Why Laura Bell Bundy Works on Live TV
Country fans are making two observations about Sunday night's (April 18) Academy of Country Music Awards show. The first being the audio quality, which is always a factor at awards shows. The second observation is that some people appeared to be singing along to a pre-recorded track. But there was one artist who was definitely really singing -- Laura Bell Bundy. It was obvious because of the way she was so out of breath (which I think was happening because she was dancing her ass off and keeping up with the eight other dancers onstage behind her). For nearly three minutes, she was shaking her hips and doing the splits and kicking up her heels as she sang her hit, "Giddy On Up." No offense to the artists who just stand there and sing, but what Bundy was doing was remarkable. Singing an up-tempo tune while covering all that ground on the stage? There should be an award for that.
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Robin says:
There is an award for that. It’s called the Tony’s and it’s in a different city with a different audience. While I think there’s a place in country for Laura, it’s not at the top of the list of “great” country artist. She’s more of a side show (Minnie Pearle with a voice if you will).
ken says:
Maybe she should tryout for the Grand Ole Opry Square Dancers if she wants to dance so bad otherwise save your breath for your singing you may sound so much better.
Katie says:
I loved it!! It’s called performing. She makes Carrie Underwood look paralyzed.
Penny says:
I think she is great and I love both of her songs. She has a great voice! I give her kudos for being brave enough to do the dance at the awards show! We need someone who will do something different than just stand and sing!!! Give her a break and let her get her career going before you start tearing her down!
merlefan49 says:
Most Country fans I know didn’t watch the show, myself included. So I can’t really comment. It sounds more like a mainstream pop type show.
timcun says:
I’m not impressed with her. I’m sure there will be some that like her but I don’t see her as a top-selling Country artist.
Hope says:
I thought Laura Bell Bundy did one hell of a job! She kicked butt up there!
Nikki says:
I really think Laura did a great job. Every singer trys to bring something new to the buisness and hers is actually singing and dancing together.
Robin she USED to be on Broadway hense why she can dance and sing at the same time. (not saying your comments dumb or anything because it makes sense).
Cara says:
If you’ve ever seen Laura Bell Bundy perform live, you wouldn’t question her singing or her dancing. She’s fantastic. I saw her in a Broadway show and knew about her long before she recorder he album. I love country music and I say if she wants to do this, let her. Anyone can sing while standing still or on a recorded (and edited) track. It is a totally different story to sing AND dance live.
merlefan49 says:
I didn’t watch but from this post it sure doesn’t sound like country music to me. More like “pop” , “Mainstream” etc.
Robert says:
I’m probably in the minority saying this, but I’m giving her a chance. Personally, I appreciated that she DID sing while dancing…even though I think the title of the song should be a SportsCenter Home Run call.
michael says:
Wow oh wow oh wow! you all are a bunch of hatters laura bell bundy is amazing. Stop being such hypocrits! She sang and danced better that any other country starlett, and to top it off country singers as a whole have weak vocals finally you guys get an artist who can belt! Be gratefull; in todays world music has fused together and allowed artist to crossover into other styles and genres, she chose to grace the stage of country now embrace it.
Illinoiscountrygirl says:
YOU GO GIRL! LOVE LAURA BELL!!!!
Brooke says:
I really enjoyed Laura Bell Bundy’s performance! A lot of country singers have made the leap to acting and Broadway (country royalty, Reba, George, Willie, Cash, Tim, Faith, etc…) why can’t the reverse happen? I enjoyed the dancing, it played well with the mood of the song! Very entertaining!
ken says:
I think our point is that we are not looking for dancers in country music we are looking for singers. Heavy breathing in not singing.
ken says:
Btw if you like this then go to more broadway shows. Leave this stuff out of country music.
merlefan49 says:
Micheal
“Country music” does not have “country starlets” As far as belting out notes Please look up Amber Digby and Miss Leslie.
Captain Booger says:
I’m not really too thrilled about all her intense dancing and frequent wiggling. However, it was quite apparent that Bundy was actually singing, and I’ll give her credit for maintaining a good degree of vocal quality throughout her performance. About all Taylor Swift has to do is open her mouth and she’s already out of tune, and that’s even before the first flip of her hair or toss of a chair.
David Nisbet, Scotland says:
One of the best performances of the night, imo!
Pooh Bear says:
Her performance — dancing and all — was much more country than many of the night’s other performances, including that pop/rock mess that kicked off the show.
Mary says:
All of you are very closed minded traditionalists. Country, pop, indie, whatever, they’re all blended these days. Everybody wants to add something new to their genre and this is what will naturally happen. What truly is country music? You can’t answer that because there is no clear definition. Good music is good music and talent is talent. Why does there have to be a label on everything? Can’t we just appreciate someone when they’re truly talented instead of saying you don’t like them because they don’t fit into your “label”? Laura Bell is extremely talented and deserves success. You go girl.
elizabeth says:
Yes indeed, that was an opening mess.
Mandy says:
I have been fascinated with Laura Bell Bundy ever since I saw her video on CMT. I loved it. I think she will be the next Country Music GREAT! You go girl–I will buy your records.
elizabeth says:
JMO - the opening sure was a mess.
Emma says:
I loved Laura Bell Bundy on Broadway and I love country music! I understand the concerns about her being too Broadway but everyone who is concerned should check out her second single, Drop On By. It is beautiful and sounds like it could be a great country hit from years gone by. Seriously guys, she has the potential to be a legit country artist. She was just putting on a show for the ACMs, which is the same thing that Taylor Swift did. Brad Paisley did a little extra at the end of his performance as well. Just give her a chance guys.
Just my opnion says:
I didn’t see the ACM’s, but I’m sure Laura performed better than the spelling/grammar in some of these posts. PLEASE read your thread before you post. It’s hard to take you seriously when you don’t take the time to check these things. I have seen her video and think she will do well; I love her song! :)
Liora Stein says:
Well, she’s my little sister and I was proud of her I freaking cried my eyes out, and I think she sounds awesome and is amazing. Laura, while 19 years younger than I am, is an incredible inspiration. She didn’t just sing and dance. She co-wrote and developed the dance, and landed the recording contract. She is the first artist to be invited to perform on the ACMA show without having a nomination in tow. She is the first country artist to debut on both the country and the dance charts. She is beloved. She has taught me more about hard work and perseverence than any other person in my life. She inspired me to follow my own dreams when she was still a child. So, not everyone is going to love the sound of her voice, or thrill to the stomp of her boots… I know this. But Laura, is an amazing business woman. She’s smart. She is totally hilarious, and she is HUMBLE at the same time. I love her very much.
dzsigerdilen says:
I think she is great. She is definitely not boring, and I like the fact, that she dances in her video and performance. It’s different. Why is it a bad thing? It goes with the song.
By the way, she is not the first one, who dances for a song. Remember Cowboy Casanova from Carrie? I just watched the video again, and she sometimes looks like Britney. (with a much, MUCH better voice:))
Marisa says:
I give her props for singing and dancing but I thought it belonged on Broadway…or a pop music, not country. The whole performance seemed like she was trying too hard. I think she should just stick to Broadway. It didn’t do anything for this country music lover…I’m not a fan.
Jeff Remz of countrystandardtime.com says:
I agree she was singing, but didn’t realize she deserves credit for that. Should be a negative for others who weren’t, and she didn’t do that great a job in the singing part. Good energy though.
H says:
to katie in regards to her comment on carrie looking paralyzed: i’m sorry but with a song like “temporary home”, it is not one that should be danced around to. try listening to the lyrics and you’ll understand.
K says:
I thought this woman’s performance was trashy and tacky. If I wanted to see a half-naked Broadway dancer I’d watch MTV. If any of the ladies of country music ever gave a performance like that they’d be ripped to shreds.
Give me classy women like Carrie, Miranda, Hillary Scott, Reba, Kellie, Faith and Martina over this “I’m a Broadway star, but now I’m going to proclaim I love country music” wanabee.
merlefan49 says:
In one of Doug Sahm’s song “Oh no not another one” “There’s a singer prancing across the stage like a gazelle I bet they’ve never heard of Lefty Frizzell”
Katie says:
Kudos for singing live, but I don’t like that song and I just don’t really care for her.
Kamber Kool says:
It’s called show biz folks and she showed how entertaining one can be. Carrie Underwood should take a lesson from her, damn is CU BORING!
I bought LBB’s CD the other day and it’s great. LBB is fresh and fun and country needs that! How sad that so many FAKED their vocal performances last night. LBB sang circles around peeps and put on a better show. Look out world, she is going to be a star!
Ryan says:
All of you people on here saying that Laura Bell’s performance was bad and she needs to go to well just let me say a couple of things. First of all none of the performances last night were as bad as that opening mess. Also, people saying she needs to go pop in today’s world if you don’t have some kind of pop sound in country it doesn’t play that’s just how it goes on the radio nowadays. Also if you listen to her CD “Giddy on Up” is really the only pop sounding track on there she really is pretty country sounding. Plus the people that are complaining about her being out of breath I want to see some of you get up there and dance your ass of and not be out of breath. At least she was singing live something a lot of performers don’t do these days. Oh and “K” a couple posts above me you obviously have not clue what you are talking about.
Scott says:
Probably half the negative posts are from insecure women…
Netteo says:
I tried giving her a chance but I just am not getting it. At all. I even rewatched her performance to try and understand what the attraction is but NOPE. Think she should stick to Broadway.
rw says:
I was totally impressed with this young lady. She is an attractive,fantastic dancer and singer plus has a personality. You can tell she likes to Entertain!
She has so much class. Did you see her walk the Orange Carpet! OMG She is walking CLASS!!!!!! Her dress was beautiful! She can truly interview. She has my future votes. Thank You for bringing so much talent to Country Music.
K says:
Did you know her dad is Al Bundy? It’s true.
GalPal says:
Her performance was something that belonged to the Tony Awards. It just appears that artists who cannot make it in the pop world gravitate to country. She is no country artist. She belongs on Broadway-this is not a musical.
Robin says:
K - her dad is not Al Bundy (being he’s a fictional character and all). That wasn’t even nice or called for.
And, what I said is there is already an award for what she does and it’s called a “Tony”. It’s only a side bar in country music (like Minnie Pearle). I don’t really know how she sings live because she was dancing. The singing I heard was out of breathe and didn’t sound great. But, that doesn’t mean she doesn’t sound good without all the dancing.
Kellie Pickler is a good country act, but I’m afraid she’ll probably never be at the top of the heap. Same thing with Laura. She may well have a fine country career. I don’t have a problem with her “theatrics country”, but she’s not going to be one of the future Queens of country. She certainly seems like a nice girl but that doesn’t really have much to do with her potential place in the pop country music industry. Of course I MAY BE WRONG. But, that is my opinion of what I observed.
I certainly don’t think she’s not a hard worker and I’m impressed that her family pulled her off of Broadway as a teenager so she could live a normal life for a while back home in Kentucky. My artistic opinion of her has nothing to do with her personally and is not a “bash”. It’s my opinion. I think it’s funny how people try to “get back” at people by actually bashing other artists when someone they like just doesn’t get rave reviews and is not bashed.
By the way, in my opinion, and most of the reviwers out there, the opening number was FANTASTIC. But, hey, to each their own.
The only not so great performance of the night in my opinion were Taylor (still off key) Swift, Laura’s was not bad, but it was breathy, and Brooks and Dunn (I’ve heard Ronnie sing live a mllion times and he’s fantastic so I know it was the sound system). Thanks producers for ruining B&D’s final ACM performance!
failsafe says:
She performed, she was entertaining. Whether she is accepted in country is yet to be seen, but looks like she’s off to a decent start.
I understand what you mean Robin. All I kept thinking was this could be from “Annie Get your Gun” or something. I think the Broadway musical is this girl’s “schtick”. Only time will tell whether she can truly step off that stage and succeed at something else.
outsider says:
this girl is a force of nature. in her FIRST performance as a country artist, she upstaged everyone and nailed that performance. she is a real entertainer… something that country has desperately needed since the garth brooks days. i’m tired of fat guys or boring pretty girls just standing there singing. in a world of pop country taylor swifts and carrie underwoods (whose songs are just top forty with a slide guitar), she is actually singing fun ol’ twangy country. the comments (mine included) really don’t matter here - the genre has become boring, she is a multi-talented wonder, and she will succeed whether you like it or not :)
crystalclear says:
the idea that shes too pop for country is a couple of decades too old, imo…real country music is quite dead and has been taken over by rock n rollers who had nowhere else to go for many years.
this chick is dynamite…..took me a while to get it, she was doing so much….thankfully i taped it.
shes a star
steve says:
As a fellow Lexingtonian I ought to be proud of Bundy’s performance, however, it was a total joke. Her ‘hit’- like most contemporary country music - was little more than a novelty song. Song sucked, dancing was forced, and the whole thing looked cartoonish and silly.
Robin says:
outsider - pop country is outselling every other genre’s pop industry. So, it must not be too boring. In the end it’s all about the song. If it’s about the theatrics for you, then you have definitely turned to the wrong genre. For country music across sub-genres, the end game is still the story telling. There’s fun songs thrown in the mix, but it’s not about the theatrics in the end.
She’s not “twangy” as much as she is “theatrics”. Maybe it will work to some degree and that’s fine. But, I defintely don’t think she has shown us the depth it takes to become a top level pop country act. Julianne Hough had it all and I haven’t heard from her in a long while either. In the end, it was her mediocre songs (not her voice) that got her. Maybe her next album will take it up a notch, but in these economic times, not many labels are willing to keep trying. I don’t expect Laura’s CD’s to sell in the millions. Perhaps it will go Gold, but I don’t think it’s got much more than that in it.
But, that’s just my opinion. We shall see.
heather says:
i agree 100% she is defintely a very talented artists and deserve’s multiple awards for her talents
rosie says:
Laura is a good singer but she did run out of breath when she was dancing and singing..when I was watching her on tv I was yelling at her to quit dancing you are out of breath.lol. anyway that is my opinion.
merlefan49 says:
crystalclear
Real Country music is not dead. The only part that has been invaded by rock n rollers is the “pop country crowd” Look up the follow artists to name a few. I think you’ll see the real deal is still around.
Wayne Hancock
Dale Watson
Miss Leslie
Amber Digby
Justin Trevino.
ken says:
Her first week sales are in! Gretchen Wilson who sold a little over 16,000 cds in her first week on her last release two several weeks ago took sixth place on the country charts before dropping to 12th last week. Gretchen is not as popular with the coutry music buyers as Lady A are who has been out awhile but sold 64,500 this week for the top spot.
I said the above to give a range on what is good and what is not so good because you don’t need to pull large numbers to chart high on the country chart. So here is the # for Ms Bundy’s first week:
#5 on Country chart with sales of 15,079
# 28 on the billboard 200
Lady A was #4 on billboard 200
ken says:
Sorry for the poor grammer in the first paragragh should have read it again before posting.
Robin says:
ken - you don’t need to see that much to chart on any chart these days. The country charts probably have a bigger range from #10 to #1 than most other genres. This would indicate that there are more country albums that are among the top sellers for all genres than, but that numver of top sellers is going to be much smaller than it used. to be. Also, the same albums stay on the country charts much longer with the new releases of minor albums coming in and moving down quickly all while the top sellers stay in the hunt for many many months (in some cases years).
Robin says:
“sell that much” not “see that much”
TG says:
People,what the heck is the difference in Bundy and all of the other non-country performers that was on that show? I mean if we have to have non-country shoved down our throats on a oountry music awards show,she is at least different than the rest.And hot. I agree with whoever said the most people that are complaining are probably jealous women.Blast her for not being country then turn around and act like Keith Urban and and that awful screeching Rascal Flatts are REAL county.Gimme a break!
And add Jason Boland,Kevin Fowler and Aaron Watson to Merlefan49’s list
Robin says:
TG - contemporary country is as “real” country as any other sub-genre. Her’s is country, but the theatrics won’t take her to the top of the heap. She reminds me of Dolly, but Dolly started off with a more serious take on the story telling and then branched out to the “9 to 5″ and sill stuff. It’s much harder to start there. People just don’t take you seriously.
Kim says:
Why can’t people just accept the fact that there are different kinds of country music and have that be the end of it? Enough of this traditional versus contemporary argument already. There’s always going to be artists that fall on both ends of the spectrum - some of going to be completely traditional and some are going to lean more towards pop - and there’s also going to be artists filling in every space in between. It’s all still country. To try to limit country music to just the sounds of old is doing the genre a huge dissersive. Country music is better than that. The diversity is what makes it such a fantastic genre.
TG says:
Robin- Ahh ok,so you have to sing a couple of times before you do theatrics such as jumping in a pool of water or ride around on a moon before people take you as a serious Nashville mainstream country musician.I got it now,thanks.
Still learning the rules on how to be a REAL country music star here.
merlefan49 says:
When I use the term “Real Country Artist” I’m referring to the ones who reflect roots music in their music. Like the artists I listed. Not sure if that’s what Robin means.
Robin says:
Yeah, TG, you have to build some credibility before making changes. It’s like going into a company and telling them they are doing everything wrong and the way your old company was doing it right and your going to change it all. You have to “be a part” of the company and be invested for changes to be relevant to that group.
The Real Truth says:
“So, not everyone is going to love the sound of her voice, or thrill to the stomp of her boots…I love her very much”
Well than big sister, perhaps you could encourage your little sister to not sexualize her performance and put some more clothes on. If you have the talent you don’t need to show skin. Even Carrie Underwood could do better by covering up her legs more. Especially for a Christian girl too. To everyone else that talks about changing country this and country is all encompassing that, it’s you types that are ruining country. What used to be pure is becoming overtaken by the skanky style of the pop world. Whale tails and cleavage used to be unheard of too. Now everything is just gross. Lord help us all.
Tenn says:
Ahem - don’t think Dolly would agree with you there Real Truth- she’s proud of her cleavage
The Real Truth says:
Tenn, where did I say I was impressed with Dolly’s cleavage? I could do without it. I’ve never seen Dolly act like a skank in her performances (but I haven’t seen many) but absolutely I could do without it. You’ll get NO argument there. Not one. But really, that’s all you’ve got? One person? The last decade has brought more skank to country music than ever before Tenn, and if you’re honest with your perspective, you’ll agree. I’ve seen some videos when surfing and am shocked. So I stand by my comments. I think it’s a shame when ANY women has to shove her sexuality in our face in her performance. Men that come out and perform in jock straps or with their shirts open to their navelswould get my criticism too. Just so you know I’m not a big fan of whoopin it up with drugs and alcohol either. IMHO.
Emma says:
She was awesome!!! and i agree all you girls who dont like it your just jealous get over it. Shes great!
Ken says:
Why should anyone be jealous. Can’t it be just the fact that people don’t like the way she wants to perform with the dancing or have the opinion that her music is not that good.
By the way I am a guy and with the way her cd sales were for her first week she is looking like she may have a short stay as a Country Music artist Unless she makes some serious changes.
Emma says:
Im just going to make this real simple anyone who didnt enjoy that must be a real bore.
Ken says:
Not a bore just like to hear a song with awesome vocals and not a buch of breathing because you are dancing.