ABC Wants You to Drop Everything for Country
It is very probable that I like country music more than the average country fan. But even I don't want to watch it for three straight hours on TV. Who's got that kind of time to devote to the ABC television special, CMA Music Festival: Country's Night to Rock? Who can just drop everything for a country music special? I suppose I can, and I will likely watch every minute of it on Aug. 31. But three hours is just a really long time for anything, even something good. Then again, they did have to edit all this high-def footage down from hours of concerts from Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, Sugarland, Kid Rock, Taylor Swift and more. And I guess since I didn't spend the four days in Nashville for the fest, the least I can do is watch this show for three hours. That's my rationale, and I'm sticking to it.
©2008 Country Music Television, Inc., a Viacom company. A division of
Jasper says:
I will be watching all three hours also! Looking forward to Wynonna and The Judds!
ZP says:
seeing that you’re the primary blogger on the “country music television” web site, I’d hope that you’d appreciate country music a little more than you do. ABC is doing some great things for the country music industry. This type of exposure if something to be excited about, not something dwell over because it’s three hours long. 40,000 people showed up in Nashville earlier this month to spend 12+ hours a day listening to the music they love. maybe we should have one of them write this blog if you can’t muster up the time or excitement for a three hour TV special.
lori jean says:
I am so glad that it is 3 hours! I think it is great that anyone who can’t be at the cma fest get a chance to see part of it.
hotelmotel says:
I definitely understand why Alison would watch. It is, in a way, part of her job as a blogger.
But I won’t be watching that junk. There are so many better things I could do with my time than watch an innane country show. Read a book, go for a walk, do something around the house. Virtually anything.
The kind of music featured on that show is good only for background listening. Sure, if I’m cleaning the house, cooking a meal, or driving in my car, a bit of Chesney, Paisley or even Swift might make the task a bit more pleasant.
But why sit in front of a Tv to hear the drivel, cliche-ridden, poorly sung songs coming out of Nashville? Makes no sense unless one is using the TV as background noise.
Life is too short to waste three hours on some silly pop country special,
Kevin says:
I like most of the music that will be featured on the special. However, I do not support this ABC special because ABC edits it and presents it in a way that makes it seem like it is a one night concert that is airing live, which it is definitely not! “Country’s Night to Rock” is a misleading title. Also, the portions of the show where there is a “host” are also misleading. The people they show “hosting” this concert, are not “hosts” of the concerts at LP Field during CMA Fest. Their “hosting” portions are filmed seperately and multiple takes are done so that ABC can pick the one they like the most to include on the special.
fluffy says:
why waste 3 hours to watch the same sorry sounding music that is played on radio, I guess the title countrys night to rock is somewhat correct, the rock part is , if you refer to the music , cause there sure won’t be nothing country about it, cause these days nashville wouldn’t know a real country song , if it jumped up and bit them in their behinds
S says:
Alison said, “It is very probable that I like country music more than the average country fan. But even I don’t want to watch it for three straight hours on TV.”
Spoken like a true employee of CMT (or is it MTV?). That must be why we don’t see very much music played on CMT. Instead, we get to watch stupid shows like Supernanny, Extreme Home Makeover, Cribs, etc.
hotelmotel says:
As stupid as Supernanny, Extreme Home Makeover and Cribs are, they have more intelligence than “Out Last Night,” “”Last Name” “Country Boy” “Country Man” or virtually anything coming out of Nashville.
lea says:
Another show staring Taylor Swift, oh wow can’t wait!
Atza says:
If ppl actually watched music vids on tv, I suspect CMT would air them. Don’t be silly people.
Bobo says:
Obviously there are people here who don’t know what Country Music is, and don’t have a clue about its history. Today’s Country Music is as real as Country Music gets, regardless of what the clueless outsiders have to say about it.
Today’s Country isn’t the same as what we heard 20 years ago, but that music wasn’t the same as what was coming out 40, 50 or 75 years ago, etc. Every 15 years or so, the genre takes a turn that the self-styled “purists” criticize. Remember when electric guitars and drums weren’t allowed on a Country stage? Probably not. You probably don’t know that Merle, Johnny, and Waylon were ridiculed as “Outlaw Country”? I doubt it. You’ve probably never heard of “The Bakersfield Sound” or “The Nashville Sound” either, both of which are now considered true Country. Today’s Country Music’s roots in Scotland & Ireland are still noticeable, but the average critic today is too shallow to keep up.
If you want to be taken seriously as a Country Music Purist, you’re going to have to understand that “real” American Country Music goes back to the Bristol Sessions, and everything else since has been an offshoot.
People like hotelmotel don’t have the brainpower to understand any of this, since he/she prefers silliness like Supernanny, EHM and Cribs to sincere music.
Or Kevin, who has been fooled into thinking the the ABC special was taped in one night (it wasn’t), or that it’s being “presented” as live (it’s not).
Such people wouldn’t know quality and class if they were in a room full of it.
Alison, I also think that you should be willing & able to sit through the show. You shouldn’t be doing this job if you’re not.
David says:
I always love reading your blogs Alison.
It’s interesting how you can just mention a news release with Taylor’s name in it to bring out the negative comments from some readers.
Taylor Swift #1 in 2009!
mere says:
dude i watch cmt all day everyday…its always on in the background watching cmt pure!
Kevin says:
Bobo, you must have read my post completely wrong. I KNOW that the ABC special isnt live or taped in one night. That is the whole point i was trying to make. ABC tries to lead the viewers to believe that the show is live and taking place all in one night….. but its NOT. Read more carefully before bringing my name up in another post.
Redmaz says:
You make a few good points Bobo, but I have to disagree with a few things you’ve said. For example…”Today’s country isn’t the same as we heard 20 years ago, but that music wasn’t the same as what was coming out 40, 50, or 75 years ago, etc. This I disagree on. There is new music out today that sounds like this too. There are plenty of today’s Americana/Roots artists carrying on this tradition.
Andrea says:
I would be glad if we’d have a chance to watch 3 hours of country music here in Europe.
And I think 3 hours isn’t that long. I remember I’ve watched more than 24 hours when Live Earth aired. That’s long! :-)
Vicki says:
The top performer this year at the CMA fest was Martina McBride. She wowed them with her duet with Kid Rock and when she sang “Broken Wing”, it reminded them what a true singer can do and they were mesmerized. She received a standing ovation that would not stop. I will be watching ABC to see her again!
lucy says:
I went to the CMA fest. I will watch the whole show. However I know it is edited. That the crowd has to cheer numerous times before ABC gets what they want. I hope they show more than just performances. Because there is more to the festival than the performances at LP field. County music changes continously. Thank goodness we can choose who we want to listen to. If all we had was the radio we would be stuck with Taylor. Now don’t get me wrong she has talent. Enjoy her songs occas. but not a steady diet.
S says:
David said “It’s interesting how you can just mention a news release with Taylor’s name in it to bring out the negative comments from some readers.”
Speaking only for myself, it’s because I’m so irritated that someone who can’t sing on-key to save her soul is being promoted like she is. It’s such a shame that people with REAL talent are sitting in smoky bars singing for tips while Taylor is getting rich when she can’t carry a tune in a bucket and has to have her CD’s digitally enhanced so that she sounds good.
hotelmotel says:
Bobo - I didn’t say I prefer the realities to pop country music. Rather I said many country songs are actually dumber and more mind numbing than the reality shows.
I don’t particularly like either. Most country music (be it pop country or roots country) is utter tripe.
Cathy says:
I’ve noticed that whenever Alison writes something that’s a little tongue-in-check, a lot of people take her really literally. What’s up with that?
goldie says:
I will be watching taylor is awsome seen her live 2 times now and she was great!!! she can really belt out the tunes that I never new she could way to go taylor!!!!!taylor is the greatest young talent around these days!!!!!!
Ben says:
True Definition of Country:
Whether or not a person is country is hard to define now days. Language with it’s definitions are constantly changing and re-defined. Country music started out as a WAY of life not some genre or style of music. Country music was born from America’s backcountry rural farm and rancher type people, not city folk. The roots of country music came from hard working people who were generally poor and had little or no entertainment but to sit in the shade after a long hard days work on the front porch or wherever and express his or her soul of ordinary country life lived everyday in the form of music. Most of the instruments used back then were homemade guitars, fiddles, banjos, mandolins, and what not. Over a period of time, music of this nature developed into a genre or style and became very popular.
Now days just because someone produces a certain sound or style, they feel they are country. The problem is… that certain sound has evolved over the years into something entirely different than it’s roots, not only the music but also the lyrics. Country music no longer is clearly defined as country. There has always been a rift and lack of understanding between country people and city people. Country people feel they are more closely in touch with the land and therefore feel more of a simple down home connection with nature and the earth. City folk commonly do not have the same connection with the country way of life and therefore do not feel or express their souls with the same style of music. Consequently, Country music and city music were mostly very different in the lyric style as well as musical score. Now that most feel it’s all about the style or genre instead of a way of life, the true definition of country music has been lost. Genre’s and musical categories are subject to constant change…not so with the country way of life. The country way of life and it’s people change very slowly if at all.
Because of this, the genre or style of country music has changed dramatically as more and more city people have gained access to the country music industry. It takes lots of money to produce music and push it over the air waves. City people seem to have more of the green stuff so naturally the style of country music has been altered by people who were born in the city and have very little real connection with the original grass roots country music sound. Like it or not, this is the TRUE story about whether or not this or that person is COUNTRY!
Meade says:
You dont have to be poor or rural to appreciate Country Music. Country Music is song driven, and lyrical and the songs usually consist of truthful, honest lyrics with strong choruses.
But Country Music- is not just one thing- it never has been ! There has always been tons of variations, styles, and sub genres of Country that really Cross Over into many forms of music. Western Swing, Rockabilly, Country-Pop, Jazz Country, Folk, and NewGrass- are all encompassed as part of COUNTRY MUSIC.
So Country is as wide open and diverse as Rock or Pop, if not more !
solongsowrong says:
I thought fairy tales were suppose to start with… Once upon a time… and end with… and they lived happily ever after.
Rufus The Roadie says:
Oh boy! I’ll be watchin’ that and I’ll make a new video film of me watchin’ too! It better be good!
Bobo says:
You’re wrong again, Kevin. ABC doesn’t TRY to “lead the viewers to believe that the show is live and taking place in one night.” That’s just your overactive imagination and/or your lack of attention to the show. They repeatedly state that the event takes place over several days.
You’re not qualified to tell me to pay attention.
Kevin says: “Bobo, you must have read my post completely wrong. I KNOW that the ABC special isnt live or taped in one night. That is the whole point i was trying to make. ABC tries to lead the viewers to believe that the show is live and taking place all in one night….. but its NOT. Read more carefully before bringing my name up in another post.”
Bobo says:
Redmaz, the Americana/Roots music you refer to is great, but it’s in the minority in the Country genre today.
Bobo says:
S, you obviously don’t pay much attention. Maybe you HEAR off-key. TS is promoted because she has something that the market can relate to. Success in any undertaking takes more than mere talent, and those people with “real” talent aren’t in the right place at the right time, don’t know the right people, or couldn’t handle the pressure of success at the higher levels. There’s more to being a performer than standing onstage and singing.
If you think that TS is the only artist that has their songs sweetened in the studio, then you’re hideously naive (but we’ve already established that). They ALL do it.
The proof is in the live performance, and TS can more than carry her own in that department.
Now you know more than you did before.
Bobo says:
hotelmotel says: “Most country music (be it pop country or roots country) is utter tripe.”
Back up your claim with details or you’re dismissed.
Country music is honest, and tells real stories that real people can relate to. I’ve read your posts on these boards. You wouldn’t know honest music if it bit you on the knee.
Redmaz says:
Bobo, yes I know Americana/Roots Music is in the minority as far as listeners, but musically it makes up about 90% of today’s music. So what difference does that make, and what’s your point?
star says:
can’t wait taylor is awsome I will be watching!!