.

I can’t resist recommending my hometown’s International Bluegrass Music Museum.

http://www.bluegrassmuseum.org/

The only bluegrass I recall us Dueling Banjos and some jug music.

Bluegrass is okay, but I'm really a fan of Western. There are some fantastic Western artists out there. And I do listen to modern country, although I'm not a fan of the bro-country junk. Give me a real story in the song, and lay off the electronics and such.