Interesting piece (I think I can live without any more detailed exposition
of Haggard's Y2K predictions). However, when he says:
"If there was an Elvis Presley, a Hank Williams or a Jimmie
Rodgers out there, maybe we ought to let him on the air and see what
he sounds like. There's got to be somebody out there, but I don't
think we'd hear him nowadays because he's been refined and he's been
made to play with that same band _ that *same band.* Oh, my god, I'm
so tired of that one drummer I could shoot him!"
we ought to keep in mind that Merle's been using the same drummer, Biff
Adam, for about 30 years, so presumably it's "that one" in particular that
he's tired of, not a long-term drummer per se - otherwise someone ought to
warn Biff to keep an eye out g. He's also been using the same steel
player for about the same amount of time.
Haggard is referring to the stable of hired studio guns in
Nashville who pop up on a startling number of recordings by various
artists, fostering the homogenized sound known nationwide as new
country.
I guess that is who he's referring to, but any inference from this that it
was a different situation prior to new country would be incorrect. IMO, the
critical factor isn't as much the musicians as it is the producers.
Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
