I live in Nashville, and am a recovering country player.
The industry collapsed in the mid 90's. All the labels became outposts of the worldwide majors instead of the local powers they once were. This played out simultaneously with the collapse of retail and the onset of usually criminally free downloads. And this was in the wake of Garth Brooks and Shania Twain, which essentially cleared the label rosters of small steady sellers: If you couldn't easily go multi-platinum and do world tours from the start, they weren't interested. Video and ProTools and Simon Cowell concentrated the label push behind sellable young faces more than ever.
Yes, the current model is to take a Seger/Eagles feel, put just enough fiddle or steel guitar or mandolin for just a whiff of flavor, smash it through the digital blender, and voila, here's your next single. The vocals are tuned beyond belief: You hear that revoltingly vocoder-like quality to the vocals, utterly vibrato-free.
But it's what it takes. Taylor Swift is a charming young girl from Hendersonville (a Nashville suburb) who is a remarkable songwriter. Cute as a button. But like a lot of songwriters, her vocal ability is very modest, to be polite about it.
But you have to remember: This is music business, and they exist to sell product, just like McDonalds slinging Big Macs or Ridgid selling pipe wrenches. But as I often find, music and music business are two very different things.
Fortunately, I'm here at the home of the Opry. WSM radio is a constant education in the history of the real thing, and IF you want a real education in the real thing, listen on-line weeknights to the Eddie Stubbs show from 7 to midnight Central (
www.wsmonline.com). Eddie is a player and a walking encyclopedia of this music. Not to be missed if you want to know more about it.
Country is like any other form of music: You get the big wide spread of the commercial successes, some good, a lot very average. Behind that, there's the real fan stuff that's really where the rubber meets the road. But listening to modern top-40 country radio is just dreck...check for the 'Americana' format and you'll be happier.
And oh yeah, it is the same handful of producers, engineers, and session guys: This is me-too-ville just like any other style of music.
If you want it straight, no chaser, catch the Marty Stuart Show on RFD Network if you get that. Tele twang, rhinestones, steel guitar. Or any George Strait cd usually washes that taste out of your mouth too. Or immediately go out and buy the Vince Gill masterwork 'These Days'. You'll feel better.
J o e y
