Category Archives: Reflection

by Abby Wills | March 12, 2015 · 8:00 am

Country Radio Needs to Change

Gary Overton, Sony CEO

As I worked on my album analysis for Aaron Watson’s album The Underdog, which grabbed the No. 1 spot on the US Country Billboard Chart, I came across an interesting article, “Sony Nashville CEO talks importance of country radio.” Gary Overton, Sony CEO, said in the interview that he can be quoted several times a day saying, “If you’re not on country radio, you don’t exist.” This statement angered many people including independent country fans and artists. Many independent artists have much support from fans, but find themselves ignored by mainstream country radio.

Country radio is not capable of embracing individual country artists. Individual country artists are unique and have an authenticity that cannot be found with the current mainstream artists. I can tell that country fans want something different and country radio should adapt – playing both mainstream and independent artists.

Aaron Watson’s No. 1 Album, “The Underdog”

Aaron Watson is an independent Texas Country artist who has been in the industry for 15 years, has produced 12 albums and performed over 2,000 shows. However, he has been rejected by mainstream radio despite having the No. 1 US Billboard Country album. His response to Overton’s comment was, “My name is Aaron Watson. I am not played on country radio. And I have the #1 record in country music this week. I do exist.”

Charlie Robinson, a Nashville artist turned independent, also offered his opinion on the matter, stating “I have a job today but as soon as Florida Georgia Line goes out of style, and believe me they will, you [Gary Overton] will not exist.” Of course, Florida Georgia Line felt compelled to comment on Twitter that they have lost all respect for Charlie Robinson.

Many factors contribute to the success of artists, but radio play is not the most important. In fact, Overton’s own artist Garth Brooks had to deal with the issue of mainstream radio when they rejected his comeback single “People Loving People” and its follow up “Mom.” However, due to his loyal fan base, Garth Brooks has experienced no difficulty in selling out shows. Dedication and perseverance are two important qualities that country fans look for in artists. Independent artists certainly contain those characteristics.

There is no denying that radio play contributes to the commercial success of an artist, but it doesn’t determine whether they exist or their level of talent. I’m sure that many independent artists would benefit greatly if the mainstream radio stations accepted them. However, I don’t base an artist’s success or talent on how much airplay they get. I base it on the music and what I think about their songs after they end.

3 Comments

Filed under News, Reflection, Texas

by Marissa Gallardo | March 10, 2015 · 8:00 am

Eric Church v. Concert Experience

What an experience! I bared the cold to go to the Eric Church concert on Wednesday at the Frank Erwin Center. Although I knew who Eric Church was, I didn’t know very many of his songs and was honestly not sure if I was going to enjoy myself at the concert. Now thinking back it’s really hard to differentiate between liking the artist and enjoying the concert. In my opinion, the concert was okay, but I really liked Eric Church and have a new found interest in him as an artist. Confusing, right? Not really once you start to think about all of the things that can affect a concert experience.

The openers, Drive-By Truckers, were a rocky start. The guitar drowned out the vocalist to the point that I really didn’t understand what he was saying the entire time. Their stage presence was so-so; they seemed more involved with what was happening on stage and not the audience, at some points completely turning away from the audience. Watching from high above (in a seat where even the jumbo viewing screens were blocked), it was obvious that the crowd was not feeling them either. The general admission floor was practically at a complete stand still. Because I am more attuned to really active floor audiences that come with other genres of music, this was really surprising, but as it continued, it became more and more obvious that it wasn’t just because this was a country music concert. Continuing to scan the audience, I noticed that nearly everyone around me had their phone out and was scrolling through Facebook and Twitter feeds. If people don’t even want to put their phone down to listen to you, you are doing something wrong! When a high pitched squeal rang out in the Frank Erwin Center, a guy behind me summed up there entire performance perfectly, “That was the best thing I have heard all night!”.

Already frustrated with the night, my friend and I decided to snag some seats down closer to the stage. Once we sat down, crossing our fingers to not have an awkward encounter with someone saying “Umm.. That’s my seat”, the view of the stage was epic. We waited for Eric Church anxiously. As he began with a few of his more well-known songs, it became obvious that the people we were sitting by were ready to party, and party hard. The couple immediately next to us proceeded to make-out, grind on each other (at one point the guy picked the girl up in a very intimate position to say the least) and scream the entire night. When Church played “Smoke a Little Smoke”, a few brave souls decided it was the perfect time to light up a smoke, not the legal kind. The smell surrounded us, and the crazy woman next to us was intent on finding out who she “needs to be friends with” to have a little fun of her own.

Now don’t get me wrong; Eric Church was phenomenal! His stage presence and audience interaction was incredible; from playing fan favorites to telling stories to signing boots that were thrown on stage, Eric did it all and gave us more than we could have ever imagined for a Wednesday night concert. No matter how fantastic an artist’s performance is, a concert experience can be hindered by anything from openers to the people around you. With this in mind, in the future, I would like to ward you against intertwining the two. Eric Church was awesome! My experiences at the concert were not quite as good, but that does not mean I think poorly of the artist.

How was your experience? Has a bad experience at a concert made you think differently of an artist in the past?

3 Comments

Filed under Austin, Live Music, Reflection, Reviews

by Emma Morgan | March 4, 2015 · 8:00 am

Country Music in TV Series Nashville

Some diehard country music fans might be turned off by the thought of watching a television series centered on country music and the industry. Despite seeming silly to some, I believe this show is full of talented artists and performers and has the ability to turn non-country music listeners into country music lovers like the rest of us.

The TV series Nashville has become one of my favorite shows to watch each week. I love the drama surrounding each of the dynamic characters, but mostly I love the numerous country songs debuted in each episode. My mom and I used to watch together every week before I started college, and while I have always been a country music fan, she hasn’t. However, this show has caused her to grow into a bigger fan than I think she ever could have been. Nashville has the ability to capture our attention and increase our awareness of country music.

Nashville has been extremely successful in producing songs that are loved by all who watch it. At first, the characters might seem phony and invalid when it comes to country music, but the actors chosen for each role have enormous musical talent. I’m always so blown away with the songs performed in the series, that I have download them right away.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AWiSAGuRus

Connie Britton, who plays leading lady Rayna James, is an incredible singer in addition to her acting skills. If I didn’t know any better, I would think she was an actual country music star because she plays the part so well. Hayden Panetierre, who plays queen bee Juliette Barnes, has been known as a pop star for years. Despite this, she has definitely embraced country music, adding excitement and personality to her songs. She fits into the country music scene incredibly. Lennon and Maisy Stella, Rayna James’ daughters on the show, were cast after being discovered on YouTube. The two girls are real life sisters and have incredible voices. Through their amazing performances on Nashville, cast members such as Lennon and Maisy Stella, Clare Bowen, Charles Esten, Jonathan Jackson, and Chris Carmack, to name a few, have landed spots as guest artists to sing at the Grand Ole Opry. If this doesn’t show talent I don’t know what does.

Along with the talent of each of the actors, many country music artists have guest stared in episodes of the show, contributing to its authenticity. Carrie Underwood, Zac Brown Band, Brantley Gilbert, and Brad Paisley have performed right alongside the actors in the show. The actors and singers always mesh well and look natural and normal together, despite what some might think. The songs and performances never cease to surprise me, and every one draws me into the show more than before.

Regardless of the fact that most of the characters are not “real” country singers, Nashville is a show that is captivating, suspenseful, and heart wrenching. In addition, it has created great country music. If you’ve never watched an episode of this show and you love country music, I would highly recommend it because I guarantee you will fall in love with all it has to offer.

5 Comments

Filed under Country Pop, Movies and TV, New Country, Reflection

by Shelby Conine | February 27, 2015 · 8:00 am

Unpopular Opinion: Jason Aldean Isn’t Killing Country Music

I would like to express an unpopular opinion, so hear me out before you tear me down please.

Two weekends ago I was blessed with the opportunity to travel to Charleston, South Carolina to meet up with my twin brother who goes to West Point and had a long weekend. He had three requirements for where we would meet: it had to be warm, it had to be easy to access from New York and it had to have a country music concert. As it turned out, that weekend was a pretty slow weekend country music wise and our options were Philadelphia, Boston, and Charleston. Since Philly and Boston were both blanketed in snow, it was off to South Carolina for us. The only drawback? We were going to see the endlessly-maligned (at least by our class) Jason Aldean.

Naturally, going into the concert I was skeptical, especially after everything we’ve said in class about how he’s “not really country” or is a representation of what’s wrong with country music these days. But I was moderately excited for the two opening acts, Tyler Farr and Cole Swindell, since I’d never seen them live before and had only heard them on the radio.

Admittedly Tyler Farr left something to be desired after his performance. While he has a few big hits and a decent voice, he isn’t the performer that I expected on such a big tour. I think he has a long way to go performance wise before he has any chance of making it big in country music.

However, Cole Swindell made up in a big way for Farr’s shortcomings. Swindell came on to the country music scene originally as a songwriter. He’s written hits for several big stars like Luke Bryan with hits like “Roller Coaster” and Florida Georgia Line’s “This is How We Roll.” However, last year Swindell recorded his debut album which included radio-friendly “Chillin’ It,” “You Ain’t Worth the Whiskey” and “Hope You Get Lonely Tonight.” Not only is his sound complimentary to Jason Aldean’s “bro-country,” but his stage presence is also closer to that of a real performer. He played his big songs, including those he wrote but that were recorded by Luke Bryan, and it seemed like he was much more in tune with what the crowd wanted.

After Swindell left the stage, I anxiously awaited Jason Aldean. I wondered if I was going to be totally repulsed by his music as it seems so many die-hard country fans are these days. The lights went down, his band began to play, and the strangest thing happened—I didn’t hate it. As a matter of fact, I actually rather enjoyed it. He may have come out to a back drop of flames and electric guitar, but I think a lot of people only see that side of Aldean and forget where he came from. They forget songs like “Amarillo Sky,” “Laughed Until We Cried,” and “Big Green Tractor,” just to name a few. He’s got tons of hits that have endlessly topped charts and, if you listen to the lyrics, hold very closely to traditional country values.

So yeah, I can’t hate Jason Aldean because his music goes beyond what it seems on the surface. I actually rather like his music. AND I sang along. So sorry if that offends you.

9 Comments

Filed under Live Music, Reflection, USA

by Shannon Smith | February 22, 2015 · 8:00 am

1990s: New Country vs. Country Pop

After reading “The Commercial Country Explosion” chapter from Jocelyn R. Neal’s book, Country Music (2012), I really began to think about the differences between “New Country” and “Country Pop” from the 1990s. I grew up listening to both of these country genres and never realized the distinction until now.

The ‘90s made way for a fresh batch of country music artists who wanted to make a new sound for themselves. On one end you had new country, a simple song form (verse-chorus) that involved two-step, waltz and Cajun two beat rhythms, while country-pop contains pop riffs and the short memorable hooks. The country pop sound really evolved with the changes in technology and began to feature sound effects, a full harmony backup and dense musical textures. New country on the other hand highlighted the fiddle, steel guitar, and a sharper drum sound. These genres also introduced the distorted electric guitar solos that today audience loves so much.

The instrumentals weren’t the only thing that distinguished these two genres. The artist’s voices were inherently different as well. New country included male artists like Garth Brooks and Tim Mcgraw, whose baritone voices began to smooth out the honky-tonk twang. New country’s female artists, like Trisha Yearwood and Martina McBride, became known for their open throated ballad singing. Country pop featured auto-tune and took on younger and sexier sounds with artists like Shania Twain and Keith Urban.

The themes that these two genres tackled were also inherently different. Country pop was very optimistic and included concepts of personal fulfillment and independence (“Any Man of Mine” by Shania Twain). New country featured songs about societal problems, feminist concerns, and working class values (“Friends in Low Places” by Garth Brooks). Both themes really helped push society and country music into the 21^st century.

I personally love both genres because my mother used to play both around the house while I was growing up. There are so many differences between the two genres that I could never pick a favorite. I have included some of my favorite songs from both genres below so that you can see the differences for yourself. The 90s amazing time for country music because the artists began to put on stadium concerts and really connect with their fans on a whole new level. Country music wouldn’t be what it is today without both country pop and new country.