Re: CRS showcases (was: RE: clip: What's wrong with those people?)
BTW, who are Gil Grand and Monty Holmes? Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/ Holmes had an album out last summer, "All I Ever Wanted". Pretty much acoustic-based ballads, a few shuffles with steel guitar as mainstay throughout. Actually not a bad album and more country than what's on the top ten. His voice sometimes sounds like a fusion between George Jones and Colin Raye - some of the phrasing and style reminds me of that. I heard Gil Grand's name mentioned lately, just can't place him right now. Tera
Re: CRS showcases (was: RE: clip: What's wrong with those people?)
Jon writes: the New Faces Show: Allison Moorer Trini Triggs Jon Randall Mark Nesler Chad Brock Shane Stockton Gil Grand Monty Holmes Keith Harling The Great Divide zzz. What makes Randall, Stockton, Harling and the Divide "new faces"? Seems they've been around a while. Or is iyt that because radio doesn't pay attention that they are still "new"? Also the McCall piece suggests once again that the biggest piece of the problem is at the radio end, not the label end). Judging by this lineup, I'd say their strangling each other and loving it. g Jim, smilin' still
RE: CRS showcases (was: RE: clip: What's wrong with those people?)
Jon writes: the New Faces Show: Allison Moorer Trini Triggs Jon Randall Mark Nesler Chad Brock Shane Stockton Gil Grand Monty Holmes Keith Harling The Great Divide zzz. What makes Randall, Stockton, Harling and the Divide "new faces"? Seems they've been around a while. Or is iyt that because radio doesn't pay attention that they are still "new"? All of them except Randall are on their first albums, or at least first major-label releases. Kind of the way the Dixie Chicks were counted as "New Faces" last year. I'm not sure why that's such an irritation. Also the McCall piece suggests once again that the biggest piece of the problem is at the radio end, not the label end). Judging by this lineup, I'd say their strangling each other and loving it. g Different strokes for different folks. Moorer's been discussed here plenty; Stockton, Nesler and Brock have all put out albums with some good stuff. Randall's a talented guy whose first single (the title track from the new album) was co-written with Bill Anderson and is a straightforward enough country cut to please folks who have their knees under control. Getting ready to crank up the new George Strait, Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
RE: CRS showcases (was: RE: clip: What's wrong with those people?)
zzz. What makes Randall, Stockton, Harling and the Divide "new faces"? Seems they've been around a while. Or is iyt that because radio doesn't pay attention that they are still "new"? All of them except Randall are on their first albums, or at least first major-label releases. Kind of the way the Dixie Chicks were counted as "New Faces" last year. I'm not sure why that's such an irritation. Some of those first albums have been out a while haven't they? Sounds like radio's waggin the dog again. If the labels think any of those "new faces" are gonna cause their problems to go away, they are more delusional then I thought. Sounds like more of the same, when they should be going with something just a little bit different. Not jerking any knees, just trying to understand... Jim
RE: CRS showcases (was: RE: clip: What's wrong with those people?)
zzz. What makes Randall, Stockton, Harling and the Divide "new faces"? Seems they've been around a while. Or is iyt that because radio doesn't pay attention that they are still "new"? All of them except Randall are on their first albums, or at least first major-label releases. Kind of the way the Dixie Chicks were counted as "New Faces" last year. I'm not sure why that's such an irritation. Some of those first albums have been out a while haven't they? Sounds like radio's waggin the dog again. Since the dog in this case is a showcase for country radio personnel at the Country Radio Seminar, it doesn't seem that out of line. I suppose the organizers could call it the "Old Faces You Were Too Stupid To Play The First Time," but that would probably have a downside to it. If the labels think any of those "new faces" are gonna cause their problems to go away, they are more delusional then I thought. Why would you think that they think that, and why would you think I care about whether the labels think their problems are going to be solved anyway? Sounds like more of the same, when they should be going with something just a little bit different. I dunno, I guess it depends on whether you're looking at it generically or whether it's, you know, the music. There are some decent and a couple of good acts in there, and a pretty fair dose of twang; I'd take hearing nothing but those folks over what I hear when I tune in my local AAA station any day. What are you looking for in the way of a little bit different? Some alt-country refugees? Seems to me that the way things are going, that would probably make for an even less country-sounding show. And if the answer is something along the lines of Don Walser or Dale Watson, well, see your point about "new" g. Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
Re: CRS showcases (was: RE: clip: What's wrong with those people?)
From: "Jon Weisberger" [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: "passenger side" [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE: CRS showcases (was: RE: clip: What's wrong with those people?) Date: Thu, Mar 4, 1999, 3:13 PM I'd take hearing nothing but those folks over what I hear when I tune in my local AAA station any day. Please explain.
RE: CRS showcases (was: RE: clip: What's wrong with those people?)
I'd take hearing nothing but those folks over what I hear when I tune in my local AAA station any day. Please explain. OK. WNKU, the Northern Kentucky University station, bills itself as a AAA station. I listen to the Sunday bluegrass shows sometimes, and Ed Cunningham's Americana show fairly regularly. Beyond that, though I persistently tune in, I generally don't find anything that I find musically satisfying; often, it's just plain unenjoyable. That happens from time to time with the two mainstream country stations, but not nearly as often. The other choices, except mornings, when WOBO broadcasts classic country and bluegrass shows of varying quality, are even less enticing. YMMV, IMO, etc. Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
Re: CRS showcases (was: RE: clip: What's wrong with those people?)
On Thu, 4 Mar 1999, Jennifer Sperandeo wrote: I'd take hearing nothing but those folks over what I hear when I tune in my local AAA station any day. Please explain. I'm not sure what needs explaining. Most AAA radio's a sterile mix of "classic rock" (i.e., overplayed boomer music) and tepid adult pop. Even worse, most AAA folks seem to smugly assume that their tame format is somehow aesthetically superior to all the other over-consulted, ultratimid radio formats. I'll take the more genuine enthusiasm of top 40 anyday.--don
RE: CRS showcases (was: RE: clip: What's wrong with those people?)
Ho boy... If the labels think any of those "new faces" are gonna cause their problems to go away, they are more delusional then I thought. Why would you think that they think that, and why would you think I care about whether the labels think their problems are going to be solved anyway? This is a label showcase for radio programmers. The labels are presenting these artists to the radio programmers in the hope that they will get something out of it (Radio play). My point, which you seemed to have missed, is that this is supposed to be a showcase of the best new artists that Nashville has to offer, the future country radio superstars, if you will, (can we agree on that?) and if that is the case, the labels are in serious trouble as the music these acts make, with the exception of one or two, is more of the same that has caused country music's current problems. I'm not sure where the second part of your sentence comes from. Who cares if you care or not? Did I say anything about that? sheesh What are you looking for in the way of a little bit different? Some alt-country refugees? ya know I went to the Americana chart for this and I was disappointed. Alison Moorer is on that chart but most of the others wouldn't qualify as "new", or qualify period if you're talking good music, g so hows about Damnations, Paul Burch and Charlie Robison. Hell Del McCoury might even qualify since they ignored him the first couple of times. g Jim, smilin'
Re: CRS showcases (was: RE: clip: What's wrong with those people?)
I'll be the one to determine what need explaining Smart Guy. I'm simply fascinated by the idea of being repelled by a more eclectic radio mix. I'll certainly give you your point about the smug-superiority factor of AAA, but that tag absolutely does not apply to WNKU, one of the best Non-Comm AAA stations in the country. Beyond having fun playing "Guess the Next Line of this Song" (my average hovers around .750) listening to commerical country radio is at worst...lame. It is a format in desperate need to some self-examination. -- From: Don Yates [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: "passenger side" [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: CRS showcases (was: RE: clip: What's wrong with those people?) Date: Thu, Mar 4, 1999, 4:13 PM On Thu, 4 Mar 1999, Jennifer Sperandeo wrote: I'd take hearing nothing but those folks over what I hear when I tune in my local AAA station any day. Please explain. I'm not sure what needs explaining. Most AAA radio's a sterile mix of "classic rock" (i.e., overplayed boomer music) and tepid adult pop. Even worse, most AAA folks seem to smugly assume that their tame format is somehow aesthetically superior to all the other over-consulted, ultratimid radio formats. I'll take the more genuine enthusiasm of top 40 anyday.--don
RE: CRS showcases (was: RE: clip: What's wrong with those people?)
If the labels think any of those "new faces" are gonna cause their problems to go away, they are more delusional then I thought. Why would you think that they think that, and why would you think I care about whether the labels think their problems are going to be solved anyway? This is a label showcase for radio programmers. The labels are presenting these artists to the radio programmers in the hope that they will get something out of it (Radio play). My point, which you seemed to have missed, is that this is supposed to be a showcase of the best new artists that Nashville has to offer, the future country radio superstars, if you will, (can we agree on that?) and if that is the case, the labels are in serious trouble as the music these acts make, with the exception of one or two, is more of the same that has caused country music's current problems. Jim, there are a couple of assumptions in there that I'm not sure I go along with; the most important, aside from the one that there must, or should be, future superstars emerging each and every year, is that it's the music that has caused country's current problems. It is, in a way, but aside from the fact that we evidently disagree on the quality of some of these acts' music, I'm not at all convinced that the general proposition is true. The biggest part of country's current problems is that it's being abandoned, by and large, by a growing number of the people who flocked to it in the early 90s; they're moving along to other things, and the artists they favor are either moving with them (e.g., Shania), or trying to revamp themselves to take that into account in some other way (e.g., making more country-sounding records), or, in some cases, trying to do both. What are you looking for in the way of a little bit different? Some alt-country refugees? ya know I went to the Americana chart for this and I was disappointed. Alison Moorer is on that chart but most of the others wouldn't qualify as "new", or qualify period if you're talking good music, g so hows about Damnations, Paul Burch and Charlie Robison. Hell Del McCoury might even qualify since they ignored him the first couple of times. g I doubt Del'n'em would get on there except in the company of Steve Earle, and frankly, there are cuts on the Randall, Brock, Moorer, Nesler and Stockton albums that I find about as enjoyable as anything on The Mountain. I can't get worked up over the prospect of hearing Damnations TX on country radio - you might get more agreement from some of those rock-backgrounded radio types g - and I haven't heard Charlie Robison's album yet; as for Paul Burch, well, we're back to the "new" thing, aren't we? Besides, I just don't see him as a more likely candidate for future country radio superstardom g. Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
RE: CRS showcases (was: RE: clip: What's wrong with those people?)
I'm simply fascinated by the idea of being repelled by a more eclectic radio mix. I'll certainly give you your point about the smug-superiority factor of AAA, but that tag absolutely does not apply to WNKU, one of the best Non-Comm AAA stations in the country. One of the best? Yikes. I don't care whether the station's daytime mix is eclectic or not, I care whether it plays stuff I like, or at least don't mind, which it doesn't often do; I'm not offering a criticism of the station, but I don't care for what it programs, for the most part. Besides, eclecticism is, to some extent, in the eye of the beholder; as someone without much of a background in that kind of music, I'm unable to parse the distinctions between a lot of it, and from that ignorant perspective, it doesn't seem especially eclectic at all (note that I'm not counting the specialty, weekend shows). I do agree, though, that WNKU is fairly un-smug about its self-perceived superiority, once you get past the "intelligent news and progressive music" slogan g. Beyond having fun playing "Guess the Next Line of this Song" (my average hovers around .750) listening to commerical country radio is at worst...lame. It is a format in desperate need to some self-examination. I guess I'll have to check my guessing average at AAA g. Commercial country is often lame, though as far as I'm concerned there are plenty of exceptions (they're often on a song-by-song, rather than artist-by-artist basis, but that's nothing especially new at country radio); indeed, part of its lameness is that even the exceptions can get wearing when you hear them over and over and over again in a pretty brief period of time. But the musical vocabulary I hear on commercial country radio, even when it's used to say stuff that's not very worthwhile, is a recognizable one to me, largely related to more "traditional" country music, and the musical language of AAA by and large isn't; I don't care for a lot of the rhythms, and I don't like a lot of the textures. It don't move me. I guess I'd rather hear something less than earth-shaking but in a language I can understand than to hear something I can't make heads or tails of at all. That's obviously a strained metaphor, but it does kind of get at the bottom line for me. Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
