Bob "Ask Joe" Soron wrote:
>I remember the Name Problem, but I didn't much pay attention at the
>time. I use pretty tightly defined nomenclatures, so that no matter
>what people might think I'm saying, I always know. And as a non-Big
>Tent-er, I don't use alt.country, No Depression, Americana, and other
>titles synonymously. So I'm probably much less help than you'd hoped.
>(I haven't got a clue as to chronology, either.)
Well, YOU'RE no help! I'm still curious about how far back this "we gotta
get a name for this stuff" goes. Anyone else remember? Uh, Joe? <g>
>>The thing is, there's this... reservoir of "alternative country" that has
>>existed at least since bluegrass, the Original Alt.Country (TM) was
>>invented.
>
>Well, not being a Big Tent adherent, I disagree that either of these
>are alternative in any way, but I think you're thinking of Western
>swing. <g>
We'll let Jon and Don duke that one out! I know you're not a Big Tent
person. Aren't you the one defying the Bluegrass Borg? <g>
I was delirious on coffee this morning, and I'm not sure I got all my point
across. Let's see, another 2,000 words? Okay, not. <g> But aside from, in
addition to, alongside, or existing independently of, genres such as
rockabilly, bluegrass, and etc., there seems to also to be a bunch of music
at any given time that doesn't fit any clear genre, and is more-or-less
"roots" and more-or-less "country" -- like the ex-Flatlanders. It *was*
called "roots music" in the 70s and early 80s, wasn't it? Hmmm....
Maybe I need more coffee.
I'm unpacking boxes of books and magazines (and clippings) though, so maybe
I can find some clues. (Never move into a place with a garage. You NEVER
get your stuff unpacked.)
--Cheryl Cline
