Merle Haggard Says Today’s Country Is All “The Same Band, The Same Sound”
Merle Haggard remains on tour, and remains on the warpath against the direction of today’s country music, at least when asked about the matter by the press. The Hag was interviewed ahead of a show in Toledo, Ohio at the Stranahan Theater on September 9th, and didn’t mince words when questioned what he thought about today’s country sound and the artists making it.
“It needs a melody,” Haggard said to The Blade. “It needs a melody real bad. Not sure what they’ll have to remember. A song is defined as words put to music, but I don’t hear any music. All I hear is the same band, the same sound, and everybody screaming to the ceiling. You stand off at a distance and you couldn’t tell who they are. They are all screaming for one note they can barely get. I don’t find it very entertaining. I wish I did.”
Merle then contrasted this with what he does with his band when he takes the stage.
“We do about 90 minutes and have an unplanned format to go from point A to point B and have about 100 songs to pick from. No one knows what they’ll be, including me. It’s been since 1969 since I’ve had a list on stage. I decide what the second song will be while I’m singing the first one.”
But there is one modern performer Merle Haggard apparently does still respect, surprisingly—none other than pop superstar Taylor Swift. “I think Taylor Swift is doing real good. I don’t know if there is any hayseed there or country music anymore, but I’m a Taylor Swift fan.”
So there’s that.
Merle’s comments come on the heels of similar sentiments he shared on September 3rd when he said, “I can’t tell what they’re doing. They’re talking about screwing on a pickup tailgate and things of that nature. I don’t find no substance. I don’t find anything you can whistle and nobody even attempts to write a melody. It’s more of that kids stuff. It’s hot right now, but I’ll tell you what, it’s cooling off.”
Merle Haggard has been known to speak out upon occasion during his career when folks get on the “Fightin’ Side” of the 78-year-old performer, but he seems to have really stepped up the rhetoric lately about today’s country—possibly a symptom of just how far country has slid in 2015.
Albert
September 11, 2015 @ 8:39 am
Merle nails it again , as usual . Nothing melodically ( or lyrically ) memorable about most of the radio stuff right now . And no one seems to care . There are no ‘ standards ‘ being written ….nothing to stand the test of time . Which , of course , is another dagger in the chest of REAL country music and its chances of surviving long term . And , as I’ve always maintained , nothing dance-able .
But on the bright side …the hours are long and the food’s bad …… ( what the….?? )
Smokey J.
September 11, 2015 @ 9:06 am
Nothing dance-able for sure. I live down the road from a Western themed club. Everybody dresses real “cowboy” but on the dance floor, it’s all hip hop. I’m not talking about the wannabe hip hop that today’s country acts are putting out, either, but actual hip hop. So, even with all of the EDM beats in country, they still aren’t producing anything that the “kids” are dancing to. Actually, I don’t think the “kids” are buying this new country at all. Most southern young people I know listen to hip hop/pop/rap. I’m convinced that the audience for Luke Bryan, Sam Hunt, Thomas Rhett, etc. is middle age women who think they are “hot” and 40 year old frat boys who never grew out of their partyin’ ways.
Mike in Winston
September 11, 2015 @ 9:24 am
Could not have been said or written any better especially the last sentence.
Bear
September 12, 2015 @ 3:35 pm
Well kids today wouldn’t know how to handle a country song OI mean who is teaching the young kid how to two-step or waltz? All I see them do is freak or stand in one place doing a left, right, left, right march to the beat…
However the older folks around me on the queer community of all places are keeping the dances and music alive. It amazing to me because a genre that used to be so closeted and sort of anti is so loved by people round here and miraculously they do rope in a few young people during Pride Weekend and get them hooked so hope is not totally lost. But yes over all the traditions of the dances are dying just like Foxtrot, quickstep, the balboa… even swing depending on the area.
Will
September 13, 2015 @ 6:46 pm
Y’all might be surprised that the “frat boys” you seem to despise are, at the college level, the ones keeping any sort of traditional country or American dancing alive. I graduated recently from a major southern school and part of our pledge education consisted of learning waltz, two-step, shag, and swing dancing. Stereotypes will remain stereotypes though.
cowboyal
September 11, 2015 @ 9:28 am
Surprised he likes Taylor. I have nothing against her personally, she comes across as a nice person and it is good she admits she is no longer country, but her music leaves much to be desired.
Chase Stevens
September 19, 2015 @ 9:30 pm
Very interesting reading all these comments. First let me say anyone who does not recognize that Taylor Swift is a brilliant talent, does not know anything about music. She is not writing Country but her most recent cd is incredibly well written Pop and she is an excellent role model. Not just my personal opinion but fact. Now here is one of the problems with Country radio, writers are not trying to write just a great song they are trying to write a #1 hit, because those are the only songs that make money. There are no mechanical royalties like there used to be because no one is buying cd’s. So having a track on a record that does not get air play does not generate income for writers and publishers. So if you all want to help, start buying cd’s. Stop downloading for free. Then writers can make a living by writing a great song that will produce income whether or not it is a radio #1 hit.
Jim
September 11, 2015 @ 9:37 am
That’s funny about Merle and set lists. I saw him live about ten years ago. He played two hours straight, and I still walked out saying, “oh, he could have done ‘rainbow stew,’ he could have done ‘silver wings,’ he could have done…” That’s how many freaking classics the guy has written.
Trigger
September 11, 2015 @ 9:42 am
Yeah, when you’ve had 38 #1 hits, and that doesn’t even encompass all of your most legendary songs, you’ve got plenty of material to choose from.
Kale
September 11, 2015 @ 9:51 am
They’re all the same words too. There’s 3 songs out there called “Gonna Wanna Tonight,” “I’m Gonna,” and “I Wanna a See Ya Girl” all by different people: Chace Rice, Blake Shelton, and Cole Swindell respectively. The lyrics are getting dumber and dumber, to the point where they don’t even make sense. When people can’t come up with anything but “gonna wanna” over and over again, you know they’ve hit a creative dead end.
Chris
September 11, 2015 @ 1:20 pm
I’m convinced the bros and their writers place bets on who can come up with the worst songs that sell the most.
Dave
September 11, 2015 @ 5:30 pm
Not to mention “Make Me Wanna” by Thomas Rhett.
Big Cat
September 11, 2015 @ 9:55 am
Not to sound like an I-told-you-so but I’ve said plenty of times before everyone should respect Swift. She is ultimately what a lot of people around here are asking for out of artist. Just because it’s not country doesn’t mean you shouldn’t respect her. Comparing Swift to the current country scene is way off base imo.
Trigger
September 11, 2015 @ 10:00 am
It took years for me to understand, but then I finally found a level of respect for Taylor Swift. Not fandom, but respect.
And then Max Martin got involved . . .
brett Colsen
September 11, 2015 @ 10:34 am
Another Taylor Swift promo piece. She’s a talentless as the rest but there is an underlying current to always prop her up. From Kendrick Lamar to the next bullshit. My take, is that anyone that props her up is a bonafide buster, Haggard included.
Trigger
September 11, 2015 @ 10:47 am
Promo piece? By whom? Didn’t think the original interview with Merle made a big deal about the Taylor Swift quotes, and they certainly weren’t the centerpiece of my article either. Just felt like it would be disingenuous to publish these Merle Haggard quotes and not mention that he praised Taylor Swift in the same sitting. Also, this is nothing new. He’s praised Swift before.
Banner
September 11, 2015 @ 7:56 pm
didnt she write a song about you and your “promo pieces” about her once?
Trainwreck92
September 11, 2015 @ 2:17 pm
I’m not really a Swift fan, but I can pretty much assure you that neither Merle or Kendrick are “busters”.
Megan Conley
September 11, 2015 @ 10:44 am
It speaks volumes that he mentioned Taylor Swift, especially considering his earlier comments about country being “kid stuff.” Swift made a name for herself by essentially writing about “kid stuff”–connecting with teenage girls. But he mentioned her because she doesn’t sacrifice the melody or the lyrics. As someone who understands music theory and has a degree in music, I can tell you that Taylor Swift truly understands how to craft a melody probably better than any current artist. Not saying I am a huge Taylor Swift fan–I do like her music, but there are many country artists I prefer–but Merle Haggard understands this. This is Merle Haggard saying you can still write about “kid stuff” and be intelligent, memorable, mindful of the music, etc. Swift is the best example he could use here to drive his point home–he’s not saying everything in country should sound like Hank Williams or that writing about “kid stuff” is bad by default, he is criticizing the lack of originality and musical integrity, and it is pathetic that he had to name someone outside country music to find an example of it.
Trigger
September 11, 2015 @ 10:50 am
…except that whole Max Martin thing, coming in and homogenizing her music, taking away much of her melody for rhythmic electronic tripe, and absconding with songwriting credits in the process. The curly-haired girl with her guitar is virtually gone, and only shows up in bits and pieces of her music these days, in my opinion.
Megan Conley
September 11, 2015 @ 11:50 am
Good point, especially the songwriting credits part. I am not sure I would classify her as “virtually gone,” but point taken. I respect the fact that she’s still there in “bits and pieces” and that we can even write that about her when many mainstream country artists don’t have “bits and pieces” of artistry/originality to speak of.
therhodeo
September 11, 2015 @ 11:10 am
One of the big differences is that Swift was writing “kid stuff” when she was a kid not a grown ass man like the bro country idiots.
Megan Conley
September 11, 2015 @ 11:53 am
Exactly! That makes her relatable; all the bros are is immature adults attempting to be cool. Attempting being the operative word.
gtrman86
September 11, 2015 @ 10:51 am
AMEN!
Brandon
September 11, 2015 @ 11:40 am
My guess is that the Hag likes Taylor Swift because she co-writes all her music , not because of her vocal talent ( which is very minimal). Her songwriting is average at best , but atleast she writes it instead of some tool from the moneymaking factory.
Six String Richie
September 11, 2015 @ 12:00 pm
Out of curiosity, are other country music outlets reporting on Hag’s recent comments? Like GAC, CMT, country radio stations, RS country, Taste of Country, etc…
Because I really would like Haggard’s comments to start an important discussion. When Colin Raye or Clay Walker say today’s country sucks, we just blow them off because they’re washed up ’90s artists struggling to stay relevant. But Haggard is named dropped in many of today’s country songs and is a legend.
Mike W.
September 11, 2015 @ 12:25 pm
I don’t think the people who read or listen or watch those outlets really care what Haggard has to say. I mean that with all due respect to the legend, but my guess is someone listening to Bryan or FGL or whatever barely knows who Merle Haggard is, much less what he thinks about modern Country music.
I mean, look at some of the tweets that sites like Farce the Music post, that pretty much summarizes modern Country music fans. They know nothing about the genre’s history and don’t seem interested in learning either sadly.
Other than Rolling Stone Country that is, I honestly can’t figure out who they are aiming to pull in….one minute they are highlighting Jason Isbell and Will Hoge and the next they are highlighting Luke Bryan. It’s a very fragmented website that Rolling Stone already seems bored with.
Six String Richie
September 11, 2015 @ 4:37 pm
I think it would be cool if an artist that name drops him in a song would respond to his comments. Or if Hag would tell a crappy artist to stop namedropping him in his songs.
Stephanie
September 11, 2015 @ 12:52 pm
My dislike of Erich Church borders on irrational. And I hope he is reading this stuff and taking it personally.
Mike W.
September 11, 2015 @ 1:00 pm
Church is an arrogant prick at times, but I am overall not overly offended by his work. Not in the same way Byran, FGL, Aldean, etc.
I don’t think Eric Church is a great artist, but he is really one of the lesser evils at Country radio these days.
Stephanie
September 11, 2015 @ 3:41 pm
Well yeah, it may be past the point of BORDERING on irrational, lol.
If I heard Eric Church’s music with no other context, I’d probably think, “meh.” Some songs I might even like ok (except I don’t care for the sound of his voice, but that’s completely subjective.)
I think part of the reason I despise him in particular, is because he’s NOT as easily blown off as someone like Sam Hunt or FGL. He has potential. And he presents himself MUCH differently. FGL doesn’t really lie about the kind of music they make. And I think what really gets my goat is this false notion that he is somehow more authentic and substantial. It lets the worst of the mainstream country fans feel like the radio friendly country music is not completely shallow and tasteless. To be honest, I’m not very good at articulating this point. Eric Church drives me too nuts to form good arguments! Lol.
His EPIC douchebaggery does not help! In fact, it’s more than half my problem with him.
Six String Richie
September 11, 2015 @ 4:35 pm
I understand what you’re saying. One of my biggest problems with EC is the problem I have with Brantley Gilbert. He tries so hard to be seen as a badass. But he tries so hard that it all comes off as calculated. From the wearing sunglasses all the time, to the mumbling way he speaks, to constantly bragging about how rowdy his fans are, etc. It really gets on my nerves.
Additionally, when you know a little bit more about his upbringing and past, it becomes borderline hilarious.
First off, he comes from a very wealthy family in Western Carolina. He never mentions in his songs or interviews that he grew up very privileged. He also got a degree in accounting from Appalachian State. This badass can fill out a statement of retained earnings, folks. His father paid EC’s bills during his early years as a songwriter in Nashville so he could focus on his writing. So he never went through a starving writer trying to make ends meet phase. His dad made sure his rent and meals were covered.
Despite this upbringing, he tries to come off as a hard scrabble, blue collar guy. It bothers me.
Additionally, he, like Miranda Lambert, is showered with praise despite the fact that his music is mostly mediocre. “The Outsiders” was a pretty weak album, with maybe 3 good songs. “Chief” was a pretty good album but he used 3 of the weakest tracks, “Drink In My Hand,” “Homeboy” and “Like Jesus Does” as singles. Yet people talk about him like he’s making music at an unmatched level.
Kale
September 11, 2015 @ 4:53 pm
Church gets on my nerves too, but I’d like to point out that he wears sunglasses to protect his eyes from the light.
Stephanie
September 11, 2015 @ 5:36 pm
Six String Richie, it won’t let me reply to your comment, but thanks man. Now I had a few minutes of very hearty, amused laughter before I went back to being angry about Eric Church.
Six String Richie
September 12, 2015 @ 9:25 am
That thing about wearing sunglasses to protect his eyes is BS. He claims that he does it to keep his contacts from drying out. Lots of performers wear contacts on stage whether it’s during a concert or a Broadway musical. They don’t need to wear sunglasses to protect themselves.
Plus, during interviews he wears sunglasses indoors. I saw a documentary on him on GAC a couple years back and he was wearing sunglasses during an interview in a very dark room. There’s no way he was protecting his contacts it was just for the image.
If it was true that his contacts were drying out then he could just try a different brand of contacts. I once had a problem with my contacts drying up so I switched brands.
CountryKnight
September 11, 2015 @ 10:35 pm
Does it really matter if Eric Church doesn’t mention his wealthy upbringing? Or that he portrays himself as a blue collar man? Maybe he focuses on a humble childhood persona, because talking about a rich background would rub some folks the wrong way and they would bring their class prejudices to their evaluation of his music. Besides, I don’t think Johnny Cash killed a man in Reno or had a girl’s name growing up.
Six String Richie
September 12, 2015 @ 9:35 am
I don’t have any problem with the fact that Church grew up wealthy. It wasn’t his choice, of course and there’s nothing wrong with being wealthy.
But it comes off as very insincere when he constantly tries to be seen as a blue collar guy when he came from no such background. If he doesn’t want to talk about his upbringing that’s totally fine, but why would he constantly paint himself as a blue collar type person when that isn’t true? In both his music and interviews he paints himself as somebody that came from very modest beginnings and lived a somewhat hard scrabble life.
It all comes back to what you said, “he doesn’t want to rub some folks the wrong way,” So he’s pandering to people by pretending to be “one of them.” The pandering is what annoys me.
Also, I think the two Johnny Cash songs you mentioned are purposely somewhat outrageous and the audience knows that Cash didn’t do those things. Cash doesn’t constantly pretend that he did grow up being named Sue. This differentiates him from Church. It was just a song that was supposed to be funny.
Stephanie
September 12, 2015 @ 10:40 am
Yeah, telling a story in song that isn’t true is just music. Developing and constantly selling this whole calculated, inauthentic persona (which is about more than affluence or lack thereof) just makes you a douchebag. Largely because half his schtick is about being the real deal.
And so much WORD on that contacts thing, lol.
Trigger
September 11, 2015 @ 1:16 pm
His first comments were covered by a number of mainstream outlets like The Boot, Taste of Country, and RS Country. Not sure about CMT because I have blocked them from my consciousness completely. These new comments are not nearly as pointed (or poignant) in my opinion, so I don’t expect a lot of noise made about them.
Kale
September 11, 2015 @ 12:43 pm
Idea: We should either have a contest to see who can write the worst song, have a bunch of people contribute lines like we’re doing on the “Dumbing Down” article, or have a combination where everybody writes a stupid song and Trigger takes the worst parts from the worst songs and has Michael Jackson Montgomery sing it. Whadaya think Trig, ya wanna do it as an experiment to see how many morons like it?
Trigger
September 11, 2015 @ 1:17 pm
That sounds like the country music version of holding a contest of folks drawing the prophet Muhammad.
naji
September 11, 2015 @ 8:47 pm
Country music needs to have songs about Muhammad. It’s overdue. Islam is now the future of he south in the U.S. and it.must be a major part of its music
Shane Mcburnett
September 11, 2015 @ 12:59 pm
HE’S CORRECT
Chase Rice
September 11, 2015 @ 1:00 pm
What is this old boy on about?!
There is loads of variety in country music. We have songs about trucks, trucks, trucks, girls, beer, trucks, beer, trucks.
We have true country artists like Thomas rhett who’s songs have up to 14 writers. Then we have country legend in the making Sam hunt with his awesome drum loops from the computer. We have Florida Georgia line who defy description. And we have me who writes songs about fucking my bird.
I don’t know who this guy is so maybe he should keep his mouth shut and let true country artists like Luke Bryan do his thing.
Gumslasher
September 11, 2015 @ 2:49 pm
Ffs. Country backroads. How can any rant about the putrid state of country music not mention this. But,
There is so much cool and great country music out there. It seems a lot of you folks judge/rates country music on the basis of a very fucking dead duck. Country Radio. Radio is dead. Real country music will be for people loving real country music.
Chris
September 11, 2015 @ 1:16 pm
A few years ago Merle said milder things like the music is good but not country. Now he says it’s not good or country. Shows how far it’s gone downhill. I don’t hear any good music, lyrics or singing from many of the men, just the same generic computer generated noise set to bad auto-tuned voices. Taylor and everything else in pop and country is better.
Jeb Barry
September 11, 2015 @ 1:25 pm
I’ve been be saying the same thing about the lack of melody in commercial country…but say it to the wrong person and be prepared for get the silent treatment in Nashville…and what’s worse is there are countless songwriters being taught the same thing….no melody
Albert
September 11, 2015 @ 4:32 pm
This is a great point Jeb. A generation growing up on THIS country music with no REAL country to reference will assume that what they are hearing is good melody . Some will go on to emulate it by writing the same – trite lyrics with no melody and grooves that no one can dance to . THAT , in fact , is what’s already happening , with few exceptions .
CountryKnight
September 11, 2015 @ 1:35 pm
I respect Merle Haggard, but it is amazing to see how people immediately take his words as gospel. I suppose everyone follows someone like that, though.
I remember what my business professor said: “Be careful when making wide brush stroke generalizations.”
Chris
September 11, 2015 @ 2:24 pm
He spoke the truth. What do you disagree with? We know there are exceptions but most of what radio plays is what he’s calling out, ie the men with the worst songs get played the most. Don’t need to follow anyone to hear that.
Albert
September 11, 2015 @ 4:35 pm
It isn’t just Merle’s word we are taking as Gospel , CK . he backs it up with a proven track record pf great lyrics put to some great melodies. He KNOWS what he’s talking about and has proven it …with dozens of number 1 songs that have stood the test of over 40 years.
BEH
September 11, 2015 @ 9:40 pm
Exactly! Everything old good. Everything new bad. Blah blah blah
Trigger
September 11, 2015 @ 9:46 pm
Now who’s painting with a broad brush? I definitely don’t feel that way about music. I think Merle represents how a lot of people feel, but even he said he liked Taylor Swift.
BEH
September 12, 2015 @ 10:21 am
I was referring to Merle not you Trigger. Even though I don’t always agree with you (nor do I with anyone), I’m continually impressed on the level of involvement with the comment section. You don’t just build the boat but you steer the ship. That is the reason I continue to come to this site.
Trigger
September 12, 2015 @ 10:33 am
Yeah, I knew you weren’t talking about me, I just don’t like to see that stereotype out there at all. There’s definitely people who feel that way, and that sentiment is just as bad for trying to save country music as anything. Merle has been saying very similar things for years, but he always qualifies it with naming a modern artist he does like, whether it’s Sturgill, Swift, or a couple of years back it was Joe Nichols he always referred to.
Thanks for the kudos on the comments. I don’t respond to folks just to be a disagreeable prick. I want folks to know that their opinions matter too, and I read all of them and value you them enough to respond, even if I happen to disagree. I don’t want this to be an autocracy. I want folks to pipe up and offer differing viewpoints and disagreement.
Adrian
September 11, 2015 @ 3:53 pm
Hey trig maybe you should invite songwriters to post their own material in the comments section of an article entitled ‘dear young people, please save country music’
State from the outset that anything with autotune or an electronic drum beat will be disqualified.
Maybe us commenters will be finally entertained with some substance.
Brad
September 11, 2015 @ 4:08 pm
I’ll be the first!
Here’s a song I wrote for my Mom about my Grandparents
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVyPIQnAl4A
BEH
September 11, 2015 @ 7:13 pm
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Nothing new to see here folks. 25 years from now Jason Aldean is going to be bitching about how crappy new country has become and a bunch of “real” country music fans are going to be saying how he’s right. It’s already happening with the 90s crowd. Oh how we forget about Alan Jackson water skiing in blue jeans like a poser. Now he seems to be the last hope for real country.
Chris
September 12, 2015 @ 11:48 am
Aldean isn’t going to bitch because he’s already sold out to pure pop and defended it. Jackson could dance with Miley Cyrus on the VMAs stage and he’d still be far better and more country than today’s weak bro-country pop fluff.
Bear
September 12, 2015 @ 4:00 pm
I know this a country music site but just to let you know country music isn’t alone… Grace Jones has said some choice words about today’s disposable pop stars and fame. I think the Doris she refers to is Beyonce BTW. I found it kind of awesome since I am mourning the death pop and the days of a timeless well written/crafted song.
And sorry Merle TS may have some melodies but she can’t sing and her lyrics and sound totally reek of the now, not the past or future.
http://www.essence.com/2015/09/10/grace-jones-memoir-excerpt-major-shade-rihanna-nicki-minaj
Jim McGuinness
September 12, 2015 @ 5:20 pm
These Internet articles in which older artists slam the “state” of country music have become a bore. I love Merle, but could care less about what he thinks of country radio. It’s Merle Haggard, for goodness sake. Can’t these people think of anything interesting to ask him?
As for country music, it’s been dead for decades and it ain’t coming back. So everyone might as well get used to it.
Trigger
September 12, 2015 @ 6:23 pm
I’ll say this Jim. In a lot of these interviews, there are what are called “talking points,” meaning things the publicists either request the artist is asked, or things the artist tries to say in interviews to make them interesting and topical. In many previous interviews, Merle has mostly avoided getting testy on this subject. In the most recent string of interviews, it’s the main point of topic. Not saying that talking points are being used, I’m just saying publicists and writers know how to get attention to their content, and it’s not by saying nice things. People are angry, and these articles resonate, even if you happen to find them boring. Look at all the articles on what Keith Richards has been saying about just about every artist in the press. He’s trashed the Beatles, rap, Jerry Garcia, modern music, older music, pretty much everything. And what has happened? It’s created incredible buzz for his new solo album.
This is also one of the reasons I barely ever interview artists, and when I do, they’re small independent ones. It’s all just a promotional tool for the industry.
Jim McGuinness
September 13, 2015 @ 8:52 pm
I’ve interviewed at least 200 musicians, and only once did a publicist suggest what questions I should ask. That’s not the way things are commonly done.
The one time was for James Brown, who was playing a local show shortly after his wife died under mysterious circumstances. The negotiations began with me being told that I would have five minutes on the phone with Godfather of Soul. In was also told what to ask. I made a huff and said that, if I had to spend five minutes asking those questions, then i wanted another five minutes asking questions of my own. The negotiations went on and, before I knew it, my time was down to three minutes. So I said forget about it, hung up, and pursued a different story. A writer from another paper also declined to interview Brown for the same reason. But rather than blow off the story, he wrote a piece on the negotiations. Hysterical. I wish I would have done the same.
The only other situation close to that was my request to interview onetime Fleetwood Mac guitarist Peter Green. Since Green wasn’t all there mentally, his manager wanted to be on the extension during the interview. I agreed, but the interview got canceled because Green “wasn’t up to it.”
Oh, one other. Former NFL star Lawrence Taylor was doing an autograph session for a local youth football league to help them raise money. This was part of the community service Taylor had to perform after one of his legal problems. He refused to talk to me at all when I approached him, but told his agent “make sure he puts that I’m doing this for free.” I told my editor what Taylor said and we wound up not putting anything.
Chris
September 13, 2015 @ 5:35 pm
I don’t see it as slamming, just cries for the mediocre and worse music to improve. Nothing is more boring than country radio’s every song sounds the same playlist. Just like Merle said, “All I hear is the same band, the same sound” all the time. I’d rather watch paint dry. I’m wondering why you said older artists since all ages, from Maddie and Tae and younger to Kacey to Kenny Chesney and Merle and so many more I can’t remember all of them, have called for country to improve. There’s nothing boring about Girl In A Country Song.
How can country music be dead when thousands of artists still make it? If it’s dead why do the most mainstream artists like Luke Bryan still record country songs like To The Moon And Back? Granted, some of the gatekeepers are trying their damndest to kill it.
luckyoldsun
September 14, 2015 @ 4:06 pm
I agree with you, Jim. When an artist attacks another artist, it’s the one who does the attacking that comes off looking bad.
Pete Marshall
September 12, 2015 @ 9:47 pm
Country music is getting dumber with songs like gonna ,wanna, good good, and drinkin , trucks, kick the dust up, burnin it down, and ya.
Jay Neilson
September 19, 2015 @ 9:09 am
Supporting Merle Haggard IS supporting country music. If you don’t understand why then you don’t know what country music truly was folks. I love the people who come to a comment section on a website to act like a wise-ass know-it-all. Lol. Such slime. Pride like that is ruining country music. Ignorance is destroying something sacred.
Remember when a generation of ppl who didn’t know who Johnny Cash was until he passed away were buying out tshirts w his face on them? I sure did. The new “country” fans like to look the part. Not sound the part.
Respect takes work.
That is what is truly unfortunate.
Pop stars don’t respect their audience and neither do most of the EDM country acts. The listeners don’t even PAY for the music they so-called LOVE.
The actual love isn’t there.
Price point should not dictate quality.
Thank you Trigger, for loving and defending country music