Conclusion: Six Gun Britt & American Idol

In my last post I talked about how singer/songwriter Six Gun Britt had decided to try out for American Idol. Inspired by her residents and co-workers at the nursing home she worked at in Kentucky, Six Gun Britt went out a grueling journey to Atlanta and back, and this was the conclusion in Six Gun’s own words:

“Well… It’s Friday and I’m back in Kentucky. Yesterday I stayed in line for HOURS to try out. After singing Britney Spear’s “Oopps I did it Again” for over an hour with the crowd, I finally got to go onto the field with a couple hundred people to try out. Unlucky for me, I was sent to the executive Producer’s Stand.

“I tried out with a set of 4 people. I sang my heart out with one of my favorite songs, Jolene, and told him why I was there. (About the whole Country music thing and for my Residents) , and he just smiled. After all 4 of us sang, he asked all of us to come to the table. The girl next to me sang soooo awesome, you couldn’t possibly believe the set of pipes this girl had on her. She was AMAZING! There was a guy next to me that didn’t sing as good. BUT!!!… here’s the kicker… After calling all of us to the stand he told all the girls that we weren’t quite what he was looking for and asked us to go to the door. The guy made it. Then it hit me… there were 4 lines of people in front of us also. Every line included one guy. And every guy was asked to stay and get a golden ticket. I finally realized why we weren’t what he was looking for! lol!

“But no big deal. I really had a blast. I do think the show is biased though in many ways. I witnessed it myself. I’m not a sorry loser at all, but it was obvious that there were certain people they were looking for… whether they could sing or not. Do I think that American Idol is crippling out Country music traditions? Yes I do. It’s a factor that’s incredibly hindering it. I wish I could have done more than I did, but a try country music singer (Classic country Hank, Jones, Jennings, Cash, or even Nelson) wouldn’t have even stood a chance with these people. It’s sad to say, but it’s true. You wouldn’t see them living to the beat of a pop culture tune either. And so I am sticking to my roots. That’s all I’ve got and that makes the most sense to me!”

“So lets live loud and keep up with trying to Save Country Music. Stick to our Roots and Tradition because we’re nothing without them! Thanks so much for the support and everything yall have done for me. Seeing yall support me like that meant more than me making it onto the show or not. Thanks again and take er’ easy! I love yall!”

Always,

SGB

I talked on the phone with Six Gun Britt yesterday, and she assured me that this will not break her spirits for pursuing music in the future.

Some people might think that all I do here is piss and moan about music that I hate, and overly-glorify music that I love, all according to my personal tastes. I’m not going to try to make an argument that I’m not biased, but my real desire for country music, and music in general is to see the cream rise to the top; for the most talented musicians, songwriters, and performers, to at least get the recognition they deserve.

Sure, pop country performers must have some talent, and must have done some work at some point to get where they are at. But it should be the priority of our culture to find the best and brightest of any field, whether it be music, country music, art, acting, sports, science, whatever it is, and shine the spotlight on them. Because those are the people that push the rest of us and inspire all of us to try to find and pursue and dedicate ourselves to the things that we do best; the one thing that each of us has that is unique and should be shared with the masses.

Long story short, in this instance, American Idol failed it’s viewers. Sure, it is not a surprise, but this doesn’t make it any less of a tragedy, and a tragedy that is played out virtually every day as concerns for money and fame override talent and excellence.

I have confidence that one day American Idol will have to look back and hang their head that they let Six Gun Britt slide through their fingers.

Six Gun Britt to Tackle American Idol

Yes I know, Fox Television’s American Idol is a Barbie and Ken-style prancing poodle popularity contest that promotes celebrity worship and rabid consumerism, and is causing a general decay and homogenization of our culture to a prim and prissy style of music that is heroically void of soul.

BUT, just indulge me for a second, and imagine a truly talented, REAL country Outlaw-style artist getting on there, and using the machine of POP, to expose millions to what REAL country music can be all about. I have had this little scheme in the back of my head for years: some highly talented artist wiggling their way on to that show, giving a voice and a face to this movement to take country music back.

Well Six Gun Britt at this very moment is trying to do that very thing. I am trying to not get too excited about this, or lump any undue pressure or expectations on her, but this whole idea has me pitching a tent in my music pants for sure. It is going to be very difficult, if the whole thing isn’t outright rigged, and if Six Gun doesn’t at least make it deep into the contest, we will all know it is rigged for sure. Six Gun Britt is one of the most raw talents our country has to offer. It is as simple as that.

Six Gun Britt has been working at a nursing home. In a recent bulletin from her, she said, ” Usually i’m not one to care about Main stream hit list shows, but after playing last Sunday at the nursing home ( during my breaks), my fellow co-workers and the residents really wanted me to go for it. I am doing this for my residents and yall.” Now if that is not as cool as all get out, I don’t know what is. Think of the smiles on those faces at a nursing home back in Kentucky if Six Gun makes it on to the show. That is what this is all about. That is what music is all about; uplifting the spirit and coping with sorrow; not selling pimple cream and purple pants. And Six Gun Britt and what she is trying to do embodies that spirit.

I know there will be some punks out there thinking Six Gun and the rest of us should not even recognize American Idol or give it our time, and I completely understand this point of view, and under normal circumstances, I would agree with it whole-heartedly. But this is a war, and if we can use the machines of POP to expose a REAL talent, or even to turn the tables of the machines themselves, I think it would be foolish not to.

But let’s not make this all about our disdain for pop country or American Idol. This is about a girl and a guitar, and a dream. It is about the bond Britt has made with people at a nursing home that she shares no blood with.

In the end she may not be America’s Idol, but Six Gun Britt and her story is about as American as it gets.

Go get ‘em Britt, this is one guy who is behind you 100%.

(Six Gun Britt is in Atlanta at the moment. Registration is on Tuesday and tryouts are on Thursday. I will keep everyone posted on how she does.)

American Idol / Spears GO COUNTRY

OK people, you might want to perch a paper bag on your knee for this one, ’cause it could get nasty.

This week the great cultural deconstructionist and mind-numbing indoctrinator American Idol is going to have “country week.” No, songs by Willie and Waylon will not be featured. Try Sailor Twift, Timberly McGraw, and whatever Disney pre-pubescent starlet Disney has bribed with Oreos to look cute and sing through a pitch bender, while the proud parents hang out back stage snorting all the profits up their noses.

Nothing about what will happen on American Idol this week will be “country.” It will be an absolute abomination of that term, a term which belongs to us, the people, not corporate Nashville or Fox and their marketing gurus.

Like I said in my editorial on Outlaw Magazine:

“The term “country” is not something owned by executives in tall buildings, but by the people of the country, as the term implies. We cannot write it off or abandon it. We must fight for that word. We must constantly work to purify it, and keep it pure. It is OUR word, not theirs. We must let it be known that our culture is not for sale.”

So if you dare to watch the Idol proceedings this week, or you hear someone talking about it, whatever, just let it be known:

THAT’S NOT COUNTRY !!!

From Rebel Rouser

And if that isn’t enough to pour salt in the wound left when Nashville tried to rip REAL country out of your soul, according to The Boston Herald Jamie Lynn Spears, sister of the wheels off Britney Spears who has infected our youth with raunch culture, is “Going Country.” That’s right my friends, get naked and roll around in a big pile of friggin’ money.

Apparently being able to make millions a year for doing nothing more than stupid things for the tabloids to report, like getting knocked up at 15, is not enough for the younger Spears, and she now wants to make even more greenage pissing all over the traditions that made country great. Jamie might as well be dancing a jig on the grave of Hank Williams.

What a joke. Hopefully this charade will blow up in their face, just like it did for Jessica Simpson.