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Award Show Redesign Needed
May 26, 2006
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Putting together a TV story highlight package on the ACM's was an interesting project. First, it all looks alike on the video timeline. There is a sameness about their things now. If I see more fake fans waving their hands about swaying, I am going to through something at the TV.
Rascal Flatts in their Guns and Rose's period was a bit over the top as was (predictably) Badonkadonk. As an early big fan of Honky Tonk, I would like the song sent now to the Achy Breaky Hall of Fame and given a well-deserved rest.
Hooray for Sara Evans, hooray for Brad Paisley, and a big hooray for Vince Gill who produced the only REAL moment of the evening. Vince and the little Make a Wish girl were a gem.
Ronnie Dunn can sure sing, and I hope Jennifer Nettles stays in Country music.
Urban's hiding from the press is getting old and is going to hurt him if it hasn't already. Keith get back out there, we don't really care that you are with Nick. It's ok! Come talk about your music and life. And Kenny had a date. It's a wonderful world we live in.
Carrie Underwood is darling and someday may have to get bitchy like many of the other divas, but right now she is so charming & lovable.
I wanted to love the Big & Rich number. I think I loved it, but I'm not sure. Something felt like it was missing ... maybe it was the staging. Like I said it all blurs.
Hour 3 felt like it lasted 2 days. It felt like an afterthought. Award show fatigue had set in, I guess.
Kenny Chesney is at the top of his game and winning Entertainer of the Year two years in a row is a good thing. On the other hand, Toby Keith's performance was simply forgettable. Not bad, just not a factor. Toby has so much to give but right now he seems to be in country music limbo land.
And since his name came up again and again in the rehash of the Chicks' stink ... This whole Dixie Chick dust up is more amazing with every day. In the all time list of the dumbest of the PR dumb. Never seen anyone handle the hostiles worse. How can you help them or even given them the benefit of the doubt when the keep hitting an artery with every shot fired. Every day another outrage. It has to be the plan to just keep spewing like a broken sewage main. It's not political stuff, either. It's the bashes at country music fans. Read TIME this week. It's worth it. THEN there's latest on their happiness at not being on Country radio (from the AP):
"I don't even know what's played on country radio, but when they tell me some titles, it cracks me up," she laughs.
"Besides, where would we fit on the playlist between 'Honky Tonk Badonkadonk' and 'Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off'?"
Nice.
So, it's the first Summer holiday. Here are a few emails before we go:
It's so hard to find a new woman who does country music today. Most would qualify more to be pop stars. Reba & Sara Evans, Terri Clark are great & I buy their music. Lee Ann Womack is good. I don't think how they look is what turns me on or off. It's what the music says. Even Faith sounds more pop now.
I rate the guys on the same scale as the women. I like Kenny Chesney but don't buy much of his stuff. I do buy Joe Nichols, Rascal Flats, and Brooks & Dunn. Jason Aldean gets support because he's home town and "Why" is great. Most songs today have 28 words repeated over and over. That's not appealing enough to buy. They all are afraid to be country with lyrics to match. There are good cry songs without the kitzy drunks, stealing the dog type of lyrics. A pretty face won't get my money, male or female. Let Merle Haggard teach them to write some good songs. I just bought all his old albums reissued on CD. But his new stuff is terrible, too. "Garbageman'?!! With the downloads I can get just the songs I like without all the "fillers". I have kids who are making their own "greatest hits" albums of what they like. I know this hurts album sales. But record albums never cost $18. The price is what's driving this train. It goes up & up with nothing to show for the money. Also, I bet a lot of people are doing what I do. I make a copy of any CD I buy. Not to sell. But the CD's scratch so easily. My son has bought 1 album 7 times. I finally made him a backup copy. He won't have to buy it again. Sorry to spout off at you about this, but I listen to you each AM on WDEN (Macon, GA). After the show this AM, I wondered why nobody seems to know why sales are down.
And from radioland:
Great article Jimmy. You know another thing the Chicks never understood. That we the folks on the radio took a lot of the heat from the listeners. It was us that was cussed out everytime we played them (still get that) and when we defended them, it got worse. Did we get a thank you from the Chicks. Did they help us by apologizing? NO, they only got mad when we felt in the best interest of our jobs and ratings that it was best to stay away from them. We were the ones that listeners could get to and vent to when it all happened. We tried our hardest to give them support. They turned their back on us.
(Major Morning Show-I withheld their name)
Furthermore:
Hey Jimmy. While I agree with you that the Chicks continue to shoot themselves in the foot, do you really think Natalie could take back what she said? Not anymore. Not ever, in my opinion. I mean, I guess she could have. But I'm proud of her for not backing down. She has a spine, unlike some of the politicians running this country. I'm an outspoken person myself, so that's how I see it.
About calling country fans idiots, I think they meant to address the demographic more than insult. Martie is right. Country went redneck, and look where it's left them. They moved millions more when Shania, Garth, and the Chicks ruled the roost than when they let Gretchen, Kenny, and Toby run the show. Don't get me wrong, I love Gretchen, not too big on Chesney or Keith, but Nashville is shrinking the audience by trying to get a grip on the business again. I think country-rock is fantastic!! I don't listen to anything but country music, and while I'm loving what I'm hearing now (Timeless, for example), I really also like "Some Hearts" (Underwood) and I'm really really lovin' the Chicks' new album too, or what I've heard of it.
Thanks for your insight. I really enjoy your articles.
D
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