Photos: Country Music, from Diamonds to Zircons

what about mark chesnutt,still to this day he stays true to his roots with honky tonk music. i personally believe garth brooks destroyed what country music is all about. it should tell of true life stories,hardships.

There was also the late 60s-early 70s country-rock scene that Gram Parsons was at the forefront of that really didn't become huge, but Gram was a tremendous influence in country and in rock music, from the International Submarine Band's album "Safe At Home" (available on CD on the Sundazed reissue label), Byrds' "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" album which is on CD on Sony as a single CD and as a 2 CD Deluxe Edition and inspired the name of the 80s country duo the Sweethearts of the Rodeo, this is one of the most critically acclaimed albums in country and rock music history, and his solo albums for Reprise, GP and Grievous Angel (which have been released on CD as a 1990 as a compilation CD combining both albums on CD, as import standalone CDs, and as part of a Complete Reprise Recordings boxed set with the albums plus many alternate takes, etc. and these albums put Emmylou Harris in the spotlight). These albums should really be listened to by any true country music fan.

How soon they forget! The list didn't even name-check the Dixie chicks, Rodney Crowell, Trisha yearwood, Sara Evans, and Shania Twain---some of the biggest acts of their time.

Great country artists still exist, they just aren't allowed anywhere near the radio: Wayne Hancock, Marti Brom, Roger Wallace, Dave and Deke Combo, The HeyBales ...

The only legitimate crossover artists are: Elvis, Cash and Nelson. They paid their dues to call the shots in their careers. Every artist needs to stretch at some point. That's what killed Elvis. The damn Colonel wouldn't let him out of that jumpsuit!!! I love Waylon, George Jones, Merle Haggard, other old timers. Today we have: Urban, Chesney, Brooks & Dunn, Rascal Flats, Garth . . . and other puff and fluff country acts parading around as the real deal--nothing more than lightweight music for the guys (barf) and eye candy for the ladies (oh well). Sure, earlier legends played this part too, but like they say "you can take the boy out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the boy." IT'S CALLED AUTHENTICITY. SORRY, KID ROCK, YOU STINK. Toby Keith and Josh Turner might earn their way. We'll wait and see.

I'm old school. I grew up worshiping Cash and others. I remember Moe Bandy & Joe . . . they were honky tonk nonsense, too. BUUUT, they never pretended to be anything but a rowdy, country gimmick. Nobody took them seriously. We sure had fun at the bars chasing skirt while the music played. Willie Nelson is the father of Outlaw Country. He invited ol' Waylon down to the Austin crowd back in the 70's. Whether light weight or heavy weight back then, you had to have legitimacy, dues paid. You had to of at least experienced the countryside of America then. Today's artists are a joke. I don't like Rascal Flats, Urban, Brooks & Dunn either. They are primping pretenders. If younger, Merle, Waylon, George, Hank Jr., etc, would kick their butts on and off stage. Josh Turner might have some potential in him. Like Sam Phillips (of Sun Records) told Cash in the 50's, "Go to do living, then come see me about making a record." The advise still holds for today's country puff and fluff.

It???s only par for the course in our upside down culture the musicians who are bearing the standard of traditional country are labeled ???alt-country??? and are recording on independent labels (Gillian Welch as a fantastic example), while those labeled ???country??? are rubbing shoulders with Justine Timberlake and marrying Nicole Kidman.

It???s much more than a ???hook or two??? that separates current fare on ???country radio??? from the Carter family and Sun records by the way. Everything is wildly, unrecognizably different--from the songwriting style (contemporary pop-country is by and large written by professional songwriters who are paid for the same quick and easy titillation as are the makers of soap and sneaker ads) to production value (a far cry from sitting in front of a mic with your lyrics and guitar).

The big difference is that culture has changed. In Hank???s day he had ???mass appeal??? for the same reason that the Carter family did: people valued real, experiential, honest, personal, artistic expression.

Today we???re bombarded with lowest common denominator, anticipated-outcome garbage that no more resembles artistic or personal than Wal-mart resembles the Sistine Chapel. Mass consumerism has conditioned people away from meaningful cultural expression that truly enriches life.

While there are a few on country radio (George Straight possibly, Dwight Yoakum maybe), that bear some resemblance to traditional and meaningful country, as a whole it is as silly, overproduced and fundamentally meaningless as any Pussycat Dolls song.

When the industries top stars are just as easily done-up to portray dark and conflicted pop/rock icons (Garth Brooks/Chris Gaines) you know things are deeply amiss. When Jon Bon Jovi is played between Kenny Chesney and Carrie Underwood, you know you???re playing fast and loose with the term ???country??? radio.

The answer to Waylon???s rhetorical question is ever more clearly ???No, in fact, Hank didn???t do it his-a way.???

It???s only par for the course in our upside down culture the musicians who are bearing the standard of traditional country are labeled ???alt-country??? and are recording on independent labels (Gillian Welch as a fantastic example), while those labeled ???country??? are rubbing shoulders with Justine Timberlake and marrying Nicole Kidman.

It???s much more than a ???hook or two??? that separates current fare on ???country radio??? from the Carter family and Sun records by the way. Everything is wildly, unrecognizably different--from the songwriting style (contemporary pop-country is by and large written by professional songwriters who are paid for the same quick and easy titillation as are the makers of soap and sneaker ads) to production value (a far cry from sitting in front of a mic with your lyrics and guitar).

The big difference is that culture has changed. In Hank???s day he had ???mass appeal??? for the same reason that the Carter family did: people valued real, experiential, honest, personal, artistic expression.

Today we???re bombarded with lowest common denominator, anticipated-outcome garbage that no more resembles artistic or personal than Wal-mart resembles the Sistine Chapel. Mass consumerism has conditioned people away from meaningful cultural expression that truly enriches life.

While there are a few on country radio (George Straight possibly, Dwight Yoakum maybe), that bear some resemblance to traditional and meaningful country, as a whole it is as silly, overproduced and fundamentally meaningless as any Pussycat Dolls song.

When the industries top stars are just as easily done-up to portray dark and conflicted pop/rock icons (Garth Brooks/Chris Gaines) you know things are deeply amiss. When Jon Bon Jovi is played between Kenny Chesney and Carrie Underwood, you know you???re playing fast and loose with the term ???country??? radio.

The answer to Waylon???s rhetorical question is ever more clearly ???No, in fact, Hank didn???t do it his-a way.???

It is true that country music has gotten very far away from its roots. People like Johnny Cash, Lefty Frizzell, Hank Williams, and Bill Monroe are hardly, if ever, given radio play anymore. Heck, "more recent" artists like Waylon, Willie, Haggard, and Kristofferson aren't hardly played either.
However, if you are interested in traditional country, it is out there. You just won't hear it on the radio. Guys like Billy Joe Shaver, Wayne "The Train" Hancock, Dale Watson, Hayes Carll, and, believe it or not, Jamey Johnson's new stuff (he wrote Honkytonk Badonkadonk----terrible, terrible, terrible! but the new stuff is actually country) are still out there recording original, traditional, country music. My only hope is that one of these days, everyone will get tired of the industry force feeding us this crap that they call country and the lesser known artists will be able to rise up and take their place.
But for now, we're stuck with the Urban's, Swift's, and Chesney's of the music world because teenage girls like to by their albums because they are 'obviously' about 'real life'.

It is true that country music has gotten very far away from its roots. People like Johnny Cash, Lefty Frizzell, Hank Williams, and Bill Monroe are hardly, if ever, given radio play anymore. Heck, "more recent" artists like Waylon, Willie, Haggard, and Kristofferson aren't hardly played either.
However, if you are interested in traditional country, it is out there. You just won't hear it on the radio. Guys like Billy Joe Shaver, Wayne "The Train" Hancock, Dale Watson, Hayes Carll, and, believe it or not, Jamey Johnson's new stuff (he wrote Honkytonk Badonkadonk----terrible, terrible, terrible! but the new stuff is actually country) are still out there recording original, traditional, country music. My only hope is that one of these days, everyone will get tired of the industry force feeding us this crap that they call country and the lesser known artists will be able to rise up and take their place.
But for now, we're stuck with the Urban's, Swift's, and Chesney's of the music world because teenage girls like to by their albums because they are 'obviously' about 'real life'.

Country Music is definitely not what it used to be. There's only a few real country artists left. If you want Real Country music you need to check out a guy from Arkansas named Ben Coulter. His stuff is real country in the style of Haggard, Waylon, and Cash.

Country Music is definitely not what it used to be. There's only a few real country artists left. If you want Real Country music you need to check out a guy from Arkansas named Ben Coulter. His stuff is real country in the style of Haggard, Waylon, and Cash.

If you want real, authentic country now, you've got to look to the movement in Texas and Oklahoma. The "red-dirt" artists are a little bit southern rock, and a lot of rowdy country to make a great blend that comes out in performers like Cross Canadian Ragweed, Randy Rogers Band, Kevin Fowler and many others. Stuff out of Nashville that are crossovers to the pop stations just can't stand up to this great sound - very reminiscent of the Outlaws like Merle and Waylon!

I couldn't agree more with buzzjackson's comments. Just because someone writes a clever lyric, like Alan Jackson, and has a song that crossed over to a mass audience ("Where Were You?"), and dabbled in a more easy-listening sound ("Like Red on a Rose") doesn't mean he's not country. "Pure Cheese"? Think again. The fans of Alan Jackson know his sincerity and know he's country through and through. He's not some "Gone Country" pop singer unaware of the country lifestyle. He, like King George, is the real deal. There are very few true country artists out there. Not Kenny Chesney (unless the country is Jamaica), despite all his awards. Alan and George are the Hank and Lefty, the Haggard and Jones, of this generation. Few others compare, few others haven't compromised.

How can you say anything about country music and not mention George Strait? King George has been making hits for 28 years and just got his 57th number 1. That's unparalleled. And he did it without being pop-minded. I suppose there are "syrupy" lyrics--everyone has to have a "hook" or two. But the music, the man, and the fans are still "pure country."

Kenny Chesney is gay, but there is no way he can come out and still maintain his market demographic. However, in his mind, he's "dancin backwards in high heels".

Kenny Chesney is gay, but there is no way he can ever come out of the closet and be accepted by his market demographic.