Any contemporary country lovers here?

[RainbowStorm]

I'm just curious. After posting hundreds of posts here I'm still not sure are there many here that like country music the way I do... I LOVE contemporary country music, artists like Trisha Yearwood, Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Rascal Flatts, Brooks & Dunn, Martina McBride, Vince Gill, LeAnn Rimes ... and basically everything where Brent Mason plays electric guitar and Eddie Bayers plays drums... Just to become more familiar with each other, why don't you tell us what your favorite country artists are in a reply to this thread...!

Please don't mention anything you DON'T like...

[jdjustice]

Originally Posted by RainbowStorm

... Just to become more familiar with each other, why don't you tell us what your favorite country artists are in a reply to this thread...

My Favorites:

Iris Dement, Gillian Welch, Gram Parsons, Loretta Lynn, Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton (totally underrated), John Prine, Maria McKee...

I will think of more I'm sure but this is a partial list.


EDIT: I just realized that you said contemporary, so I should scratch off Gram Parsons, but I just can't.



J.D.

[djui5]

Yes, I do

[Jonk]

"Iris Dement, Gillian Welch, Gram Parsons, Loretta Lynn, Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton (totally underrated), John Prine, Maria McKee... "

Hell Yes! Iris Dement and Gillian Welch are just bone-chillingly brilliant.

Trisha Yearwood and Vince Gill, Brookes and Dunn etc., I pretty much think those people are the Devil. Sorry man. They just really really rub me the wrong way.

I'm sure some folks would group that first group and the second together but to me the line just couldn't be clearer. Iris, Gillian, Loretta Lynn play country music. Vince Gill and Trisha Yearwood are just southern pop. Ugly, compressed to a stick of crackly poo, DW drum-set, robot accent, southern pop.

So yes, I like modern country music, I just don't like today's hot southern pop.

[dim light]

i'm 100% country . but i call my country -> www.countrypollution.com

[pan60]

i love country but primarily older stuff.

[CaliTone]

I love modern country. Never got into the the twangy chicken fried country. I think the reason I like modern country is that it reminds me of 80's rock with less distortion.

[Dave Martin]

Originally Posted by CaliTone

I love modern country. Never got into the the twangy chicken fried country. I think the reason I like modern country is that it reminds me of 80's rock with less distortion.

And worse singers....

[pan60]

Originally Posted by Dave Martin

And worse singers....

not sure i would call half of them singers.
i think to sing you should be able to do so in key.

[chrisgraff]

Q: What did the Nashville producer say to the singer?......
















A: "That was terrible.....come on in"

[chrispick]

I definitely like Gillian Welsh and Emmylou Harris. They're the real deal.

I definitely dislike most of what constitutes pop country though. Country music is best when it's honest and unadorned. Most pop country is like make-up on a mannequin to me. So dolled up on the outside. So dull and lifeless on the inside.

I will concede this: There are a lot of great players in the country music arena, up and down the line.

[T9c]

ok, I'll try, although I detest almost ALL radio-played modern country. Here's a short list my fav's (although not corporate radio friendly):

Alisson Krauss, Kasey Chambers, The Mavericks, Robert Earl Keen Jr., Rodney Crowell, Shelby Lynne, Tift Merritt, Van Morrison (if ya haven't heard 'em lately...), Hayseed Dixie, George Jones (yeah, he's still making 'em). Chip Taylor & Carrie Rodriguez, Brian Burns, Lyle Lovette. I could go on and on, but I'm gettin' tired...

btw, ALL of these folks are orignal in sound and most of them in lyrics. Ain't no cookie cutters in this bunch!

[Drive All Day]

I mostly like older country, even older pop country like Roger Miller. I like old Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, old Bonnie Raitt, etc.

I really like modern "Alt-country" like Son Volt, Clem Snide, etc.

[Rob G]

Y'all,

Toby Keith, Shania Twain, Billy Ray Cyrus, Dolly Parton, George Strait, Gretchen Wilson, Rascal Flatts, Shedaisy, Nickle Creek, Dixie Chicks(their music without their political beliefs), Brad Paisley, & so on, & so forth. I like Nashville. You don't have to watch your back quite as much, or at all as much as other places I've had to do business in our industry.

Rob G..

P.S.:Someone ought to set up a forum for Country Music, & in particular Nashville production style, & logistics. They've got probably the most efficient workflow on the planet.

[T.RayBullard]

Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, George Jones, Older Randy Travis,
Johnny Paycheck, Ferlin Husky, Loretta Lynn, Hank Sr, Roy Acuff, Robbie Fulks, Wilco, Son Volt, Uncle Tupelo, Whiskeytown, Gram Parsons, Dolly Parton, Emmylou, Marty Stuart, Wayne "the train"hancock, The Derailers, Junior BRown, the Mavericks, Alison Krauss, Jayhawks, Haynes Boys, Scud Mountain Boys, The Mavericks,Lyle Lovett,Marty Robbins, Conway Twitty, Old Willie Nelson(dont like this new hippy BS), Kris Kristofferson, PoCO , Goose Creek Symphony, Tim Easton, Slobberbone....Ricky Skaggs, Old Vince Gill(pipes!)....Blood Oranges....Nickel Creek aint country... Alejandro Escovedo...

To name a few...I am a HUGE old country/alt country fan.

this new pop country BS is horrible.

[sedohr]

Originally Posted by T.RayBullard

this new pop country BS is horrible.

So why name The Mavericks twice ?

[Rob G]

T.Ray Bullard,

Quote:.......Nickel Creek aint country.......


-T.Ray Bullard




Well then you might want to tell CMT(Country Music Television) to stop playing their videos('Nickle Creek's'). Also give 'Billboard Magazine' a call, & get them to take 'Nickel Creek' off the Country charts as well. And, while I'm at it why don't you email CMT(Country Music Television), & tell them to stop allowing 'John Mayer', 'Kid Rock', 'Robert Randolph', & 'Bruce Springsteen' to be aired on their station as well.

I'm being a little sarcastic here but my point is that CMT(Country Music Television) reaches out to other artist's, styles, & sounds of music that either appeal to their audience, cross the boundaries, have similarity, or common/similar historic backgrounds. 'Crossroads' is a great show off of 'CMT'(Country Music Television = typing this again for reinforcement). I applaud them, & their listeners/viewers for not being so closed minded/eared.

Rob G..

[zakco]

I'm a huge fan of traditional country and bluegrass.

IMO, "Contemporary" Country is just pop with boots and drawl. Some of the better crafted examples I can appreciate as well crafted pop, but real country music to me is far more organic. Atune and BD have no place in roots music, which is what I believe country really is/should be.

Gillian Welch, Dan Tyminski etc....they are what I consider modern country music.

I'ts nice to see I'm not alone here....

-Z-

[John Peacock]

Steve Earle, The Jayhawks and Shelby Lynne are probably the three "country" artists that have made me take the most notice in the last decade. Many would hardly consider them country. Still, most everything that really moves me these days has at least a little bit of a "country" thing going on, some more overtly than others. I like many of the picks mentioned by the previous posters as well.

There are a ton of great 70's records: Phases and Stages, Grievous Angel, Honky Tonk Heroes, Jolene, Pieces of the Sky...

And then there is the Flying Burrito Brothers, whose first record is probably my favorite country record of all time.

-Jp

[mejon]

I need to mention Jason Whitton, who's an independent crossover-country artist. Great songs and a fantastic voice:

http://www.myspace.com/jasonwhitton

I'm truly a fan, and I had the pleasure of producing and mixing his debut album

bye!

Jon

[jdjustice]

Originally Posted by John Peacock

And then there is the Flying Burrito Brothers, whose first record is probably my favorite country record of all time.

Gram also shines in the International Submarine Band.... check out the song, "Blue Eyes".... it's awesome!! I have the entire box set of all of GP's work. Fantastic stuff.

[T.RayBullard]

Originally Posted by sedohr

So why name The Mavericks twice ?

Oops! Good call. The Mavericks actually have some REALLY good music, and it doesnt fit in the vein of this new pop nonsense, IMHO.

Teddy

[T.RayBullard]

I do like Nickel Creek..They are good...but IMHO, they are more bluegrass than country. Two different genres. Like Built to Spill, the Meat Purveyors, et al.. I dont use CMT as a gauge as what to call country, nor RS. Once again, I love nickel creek, but IME..bluegrass. I love the Boss too(especially Nebraska).

Originally Posted by Rob G

T.Ray Bullard,

Quote:.......Nickel Creek aint country.......


-T.Ray Bullard




Well then you might want to tell CMT(Country Music Television) to stop playing their videos('Nickle Creek's'). Also give 'Billboard Magazine' a call, & get them to take 'Nickel Creek' off the Country charts as well. And, while I'm at it why don't you email CMT(Country Music Television), & tell them to stop allowing 'John Mayer', 'Kid Rock', 'Robert Randolph', & 'Bruce Springsteen' to be aired on their station as well.

I'm being a little sarcastic here but my point is that CMT(Country Music Television) reaches out to other artist's, styles, & sounds of music that either appeal to their audience, cross the boundaries, have similarity, or common/similar historic backgrounds. 'Crossroads' is a great show off of 'CMT'(Country Music Television = typing this again for reinforcement). I applaud them, & their listeners/viewers for not being so closed minded/eared.

Rob G..

[popmann]

I love some stuff that comes out of Nashville...mostly the female singers--Trisha, Martina, Faith, Suzy Bogguss, Matraca Berg, She Daisy, Leann Rimes...but, I call them pop. Maybe if Skynard is "southern rock", they would be "southern pop". Pop w/ a twang. And Keith Urban--he's kinda like a girl.

The new Wreckers album is getting a bunch of play for me.

John Shanks producing the new SheDaisy...and Michelle Branch (Wreckers) crossing over the OTHER way...I like that blurry line between country and pop.

Take that Bon Jovi song with J Nettles on it...coolest thing I've heard from Jon&Co for a while...then I heard it without her--and switched the station.

[RainbowStorm]

Amazing! So far I've got 23 replies and discovered a great artist (Jason Whitton)...!

Thanks all!

[Matthew Murray]

Everybody here should check out The Corb Lund Band.

Afraid I'm a bit turned off by most modern country though, for the same reason as some of you ... pop with boots and drawl may have said it best. Sometimes it feels worse than that though. Toby Keith, for instance, came across like an government sponsored advert for post-911 shopping the last time I saw him on the tee-vee.

But dear lord... don't take away my EmmyLou, Johnny, and Hank. Steve Earle is a good modern addition to those ranks though, sometimes.

Yeehaw.

[mejon]

Originally Posted by RainbowStorm

Amazing! So far I've got 23 replies and discovered a great artist (Jason Whitton)...!

Thanks all!

Cool!!!!!!

[Dave Martin]

Originally Posted by Rob G

T.Ray Bullard,

Quote:.......Nickel Creek aint country.......


-T.Ray Bullard

Well then you might want to tell CMT(Country Music Television) to stop playing their videos('Nickle Creek's'). Also give 'Billboard Magazine' a call, & get them to take 'Nickel Creek' off the Country charts as well. And, while I'm at it why don't you email CMT(Country Music Television), & tell them to stop allowing 'John Mayer', 'Kid Rock', 'Robert Randolph', & 'Bruce Springsteen' to be aired on their station as well.

I'm being a little sarcastic here but my point is that CMT(Country Music Television) reaches out to other artist's, styles, & sounds of music that either appeal to their audience, cross the boundaries, have similarity, or common/similar historic backgrounds. 'Crossroads' is a great show off of 'CMT'(Country Music Television = typing this again for reinforcement). I applaud them, & their listeners/viewers for not being so closed minded/eared.

Rob G..

Umm... Perhaps you don't realize that CMT is owned by MTV. That may help you to understand what's going on. It's not at ALL about country music - it's about selling ads. A great example, one Nashville artist was approached by CMT to do "Crossroads"; she said, "Great! I want to do it with Tony Bennett". CMT turned her down flat, saying "Tony Bennett doesn't fit our demographic".

Don't think that because something is or is not played on CMT, that it's 'country' - it simply does (or does not) fit the sales demographic that the network wants to attract, so that they can sell advertising time.

[T.RayBullard]

Originally Posted by Dave Martin

Umm... Perhaps you don't realize that CMT is owned by MTV[snip].

Testify, brother, Testify! You are exactly right. I havent identified CMT with Country in a LONG LONG time.

[chrispick]

Originally Posted by Dave Martin

Umm... Perhaps you don't realize that CMT is owned by MTV.

To clarify: MTV and CMT are both owned by Viacom which also owns BET, VH-1, Nickelodeon, Spike TV, TV Land, Comedy Central, Logo, Paramount and Dreamworks movie studios and others. MTV Networks is the umbrella name for much of the Viacom-owned cable channels.