Did Garth Brookes KIll old time Country? (Page 1 of 2)

Ken

Garth was the "bridge" between "old" country and the new wave of country ... I was never big into the older stuff ... My uncle was big into Merle Haggard, Kenny Rogers, Willie Nelson, etc ... I liked Alabama and that was about it ... Garth came around in the late 80's and had a different sound ... not the classic old country sound ... I dug it ... then a whole new genre of country singes started to emerge ... and the sound expanded to include "rock" progressions, etc ... not just steal guitars, acoustics and fiddles

IMO Garth brought the next generation sound of country to another level ... I like it alot more today since it's more "modernized" than I did back then ... however one thing never changes, and that is George Strait ... same style since the 70's, etc ... I LOVE George Strait ... he has a way of making classic country sound modern without being classic if that makes sense!

I think its possible that most of the old country stars are dead or near it and music being what is is it morphed into several new forms that incorporate rock blues ect..

I don't really think that Garth killed old time country. First, country was already heading that direction before he burst on the scene. Plus, I think every genre of music has an artist or two that are original and sound different than everyone else (and then everyone else tries to emulate those artists). Garth was one of those artists for country music. Garth's first album was pretty traditional and it did pretty well. "No Fences" was radically different and they couldn't burn CD's fast enough. Garth realized what worked and kept it going in following albums. He's no different than "old" country stars who played what people wanted to listen to. I didn't really like country that much before Garth, and I've lost interest in country after Garth. But through Garth, I learned to appreciate artists like George Jones, Hank Williams, George Strait, etc. etc. Did Garth help change country? Absolutely. But he also helped put country on the map.

Old Time Country is being played by new Groups like Old Crow Medicine show or the Mother Truckers.  It is Commonly called Alt Country or Americana. 

When Garth and Shania first came out country radio didn't think they were country enough to play,  After they became big every other act out there copied them.

Now Americana is considered too old fashoned for country radio.

The music business isn't going to mess with what works,  If an Old Time Country act breaks,  they will start playing it again.

On a side note it's kind of ironic that Johnny Cash won't be played on Country radio, but will be played on Alternative Radio.

Well that depends on what exactly you would call 'Old Country Music'. Country's a term penned to wide range of styles than its given credit for,  and in any given year there were good and terrible artists on both ends of the spectrum. The great thing about country to me is the different styles that you find within it, the melding of old and new sounds. Hank Williams learned to play from a blues man, Bob Wills used swing with his country, and in texas you find the latin licks and irish drinking songs melding into western ballads, the bakersfield sound in CA with its electric hot licks, the bluegrassy roy acuff classics, to eddy arnolds orchestras; its not melding styles thats ruining country music, its the lack of musical talent.
  Guys like Garth, love em or hate em, DID at least make thier way because of thier music. Even if they did front a movement within country from time to time, they didn't make or break the genre.  You can blame this new image driven mainstream crap on the MTV, (yes they messed witht he country too. CMT is the powerhouse in the country music industry and is owned by the MTV), more than any single artists. Thier front men though are guys like Billy Ray or these other one hit wonder pretty boys stinkin up the airwaves. Again I had to jump on my soapbox, which is compromising sound for marketable image.

All You Need is Love

Nope.

And old time country wasn't as good as folks want to remember.  For every Hag, Cash, Willie Nelson, and Waylon there are tons of folks who just whined into a mic and had a boom-chicka-boom sound behind them.  Those folks are forgotten while the true stars' music continues to shine.  I grew up listening to that old style Country, and it was awful.  I still like the Hag, and Johnny Cash and the others mentioned.  But there's a whole bunch of stars from the 60's, 70's and early 80's of Country that I'll be just fine if I never hear their music again.

In an interview with George Jones on this very topic, Mr. Jones said that there has ALWAYS been a lot of poor music written and performed.  In the old days when folks didn't have as much money to spend on music, those weaker songs were thrown in the trash where they belonged and only the creme of the crop made it to albums.  He said this was true of himself, and also most of the "stars" of yesteryear.  Nowadays, folks are willing to spend the money to buy an album with only one or two good songs on it so they pump out albums with 80% garbage.  It's not that there's more garbage now than there was then, it's that people are more willing to pay for garbage. 

It wasn't Garth Brooks that killed old time country.  If it didn't sell, it wouldn't be produced.

As far as the Americana/Alt Country comment by Mixter102 - I am in complete agreement.  That sound is still out there.  I like a band from Ohio called Hillbilly Idol.  Their motto is "It isn't your grandfather's Country, but he'd probably approve."  They are so interested in maintaining a traditional country sound that they all play instruments from the 1950s and to a fair degree use mics and amps from that era when in the studio.  And Hillbilly Idol isn't the only ones.  CD Baby is replete with good "old country" bands.  Truckstop Troubadours,

Shania.  Pfffffffft.  Nice to look at anyway. 

Randy Travis is still making great music.  He's got an overt Christian theme to a lot of his music now, but that's nothing unusual for Country.  He's cut a few albums that are straight Christian music, and then a few albums that are Country but are thematically consistant with a Christian belief.  Some excellent recent tunes from Randy Travis are "Right on Time", "Three Wooden Crosses" (which won CMA song of the year a few years ago), and "Running Blind."  I highly recommend his album "Passing Through."  It doesn't get airtime because of the theme of the music, I expect, but the music itself is top notch. 

Alan Jackson.  George Straight.  A couple more folks you'd be hard-pressed to say don't perform music in the tradition of Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash and George Jones and the superstars of "old" Country. 

If you want a recent star that's dead-ahead-straight-on-Country with no surprises and excellent delivery, check out Josh Turner.  Listen to him and  tell me old time Country is dead. 

Garth Brooks is just Garth Brooks.  He is to Country what G'n'R is to rock.  Big stadium shows, a few honestly good songs and a lot of songs that just sound like they ought to be good but aren't really, and very good at marketing and merchandising.   Nothing wrong with good showmanship.  But from my perspective, that's what Garth brought to Country.  Showmanship.  Exquisitly planned and perfectly executed showmanship designed to elicit excitement.  Good for him for making a danged good living at something he can do well.  That, and "I've Got Friends In Low Places" is a great song. 

- Zurf

I am glad I started this thread it has been a great read to get lots of opinions, some agreeing in some sort of way, other disagreeing and saying why. A true debate!!! One that has not led to moaning and griping etc.

But now I have read a lot and loved reading all responses so far and hope to read more, I am agreeing with the last post from NELA.
I think it would have been the record producers!! They dictate what is in the charts and when.
So I dont think we can blame poor wee garth ( or mega rich garth) for killing off anything.

But if more people have more opinions then please keep them coming. As I said when I started this I dont know much about garth  and I know little of Country music as a genre, but I do like quite a few country singers/bands, mostly old ones. So it is good to read all this.

Ken

sorry headcase, I didnt mean to imply you actually said it was him personally. I read what you typed and then had to remember ( instead of copy and pasting)

but what a great thread eh?

Ken

I am of the age that can remember not having a tv and having to listen to radio at night for entertainment. Back then there was only 1 kinda music - COUNTRY. Then came, Jerry Lee, Elvis, Carl Perking, Buddy Holly and yes Johnny Cash. Rock N Roll. To me thats the 2 type's of music that counts - old time Rock n Roll and ole time Country. (Make it 3 types as I forgot the ole time Blues)This is music you can listen to and enjoy. I've never understood Metal, Disco, Grunge, Heavy Metal, or Rap. But that's just me and if you like it - I'm ok with that. I want music I can enjoy and relate to. It could be because that was ingrained in me at an early age but that is what I like. Yesterday's music will never be able to thrive in today's world. The producers only want what they think will sell regardless of what the artist want to put out for the public. Today's producers can make or break an artist simply by putting out their records. The producers work together on this and once the word is out a artist does not have a chance. If the named producers won't produce the artist the radio stations will not play them. The music industry is not about the music anymore - it's about the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

Nela

who cares about country music anyway??????

Garth Brooks probably did not kill country music, but maybe he did play a role in that along with others. He is a showman, a poser. Even though it has been said that he has sold more records than the Beatles or Elvis, he is a flash-in-the-pan and 10 years from now no one will remember him.  I think he used to have a thing in his concerts where he would smash an acoustic guitar on stage. That is theatrics, and has nothing to do with music and is stupid. Just like the Who used to do.

Elvis had his theatrics too, but he is remembered, and for many years beyond his death. Garth will not be a lasting memory. This all just shows you how gullible people are and will buy anything that is called top 10 or top 40 music, regardless of the qual.  Garth had his run of fame, is now very wealthy I assume, and that is that.

Maybe I am being a little unfair in my comments about Garth, because obviously a lot of people like him.  I just don't think that his music will have that lasting quality that much of the old time country music had.  I guess only time will be the test of that.  Sorry if I hurt any Garth fans with my comments.

A couple of points:

Zurf I agree as well ... the song-writers are just that, song writers, they write songs for the purpose of artists picking their songs to record, etc ... that's what they want to do, write songs ... someone has to do it and like you said, as long as the artist gives them credit then it's good-to-go in my book

NELA ... I agree what your saying about the producers, etc controlling too much of the artists ... which is one of the reasons why bands (using this example specifically) cheered when RadioHead gave away their newest CD release for free online ... the record company's were not happy at all where as other artists and bands lauded them for breaking away from the company's that were controlling everything ... one article I read on the subject as well showed that the bands weren't losing money by people downloading the free music ... sales actually went up for the CD's themselves

Jim ... I'd agree with you as far as Garth being a showman ... I'm not big on the "poser" theory ... artists are there for your entertainment ... if they smash guitars, etc it's a show for the fans ... case in point is Kiss in the 70's ... they put on HUGE theatrics in their shows ... granted they DID play their guitars, etc but the whole point was to put on a great show for the fans ... if Garth and the Who smash their guitars so be it ... it makes a show a heck of a lot more entertaining to me ... but then again, I'd be perfectly content in watching George Strait play for hours on end because he's fantastic ... if an artist decides he wants to sit on stage with a guitar around his neck and not play, etc  that's his preference ... I don't care if he plays it or not ... one guitar doesn't make the band behind him ... I'm more interested in how great the song (regardless of who wrote it) is, how great the supporting band plays, and if I'm getting my moneys worth out of the show