Why do you like Country music?

Bill Llewellyn · From: San Jose, CA

Of course that's a silly question. But I think we can muse about the reasons for a bit....

* It reminds me of the days when I was a kid and we'd drive as a family through the hilly backroads of western NY state and PA to visit family, and the radio stations were mostly country. So there's nostalgia in it for me.
* The songs are simple, straightforward, unpretentious (generally), and come from the heart.
* The production is clean, clear, and nicely structured, and the players are just great. (I read a thread on rec.music.makers.guitar recently where some participants noted that great country players could usually nail rock'n'roll licks easily, whilst rock'n'rollers had a hard time touching country licks.)
* The production reminds me a bit of the state of music when I was growing up in the 60/70's, so it's nostalgic for that reason, too.
* Pedal steel is part of the soul of country, and I love the PSG.

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Bill * MSA Classic U12 * email * homepage

[This message was edited by Bill Llewellyn on 29 May 2000 at 08:04 PM.]

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

'Cuz it sounds good, duh. Bill, you're really trying to tax my poor little brain to the max, aren't you?

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Carter D10 8p/10k
Richard Sinkler BS, www.sinkler.com

Bill Llewellyn · From: San Jose, CA

Yes, Richard, it "duhs" sound good. Ever wonder why? Maybe because there's none of my confounded steel playin' on it, maybe? Cuz' I'm da wurst playur on the plannut. That's a fact, and you ain't a-takin my baddest-of-da-bad trophy.

Oops, sorry folks. Private feud. I am the worser player betwixt us. It all started here.... http://www.b0b.com/forum/Forum1/HTML/008918.html

Sigh. Anyway, why do y'all like Country?

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Bill * MSA Classic U12 * email * homepage

[This message was edited by Bill Llewellyn on 29 May 2000 at 09:04 PM.]

Missy James · From: Kaiser MO

I'm going to pull a Richard Sinkler and say that it's because I can understand all of the words. (hee hee to both of you)

Seriously - I love country music for the heartfelt emotions and the simple truths behind the lyrics. Just like the song: "Three Chords and the Truth!!!!!"

(Plus, I happen to love the steel guitar and fiddle)(and dobro)(and *don't shoot me* banjo)

erik · Posted 30 May 2000 1:24 am

I was first attracted to Country Music because of the beat... kinda like my attraction to Reggae. I immediately found that most male singers are baritones... the opposite of pop and rock music. For once i could actually sing along.

But it developed into something much deeper than that.

Living in a suburban setting, i can easilly see why it's necessary to listen to Country when you're in the country. And i can honestly say i prefer different music if i'm in the city... unless something like, Oughta Be A Law is playing on the radio. Winking

P Gleespen · From: Toledo, OH USA

The biggest reason for why I like country music is the steel guitar. Until I took up steel, I never listened to country.

Mark Tomeo · Posted 30 May 2000 5:52 am

Like P. Gleespen, I'm originally a Bostonian, despite now being stranded in central Pennsylvania, and I listen to country music because I like the steel guitar - I don't particularly like country music.
I never heard real country music growing up in eastern Mass. - the first time I heard steel guitar was in the late 60s, that whole "Sweethearts, Skyline, Springfield, Poco, Burritos" business. For years, I thought that was country music. I was in my 20s before I finally heard real, traditional serious country music as well as what was passing for country on the radio in the 70s (i.e. Kenny Rogers).
I guess because I didn't grow up with it, it doesn't have any resonance or nostalgia value. But what are you gonna do? You wanna hear steel guitar, you pretty much have to listen to country music. I own most of the instrumental CDs available with non-country steel and have listened to them to death. I'm too old to really appreciate hip-hop, alternative and grunge rock (although I like what's called "power pop" - Owsley, Jason Falkner, Jellyfish, etc. but you really have to search it out, it's not on the radio) The alt.country/no depression music would be OK if the ethos weren't so crummy and crude, and the steel playing were more polished and professional.
So it's Hobb's choice - either take country music as it is today, getting more and more pop rock sounding all the time, or listen to old Price/Tubb/Haggard records. Goin' back for me means putting on "Gilded Palace of Sin" or "Pickin' Up the Pieces."
I don't really like country music - I just like steel guitar.

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

Oh, man, I do admire you guys willing to come out of the closet and say that. It takes some guts to do that around here.

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

I've always listened to country music. As far back as I can remember my parents always had country music on the radio. We listened to all kinds of music but country was the main type.

Today, the same way - I like and listen to all kinds of music (and have played other types) but primarily listen to and prefer (traditional) country.

As far as why, just seems to be natural to me. I couldn't think of a reason country would not be my main type of music. As far as the type I can't stand, it's opera.

Bill Llewellyn · From: San Jose, CA

I think another reason I like country music is that it's an indiginous artform to the good ol' USofA. Kinda like comin' home. I love all kinds of music from anywhere and everywhere in the world (like British rock, African worldbeat, European classical), but there's a certain special familiarity about country music because it's American.

For those not fond of country but who love the PSG nonetheless, there have been a number of threads here on the Forum about the steel being used in other styles. It's not easy to find, but it's out there. Maurice Anderson has demonstrated some amazing jazz work on the PSG, and Paul Franklin has some non-country compositions (including some work with Brent Mason) on his website (www.paul-franklin.com).

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Bill * MSA Classic U12 * email * homepage

[This message was edited by Bill Llewellyn on 30 May 2000 at 07:45 AM.]

Ron Page · From: Penn Yan, NY USA

I was a country fan before I ever knew what a steel guitar was. Still, I think that sound was a big part of what I liked about country music.

As a kid, I gradually, albeit rapidly migrated from rock music to country -- for many of the reasons already mentioned. My first “country” album was Glen Cambell’s Wichita Lineman, followed by Buck Owens Greatest Hits Vol 1. My oldest brother—15 years my senior took that as a sign I might like his favorite, a guy named Merle Haggard. I was 12, and I’ve been a fan of nothing but country music ever since.

My interest in steel came about as a result of this plus seeing steelers in live bands. Forumite Terry Miller was the first steel player I ever met and got to know.

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HagFan

[This message was edited by Ron Page on 30 May 2000 at 08:25 AM.]

Jerry Hayes · From: Virginia Beach, Va.

Hey Missy,
You said you liked it 'cause you could understand the words! I guess you ain't listened to any Kelly Willis records lately! That young lady is impossible to understand. I love her music though so I enjoy it like I'm listening to a foreign language record or something.

The main reason I like country music is the different styles of guitar which fit. I started playing in the 50's and it was Merle, Chet, Joe Maphis, Jimmy Bryant, and those type of pickers. Through the years it's evolved to where we have Jazz, Rock, Blues, Bluegrass, and all styles mixed in the country format. I know a lot of you probably don't like it but for a guitar player it's challenging to keep up with what's current. I just hate the way the radio acts toward veteran country acts. The rock stations still play the Stones (all over 50), Eric Clapton, and all those old dudes. I guess that's why I listen more to that now than I do the country stations!

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Have a good one! JH U-12

[This message was edited by Jerry Hayes on 30 May 2000 at 08:33 AM.]

Jason Odd · From: Stawell, Victoria, Australia

Weeeeeeelllll, I'm far from the youngest on the Forum, but having not quite reached 30 years of age {Feb/8/1971} I've become a real country freak.
I grew up with the Eagles, Glen Campbell, Abba, Glam Rock {Queen, Bowie, T-REX, Alice Cooper} punk, new wave, the Beatles and lots of top #40 stuff that really makes me cringe now.
Hated disco and the new romantics in the 1980's, I did like the Stray Cats and Crowded House..but went into heavy metal in the 1980's. This was okay for a while, then I explored it and got into lots of heavy 1970's bands, lots of late 1960's psyche rock and experimental as well as GRUNGE in the late 1980's when Nirvana couldn't sell enough records to keep their van in fuel.

Then one day in 1992 I bought a Cd reissue of the Flying Burrito Brothers first LP at a record fair where everyone was buying up all the Pearl Jam and Nirvana bootlegs they could find.
I remember laying on my bed trying to get my head around this stuff, I'd always liked the Byrds, but this was something else!

I wuz warped forever and to this day I'm always looking for a new Alterna Country band, rockabilly, Western Swing or some roots rock CD {or record}, I'm totally hooked now, sure I listen to a lot of techno and alternative rock, but my collection has become decidedly top heavy with country music of all denominations!

Ron Page · From: Penn Yan, NY USA

J.O.

Among my favorite bumper stickers is this one: DISCO STILL SUCKS!

By that, I mean it never appealed to me, personally.

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HagFan

C Dixon · From: Duluth, GA USA

I like tranditional country music for the following reasons:

1. Most of the singers were male baritones.

2. The female singers were not trying to audition for a part in a movie everytime they sang a song.

3. Singers stood up in FRONT of a floor stand microphone and did not try to make love to the mic.

4. They did not try to eat the mike either.

5. When they sang louder they stepped back from the mike appropriately.

5. They stood up there and played a guitar instead of trying to play act with their hands.

6. When female singers sang a song, they did not look like a cow chewing its cud.

7. They used an upright bass that could be felt more than heard.

8. They used drums only for embellishment, NOT to drive the volume level high enough to be heard in the adjacent universe.

10. Drum sticks were used very seldom. Mostly the brush was used softly.

11. The steel guitar kicked off the tune.

12. The steel guitar played the break.

13. The steel guitat ended the tune.

14. The singer did the rest and did not need 4 more singers to drown out his words.

15. Each word could clearly be heard.

16. Did not wear a black hat

17. And the hats they did wear did not touch the back of there necks.

18. They had respect for their instruments and they did not try to destroy them to get more screaming wild people to scream louder and act wilder!

19. The only thing that went through the PA system was the singer.

and last but the most important thing of all was:

20. They performed at a volume level that did NOT burst people's ear drums two miles away.

carl

Dayna Wills · From: Sacramento, CA (deceased)

I didn't, til rock and roll as I knew and loved it, took a dump.
I love "traditional" country music!!
And Western swing!!!

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Smiley Roberts · From: Hendersonville,Tn. 37075

Like it??.....who said I liked it?? I play it because,unlike rock 'n roll,I can make literally hundreds of thousands of dollars,playing it. That's it...that's why I play it..for the money!!!

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Kenny Dail · From: Kinston, N.C. R.I.P.

Carl, this no flame. As a matter of fact I agree 100% with what you said. While Lefty Frizzel didn't "make love" to the mike, he certainly got close enough to put his lips on it. His was not a strong voice and to curl the "R"s and phrase the way he did, he found it necessary to get REAL close to the mike.

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kd...and the beat goes on...

erik · Posted 30 May 2000 3:40 pm

Smiley Roberts wrote:

Like it??.....who said I liked it?? I play it because,unlike rock 'n roll,I can make literally hundreds of thousands of dollars,playing it. That's it...that's why I play it..for the money!!!

All that money, and you're using WebTV???

Fred Martin · From: Phoenix, Az

Carls got it nailed pretty good. I loved the breaks, the fact you could hear the words, the fact there were words worth listening to and especially that the female singers looked like ladys and had a little class. Actually wore these artifacts called dresses.

Terry Edwards · From: Florida... livin' on spongecake...

Cause they dressed up in those cool sequined outfits with them big ol' wagon wheels on their jackets when they played!

Seriously, I like all forms of music. But I listen to country because country music always tells a story.

Terry

Janice Brooks · From: Pleasant Gap Pa

Because the family and neighbors were fans i just latched on. It did not hurt to be a Rodger Miller fan either.

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Janice "Busgal" Brooks
ICQ 44729047

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

Mike Weirauch · From: Harrisburg, Illinois**The Hub of the Universe

The simplicity and honesty of the song and the singer matched with the pedal milking of a steel guitar as it adds tears or stomach thrills to the melody. Also, I liked the outfits that each singer and his band wore. They might have been hot and uncomfortable but they added a lot of class to the act! It's hard to imagine Charleton and Rhodes doing ET Blues in worn jeans and a T-shirt.

Pat Burns · From: Branchville, N.J. USA

I just always liked the guitar pickin'. Steel, acoustic, electric, mandolin, banjo, I just like pickin'. Don't care much for strummin'.

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