Country Music a Hotbed of Sex, Murder and Hot Flesh -- Some Say
So far today, we're looking at murder charges against a Nashville songwriter, a baseball star being accused of a 10-year affair with a former country star (beginning when she was underage), a child superstar apologizing for showing a little too much. And, leftover from last week, the latest country invasion by a rapper. Just another day in the tabloidization of country music.
You really can't blame the bloggers and mainstream media from glomming on to the seamier undersides of country artists' lives. When your life starts to resemble a sad country song, you may be on the brink of a precipice. Still, I get a bit tired of the glee with which some people pounce of country's latest headlines.
So Mindy McCready's picture in a skimpy top is prominent on the front page of the New York Daily News and she's identified only as "singer." Why? I guess so her physical resemblance to Paris Hilton can be exaggerated. Oh -- the story? The News accuses baseball superstar and accused steroid pincushion Roger Clemens of having an affair with McCready -- beginning when she was 15. The News' perception of country music is that McCready some kind of superstar -- not realizing that she's a former minor country star, whose only No. 1 hit came a dozen years ago. Clemens denies any affair and McCready hasn't commented. But both are already seen as guilty in the world of mainstream media, the tabloids and the blogs.
And Miley Cyrus is forced to apologize for pictures showing a little more than a 15-year-old wholesome star should be exposing. I wonder if this is what grown media "professionals" should really be getting their knickers twisted about.
A lot of people like to play up what they see as country music's hypocrisy. Country espouses wholesomeness, they claim, all the while country stars drink and whore around. Of course, that's the N.Y.-L.A. perception of things, which should never be trusted. Country people are like people anywhere else. Some of them do drink and whore around, but that's not a prerequisite for entering the country world.
Now, the murder charge against Nashville songwriter Richard Fagan? Well, people do commit murder. Country music is not responsible for that.
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Ollie says:
Frankly, this web site is no better than the tabloids. Why is it that CMT carries “news” reports about these items but has yet to publish an article about yesterday’s induction/medallion ceremony at the Country Music Hall of Fame for Emmylou Harris and Pop Stoneman??? Those of us who actually care about COUNTRY MUSIC might like to know who performed, what they sang, who attended, who presented the medallions, and what was said by the recipients and/or their families. Just a thought….
Calvin Gilbert says:
CMT.com will have full coverage of last night’s Hall of Fame inductions, including photos, later this afternoon.
David Nisbet says:
I agree with Ollie. This is more National Enquirer than a proper Country music article.
Scott Bomar says:
How ironic that Flippo cites “the N.Y.-L.A. perception of things, which should never be trusted” in an article whose primary purpose is to question stereotypical characterizations of country artists. I guess sterotyping a muscial genre is out of bounds, but doing the same to an entire city is OK? Not classy. This Los Angeles country fan wouldn’t mind seeing a bit more enlightenment all the way around!
OutlawSteph says:
Well you could just as easily write about Bob Wills and the bottle, or Spade Cooley who murdered his wife in front of their daughter, and tried to make a comeback. But if you spoke about their moral failings without speaking about their huge influence on western swing, you’d be missing the point.
However, regarding the mainstream country artists since the early 90s such as the girl and woman mentioned here, they are famous for being famous much like a Paris Hilton type figure. There’s really nothing to talk about regarding their influence on intelligent music and culture. What they make is seen by long timem music fans as a product to be sold to consumer masses. So, it’s no wonder they are treated like tabloid figures. And I do think that sexualizing a girl not even old enough to drive a car is a SERIOUS matter that people should talk about, and we should ask why we let the corporate media and her managers get away with this.
I do agree that the west coast has a wonderful tradition of country music and should not be sterotyped anymore than people from the South should be. At the end of the day, you are responsible for your own actions and how you represent where you came from.
-Stephanie
TomTom says:
Didn’t Keith Whitley die of a drug overdose? He was like the Britney Spears of his time, so this trend is nothing new to fans who have been around a while I think.
Lucas says:
I came here looking for an article and stumbled upon this. Hm.
kayefun says:
For Ollie, I got a CMT newsletter this morning with all the induction information/story. I just checked off I wanted to get those, so while it may not be published here, it was covered by CMT. For all persons there are a lot of victories and a lot of defeats and a lot of space between the two. Many a songwriter has been given either the gift of true experience or been able to put themselves in someone else’s experience and brought us a tune or two about it. No one is immune from life as long as they are breathing, able to sit up and take nourishment.
Bob says:
Um……… sweetie we dont want to see ya neckade so um yea just keep those pixs to yourself alright
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