Chris Shiflett & Chris Stapleton Talk Saving Country Music on “Walking The Floor” Podcast
On Episode 97 of Chris Shiflett’s Walking The Floor podcast, the Foo Fighters guitarist and part-time Americana solo performer interviewed Chris Stapleton, and the topic of Saving Country Music came up in the context of criticizing music in mainstream country.
Chris Shiflett brought up how Stapleton’s success is very much the result of two separate worlds coming together. Stapleton’s solo albums and his work with the SteelDrivers is very independent and organic in nature, while his work on Music Row as a songwriter for people such as Luke Bryan and Thomas Rhett is what helped ingratiate Stapleton to the mainstream industry. So how was he able to reside in both worlds, and balance the two?
“I don’t care what the labels are,” Stapleton said to Shiflett. “And I hate when people argue about it like there’s some right or wrong answer. If you don’t like something, don’t listen to it. Listen to something else. But listen to music and go buy a ticket to a live show because that’s what keeps music healthy.”
This is when the topic of Saving Country Music came up.
“Does it get tiresome to have that guy Saving Country Music tag you,” Chris Shiflett asked, “and you’re like, ‘What are you talking about, I come from that world man, give me a break?'”
“I don’t know,” Stapleton responds. “They put that stuff on Sturgill for a while. That’s how you sell magazines, and critics get paid to be critical, and they always want to stir the pot a little bit I guess. But also for us they’ve been very kind … I respect anybody who can get out, knowing what it takes to come out here and tour, and earn an audience.”
First off, the idea that Saving Country Music has ever lumped the responsibility of “saving country music” on the shoulders of any individual artist, expected any artist to act as a “country music savior,” or attempted to guilt trip Stapleton or others to confront the ills of Music Row and call out artists or music from the mainstream, is a misnomer based on a shallow observance of what Saving Country Music does.
If artists such as Sturgill Simpson, Dale Watson, and Whitey Morgan choose to speak out, that is there prerogative. But artists obviously have no obligation to address what is happening in the mainstream if they don’t want to, and certainly aren’t being guilt tripped to do so, or even be a part of that movement if they choose not to. Saying that Chris Stapleton’s music is making mainstream country music better or helping to “save country music” is simply an opinion, and flattery at worst. The leadership to save country music must come from the music itself—not what anyone says or does off the stage—and Chris Stapleton is a perfect example of that.
Frankly, it is difficult to cover this topic without feeling redundant, since it’s been addressed ad nauseum here before, and usually not in response to anything Saving Country Music has said or done, but other outlets with hyperventilating Millenial writers fawning over Stapleton, Sturgill Simpson, and Jason Isbell, writing in hyperbole, and absconding with the “saving country music” phrase for their own devices.
In February of 2016, Chris Stapleton was interviewed by The Nashville Scene and said, “I don’t think country music needs saving.” Similar discussions were also covered in the conversation making the case Against Chris Stapleton as Country Music’s Savior.
As was said at that time:
Chris Stapleton is the dramatic exception, not the rule. He was a successful songwriter and was able to feed his family way before his solo career took off. He was able to make the album he wanted with Traveller, and he was allowed to have that album highlighted on country music’s biggest stage because of the respect of his industry peers. Stapleton did time in vans and cheap hotels touring with the Jompson Brothers and the Steeldrivers previously, but somehow he seems to have forgotten about the struggles true country artists go through every day to make ends meet, while undisciplined, under-qualified, and lesser-talented performers continue to move up in the industry.
So it’s no wonder Chris Stapleton sees the glass half full when it comes to the country music industry, and may not think there’s any need to save it, or for a savior to rise up from the ranks of performers. Meanwhile hundreds of skilled songwriters are out on the street. And the same goes for singer/songwriters and many performers. As artists like Chris Stapleton, Luke Bryan, and Sam Hunt dominate the country music landscape from top to bottom in sales, the breadth of artists enjoying commercial success, radio play, and industry support is anemic compared to previous eras. Even artists signed to major labels are more susceptible than ever before to being dropped with their albums sitting on a shelf, or having their creative expressions stymied by label executives or producers.
And none of this broaches the issues of the historic inequality against female performers currently plaguing country radio, the scourge of 360 deals ruining artists’ lives and careers, and other equality issues.
People don’t complain about Sam Hunt’s music just because they hate it and they want others to be won over by their perspective. It’s because they want folks to know that there’s something better out there; that there’s artists like Chris Stapleton that can deliver something that is more uplifting and inspiring to them.
Chris Stapleton seems like a sincerely nice guy at heart, and averted to conflict in just about any context. You’re never going to hear him call out another artist or a piece of music because it’s not his thing. And that’s not only okay, that’s one of the cool things about Stapleton—that he is so even-keeled and calm-minded, despite the tortured soul his music personifies, and the conflicting nature of the two music worlds he resides in. He’s made a lot of money by writing songs for others, and now by playing his own music his own way, and has become a superstar. The success of Chris Stapleton is something we should all celebrate. But we shouldn’t use that success or some Kumbaya philosophy to gloss over the continued failures of the country music industry to fairly vet talent, and offer equality to all artists and songwriters, or to properly classify what country music is.
I hope Saving Country Music is “tiresome” to those who can only benefit from the continuation of the status quo. Nobody has spilled more positive ink for Chris Stapleton, sometimes to the ire of regular readers. But his story and the lessons that can be garnered from it are important, inspiring, and necessary to discuss if certain issues and dilemmas that persist in country music—despite Stapleton’s success—are ever to be solved, or at least mitigated.
DJ
September 18, 2017 @ 8:55 am
Personally, I wouldn’t worry about what somebody with a name like foo fighters said about anything.
Kevin
September 18, 2017 @ 11:05 am
They didn’t invent the term. It originates from pilots in World War II
Dr. Venkman
September 18, 2017 @ 11:46 am
Despite what you or other commentators on here may think of him or the Foo Fighters, his interest in country music is legitimate, I advise looking back at some of his guests as he has had many great artists. I believe his first guest was Red Simpson as well as Merle, Cody Jinks, Jason Isbell, Lucinda Williams, Steve Earle, etc.
CountryCharm
September 18, 2017 @ 2:27 pm
He’s a well respected musician who crosses genres. The Foo Fighters is rock & roll royalty. You might have heard of a little unknown band called Nirvana? Dave Groll who founded Foo Fighters was the drummer.
People pay attention to Chris Shiflett.
DJ
September 18, 2017 @ 3:02 pm
LOL….,royalty? LOL….. he puts his pants on one leg at a time. I don’t listen to rock music except an occasional Kid Rock song, and this site is Saving COUNTRY Music. I don’t care about Nirvana or Rolling Stones or Beatles or Kiss or Foo Fighters or whatever,so,maybe someone needs to tell me why I should care about some self-important royalty (LOL) dipshit taking a cheap shot strictly for attention. Rock music died a long time ago with the onslaught of the Beatles, IMNSHO, and I actually liked them when I was a kid, until they got too full of themselves, like many “rock” people do, which this guy is doing taking his self importance (royalty….LOL) way too seriously, and those defending his self importance by calling him royalty…LOL. I don’t even call Elvis king. They are people. Period. Talented but no better than you, or me and their opinions are less important than my cats opinions and probably less informed.
I know a cheap (attention whore) shot when I see one. Name dropping, no matter how subtle is still name dropping and I doubt he even reads this site. He was likely told about it. It garners a lot of attention, so, he had to say something, no matter how petty it is. Just to get attention!
Jon
September 18, 2017 @ 3:52 pm
Stopped reading after “Kid Rock.”
DJ
September 18, 2017 @ 5:11 pm
Impressive!
Jon
September 18, 2017 @ 9:45 pm
So was your rant perfectly describing yourself but aimed at other people.
DJ
September 19, 2017 @ 5:45 am
Not exactly. I don’t have a pod cast I want people to listen to and I don’t have a band I want people to pay to see…..LOL. But don’t let those pertinent facts stop you from reading my rant and saying you didn’t. LOL.
DJ
September 19, 2017 @ 7:28 am
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iskARYUmKYI
Jon
September 19, 2017 @ 7:29 pm
Goddamn, you busted out those “pertinent facts” on me. Heavy artillery. But, while we’re at it…
Pertinent fact 1: I didn’t read your whole rant.
Pertinent fact 2: Kid Rock sucks ass at music.
Jon
September 19, 2017 @ 7:34 pm
Have your opinion. Say what you feel like saying. But when you call someone out by doing the exact same shit, don’t be surprised when someone calls you on it.
CountryCharm
September 19, 2017 @ 6:37 am
You might want to read the follow up. They never mentioned Trigger or Saving Country. It was misheard.
But keep ranting because well what else you gonna do?
DJ
September 19, 2017 @ 7:25 am
I don’t like rock. I don’t like rockers who are “royalty”(?) even less. That said, I said in the very first post in this thread: I wouldn’t worry about it.
But, the many here want to defend it. This web site is saving COUNTRY Music. If it’s a sin to denounce a rock group with what I consider a stupid name, (and I wouldn’t care if it was jesus christ himself) sign me up.
I’ll defend myself and my opinions, which I did, and clearly stated what I oppose, (though apparently not succinctly enough for a few thin skinned defenders).
If that is a rant, so be it. I stand by everything I’ve said, in every thread and response.
Trigger
September 19, 2017 @ 11:10 am
I don’t know if that’s true. Even if Shiflett wasn’t referring to Saving Country Music directly, somebody is putting the saving country music “tag” on Chris Stapleton, according to Shiflett. And that person would have to use that term, and regularly criticize people like Luke Bryan, if you listen to the quote in context. So even if Shiflett wasn’t addressing Saving Country Music directly, he still was referring to the site in his statement.
This is not an article about how Chris Sthiflett called out Saving Country Music. It is an article about how the term “saving country music” is being used, and the implications of that.
MP
October 9, 2017 @ 10:41 am
This guy is saying rock DIED with the beatles………… THE BEATLES? ROCK?
ShadeGrown
September 18, 2017 @ 6:51 pm
The foo fighters suck. They couldn’t be more half assed on the whole. They are the Eric Church of rock music. Better than some on the radio but really not worth a damn when compared to bands you might have to dig for. Overrated to the extreme. Terrible.
CountryCharm
September 19, 2017 @ 6:38 am
Keep digging.
Doug
September 20, 2017 @ 4:40 pm
I’ve listened to a lot of the Walking the Floor podcasts and Chris Shiflett is an excellent interviewer. The comment quoted here re Saving Country Music is not characteristic of his usual tone — I’m surprised he said that. He usually talks music, with lots of background about his guest’s career, road stories, their favorite artists, etc.. He knows country music and he clearly loves it, and because he’s a musician the artists he talks to feel comfortable talking to him. Recommended listening despite his weird, gratuitous dig at Trigger.
Ronald
September 18, 2017 @ 9:09 am
The Foo Fighters are an unbelievable band. They are one of the few bands that are carrying the flag for real rock music. Rock music is going through a similar identity crisis like country. All of this “indie” music they call rock has ruined rock music. The Foo Fighters are one of the true remaining rock bands.
Fuzzy TwoShirts
September 18, 2017 @ 9:37 am
As about the only person left in the world who actually knows something about Country Music and isn’t fooled by a lot of the current “not as bad as Luke Bryan but still not Country” acts (looking at you Miranda Lambert)
I effing love Foo Fighters. Even though a lot of rock music especially the hard stuff is just addicted twenty-somethings with martyr complexes you gotta admit those guys write some emotionally heavy and sincere songs.
esecially when I’m angry about something.
there aren’t a lot of good Angry Country songs.
and as an Angry Country fan I release a lot of anger with Foo fighters and Green Day.
because those guys can write some good “wrath music”
and who cares if they’re “real rock” or not at least they didn’t tell me rock needed to evolve then play me some smooth jazz like Puke Bryan as his thumb-sucking ilk.
Barstool Hero
September 18, 2017 @ 12:48 pm
Dave Grohl’s “Sonic Highway” series was really cool. If you haven’t seen it, it’s worth a look. They unearth a lot of music history across many genres, and record tracks in some pretty important studios.
jtrpdx
September 18, 2017 @ 2:34 pm
The documentary Sound City that Grohl did is amazing as well
U.S. SAM
September 18, 2017 @ 2:43 pm
Wondering if there is any room in this thread for anybody else,given the size of your ego ? “As about the only person left in the world who actually knows something about Country Music”?Really? Not trying to start some B.S. argument with you,Just calling you on your bull shit..If You seriously think that,,Good For You,,, but You may be the only one that agrees with that sentiment…………HankIII is the 1st artist that comes to mind as far as “angry Love songs” .. And I agree FF & Greenday are 2 good bands….
Fuzzy TwoShirts
September 18, 2017 @ 4:16 pm
Hank 3 is a great artist but at times he wanders a little far outside of “Country Music.”
usually when I refer to “Country Music” I refer to music that sounds similar to George Jones, Randy Travis, Patsy Montana, Don Walser and Patsy Cline. among a few others.
A lot of people lump a wider variety of artists into the category including the Statler Brothers (which I won’t argue with since while they may not be true Country they definitely aren’t “Not Country” if that makes sense) and Reba McEntire and Miranda Lambert.
some of these I don’t mind being called Country Music and some I do.
but usually when I refer to Country Music I’m referring to specific style.
I haven’t delved too far into Hank 3’s work I mean I know a few tunes and a guy I used to perform with usually included “my drinking problem left today” as part of the set but I definitely haven’t heard all he’s recorded is there a good album to get?
do you have a favorite (non american idiot) Green Day album?
gbkeith
September 18, 2017 @ 7:02 pm
Hang on. Wouldn’t Patsy Cline be pop country? And did Don Walser still fit into Country Music once they stopped calling it Country and Western music?
Fuzzy TwoShirts
September 18, 2017 @ 7:29 pm
GBKeith:
ah the old “Patsy was pop Country” debate.
Sure, maybe by the standards of the era. Patsy was definitely more like Jim Reeves than like Hank Williams or Bill Monroe.
but after even ten years had passed Patsy Cline sounded more similar to the classic acts than she did to then current music from Waylon and later Kenny Rogers.
Plus even though her arrangements trended more towards Rat-Pack-esque string arrangements the songs themselves were decidedly Country in origin especially her top iconic songs ‘Faded love” and “Crazy”
as for Don Walser…
Country Music had long abandoned the Western title before Don Walser made serious waves and most Walser tunes were drenched in double fiddles (most Western of the ‘Country and Western’ era had one fiddle) and steel guitar, which was predominantly associated with Country Music.
Go take a gander at a gem like “Shelly’s winter love” (I personally felt Don sang it better than Merle) and it sounds more Country than Western.
While Don Walser was decidedly western in influence and style he was always a part of the Country Music scene even if a lot of his decisions to maintain western swing sounds and stylings cost him some commercial viability.
But his performance of “Fool Such as I” is the best (my opinion)
U.S. SAM
September 19, 2017 @ 2:27 pm
Fuzzy Twoshirts I would start with “Straight To Hell” when anyone asks what to listen to by Hank III .. The fact that he delves into music “far outside Country Music” I think is irrelevant.. I’ve seen Hank live,,He opens with the country stuff,,then presents his “other stuff” I’m actually not a fan of the “other stuff” but the fact that he wants to do it,does NOT make him any less country to me.It’s NOT like he is presenting the “other stuff” as country music.. I think that would be like saying Elvis was NOT Rock,because he also did Country-ish & Gospel Music..
Patsy Cline ? I really like her and is an EXCELLENT example of “POP Country” to say she isn’t is B.S… She crossed over to the Pop Charts.. doesn’t mean she’s NOT great.. Funny how back then very few people cared WHAT music was “called” .. as far as the Artists were concerned it just allowed their music to be presented to more listeners..
I have to wonder why someone,who I’m guessing is also a musician,feels the need to be/sound like such an authority on all of this ? You have your thoughts & opinions,,And I fully believe you have that right,which I fully support.But you come off to me,like you think your opinions & views are above everyone else’s.. Not a Great Way for people to want to hear what you have to say.. NOT that you should give a fuck what I think,,after all you are THEE SUPREME authority on Country Music ???? Food for Thought………..
Ulysses McCaskill
September 18, 2017 @ 10:13 pm
Fuzzy, I generally agree with your posts but you might try a little humility. I like to think myself and a bunch of other folks know a little bit about Country Music as well.
Ginger
September 18, 2017 @ 9:22 am
Music writers, critics, groupies and roadies, they are all good m love with the person on stage. That was some real emotional writing. Sounds like a sweet someone has loving eyes for Chris Stapleton. A hole could be punched in every single sentence. Just
An excuse to swim around in your dreams of Chris leaving his wife for you. Crazed country man fans. Would the man bawling in public whenever he was out satisfy your dissatisfaction of him being an emotional wreck on the inside (displayed in his songs) and a calm guy off stage? That’s just the first issue I’m experiencing (gag) with your overly emotional, clinging write up. I’m sure he loves you back… girls trapped in boys bodies… get some pride in yourself and stop whining. Doesn’t feel country to me.
Travis
September 18, 2017 @ 1:45 pm
Is Ginger supposed to be a gag like Lil Dale? These comments are too bizarre to be serious but not funny enough to be a joke…unless it’s like an Andy Kaufman type performance or something that’s just going over my head.
Trigger
September 18, 2017 @ 2:16 pm
I think so. Unfortunately, I’m not sure others do.
scott
September 19, 2017 @ 5:47 am
Lil Dale is a commenting god. Leave him outta this. His words are gospel.
Ginger
September 18, 2017 @ 9:23 am
Oops …roadies, they are all in love with the person on stage.
Ginger
September 18, 2017 @ 12:01 pm
Who does country music actually need to be saved from? Does it make you uncomfortable that they keep tagging you?
Fuzzy TwoShirts
September 18, 2017 @ 12:07 pm
Luke Bryan. it needs to be saved from Luke Bryan.
Jon
September 18, 2017 @ 3:55 pm
Stupid commenters named after spices.
Jim Z.
September 18, 2017 @ 4:39 pm
Fuzzy is a spice?
Jon
September 18, 2017 @ 9:48 pm
Fuzzy gets a little too worked up sometimes, maybe, but (s)he is okay enough from what I can tell and not the subject of my comment.
Fuzzy TwoShirts
September 19, 2017 @ 7:19 pm
I want to apologize for being “a little too worked up sometimes, maybe.”
I will confess to being angry.
I’m angry that my favorite kind of music has been torn away by corporate bean counters.
But I also called Chris Stapleton implicit to the erosion of our genre.
and that’s just dumb.
It sure felt good to say it when I was getting steamed up.
but it was just dumb.
I promise I’m not an egotistical maniac who hates everyone.
I care a lot about Country Music and sometimes I get fired up about stuff especially after going through a few days in my life I just blow my top.
I love Traveller and I sure plan on buying the new album.
Jon
September 19, 2017 @ 7:30 pm
No need to apologize. We all get worked up sometimes. Means you care.
C
September 18, 2017 @ 9:24 am
Im going to assume that Stapleton and Shiflett are just going off the name of this website and not the actual content of the articles on the website when they talk about SCM. It definitely sucks that Stapleton thinks that everyone here was thinking of him as a savior. I somehow hoped that he would read a little deeper into SCM before he made such an blind comment. Its disheartening to hear Stapleton kind of miss the point of SCM after all the great things its done for music. His albums have certainly helped steer country music in the right direction, but obviously one person isnt going to change everything, especially one who panders to both sides. That has been talked about on here a lot.
Fuzzy TwoShirts
September 18, 2017 @ 9:33 am
meanwhile this guy’s success stole Sturgill Simpson’s thunder.
anyone remember Sturgill Simpson? that guy we all thought was the savior we were looking for?
the only person on the whole damn planet to come to Haggard and Charley Pride’s defense when the industry stomped all over them?
that guy.
Stapleton is a great writer and a great performer but I sincerely wish his success had gone to Sturgill Simpson.
because Country Music needs somebody who’s going to shout down the imbeciles and take the morons to task and clean house.
And if Chris Stapleton isn’t willing to call a spade a spade and tell Luke Bryan and Sam Hunt to go back to flipping burgers like the rest of the people with similar life experiences then I have little use for his celebrity status.
At this point any future ACM/CMA/whatever other B.S. abbreviation the corporate dunderheads come up with awards he might win I only support in the sense that Jason Al-D-wad doesn’t win them.
because Stapleton isn’t our friend.
He’s complicit to the erosion of our genre.
meanwhile Sturgill Simpson is out busting his you know what and working his way up and actually caring about the future of our music and calling spades spades.
We’ll never beat the bean-counting snake-oil salesmen on music row with a front man like Stapleton because he isn’t invested in the future of music.
He obviously doesn’t care.
Sturgill cares. and look how we repaid him.
We wronged Simpson. he stood up for Haggard, Roy Clark, and company against the con that is the awards shows.
And most of us left him high and dry when we realized he hadn’t saved Country Music.
I swear the parallels to the account of Jesus is so similar.
the Jews rejected Jesus because he didn’t overthrow the Roman Empire like they wanted him to.
And now Country fans have rejected Simpson because Stapleton came along and made a big splash two years ago.
but he hasn’t done one iota for our genre since that time.
Roy Clark got conned, Haggard got shafted, and nobody’s talking about Don Williams either because of the 2nd banana to some lame boy band that sorta made some semblance of Country Music that my dad listened to died the same day.
Wake me up when M.G. ever had the type of material Don Williams had oh right they didn’t why is Don Williams getting shafted oh yeah it’s because the bean-counting snake-oil-salesmen are trying to undermine Country Music.
I loved “Traveller” and I haven’t bought the new one yet but I want to it looks really good
but I’m tired of hearing this guy say “all music is okay”
Not all music is ok, Chris. that stuff you told me not to listen to is more than just something I don’t like it’s an attack on my lifestyle and an offense to the way I was raised.
I need more than you telling me not to listen to it.
I need you telling people not to record it
I need you telling people not to call it Country Music
fayettenam brad
September 18, 2017 @ 10:31 am
I think Chris Stapleton sounds like an R&B singer…and his voice reminds me of T Graham Brown, who I used to see every weekend growing up in Athens. Much respect but I prefer Sturgill for sure.
Rob
September 18, 2017 @ 11:21 am
I think this is very unfair to Stapleton. I wish he would say something against modern country, and I think it would be helpful, but I legitimately respect the fact that he is such a nice guy. He may not speak out, but his music does the talking. I’m a huge fan of Sturgill and Stapleton. And Sturgill has legions of fans, fans haven’t just turned their backs on him. He got a Grammy for best county album and got a a nomination for best album overall, and this site is filled with Sturgill lovers.
Fuzzy TwoShirts
September 18, 2017 @ 11:44 am
I mean…
I hate to sound angry or spiteful.
I’m really glad he’s getting what he’s getting and I respect that he’s not like me and always insulting everyone.
But being nice isn’t going to save Country Music.
letting his music do the talking didn’t do much. we still have a Sam Hunt infestation and while some of the other acts are looking better the worst are getting worse.
I mean… it is unfair to expect him to wave his hands and air all our grievances.
But let’s face it, traditional Country fans make up most of his ardent supporters, and a lot of the bro fans can’t stand him.
A bit of acknowledging who his base is would go a long way.
even an “A lot of my fans don’t like what Country is becoming and I don’t want to trash anybody’s music but I don’t think my fans and Sam Hunt’s fans have a lot in common” would go a long way.
Rob
September 18, 2017 @ 6:44 pm
It would likely do some good if he at least said something about modern country, but I just don’t see Stapleton being that guy. He’s too nice, and to be honest he’s made a living writing a lot of their songs. On a side note, I hope Sturgill goes back to a more country sound on his next album, though I’m sure it’ll be great either way.
Barstool Hero
September 18, 2017 @ 12:52 pm
He’s not going to speak out against modern “country” music. Those guys have paid for his house. Luke Bryan “Drink a Beer”, Thomas Rhett “Crash and Burn”, just to hit the tip of the iceberg.
jtrpdx
September 18, 2017 @ 11:40 am
Sturgill is amazing, but I don’t think he would have had the mass market appeal that Stapleton does, even if he had received the backing of the industry, done the big spot with Timberlake, etc. Primarily because Stapleton’s writing style and performance style are much more digestible by the general public. The southern rock / bluesy elements of Stapleton, and his bluesy voice, are very appealing to people who are more casual radio listeners, as are his much more straightforward and consistent song arrangements.
Fuzzy TwoShirts
September 18, 2017 @ 11:48 am
except that Pre-Stapleton a lot of people would have said that Stapleton wasn’t radio friendly or mass marketable.
the lapdog listeners who gobble up what the bean-counting snake-oil-salesmen are peddling will buy anything that anyone tells them is cool.
Or more specifically will get them laid.
Because most people want party music to find hookups to.
and the lapdog listeners need to be dismissed as not having meaningful opinions about art.
the practice of giving these non-fans equal say as actual fans is part of the devaluation of music and the reason music is becoming dumbed down.
not all opinions matter.
Not because they aren’t deserving, but because when the cookies need dunking we need the opinions of people who are actually invested in it to make the decisions.
Much like you wouldn’t let people who call Michael Bay’s “Transformers” their favorite movie vote for the year’s best films the problem is that too many non-fans are getting in the way of everything.
jtrpdx
September 18, 2017 @ 1:05 pm
All great points. The reality and extremely unfortunate truth is that the radio execs and Nashville execs know all too well that the non-fans represent a huge demographic that vastly outnumbers people seeking out real music. They are the majority of radio listeners, record buyers / downloaders, and concert goers. As long as that’s the case, the industry will cater to them and their love of catchy pop music.
Cool Lester Smooth
September 19, 2017 @ 10:46 am
Did you hear “What Are You Listening To?” when it came out?
As far as I remember, the unanimous reaction was “if this man ever gets even a few minutes of mainstream exposure, he’s going to be a superstar.”
Smart, simple, accessible pop songwriting, gorgeous hook and a “Who IS that man?” voice are a damn powerful combination when it comes to mainstream appeal.
The biggest difference between Traveler and his mainstream writing hits is that Chris has a better voice than a guy like Bryan or Rhett.
Ginger
September 18, 2017 @ 12:35 pm
Ok you’re just being a weirdo right? You “liked” yourself 14 times with all your aliases. Your imaginary friends. You’re in love with Chris Stapleton and you know it.
Jesus died because he wouldn’t over throw the Roman Empire? Are you one of those gladiator role players who let an hbo tv show control your destiny in life? Are you getting that feeling that it’s time for a party with piles of cocaine and stretchy costumes, gladiator wannabes only invited? Are all tour desperate roadie friends getting excited? What happens when Games of Thrones is over and the trend moves to gentle coffee shop culture again? Your delusion and confusion is bizarre. Invest yourself in creating old folks homes for men alone. You can race your wheel chairs like they are chariots. Your mind is already there. You’ve already forgotten what you’ve read.
Fuzzy TwoShirts
September 18, 2017 @ 12:50 pm
but… but…
Game of Thrones is life… I assure you there are no wannabes at my parties. only real gladiators.
We even use actual metal swords. We just don’t sharpen them because we’re trying not to kill ourselves before the next episode of game of thrones…
Jeff got bad tetanus from this but he’s doing better.
I assure you I have already invested in everything I can afford to invest in. and no old folks homes for me.
I figure Game of Thrones won’t last forever so I don’t need to get old.
But I did build a few men only yoga studios unfortunately right now we have them filled with marine life that we rescued from Hurricane Fred but as soon as the flood levels in Phoenix go back down we can drive them all back in our Honda Civics and release them back into the Indian ocean where they belong.
and then we can have our yoga classes again.
Ginger
September 18, 2017 @ 1:11 pm
Oh boo hoo hoooey fuzzy ! You’re a wanted man for your money and it’s all invested. I meant invest your time douchebag. You have plenty of that on your pathetic hands. Oh! Look how mean and unfair poor fucking asshole is being treated. Maybe the LGBTQQ community will run to your rescue.
Maybe you can just ride your fuck parties through on the struggle they went through and claim you’re being mistreated. Why you hiding your sexuality? Why you let everyone else do the work while you’re just fucking around. Will the audience you love so much go away when they find out you’re gay? What kind of people are those anyway? Defend your audience with your swords? Go back to bisexual coffee fireside chats. Games of thrones is over and all your roadie friends will be getting married and starting families.
Fuzzy TwoShirts
September 18, 2017 @ 1:25 pm
none of my friends will get married they are all losers like me
Gilligan
September 19, 2017 @ 11:26 am
Ginger, lay off the sauce
Mary
September 18, 2017 @ 1:30 pm
I do not consider my self a country music fan. As an outsider the kind of music Chris does resonates with me more. I think the same can be said for most non country music fans I know that like him. Sturgill is a great artist. I can appreciate that when I listen to his music. But his music just does not grab you and demand you pay attention like Chris does. Chris has more universal appeal.
Benny Lee
September 18, 2017 @ 7:53 pm
You make an important point. Stapleton’s music “grabs” more people in general.
But I am a fan of real country music. And I’ll take Metamodern and Hightop every time over anything Stapleton does. As a fan of country music, Sturgill’s music just connects in a way Stapleton’s never could.
Benny Lee
September 18, 2017 @ 7:56 pm
And I do Stapleton’s music too. He is a tremendous talent.
My above comment may have implied something else.
Cool Lester Smooth
September 19, 2017 @ 10:49 am
I gotcha.
High Top and Metamodern definitely hit more of a “country-lover” sweet spot than Traveler…which is “just” exceptionally written, sung, played and produced music.
U.S. SAM
September 19, 2017 @ 2:31 pm
ALL MUSIC IS O.K. ! If YOU don’t like it,,move on already !
Corncaster
September 18, 2017 @ 10:06 am
Roy Clark got conned?
Fuzzy TwoShirts
September 18, 2017 @ 10:11 am
I remember the last ACM/CMA/whichever the hell meat pageant it was… when they lined up a bunch of real Country acts and gave each of them about forty seconds to perform then kicked them out to make room for Puke Bryan and Beyonce and her ridiculous b.s. act to perform for all the six year olds who think that’s was Country Music is.
It was beyond disrespectful to one of the most talented performers in Country Music history.
and I haven’t forgiven.
Justin S
September 18, 2017 @ 10:33 am
Yeah it was sad they needed to get Roy all the way up on stage for him to say I’m a grinning, and Beyoncé gets 4 whole minutes to perform a not country song, and Merle who had just died got 30 seconds of recognition it’s all fucking bullshit.
Corncaster
September 18, 2017 @ 12:19 pm
well, what’s the old line about it being time to scrape the sh*t off your shoes?
way past time
Ginger
September 18, 2017 @ 1:01 pm
Oh boo hoo Roy needs your comfort
Ginger
September 18, 2017 @ 1:29 pm
I don’t know fuzzy 2 shirts maybe you should answer your own damn question with your own explanation. No one can see you. You give “bastard” a scientific definition. One that fell by the wayside. Not every kid who didn’t have a father to slap him upside the head or to take him to the woodshed for the belt turned out like you. But we sure know how it can happen. Did you get away with murder, did your mother believe you. Was there not a dad to say you might fool your mother, but you’re not fooling me?! That’s just great!
DJ
September 18, 2017 @ 10:31 am
LOL….. foo fighters. Grown men? Really? Saving COUNTRY Music (not rock music) is this websites name. Like I said, someone irrelevant to country music (foo whatever) doesn’t warrant being paid attention to. Stapleton was asked for an opinion. He gave it, and BTW, Simpson can’t save country music by not singing it. No I’m not a Simpson fan. Haven’t been, won’t be. Nor Jason Isbell. Neither have even half the soul Stapleton has IMNSHO. And to me, MY opinion is the one that counts for me, hence the ‘not so humble’….. and no one, including Stapleton or a man with a kids name, or Trigger, or any eruditeness or any kind of credentials will change it and Trigger should not let it bother him. He certainly won’t change my mind.
The Senator
September 18, 2017 @ 10:50 am
While I respect your opinion here, and the main point is a valid one, “Foo Fighters” is not the man’s performing name, but the name of the band he is in, and nor is it a “kid’s name,” but is derived from the name that WW II pilots called unidentified objects in flight. Sounds funny, but it has a legit historical context.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foo_fighter
Just because Shiflett comes from a rock band doesn’t mean he can’t talk business with people from other genres, and if he had some points worth our consideration, I wouldn’t shut his voice out just because he’s a rocker. Now, I do take umbrage with some of his points on their own validity, but that comes from them being off target, not because of who said it. Unless Shiflett was trying to cite some sort of legitimacy in the country genre without the boots and steel guitar to back them up(semi-metaphorically speaking)
Now, I like Stapleton, but he’s clearly not willing to speak out, I think it’s a half and half that he genuinely doesn’t see a problem, preferring to do his thing and let other people do theirs and partly that he’s maintained a lot of connections in the industry that he’s not willing to sever ties with should he be classified as a malcontent. Merely the way it looks to me, no special insight on the matter. I still think he’s a major league positive on our side, and it might help our cause to have some people simply singing while others can do the talking.
That said, I think that Stapleton, Isbell and Simpson all are helping our cause, and all deserve a great deal of respect for their craftsmanship. This site has said many times that one person can’t save country music, and these three and many others are all doing their part by dedicating their lives to the pursuit of real musical art.
DJ
September 18, 2017 @ 1:53 pm
“Now, I do take umbrage with some of his points on their own validity, but that comes from them being off target,”
“not because of who said it.”
One and the same which IMNSHO shows he don’t know shit, regardless of what his bands name is, or how it came about and yes it’s a kids name to attract kids, (mission accomplished I’d say) so, Trigger should ignore him, and so should Triggers Country Music fans. Good lord. The guy is transparent. He’s just trying to stir up shit, and apparently another poster here believes he is the “shit”, so good for him. He is STILL in the scheme of things (concerning Country Music,or Saving it) IR-FUCKING-RELEVANT douche bag that needs to keep his “shit” to himself.
Stalpleton can do what he does without his ‘help’.
And I still don’t like Simpson or Isbell for their alleged country music. Neither can hold a candle to Stapleton (or many others, IMNSHO). And like I said: MY opinion is what counts, FOR ME. Your’s may vary. I don’t care, but I do care that you are defending a rocker trying to stir “shit” about country music which is ALL he is doing. A jealous attention whore is what he is. A cheap one at that taking pot shots at Trigger who has a monumental task and does a pretty damn good, and fair job, of posting HIS opinions on the ‘state’ of country music as well as showcasing people who otherwise might garner no attention. Until a rocker (or some other douche bag knocking this site, regardless of genre) puts his sweat and time into the effort then he (or they) deserve NO attention/audience.
BTW, I don’t agree with all of Triggers proclamations. In fact I don’t agree with many of them, but, unlike some, I generally keep my opinions to myself and would even if I had a celebrity status, or should say, ‘especially’ if I had celebrity status.
Jon
September 18, 2017 @ 9:52 pm
If you really kept your opinions to yourself, your posts wouldn’t be 1000 word “look at me” diatribes. Again, you perfectly describe yourself in this post while aiming it at someone else.
It’s goddamn amazing.
Huntermc6
September 18, 2017 @ 10:38 am
Shiflett clearly has not done his homework on your articles, I highly doubt he has the time given the Foo Fighters are touring, they released an album, he has his own side project, a podcast and a somewhat large family to attend to I’ll cut him slack for that. However he misses the point or the reason we give Stapleton praise on SCM.
Stapleton releases music under the “country” genre that actually has country music characteristic and is released in the right genre and has had success in doing so in a climate that has proven to beat back even the most long standing artist (Strait, Jackson etc.). The thing we are all generally in agreement here is the current trend for releases in the country category are anything butt. This is why we push for Sturgill, Stapleton, Jinks, Whitey Morgan etc. to succeed. While Sturgill’s first 2 albums are more traditional country and sold well he is not quite as notable to the mass audience as Stapleton. I believe this is why Stapleton really just takes the “savior” title by default. He is currently the closest thing we have to “real country” that is having lots of commercial success and the obvious divide in the fan bases of the genre creates a need to put someone out front to represent “us”. No one had to proclaim that title for him and it didn’t matter if he wanted it or not. Obviously the reason we want him to succeed is to bring other struggling traditional artist to the forefront the only way to do that is to have a leader that advocates for them.
Jim Bob
September 18, 2017 @ 8:15 pm
I have to disagree on 2 points. 1) Sturgill has lashed the fuck out at music row in a big way, Stapleton won’t rock any boat. 2) Tyler Childers. Two words should be enough there, but Sturgill’s not going solo in his offensive, he’s attacking music row from all angles and he’s building a fucking army.
Give it a few years…bet Stapleton joins Sturgill’s army. And I also bet Sturgill will still fucking hate that “savior” label. Making good music’s one thing, but supporting good music’s another – bullshit pop-“country” #1’s vs Tyler Childers…point goes to Sturgill.
Note: I hate my entire fucking comment because I really like Stapleton and I love Sturgill, but I’m pretty sure the guys are friends. Fairly certain there’s no fighting/animosity between them, we’re the assholes giving that perception.
Huntermc6
September 19, 2017 @ 3:37 am
I’m not sure what you’re disagreeing with. I deleted a portion of my post that said something along the lines of: If Stapletons album sales and concert sales start to slow down in a big way do you think he changes his tune? I am not sure if he does or not because as others have stated, connections mean a lot in any business. I understand Sturgills frustration, we all champion him for calling out awards shows and the garbage the industry is putting out and that is great but you can take 2 completely different approaches to the situation which is EXACTLY what we have in Stapleton and Sturgill. Is one approach right and one wrong? Who am I to say?
Just because Stapleton is less abrasive towards the industry verbally doesn’t mean he doesn’t support “real country”. I don’t know who else he took on his summer tour with him but all the shows I saw listed and the one I went to he carried Margo price and Brent Cobb. I am really no expert on how concerts are set up but he brought two people who I would pay to see play their own show and i got to see 3 performers that fit the genre label “country” in my book. I have always hoped that someone like Eric Church would do something similar to this. Yes he is not country but more of a rock and roll figure as many on this blog have stated but I think if he brought Cody Jinks/Whitey Morgan etc. with him it would do amazing things for getting them more recognition.
It wouldn’t hurt my feelings is Stapleton spoke out on behalf of the music industry but after seeing countless interviews and seeing him live it just isn’t going to happen right now.
Cool Lester Smooth
September 19, 2017 @ 11:42 am
Eric actually has had DBT and JD McPherson as openers in the last couple years.
Of any artist you could have named, Eric’s likely been the best about that sort of thing.
The Senator
September 19, 2017 @ 12:52 pm
Agreed, saw Church with the Truckers opening, and it was a great show all around. He’s also pulled Ray Wylie Hubbard up on stage in recent memory, along with name dropping him in a song:
https://www.savingcountrymusic.com/eric-church-shocks-crowd-in-dallas-by-inviting-ray-wylie-hubbard-on-stage/
I’ll be seeing Ray sooner than later, too, and looking forward to that immensely.
Scott S.
September 18, 2017 @ 10:39 am
Funny shit.
Heath
September 18, 2017 @ 10:39 am
Hey Trigger,
That’s not what Shifflet said. He said:
“I mean, does it get tiresome to have the, the..you know, ‘the guy saving country music’ tag applied to you? I mean, like, ‘What are you talking about, I come from that world man, give me a break?’”
He stumbled over his words a bit and I rewound to listen again because I thought it was a mention of your website but he was just asking about the general label of country music savior, not this site.
Trigger
September 18, 2017 @ 11:07 am
Yeah, I guess there is a possibility that’s what’s going on here. I listened to it many times and it sounds to me like I was being referenced, and it sounded like that’s how Stapleton took it when he started talking about critics stirring the pot. I don’t listen to podcasts. I don’t have enough time because of all the music I’m tasked to review. So the only way I know when something newsworthy happens on a podcast is when readers reach out. And I received probably two dozen emails, multiple texts, and about a dozen comments on social media and elsewhere about how I had been “called out” on Chris’s podcast last Monday. So whether that is how Shiflett meant it, that is how it was perceived by a large swath of people. Frankly when I heard it, I didn’t think it was half as bad as it was being conveyed to me.
I don’t want this to turn into a Carly Simon situation, but I think the arguments and points I’m making in this article, whether I was referenced personally or it was more the concept of “saving country Music,” remain valid, and important to reinforce.
Kent
September 18, 2017 @ 2:13 pm
That’s what I think too. Because when Stapleton answered the question about the “Save Country Music tag”. He start talking about music critics and music magazines and how they need to sell those magazines. So I got the impression that Stapleton thought Shiflett was refering to something he’s been reading in magazins. Not this site…
Trigger
September 18, 2017 @ 2:26 pm
One of the points of this article was to point out the conflating of the term “saving country music” that has occurred in the media.
As I said, “Frankly, it is difficult to cover this topic without feeling redundant, since it’s been addressed ad nauseum here before, and usually not in response to anything Saving Country Music has said or done, but other outlets with hyperventilating Millenial writers fawning over Stapleton, Sturgill Simpson, and Jason Isbell, writing in hyperbole, and absconding with the “saving country music” phrase for their own devices.”
Also, I think that ‘magazine” at this point is more of a generic term for article-based media. Nobody subscribes to magazines anymore.
Cool Lester Smooth
September 19, 2017 @ 11:50 am
I think the “magazine” bit is likely a direct reference to that Rolling Stone feature about him, Sturgill and Isbell
Heath
September 18, 2017 @ 11:17 am
” I think the arguments and points I’m making in this article, whether I was referenced personally or it was more the concept of “saving country Music,” remain valid, and important to reinforce.”
Agreed. Just don’t want you annoyed with Chris if he wasn’t targeting you specifically. 🙂 Thanks!
Gina
September 18, 2017 @ 12:17 pm
First of all, I love the Foo Fighters. They are a badass band and Dave Grohl is the shit. Second, Chris is never going to call out mainstream country so we probably need to stop expecting him too. Third, Sturgill just sold out Radio City, which is huge, so there’s really no comparing their success. He said he doesn’t want to be part of the bullshit CMAs anyway and he his star has been on the rise since the Grammys and his SNL appearance. I think Chris’s comment was pretty much in character. Even Sturgill has said he doesn’t care much for the Savior title. They’re both doing great, without help from The mainstream, so I chose to celebrate that.
Dan Morris
September 18, 2017 @ 12:47 pm
Why does anyone think Chris Stapleton should call out any other musician for what they are doing anyway? It was only last month that Trig wrote an article stating that country artists had every right to not comment on the Charlottesville tragedy and no obligation to be political. What is this if not the same thing? What goes on down on music row is just country music politics and if Chris wants to stay above the fray that is his right. Personally I wish he would say it is all crap but I don’t insist on it
Trigger
September 18, 2017 @ 1:14 pm
I agree.
Ginger
September 18, 2017 @ 12:56 pm
Fuzzy 2 Shirts is just embarrassed about his appetites. it confuses him. He’s an entertaining man, just burning up inside, excited about Christmas and birthdays while expressing his firery passion for gladiators and flying dragons. To see him struggle in his skirt and boots in such a treat. At least he’ll never hear millennial say, “You’re old, your lips are thin and yucky and your skin is weird.” Or, “You have a cheeky, douchebag look in your eyes, you smell like chicken grease and your smile is sleezy.” Gladiators grow, together fighting the fight against bro country.
Some Buddy
September 18, 2017 @ 1:05 pm
I’m puzzled by this whole post. Sorry Trig, but the entire thing seems bizarrely defensive for what may or may not have been a reference to your website. I love this website and your take on things. But in this case… I don’t get it.
Trigger
September 18, 2017 @ 1:59 pm
Look, let me just sort of explain for everyone what happened here because all of a sudden this has become an unnecessary point of drama.
I don’t listen to podcasts. I’m too busy cramming music in my brain to be able to listen to podcasts. There’s just not the bandwidth. So the only way I know something that is newsworthy that occurs on the “Walking the Floor” podcast or any other podcast is because someone reaches out to me.
Last Monday when the Chris Stapleton episode was released, I was traveling from Austin to Nashville for AmericanaFest. On that day, there were DOZENS of people reaching out to me, saying that Shiflett and/or Stapleton had called me out on the podcast.
I will post a link here as an example from the site:
https://www.savingcountrymusic.com/chris-stapleton-surpasses-even-more-album-sales-milestones/comment-page-1/#comment-896700
I had no idea what it was about, and no way to listen to the podcast because I don’t use iTunes, and was too busy to figure out how to listen until Wednesday morning, about 48 hours after the podcast was released. Once I heard it, I thought, “Gee, doesn’t sound like anyone’s getting called out,” but it did seem clear to me that Shiflett was referencing me in his statement. Now perhaps that was presumptive of me because it was being run through the filter of all these folks telling me I was just called out. But going back and listening to the moment in the podcast again, I still feel like I was being referenced. And I feel like that’s what Chris Stapleton thinks too. Otherwise, why would he say, “Critics get paid to be critical, and they always want to stir the pot a little bit I guess.”? I’m a critic. I have a website called Saving Country Music.
At the same time, I’m not so self-absorbed to recognize that Shiflett COULD have not been referencing me, and instead was talking about Stapleton getting referenced as the “saving country music” guy—which by the way, would STILL implicate me in the conversation, since hypothetically I would be one referencing Stapleton as such since I run a website of the same name and regularly criticize mainstream country. Frankly, there was a lot of yammering in the Shiflett quote, and it’s hard to make out what he’s saying at all. I don’t think Shiflett’s quote is clear enough to know 100% which one it is. And frankly, I don’t really know if I care at this point.
I have nothing against Chris Shiflett or Chris Stapleton. The point of this article was to just reiterate that I agree that it is unfair to lump the term “saving country music” or “country music savior” on an artist, but that it is also important to understand there are serious challenges to the genre, and the idea that everything’s hunkey dorey because both Stapleton and Luke Bryan are able to get paid at the same time is shortsighted.
Maybe Shiflett was addressing me directly, or maybe he was inadvertently, or maybe he wasn’t at all. Either way, the point, as I said in the article, is:
“Saying that Chris Stapleton’s music is making mainstream country music better or helping to “save country music” is simply an opinion, and flattery at worst.”
It’s not something that should be taken as an insult.
Last Monday, the popular sentiment was that Chris Shiflett was being critical of Saving Country Music. This Monday, it’s that I’m a self-centered overly-sensitive bastard. Either way, I thought it was an important subject to broach.
CountryCharm
September 18, 2017 @ 2:32 pm
All these guys want to do is make music. The majority of fans don’t care what genre it is as long as it speaks to them in that moment.
You find people who love Stapleton at home who blast pop country at the lake. Doesn’t make them less of a country fan.
Huntermc6
September 18, 2017 @ 3:46 pm
Depends how you define the genre. Plenty of articles on SCM and plenty of comments from fans all over the internet define many songs in the “Country Top 40” that are not country but many if any metrics. Everyone defines genres differently though. The battle is and always will be that if you released all the pop country under the pop, hip-hop or R&B genre where it would fit better it would fall flat on its face which is why it’s released as country.
Convict charlie
September 18, 2017 @ 6:50 pm
The core fans never leave the genre and that’s the base. The labels don’t see it that way and neither does radio. Very slow to adapt. I heart media And cumulus are on the verge of serious trouble, just currently holding it off.
They put all their eggs in one basket relying on the genreless fans. It backfired when it was bro country and the genre was at his peak.
CountryCharm
September 19, 2017 @ 6:50 am
I would agree if more of these saving country guys were up there in the sales charts with Stapleton. Labels care about sales and sales only.
These genreless fans are buying your Sam Hunt and Luke Bryan albums by the truckload. Even Stapleton falls into that area. He sells beyond country because his music isn’t considered pure country.
IMO that’s why guys like Stapleton and Sturgill want nothing to do with saving country. Why pigeon hole yourself when you can have a far wider appeal? Stapleton is never going to be that guy to shit on pop country. It’s where he made his money.
U.S. SAM
September 18, 2017 @ 2:55 pm
Hey Trigger ! You sure do attract the Fuckin’ “Freaks” LOL ! I really love the fact that the majority of “Prophets of REAL Country” music are not even musicians themselves,,or else they would realize that it all just a part of the “game” .. DAMN ! I’ve never heard so many useless thoughts and opinions in my Life ! And bringing Jesus & Game of Thrones into it ? What the Fuck is wrong with “country music” is NOT the music,so much as the self proclaimed “Saviors”,, Yeah,I’ve got a lot more,,but I can’t see any sense to go on… And actually think I just wasted precious minutes of my life even posting/reading all this B.S…
jtrpdx
September 18, 2017 @ 3:23 pm
I think we should just nominate Laid Back Country Picker as the new savior of country. His debut album just dropped last week as well. https://www.facebook.com/Laid-Back-Country-Picker-349814358464091/
Bertox
September 19, 2017 @ 3:19 am
Lmao! He gives Eddie Griswold a run for his money when it comes to footwear
Chris
September 18, 2017 @ 4:35 pm
Well said, Trig.
I don’t look for an artist to single-handedly save authentic country music.
Willie Potter
September 18, 2017 @ 5:40 pm
“First off, the idea that Saving Country Music has ever lumped the responsibility of “saving country music” on the shoulders of any individual artist, expected any artist to act as a “country music savior,” or attempted to guilt trip Stapleton or others to confront the ills of Music Row and call out artists or music from the mainstream, is a misnomer based on a shallow observance of what Saving Country Music does.”
Where in the fuck did Chris Shiflett ask or even imply this?
Trigger
September 18, 2017 @ 7:04 pm
When Chris Shiflett said, “Does it get tiresome to have that guy Saving Country Music tag you?”
???
Even if Shiflett did not mean me specifically, he’s still talking about lumping the term “saving country music” on Chris Stapleton. Since that is the name of this site, I feel the need to clarify that is something I would never burden Stapleton or any artist with, though saying something such as “Chris Stapleton is saving country music” might be used (though not by me) as a form of flattery. The point here is that term is being misappropriated by the media, and misunderstood by Shiflett.
I’m not attacking Shiflett. I’m just trying to clarify how certain segments of the media have lumped inappropriate terms onto Stapleton, Sturgill, and others, and how I—the proprietor of Saving Country Music—do not and would not engage in that practice.
I feel like a lot of folks are focusing on whether Shiflett was aiming his words specifically at me as opposed to the broader subjects broached by his statement and this article. And I think a lot of this is being driven by how this article is being couched on social media by folks who want to portray me as overly egotistical. Maybe I’m not the subject of the statement, whatever. It doesn’t really matter. SOMEBODY is couching Stapleton as “saving country music,” and that’s what Shiflett criticized, and perhaps fairly so.
BrettS
September 18, 2017 @ 7:50 pm
Been a while since I’ve commented cause I tend to jus my jam the Texas country stuff , ( Randy Rogers, Wade, Turnpike etc) , but on here daily, numerous times a day, but to comment on some of the Sturgill comments earlier. I guess I keep watching clips of him on SNL doing ” Call to Arms” and think that was an eye opening experience to people from folks in Foo Fighters and Stapleton Etc. maybe they think … ” Damn!! I wish I could do that! Like someone said earlier I wish sturgill was getting the attention Stapleton was but oh well. He is way more talented than anyone in their bands and it would piss me off if I were them. Cheers
Trigger
September 18, 2017 @ 8:44 pm
I think Sturgill is getting the attention Stapleton is, it’s just in different circles, and in different ways. Look at Cody Jinks. The guy is massive right now and nobody knows about it. It’s because he’s doing it completely without the media or awards. He’s gone directly to fans, and it’s been incredibly effective, arguably more effective that Sturgill, and gaining on Stapleton.
Both Sturgill and Stapleton were nominated for Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards, which is the biggest distinction any artist can receive in the industry. Stapleton may be able to draw a few more fans live, but Sturgill is not far off. This idea that Sturgill has been ignored or cast in Stapleton’s shadow baffles me.
JR
September 19, 2017 @ 12:00 pm
Well, if Sturgill starts dancing up on stage with Justin Timberlake, or Beyonce…or whoever…I don’t know what I would do. There’s something to just “keeping it real”, and not just doing things that are pushed on you just to get popular.
Andrew
September 19, 2017 @ 7:12 am
Pretty sure that conversation had little or nothing to do with you, Trig. Just because he happened to use the words saving country music doesn’t make it a reference to this site. I heard it as just generally the way people like Stapleton, and Sturgill and Jamey Johnson before him, get tagged as being the guys who are going to save country music.
Charlie
September 19, 2017 @ 9:09 am
Yes, yes–repetitive and redundant.
I feel like if I searched for Shiflett in Urban Dictionary it would refer me to a French version of a shit sandwich.
Wee wee.
JR
September 19, 2017 @ 11:56 am
All I can picture in my mind is Chris Stapleton on stage with Justin Timberlake. It’s….just…..not right.
BwareDWare94
September 19, 2017 @ 12:48 pm
Really surprised Shiflett asked that question in that manner. He seems like someone who’d have an appreciation for this website.
Some of these artists act like we fans are wrong to call a spade a spade because of how hard it is to actually be successful in music and that individuals releasing bad music successfully deserve to be free of scorn and criticism. It’s ridiculous. Here I was planning on getting to the Walking the Floor podcast. I’m not so sure anymore. This was an unnecessary shot taken at this website (by him only–Stapleton handled the question with class and made sure to mention the very positive effect that SCM has had on his career). As far as I’m concerned, Shiflett can either eat some crow and apologize for misrepresenting this website and it’s followers or he can fuck off. He’s entitled to what he thinks, but we’re also entitled to calling him out when what he thinks is wrong. It’s not even an opinion, he’s just wrong.
Andrew
September 20, 2017 @ 8:42 am
I listened to it and don’t believe it was a shot at this website. In fact, I don’t think he was specifically referencing this site at all and it wouldn’t have occurred to me if Trig hadn’t overreacted and made it about himself with this post. Shiflett seems like a great dude and he’s podcast is definitely worth listening to. His point was simply that people are quick to put that “savior” label on people like Stapleton but he’s just worried about doing his own thing.