2016 marks 50 years of the Country Music Association, (CMA), presenting country artists with awards for greatness. In honor of this milestone, the CMA has put together a video featuring over 30 award winning artists, performing a mash-up of three iconic country hits, John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads", Willie Nelson's "On the Road Again", and Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You".
The video, titled "Forever Country", shows the artists singing part of one or more of each song, while standing in front of a green screen. The green screen allows for various backdrops to be placed around the artists, from cityscapes, and buildings, to forests and hay fields, and everything in between. The scenery is as awesome as the performances, making for a perfect blending of sight and sound, with neither overstepping the other.
I first learned of "Forever Country" from reading about it on a couple of local radio stations' websites. 98.7 The Bull's Jake Byron noted in his write up that only 1% of people would be able to recognize every country artist appearing in the video. I was already interested to watch the video, and upon reading about the 1%, wanted to see if *I* would be able to name all of them. I'm proud to say that I was able to.
Even if I hadn't been able to name everyone though, I'd still be writing this post, because this video is too awesome not to share with others. Watch "Forever Country" for yourself, and see how many country artists you recognize. And be sure to tune in on November 2, 2016, to watch the 50th annual CMA Awards show live on ABC.
It's inevitable that up and coming artists, in any genre, will be compared to those who've gone before them. Right now, Easton Corbin is that person in country music; from the first time he hit radio airwaves, he's been compared to George Strait.
While most artists enjoy themselves being compared to well known singers, Corbin has never been happy being identified with Strait; I never really understood that, until now.
This morning I heard a song on KUPL called "Hello, Goodbye". I came in on the chorus of the song, and my first thought was, "that sounds like Vince Gill". Listening to the rest of the song, I realized it wasn't Vince; though I did have to look up who the artist was. As it turns out, it's newcomer, Tyler Farr.
Tyler is one of the artists I missed seeing in the Bing Lounge. I did go to YouTube and listen to Farr doing "Hello, Goodbye", during that performance; to me he still has that Vince Gill sound.
When I first heard Farr on the radio, a light went off in my head. I think I finally get why Easton Corbin doesn't like being compared to George Strait. Though Corbin has his own sound and style, as a newcomer, being compared to an icon like Strait can be daunting.
People expect him to do as well as Strait, right from the start, rather than giving him the chance to evolve on his own. I especially realized this when I thought Farr sounded like Vince Gill. I had put this new artist in the shoes of an icon, because I thought he sounded like Gill. When enough people do comparisons like that, an artist will most likely be held to those expectations.
I still feel Easton Corbin should be proud to be named in the same company as George Strait; though now I understand why it also frustrates him.
In July I had two posts listing my top ten current songs I'd been hearing on the radio. At the time I wrote about my hopes and predictions of how each song would fare against other tunes being played.
Now that summer's over, it's time to revisit the music and see how each artist did in the heat of the moment. As with the other posts, I'll list each performer alphabetically.
For those wanting to hear these songs, here's the links to the two previous posts:
Aaron Lewis debuted "Endless Summer" just before the season got into full swing. This is a great song, and I thought for sure it would be one of this year's summer anthems. Unfortunately, Lewis never made it past the overnight rotation.
At the time I wrote the previous post I said that there was no doubt Carrie Underwood's "Blown Away" would be a hit; I was right. What I wondered about more was whether or not this song would stay one of my favorites; or be played so much I'd be sick of it.
The song has been in heavy rotation all summer; I'm happy to say though, I've yet to tire of hearing it.
Chris Young had been on a hot streak of four #1 singles when "Neon" was released. It's such a cool tune, I thought for sure Chris would be scoring his fifth #1. Sadly, this song never made it very far out of the overnight rotation. Once in a while it could be heard at other times of the day, but rarely.
Craig Morgan's "Corn Star" was probably the shortest lived single of the summer. The song was a quirky, tongue in cheek tune filled with puns. I liked the song, though I wondered if it would wear thin with time. I never really got the chance to find out. The song was rarely played; and almost as soon as it hit the airwaves, it was pulled, and Craig's current single "More Trucks Than Cars" was released to radio.
Of my top ten summer songs, David Nail's "The Sound of a Million Dreams" tied with another tune as my very favorite.
I'm not really a fan of David Nail, however this song had me from the first time I heard it. I was just sure this would be his biggest hit yet; I was wrong. Sadly, this tune was yet another that didn't make it too far from overnight plays. Sometimes I wonder how such great music can fail so much at radio.
Due West had a couple of songs on the radio with their old record label. Since then, the band has changed labels and released a new single to radio, "Things You Can't Do In A Car".
Though this song is still only being played during the wee hours of the morning, it's at least still getting airplay. I'm still holding hope it will catch on and be played more in the coming days and weeks.
The Eli Young Band had just come off their #1 single, "Crazy Girl" when their current single, "Even If It Breaks Your Heart" was released. I predicted at the time that the band had another hit with this song; and I was actually right about this one. "Even If It Breaks Your Heart" is the Eli Young Band's second consecutive #1 song on the Billboard Country charts.
George Strait is known inside and outside of country music as "King George". Over the span of his career, Strait has had fifty-nine #1 songs. There's nothing he touches that doesn't turn to gold; except "Drinkin' Man".
This is one of my favorite George Strait songs of all time; yet somehow it never made if very far from overnight status. I honestly can't remember the last time George Strait didn't have a hit, until now. Another great song that never got the chance at seeing the light of day.
Gwen Sebastian is best known for her stint on "The Voice" as part of Team Blake. Since that time, Gwen has been on tour, and has also done back up for Blake during his tour.
Gwen's first radio single is, "Met Him In A Motel Room". The song is slightly complicated, and really needs to be listened to for the full impact. So far this song hasn't made it past KUPL's overnights, though it is getting good rotation during that time.
The final song on my list is the one that's tied with David Nail's tune as one of my favorites; Phil Vassar's "Don't Miss Your Life".
I've always felt Phil Vassar is one of the most underrated, singer/songwriters in the business; "Don't Miss Your Life", is more proof of that. Arguably one of the best songs released to radio, Phil hasn't been getting the airplay he deserves; yet, the song hasn't faded away totally. Just about the time I think it's going to silently fade away, I'll hear it again on the overnight show. I'm still holding hope that if it hangs on a bit longer, it will catch on enough to make it into other radio time slots; it definitely deserves to be heard by more listeners.
And there you have it, a recap of what I've been hearing on the radio this past season. Now that fall is here, I'm wondering what new tunes are on the horizon. I guess time will tell.
In Tuesday's post, I listed five of my ten favorite, current country songs. As with that listing, the second half of my list will be in alphabetical order.
First up in today's post is Due West. I've liked these guys since the first time I heard "Between the Bible and the Belt", and "When the Smoke Clears." Unfortunately, neither song really made it on the radio. The band then went through a label change, and are finally back with a new single, "Things You Can't Do In A Car". I'm really hoping this song is the one that breaks these guys through to the masses. They've got so much talent, and really deserve to be heard more.
The Eli Young Band's "Even if it Breaks Your Heart", is the only song on my list that is actually getting a lot of airplay on the radio. I know it's partly due to the fact this song is following their latest single, "Crazy Girl", which went to #1 on the charts. Even if that weren't the case though, the band's current single is definitely a winner!
It surprises me that the next song on my list hasn't been getting as much radio time as the artist's songs usually do. George Strait is known as "King George" for a reason; he's had over fifty #1 hits during his career; and seems to be a chameleon when it comes to music styles. Yet, his latest offering, "Drinkin' Man", doesn't seem to have really taken off like other Strait tunes. I can't honestly remember hearing this song during peak times for songs in heavy rotation. Let' hope it's just a slow mover, and that Strait continues his string of hits.
The first time I heard Gwen Sebastian's "Met Him in a Motel Room" was live in the Bing Lounge in Portland, Oregon. I liked it then, however really didn't think about it too much. Once I heard it on the radio, (overnights of course), a few times though, it really grew on me. While the delivery of the message is rather convoluted, it's also what makes this song so interesting. It's a tune that needs to be heard more than once, to really understand what it's about. Sebastian does an excellent job singing the song.
The last song on my list is, "Don't Miss Your Life", by Phil Vassar. To me, Vassar has always been one of the most underrated singer/songwriters in country music. Yes, he's had his fair share of hit singles; it just seems to be an extra effort to get Phil's heard on the radio, compared to other artists. "Don't Miss Your Life" is the song that got me putting together this list. So far it's still only played during late nights and early mornings; though, as with other songs I've mentioned, hopefully that will change soon.
And there you have it; my list of my favorite current country songs. I'm sure those of you reading this have your own favorites; I'd love to hear what other listeners are enjoying musically at the moment. Maybe together we can get these songs, and others, the boost they need to be radio hits.
George Strait has been entertaining fans around the world since his first single, "Unwound", hit radio airwaves in 1981. Over the last three decades Strait has racked up hit after hit, with over fifty of them going to #1 on the country charts. This has earned Strait the title of "King George".
Part of Strait's consistency on the music charts is probably due to his change of styles. Over the years, Strait has released everything from uptempo songs to ballads; always seeming to release the right type of song at just the right time to the listening audience.
In addition, though Strait's voice is usually very recognizable, often times a song will sound nothing like a "typical" George Strait tune. In other words, variety is Strait's key to success; he's like a music chameleon.
Strait's latest hit, "Drinkin' Man" is a ballad about the life of a man who's been drinking since his early teens. Though there are hints of the "George Strait" sound in the vocal delivery; the song also has a bit of a different sound and feel to it than Strait's usual offerings.
Written by Strait, his son, Bubba, and Dean Dillon, the tale is a haunting one, with a straightforward delivery. It tells of a man growing up drinking and the effects it's had on his life through the years. It's definitely another hit for Strait to notch on his belt.
(Today's word will be in ALL CAPS, BOLD, ITALIC, and STRIKETHROUGH.)
Christmas songs seem to be one of those things people either love or hate; with very few being in between. Personally, I love Christmas songs, enough that I've been known to play them in the middle of summer if I feel in the mood.
Then again, I'm not one for the more "traditional" Christmas music. Probably the closest I get to anything traditional are songs from Christmas shows, like "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer".
My all-time favorite Christmas song is "Step Into Christmas", by Elton John. Christmas time isn't official until I hear this song.
Even my favorite traditional Christmas song isn't done in a traditional style. Joan Jett and the Blackhearts make the oldie, but goodie, "Little Drummer Boy" rock!
I listen to country music 99% of the time now, so naturally I have some favorite country Christmas songs also. Staying in the offbeat vein, I have to share Montgomery Gentry's version of "Merry Christmas From the Family".
Country artist, Deborah Allen, released a song in 1984 that, in my opinion, is more rock than country. Not that it matters, because "Rockin' Little Christmas", definitely is on my list of favorites. Looking back at the video though, you can definitely tell it was the 80's!
Then again, I can think of at least three Christmas songs I like that aren't wild or crazy. I couldn't find a full video of the song, "An Angel Gets It's Wings", by Vince Gill and Trisha Yearwood; instead, I found a Target commercial from 1993. That was the year the store was promoting the movie "It's A Wonderful Life", and used the Gill/Yearwood duet in their TV ads. Anyone who bought a CD at Target, by either artist, received a free cassette tape of the entire song used in the ads.
While on the subject of angels, "The Angels Cried" by Alan Jackson and Alison Krauss also makes my list of favorite holiday tunes.
A list of Christmas music wouldn't be complete without at least one George Strait song. With that said, I present my favorite one, "Christmas Cookies".
I could go on and on with all the different Christmas songs I like and have to hear at least once every year. I think by now though you know, my idea of Christmas music is definitely not NORMAL; and I wouldn't have it any other way!
In another blog I mentioned how I don’t like “cookie cutter” voices.Those artists who are so generic you can’t tell one from the other.They could be interchangeable on any song played on the radio, and I doubt anyone would know the difference.
I also said how I like voices that stand out. The minute you hear a song, even if you’ve never heard it before, you instantly know who’s singing.To me, that makes the music on the radio much more interesting.It adds flavor to what would otherwise be bland and boring.
Then there are the newer artists who’ve come on the scene lately.It seems there are quite a few that sound like other, established artists.The person most people think of first is Easton Corbin.
Easton has always been compared to George Strait; which he doesn’t like.In some ways, I understand why he resents the comparison.He’s a new artist who wants to make his career based on his own merits.Yet, he keeps being compared to George Strait; those are big shoes to fill, especially as a new artist.
On the other hand, in this case, I see it as a compliment to Easton also.To me, George Strait seems to have a wide range of styles he plays off of.So, if people are comparing Easton Corbin to George Strait, which style?If it’s all of them, I see that as a good thing. It’s worked for George, why wouldn’t it work for Easton?I’m not sure there will ever be another George Strait, but there are worse artists Easton Corbin could be compared to.
Awhile back KUPL was playing a song, “If I Run”, by the Harters.Until I looked the song up, I would have sworn it was Steel Magnolia.Even though both acts are new to country music, Steel Magnolia is known a bit more than the Harters.The nice exception to thinking the Harters and Steel Magnolia sound alike is, neither have that cookie cutter sound.
Then there’s Joey+Rory.I’d heard music by them before, most notably, “Cheater, Cheater”.They’re another duo without a generic sound.However, the first few times I heard the song, “That’s Important to Me”, I thought the Judds had put out new music.The song has the Judds “feel” to it, and Joey’s voice, (on this song at least), sounds like the Judds. I like that this song has that “familiar” sound to it; yet Joey+Rory still have their own style and sound.
On the subject of of acts sounding like others, but only on some songs, there’s the Dirt Drifters.Every time I would hear “Something Better” on the radio, I thought it was Toby Keith.I wondered why Toby had two songs out at the same time. When I found out it was the Dirt Drifters, and that they were going to be in Portland, I HAD to see them.I wanted to know firsthand whether all their songs sounded like Toby Keith, or just that one.I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Dirt Drifters are a very talented band, with their own distinct sound.They did say that others had thought their first single sounded like Toby Keith, and they were okay with that.They took it as a compliment that people wanted to find out more about them, because of the comparison.
On a slightly different path of voice comparisons, there’s Glen Templeton.This new country artist definitely has his own style and sound, and is great at what he does.At one point in time though, Glen was the star in the traveling play about Conway Twitty’s life.He had been personally chosen by Twitty’s family for the role, because he sounded so much like Conway.
Right now, KUPL is playing a song by Bradley Gaskin called, “Mr. Bartender”.The first time I heard it, I instantly thought of Travis Tritt in his early days.Yet, while the song reminds me of Tritt, Gaskin actually does hold his own, with his own sound, on the song.
And then there’s this year’s American Idol winner, Scotty McCreery.McCreery definitely has his own style and voice, as evidenced by his single, “I Love You This Big”.While on Idol though, his “signature” song was Josh Turner’s “Your Man”.Scotty was a dead ringer for Josh Turner; which was especially noticeable when Turner showed up to sing the song with Scotty at McCreery’s homecoming concert for American Idol.
I think there will always be comparisons of groups and artists in all genres of music.Whether it’s someone like Easton Corbin, who has that “voice” all the time; or it’s a band, like the Dirt Drifters, who just happen on one song to sound like another artist, the comparisons will always be there.
Likewise, whether, like Corbin, artists resent the comparison, or like the Dirt Drifters, embrace it; there will always be both as long as there’s music in the world.
