Who can be considered country?

[.Mikha'el.]

In my opinion, the number of major country artists who can legitimately be considered "country" is a mere three:

1. Reba McEntire
2. Alan Jackson
3. George Strait

Just about everyone else is either pop or rock, or belong in some other genre. Now, I am not saying that other artists do not have talent, but merely that their music best fits in another genre. But, do you think are there other artists I have not considered?

 

[matty c]

hehe yes country is makin SOMEWHAT of a crossover to a poppy sound but so is every other genre of music. its really hard to distinguish what is Pop becaues a lot of people throw certain songs in that category. i have even heard eminem's music referred to as pop. dont worry there are a bunch of country singers. to me its all based upon what your definition of country is. for me its music about everyday life situations incorporated with the typical instruments and sounds you were with traditional country music.

nowadays a lot of the newer artist such as julie roberts, rascal flatts, josh gracin, even faith hill can be considered that pop country. i could add a bunch of people to your three but that list would get long...lol. just a few: garth brooks, gary allan, trace adkins, diamond rio, brooks, and dunn, dolly parton, daryl worrley, sara evans...get the picture? i consider all of those and mooore waayy country.

who do u think is too poppy or too rockish? uncle cracker and kid rock arent very country IMO

 

[ClementofRome]

What is country today was rock in the 70's. Just look at all of the re-hashed tunes. My kids will say to me, "How do you know the words to that song?" (knowing that I rarely listen to "country radio." Well, it is because it was POP in the 70's.

REAL COUNTRY:
George Jones
Ralph Stanley (original country)

 

[DixieBelle]

Brad Paisley is pretty country, IMO.

 

[renaistre]

Brad Paisley is pretty country, IMO.

Agreed. I would also include guys like Clint Black, Josh Turner, Tim McGraw, T.K., Lone Star, etc. I know they might have pop/rock influences, but I still consider them country, partly because they never play them on the pop stations.

 

[.Mikha'el.]

I will admit to having a very narrow definition of country music.

 

[ClementofRome]

My definition is more narrow than yours:

Flatt and Scruggs
Bill Monroe
Ralph Stanley
etc etc

 

[DixieBelle]

I just think its kinda hard to narrow it down too much, ya know? I mean, its a pretty subjective thing and who gets to make the rules? I notice that if I like the artist, its easy to consider them "country" and those I don't care for so much, aren't....see what I mean?!

Generally speaking, each generation has its own style of "country" music. And, generally speaking, the generation that came before doesn't consider the modern country music to be "country"...and the cycle repeats itself again.

To be honest, I do agree with you...a lot of today's music is more "pop" sounding, but I think we're starting to see a shift back to more "country" sounds...well, at least more honky-tonkin' anyway!

 

[ClementofRome]

DixieBelle....are you calling me old?

 

[DixieBelle]

DixieBelle....are you calling me old?

lol...I'd never do such a thing! And if I called you old, then I called me old too, cause I said I agreed today's country is pretty "poppish"!

God bless!

 

[renaistre]

Something else to condsider is that some artists might put out one album that is more traditional country, and the next might be more "popish". Some even have individual songs that are more "country" than others.

Also, I would call Flatt and Scruggs (Earl Scruggs is one of my heros, BTW ) or Bill Monroe bluegrass, not country. As others have said, it depends on your definitions.

 

[DixieBelle]

Something else to condsider is that some artists might put out one album that is more traditional country, and the next might be more "popish". Some even have individual songs that are more "country" than others.

'Tis true!

 

[renaistre]

Oh, and an other thing or two. (This thread has been stuck in my head for some reason.)

- A song can be redone as country and be real country even though it was pop in the '70s, or whenever. The example that comes to mind is "Summertime Blues" done by Allen Jackson.

- If all these "new country" people are actually pop or rock, then what is all of the stuff playing on pop and rock stations? I'm tempted to say "garbage," but a few of those people are actually pretty talented.

- I guess one reason I don't try to fit music into nice, well defined categories is because I don't choose the music I listen to based on what it is called. I'm not going to stop listening to a particular artist just because someone convinces me that they aren't true country.

 

[dmiller]

Gotta weigh in on this one.

If you're talking Bluegrass ; it's ---
Bill Monroe
Stanley Bros.
Flatt & Scruggs
Goins Bros.
Mac Wiseman
Osborne Bros.

If you are talking country; it's
Ernest Tubb
Hank Sr.
Roy Acuff
George Jones
Merle Haggard
Johnny Cash
and Buck Owens.

The all time best duet (female and male) was Geoge Jones, and Tammy Wynette. Dolly Parton, and Kenny Rodgers can't even hold a candle to what George and Tammy did.

Anyone you hear these days on the country radio stations (excepting George Strait), is pretty much rock and roll. Sorry to say it, but it is true. Country has passed. Rock has taken it's place.

 

[dmiller]

Also --- heard an interview with Dolly today on the radio. She rightfully claims to not be a bluegrasser (even though she plays banjo), and was making comments about her new CD, that does a Bluegrass rendition of Stairway To Heaven, by Led Zepplin.

 

[renaistre]

Anyone you hear these days on the country radio stations (excepting George Strait), is pretty much rock and roll. Sorry to say it, but it is true. Country has passed. Rock has taken it's place.

But then what is the stuff they play these days that they do call "Rock"? It's certainly not the same as a lot of "modern" country.

 

[dmiller]

Renaistre -- you are right. What is "rock" today is not the same as modern country, yet modern country has taken a turn 180 degrees from what it (country music), used to be. Don't get me wrong, I like rock (early Petra is one of my favourite bands), but looking at the country scene today, it has evolved way away from what it once was. Guess that is what I meant by equating it to rock and roll -- because 20 or so years ago, that is what today's country would have been classified as.

 

[DixieBelle]

Again, it all goes back to what your definition of "true country" is....though that would probably be a whole other thread!

God bless!

 

[hat lady]

fiddlerpick you are RIGHT! They do country music at it's best and they are the roots!
I grew up with all those singing in my ear as my parents put me to sleep at night.

My heart broke when Johnny Cash died. He reminded me of my dad. And my dad has passed away. They down to earth people who happened to get in the spotlight of fame.
and I don't think it went to their heads.

 

[dolla bill]

In my opinion, the number of major country artists who can legitimately be considered "country" is a mere three:

1. Reba McEntire
2. Alan Jackson
3. George Strait

Just about everyone else is either pop or rock, or belonmg in some other genre. Now, I am not saying that other artists do not have talent, but merely that their music best fits in another genre. But, do you think are there other artists I ahve not considered?

In other words,the above artists have changed country alot already. But what about Lefty Frissel,Hank Williams,George Jones ? Country music has changed since them. I like Garth Brooks,Brookes n Dunn,Keith Urban,Rascal Flats. Now I am speaking as a musician here...I started out rockin',but to get into a band around here(my area )you had to play country(YUCK ! ).But I did it and the music earned my respect.One of my first couple of songs I had to learn was Chattahoochie( Alan Jackson ). I like country. But all music seems to change over time. ( not evolution )