Country

[Mettra]

I know a lot of people don't care for country at all and some just outright hate it and everything about it. But I've noticed something over the last couple of days that never occurred to me before.

Country music is 90% well-written, well-played music whereas pop music/nu-metal is 90% crap on crap by crap.

I happened to catch a glimpse of the Country Music Television channel as I was walking to the kitchen and what do I see? A solo being ripped right out of the ground. It wasn't some little dink two-note solo either. This was a tried-and-true 80's metal-type solo on a country backdrop. Needless to say, I was impressed.

Not that I'm going to become a country artist or anything like that, I just felt I needed to bring this to light.

[~SStork~]

I don't like country music.
And it's not because of lack of talent, because clearly alot of country musicians can rip some rock and pop musicians to shreds. It's just the overall style sound and image don't appeal to me:) :o :D

[wild_axeman]

I hate country music with a passion if there's vocals but if a bunch of good ol boys are a pickin and a grinnin and playin some instrumental bluegrass type stuff then it's great stuff!

I love the banjo and the steel guitar!

And most country guitar players are very good and some are phenomenal.

[Blackwater_Park]

I'm not a huge country fan, in fact, pop-country is just as bad as pop-anything-else, but the true country guys are in fact, quite talented. It's just the twangy vocals I dislike.

[ibleedmarshall]

I'm not a big country fan, but I did like some Johnny Cash (RIP)...

[rifferm]

I like country. I dont like the pop junk like faith hill, etc. but brad paisley can solo like heck! and there are lots of good musicians in the genre. gets a bad rap cuz of the vocals though

[DontHaveAGuitar]

I find country music boring, and the subject matter of the songs is incredibly lame to me. I remember one lyric..."Had a barbecue stain on my white t-shirt." I could laugh at that for days. DAYS.

[wild_axeman]

Originally posted by Blackwater_Park

I'm not a huge country fan, in fact, pop-country is just as bad as pop-anything-else, but the true country guys are in fact, quite talented. It's just the twangy vocals I dislike.
here here!

twangy vocals,bad!

twangy guitars,good!

[DontHaveAGuitar]

Wild...is your avatar curious george with a guitar?

[rifferm]

Originally posted by DontHaveAGuitar
I find country music boring, and the subject matter of the songs is incredibly lame to me. I remember one lyric..."Had a barbecue stain on my white t-shirt." I could laugh at that for days. DAYS.

Yeah I dont really like that song, kinda boring. but it's not all boring, like i said, there are some really good musicians. but in the end, it's all opinion

[wild_axeman]

Wild...is your avatar curious george with a guitar?

I don't know it's just a monkey!

Is it curious George? :p

[pickula]

I love good country pickin' ....... Jerry Reed, Brent Mason, Chet Atkins, Hank Garland, some of Danny Gatton....how can you NOT like these guys? they can PLAY and then some!!!.. but the singing.....that's another story....I just can't take seriously a song with a name like "The Tears have washed 'I Love You' from the Blackboard of my Heart", and I hope you can't either.

[wild_axeman]

wow pickula all those guys are the sh*t!

of course I agree about the singing too! :D

I'm surprised you didn't mention Albert Lee.

Those guys rock until they start singing about their dog leaving them and their wife dying or vice versa!

[pickula]

"I'm surprised you didn't mention Albert Lee."

..just an error, an oversight..... he belongs there too :cool:

[Bahamut]

personally im not a big fan of country, but I respect any actual country group that's country and not pop-country. ill listen to it and all but Id much rather listen to Ozzy Osbourne and Disturbed all day.

[mikemet]

I sorta have a love/hate feeling about country music. I can't stand most of the vocals and lyrics but the great musicianship can't be denied. I recently listened to the new Dixie Chicks live cd and was very impressed with the great backing band they have.

[chasumdeep]

I, personally, believe that country music is just stealing techniques from rock and pop and not doing it very well...and their fan base is not as diverse as it can be like rock, pop and R&B. They really don't study rock just imitate it--like cheese--you can tell the difference in the taste.

[Fadzli]

Though I listen to gothic, metal, neo-classical, hard rock music; i still listen to some country music. I like Hank William, Willie Nelson, Jeey Lee Lewis, Kris Kristofferson. Hoho.. i'm, not even an American..

[chasumdeep]

The older generation of country had and has much more credibility--now, if the music stations would only put them on the air!!!!

[Bahamut]

seriously...whenever id hear crap on my usual station like kid rock or blink 182, id use to have the choice of turning it to the local country station and hearing something pretty good. nowadays you hear these pop-influenced singers all the time. pop needs to stop screwing up all the music styles!...OH GOD NO!!!! I LIVE IN WEST VIRGINIA AND I LISTEN TO COUNTRY!!! IM A PARTIAL STEREOTYPE...wait...nevermind...country's about my 6th favorite style.

[CaNaDiAN,Eh?]

I like country, I have to its the only kind of station we get around here. Like any musical genre there will be artists songs that you don't like while there are others that are quite good and country music is no exeption. I prefer country singers like Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson but some of the newer bands are good to. The only thing I don't like is that the lyrics can tend to be bland, boring, and have little impact. There is no question however, about the talent of country guitarists. Country guitar is awesome as long as they manage to get away from the boring strumming patterns, the picking is awesome!!!

[equine_luver]

i like country! I like rascal flatts, dierks bentley, josh turner, johnny cash, willy (SP?)nelson, and BIG & RICH. country is about the only stations around here, but i love it. I agree with canadian, there are some i dont like, but i still like it.

[beautiful_dae]

I love country music. I prefer older country stuffs. When i listen to faith hill and dixie chicks, i feel like puking. Too pop to be country. Country music is not only about guitar. There is also other instruments in country music like violin, piano, harmonica, banjo, mandolin etc. So don't hate country music cause it got boring guitar parts. But i really hate some of the country songs with silly lyrics.

[Gunslinger]

I'm not a big country fan but i love the musicianship. My guitar teacher has been showing me everything from rhoads to zep to chet atkins. I have been imersing myself in many styles in order to become versitile and be able to incorporate all methonds into my music. Can u guys recommend me some awesome country solos, ranging from easy-difficult?

[martin00-18]

I personally like bluegrass, although I don't claim to know much about it. My favorite bluegrass band is Nickel Creek. I play mandolin (but only chords really), guitar and slide guitar. I just need to learn how to play violin and re-learn upright bass and I'll be all set. If anybody wants to hear a good example of hard rock and bluegrass blended, listen to Ty Cobb by Soundgarden. If I had a better mandolin, I'd definitely play a lot more, mine's a piece of junk. I've also been considering buying a solid electric bouzouki.

[martin00-18]

Plus, I believe there's only two kinds of music: good and bad. A good musician is a good musician, regardless of the genre they specialize in.

[logan~tele]

hey guys i live in nashville and i get the honor of hearing brent mason play very often. i love country music. my fav artist is merle haggard. hs also an underated guitarist . i hat tht new pop country what hapis btpend to the steel guitar and fiddles????? lol but its beginning to come back just thought id share my OPPINION . being only 16 i can still say i miss the good ole days lol ha

falied to mention: isnt cmt(country music television) the fastest growing network on america and dont nashville session players and country artist band members get paid the most ..thats what ive allways heard. and i def. dont thing country music is stealing stuff from rock and pop. rock wished they ahd half the talent of most country musicians but thats another oppinion. but i like rock too . but still doesnt impress me like jazz blues and country does..!: )

[Malcolm]

Has a lot to do with what you grew up with. We're Classic Country, thus the old stuff makes up 60% of our material, however, we do play new country songs, but I must say in the classic country style as that is just the way we play. Everyone in our band gets a Social Security check each month.

Had a gig last night. Lead off band were two very talented guitar players. They play Beatles music on guitars the Beatles used. Capturing the actual sound of the time. They must have had $15,000 to $20,000 invested in instruments on stage, helps as one of them ownes a music store. Great performance.

Now my point --- They played during the dinner hour. Everyone enjoyed their performance. We came on after dinner with our country band --- and the dancers came on the floor. We played for the "Red Hat Ladies" and their husbands, 70% of them also get Social Security checks each month.

It's what you grew up with -- we don't get asked to play for the younger crowd, and the younger crowd does not get asked to play for the Red Hat Ladies. Great part of this we both get to play what we like.

[pickula]

"hey guys i live in nashville and i get the honor of hearing brent mason play very often."

I'm green with envy - he's a knockout player. A friend of mine was in Nashville 2 years ago, and before he went, he asked if there were any CDs I might like him to get, so I told him "find the best music shop in town, and tell the guy behind the counter you want the latest album by the best guitar player in town" - he brought back "Hot Wired" - that guy can PLAY some guitar.

If you haven't heard Brent Mason (or even if you have and want another listen) and if you have broadband, you can see a Quicktime video of him on http://www.brentmason.com/broadband/video/index.html

Enjoy!