> JP writes:
> >2) I'm not talking about Son Volt et al. I'm talking about
> converting teenagers already into country from crapola to good
> country <etc> Kind of like Dwight, Clint, Randy and Steve saved
> country from Kenny Rogers in 1986 (of course Garth ruined all that.)
> From tired, cliched country to another, richer style that will also
> bring new fans to the genre. Like Nirvana converted Motley Crue and
> >Poison fans to punk ...
>
> ok, but how many teenagers are there who are into any kinda country?
> anyone know? does Garth have a teenaged audience? did Dwight & Randy?
>
> i'm genuinely curious.
>
> verbose this aft,
> carl w.
Well, Dwight and Steve snagged me when I was sixteen and was only listening
to 70's Willie, Waylon and Merle 'cause I felt (rightly) that contemporary
country sucked.
The last two big revolutions in commercial country (The Outlaws and Dwight
et al) spurred overall growth in the genre. In fact, the outlaws record
was the first country record to ever go platinum. Maybe the next
revolution ("the Austin takeover" is what I like to call it) will energize
disaffected country fans AND bring in bored rock fans who can't seem to get
their heads around hip-hop.
As for teenagers being into country right now? There sure are an awful lot
of them showing up at Garth's shows. Yet according to a friend in Asleep
at the Wheel attendance on the George Strait tour they did last year was
overwhelmingly 30+ and predominately female. So who knows? Maybe if
Nashville gave them something with at least a whiff of rebellion....
