For me your argument is compelling because you've done a deep dive into the evidence (the songs, relationships, influences, events, trends, etc.) and thrown out any conclusions that don't fit the evidence. Unfortunately, people ignore evidence that doesn't fit the argument they want to make.
I think they also ignore the fact that influences go in all directions and people writing songs can't say what did or didn't influence them because it's at least in part (I would argue for the most part) an unconscious process.
I see that I need to read your stuff, maybe God Didn't Like It because my big interest is rock 'n' roll.
Allen is a great read for anyone interested in American culture. Lots of insight with broad application. Plus I love his writing - smart, energetic, funny.
There is an interesting battle going on for the direction (or soul) of country music. On the one hand we have tripe like Don't Try That In A Small Town, a kind of spiritual descendant of Hank Williams' Jr.'s A Country Boy Can Survive, and then we have Luke Combs singing Fast Car with Tracy Chapman on the Grammy show, and saying it was one of his favorite songs. There are also an increasing number or black country artists, not to mention female artists, who don't fit into the good old boy mode.
I like a lot of it but it,s not my idea of country either, not mountain, not hillbilly, not country-western. The country market is booming, expanding with crossover sales, and any country that makes sense as country may have already become the victim of its own success.
For me your argument is compelling because you've done a deep dive into the evidence (the songs, relationships, influences, events, trends, etc.) and thrown out any conclusions that don't fit the evidence. Unfortunately, people ignore evidence that doesn't fit the argument they want to make.
I think they also ignore the fact that influences go in all directions and people writing songs can't say what did or didn't influence them because it's at least in part (I would argue for the most part) an unconscious process.
I see that I need to read your stuff, maybe God Didn't Like It because my big interest is rock 'n' roll.
Allen is a great read for anyone interested in American culture. Lots of insight with broad application. Plus I love his writing - smart, energetic, funny.
Oh good! Thanks for sharing that. I'll look forward to reading it.
There is an interesting battle going on for the direction (or soul) of country music. On the one hand we have tripe like Don't Try That In A Small Town, a kind of spiritual descendant of Hank Williams' Jr.'s A Country Boy Can Survive, and then we have Luke Combs singing Fast Car with Tracy Chapman on the Grammy show, and saying it was one of his favorite songs. There are also an increasing number or black country artists, not to mention female artists, who don't fit into the good old boy mode.
most of what I have heard of young country music is really, to my ears, misguided and country in name only. But I will check out what you mention.
I like a lot of it but it,s not my idea of country either, not mountain, not hillbilly, not country-western. The country market is booming, expanding with crossover sales, and any country that makes sense as country may have already become the victim of its own success.