who hates country music?

[EnigmaticSun]

Yeah, I know this may seem to be a strange title. I decided to post it on the off-topic section, this topic not being exclusively Elvis-minded.

I was born in a crowded, mainly black area (99 black - 1 white). For some reason it wasn't the same for Elvis, because in his days there was no hip-hop and rap (about *****z, *****es and shit) but the pure, good old black gospel and blues tradition from the South. Anyway, I don't mind people liking hip-hop. There is black music I do enjoy, but not the modern day versions of it..

What I'm trying to ask is if there are people on TCB-World who do enjoy white music. Where I came from, country music was a dirty word, but now I've begun to explore the music of my own culture and race.

It has often been said that country music is for stupid, primitive people. In the city they called it music for farmers, and since the people in urban areas were 'modern' and 'in freedom', they didn't like country and western.

Even now in this cultural and musical town called Leipzig, there's no way to make music with my peers if metal, hip-hop and punk aren't considered an option. I've begun wondering what's the matter with all these people!

I don't like the majority of modern country, but I do feel that this music has been underrated. I mean 'That's Allright Mama' was an old blues song, but 'Blue Moon Of Kentucky' was a bluegrass song and both black and white influences made rock 'n roll great. Why is this white influence being ignored? I guess that, if country and western is stupid, Elvis wouldn't have sang it so often!

I feel that Hank Williams Sr. laid the foundation of rock 'n roll, and there was lotsa influence from folk, country and bluegrass..

I just wonder how other members feel about country music and what is the difference between that good old-timey music and modern-day country? Why would you prefer one of the two?

I feel that country music has gone too plastic. In those days, there was a guitar, another guitar, a bass, drums, a voice and a shaky leg. Nowadays it seems like they're trying to make it sound better with computers and technical gadgets, but it's so sterile. I like the raw, outlaw sound (Cash, Williams sr.) and if it's for Nashville, it's in the past (Jim Reeves)..

Country and western artists I do like are either dead or relatively old. I kinda like Willie Nelson, but now Johnny Cash has gone. Jerry Lee is still alive, but he better be careful after having lived such a rowdy life..

Any suggestions for contemporary country and western artists with a natural sound? You know I do like Billy Gilman, because he's not arrogant and I think he's got the right voice to be in the line of Roy Orbison and Elvis, but some songs are just not really 'him' (especially those singles meant to become a hit).

It's just like hearing 'Burning Love'; it's not the real Elvis - his true nature comes shining through in songs such as 'Seperate Ways' and 'Always On My Mind'..

And Roy Orbison is not so much for 'Pretty Woman', but 'In Dreams' and 'Crying' instead....

I'm just really curious to find out what your thoughts are..

[Dovey]

To be honest with you, there was a time that I did not like country music but today I love it!!!!!!

When I am not listening to Elvis, I am listening to Country. I also got into line dancing (which is done to country music) and have been hooked on country ever since.

I love most of the country singers, Kenny Chesney, Clint Black, George Straitt, Reba McIntyre, Sara Evans, Doug Stone, John Berry, Diamond Rio, Alabama, Joe Diffie, Toby Keith, Hank Williams Jr.... To make a long list short, I love em all. Yep, Willie Nelson too.
( I must be getting old ) LOL

I go to all the fairs around here and have seen many of them. Can't really tell you why I love them except for the fact that I can understand what they are singing about. Dovey

[Diane]

I didn't grow up liking country music either but during the time we were bringing up our kids I had a best friend who loved it. Later we went to a party where there was a line-dancing teacher present and he taught us all some steps and like Dovey I fell in love with it. It's so happy!!!

Although I don't purposely turn on country music I enjoy it when I hear it (if it's the oldies singers) and I adore Elvis' country music CD. I do like Reba McIntyre but she's the only modern country singer I'm really aware of. I used to love Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash, Marty Robbins, Johnny Horton, Patsy Cline, and some songs by Conway Twitty. I was really into R & B and still am.

I don't care much for the modern country or rock artists, can't stand Hip Hop etc. because to me there isn't the same beat or soul. It all sounds like the music drowns out the artists and it's going every whichaway and annoying to my ears (yup, plastic....... .

My favorite black artists were Fats Domino, Little Richard, Chuck Berry and groups like the Drifters which we saw in concert and the Platters.

[GirlHappy19]

I LOVE COUNTRY MUSIC!
I grew up in the south to the sound of George Jones,Willie Nelson,Hank,Barbara Mandrell and many others.Country music was a way of
life.That's the kind of music you listen too in the southern states.Also blue grass and R&B

[waymore44]

As you can tell by my avatar I'm a country music fan. When I say country music, I mean REAL music, not this over-produced pop B.S. you hear on the radio most of the time.

Suggestions:

Old school-
Waylon Jennings
Johnny Cash
Willie Nelson
Don Williams
Hank Williams Jr. (pre-1980, the most underrated country artist in history)
Merle Haggard
Buck Owens
Dwight Yoakam

Alternative country / indie -
Dwight Yoakam (yes, again!)
JD Myers (MY BUDDY!)
Steve Earle
Jon Christopher Davis
Dale Watson
The Mavericks
Jamie Hartford
Shawn Camp

[EnigmaticSun]

Thank you all for answering. I will need some time to answer each of your individual messages. But thanks so much, anyway you look at it!

[Albert]

If you mean with country music the really standard "cowboy" music, then no. But if you take the genre country wider, then there's a good lot of music that I like.

I really enjoy the old 40's-50's southern Gospel (which has its roots in country), I like the coutnry songs like Good Luck Charm and Burning Love. I can enjoy the Mavericks, Shania Twain, honkytonk style country from Jerry Lee Lewis.... als the 50s country style ballads (that I thought were rock'n roll ballads) are plain wonderfull to me.....

At first I thought that country was nothing more than Hank Williams and Dwight Yoakem... but now I found out there was much more than that

[EnigmaticSun]

If you mean with country music the really standard "cowboy" music, then no.

So can you tell me what you mean by cowboy music? Hank Williams Sr? Johnny Cash? I must admit I do like 'em very much..

I guess I do like some cowboys. But not every cowboy is one I consider likeable, LOL - I'd prefer the cowboy-thing above plastic, sterile 'country' anytime.

It'd be very interesting to question what makes a cowboy a cowboy and what not. I know people hated the movie 'Brokeback Mountain' as some consider it un-American and un-macho, but these things happen too.

I don't like rude cowboys, but like I mentioned before I do prefer the raw, natural, outlaw sound. The Nashville thing needs to get purer once again.

[EnigmaticSun]

To be honest with you, there was a time that I did not like country music but today I love it!!!!!!

So that makes me wonder what made you love country music? And do you prefer modern country over old? If so, why?

I don't care much for the modern country or rock artists, can't stand Hip Hop etc. because to me there isn't the same beat or soul.

So what makes Reba McEntire acceptable for you, being a modern country singer? Yes, I have to agree on the plastic thing. If only that good old-timey feeling came back. An artist capable of working with a guitar or piano and just a few musicians (bass, drums, lead guitar)..

Today it's gotta be bigger and better, but I miss the heart.

Country music was a way of
life.That's the kind of music you listen too in the southern states

So tell me what it meant to lead the country way of life? Was it conventional, acceptable for the entire family, or the way of the poor and lonesome cowboy (Hank Williams syndrome)?

And yeah, some Americans from the North told me the South is a different country. I don't like politics from the South and the 'if you do wrong, you'll go to hell' attitude, but one thing's for sure: a lot of good old-timey music finds it's roots in the South, my favorite American examples were Southern gentlemen and ladies.. Without the hell-fire preaching, I like the South and I suppose it's kinda religious, which I tend to prefer.

When I say country music, I mean REAL music, not this over-produced pop B.S. you hear on the radio most of the time.

Gotta agree on that. I have to admit I've always liked Waylon Jennings. He was like a drifting cowboy, with a sound straight from the heart, man!

So I understand you have a buddy! Are you making music together? I'd love to have a country and western buddy too.. But it's hard to find youths who take white music seriously.

Anyway, I don't know much about Hank's sons. I've always found daddy Williams to be a great man. His voice wasn't operatic, but the message came across. He had this ability to put emotion in the song too (for example: 'Please Don't Let Me Love You') - on top of that I like his gospel recordings such as 'How Can You Refuse Him Now' and 'Wealth Won't Save Your Soul'. Brings tears to my eyes, man.

He's one of the finest songwriters in the business. Daddy Williams laid the foundation for rock 'n roll; for example, 'Move It On Over', 'Hey Good Lookin', 'Baby We're Really In Love' more or less sound like rock 'n roll, and these were the late 40's and very early 50's, man.

It's not that being a great person's son or daughter makes me like 'em. Cash's children or Williams' sons don't send me shivers down the spine like their old man did.

I can enjoy the Mavericks, Shania Twain, honkytonk style country from Jerry Lee Lewis

I can comprehend some of your interests, but I've found Shania Twain to be too.. supermarket-like. It's just not like the kick I get out of other female country stars, such as Lynn Anderson and June Carter.

Burning Love was a nice song for the feet, but not for the heart. Does anyone even know the difference between lust and love?

There are many Elvis-country songs I'd prefer: 'Snowbird', 'I Really Don't Want To Know', 'It's A Matter Of Time', 'Green Green Grass Of Home' - all that type of stuff!

I don't want to sing songs about girls, which doesn't seem all that self-explanatory to me. I guess that's why I like 'Crying' and 'In Dreams', because it's not clear what the gender of the sung-to party is. I usually fight with girls.

[Sammy4Elvis]

I really like it, it can be quite depressing sometimes but there are some great country songs!!

[GirlHappy19]

As you can tell by my avatar I'm a country music fan. When I say country music, I mean REAL music, not this over-produced pop B.S. you hear on the radio most of the time.

Suggestions:

Old school-
Waylon Jennings
Johnny Cash
Willie Nelson
Don Williams
Hank Williams Jr. (pre-1980, the most underrated country artist in history)
Merle Haggard
Buck Owens
Dwight Yoakan
Alternative country / indie -
Dwight Yoakam (yes, again!)
JD Myers (MY BUDDY!)
Steve Earle
Jon Christopher Davis
Dale Watson
The Mavericks
Jamie Hartford
Shawn Camp

You look like Waylon too.I had doubts if it was Waylon in the picture Im glad that you're country.

[Diane]

It's just what you said EnigmaticSun. The HEART is missing from modern music. I never heard much of southern gospel until I heard Elvis sing it and that was it! Now whenever I hear it I perk up and listen. It's probably my favorite kind of music now. I simply cannot get into Jazz though...

I like Reba McIntyre because I like her sound and she has a personality - looks very mischievious. I don't know if you would consider Bob Seiger country but I like his voice too and one of the few I can actually recognize on the radio. I like a lot of motion while singing which few artists today can do.

The only "modern" rock singers I actually took a liking to were Adam Ant, The Stray Cats and very especially Meatloaf. After that, I just sort of "dropped out".

I'd love to go down south and hear the black gospel - no one does it better - except Elvis.

Oh, the soundtrack of the movie " Oh Brother Where Art Thou" has some of the most beautiful voices and gospel singing I've ever heard. Very funny movie too!

[EnigmaticSun]

I really like it, it can be quite depressing sometimes but there are some great country songs!!

Can you think of some nice examples?

Yeah, some are really down and out, mournful songs. Not always glamorous, but at least it's trying to take people's stories seriously.

Johnny Cash wondered why lonely men locked behind bars wanted to hear this material and asked a man on death row what his life was like.

The man answered: 'hell man, it ain't like nothing. You don't live for tomorrow, next week or next month, because you don't know that you've got tomorrow, next week or next month. You live by the day. And that's a kind of a lonely life.'

It's just what you said EnigmaticSun. The HEART is missing from modern music.

I appreciate your take on matters very much! I've always loved southern gospel, whether it be black or white. Sadly, a lot of black gospel nowadays is with these huge tremolo-choires, which I dislike. I guess I'm the kinda guy for good old-timey music.

I loved hearing Elvis sing with the Stamps. Both in the studio and on stage - a broad range and a tight vocal projection, which is necessary for some close harmony. There are a lot of cute voices, but not many artists with a strong and commanding one.

I found I can do a lot with my voice too. I can nail those high, operatic Roy Orbison-like crescendos if I want to and I can yodle (which is common for country and western, but came from Europe: to sing with frequent changes from the ordinary voice to falsetto and back again, in the manner of Swiss and Tirolean mountaineers).

I tried to nail the lower notes too, which turned out okay. You know the 'well-well' routine Elvis did in the 70's, and the lowest 'well' he's letting one of the guys sing is easily attainable for me. I can reach the low part of 'It's Now Or Never' too (remember 'Elvis In Concert' from '77). So I can walk the line from Johnny Cash to Roy Orbison. No, I can't really reach JD Sumner's bass notes!

Yeah, I don't appreciate all jazz. Sometimes it sounds too darn random, you may know this by the altered chords audible in the movie 'Jailhouse Rock' (I think it was that one, if memory serves me correctly). I'd prefer some good old Dixieland and guys like Louis Armstrong!

I guess I don't really like modern rock singers either. Nowadays it's more about walking like a peacock instead of making beautiful music. In that respect I don't consider Elvis a rockstar.

Yes, 'Brother, Where Art Thou' was a nice movie for sure! I like songs such as 'You Are My Sunshine', which also happened to be one of the first songs Roy Orbison learned to play. A lot of these songs, such as 'Keep On The Sunny Side' were more or less inspired by the good old Carter family. Who says white people don't know any rhythm?

Thanks also for explaining why you like Reba McIntire. I like Billy Gilman more or less for the same reason, he really takes time for the fans and there's no 'look how great I am' attitude. He did a lot for ill children too. It's just that I'd want him to sing less about 'girl meets boy, boy meets girl' for commercial appeal.. But by nature he is a tenor you don't find everyday!

I'd rather prefer him doing something he really likes. For example, Roy Orbison made albums such as 'sings Hank Williams' & 'sings Don Gibson' and I can tell he loved doing this - and these were unique interpretations, so Roy was no lousy thief.

It's too bad some youths are inclined to just follow the path that's being paved for them... 'Girl meets boy, boy meets girl'.. yuck! To some extent I would have loved Elvis to get rid of some interest-serving people (wanting him to do the movies and perform in Las Vegas) too.. Maybe some guys are too mellow and generous.

That's why I like Johnny Cash, because he was really straight and didn't only make believe. He did whatever he felt was right for him, although he made his burden too heavy with the 'I did wrong, so I might go to hell' attitude. I feel he was a nice guy, really.

[EnigmaticSun]

And please don't go thinking I'm bragging. It's just that I've found out singing is the easy part for me and I'm definitely going to be active with country and western music.

I'm kinda wondering whom to work with and whom to learn from. There are some older guys still alive too and I'd love to meet 'em. Merle Haggard, Kris Kristofferson, Glen Campbell, Willie Nelson.. There's a shitload to learn from these guys I'm sure and they have lotsa stories to tell.

Guys my own age may have a lot to learn, but I'm pretty sure who to co-operate with vocally-wise. It's gotta be Billy for country and western and maybe some other styles too.

Even classical composers such as Johan Sebastian Bach considered indigenous folk songs a kind of an inspiration. So you can learn how to just play a regular C-chord on the guitar, but like Bach you can do incredible things with music taken from seemingly simple folk-melodies. So nobody's gonna say country music is primitive!

In music, a fugue is a type of contrapuntal composition. It begins with a theme stated by one of the instruments playing alone. A second instrument (or the very same player's seemingly picking two melodies simultaneously, like Mother Maybelle Carter) then enters and plays the same theme, while the first continues on with a contrapuntal accompaniment. The remaining players enter one by one, each beginning by stating the same theme. The remainder of the fugue develops the material further using all of the instruments/players and, usually, multiple statements of the theme.

Once I did came up with the lyrics to a song. I know a guy who's active in (psychedelic) country and folk music, like the Eagles and Crosby, Stills & Nash. And for some reason I suddenly came up with a line and then later on the guy told me he and his band had written an entire song around that particular line, thanking me for having been an inspiration.

It's just that I think I can do some songwriting, but I've gotta hear some stories and meet nice some people first; I'm not an isolated entity on planet earth and I'd like to relate myself to the rest of the world. That's why the older guys are very interesting. And, of course, I tend to enjoy the same greenery Willie Nelson's taking responsibly.