MusicColumn

  Stand still for a second and just breathe in
some of that fresh piney woods hill country air.
Feel the wind at your back? It's starting to pick
up...can you tell there are changes coming?
Can't feel it? Then your not in Texas.
You may not understand what I mean unless
you are actually living in the Lone Star State. It's
not danger lurking around the bend, only a long
over due storm.
  Here in South, East, and Central Texas
when I talk to folks, I hear tension,
disappointment, determination, and voices that
echo a mind set that won't tolerate what they
hear on radio anymore or see on television - I
am referring to the new country music of today.
You think you've heard this all before....but no,
not this time.
  It really is different this time. You might say
that the Texas "Boomers" are stepping up to
make change happen. That is, bringing back
traditional country music. I have heard not once
but many times, "There needs to be a traditional
country music (TCMA ) award show ... the
existing CMA's are a joke ... there is nothing
country about it". What has happened to bring
such disdain?
  Emerging from the cloud of dust are
sophisticated yet plain spoken Texans who have
determination, money, influence, and the
entrepreneurial spirit to "fix" things. They are
tired of being dragged through the dirt and are
determined to put up a barricade to stop the
stampede.
  Adding to the mix of certain change comes the
freedom and expansion of the Internet with
satellite radio and television. Then factor in the
Nashville music scene which seems to be losing
the draw and power it used to have. But the
aggravation continues to be with the trends of
The Grand Ole Opry and Nashville record
companies. Some say they are jumping ship with
their interpretation and judgement to leave
"country" out of country music. Touting to follow
popular trends is not convincing any more.
   I predict a whirlwind uptrend because of the
freedom of mass media. Complaints coming
from Nashville's music industry saying that there
will be fewer and fewer "super country music
stars" because of the Internet and other media
can only be explained as a poor attempt to claim
exclusive rights to country music.
The reality is, there will be more "stars" than
ever within regional areas of the country and
these areas will compete successfully for the
market with impressive business savvy in
recording, publishing, and promoting. No longer
will anyone be able to claim ownership of any
one genre of music with any believability.
   Right now, questions still remain. Where is
the reciprocity? Where is the loyalty - is it with
music or money? Who can claim ownership of
country music? Why are established country
music stars creating their own record labels
leaving the mischief of the major labels behind?
Much like a heavy rainstorm, Nashville's music
industry is flooding the market with high dollar
driven decisions to welcome in other genre's -
a prime example: rock star, Bon Jovi. Once
devoted to rock, is now swinging over to country
music for a time or at least until it doesn't pay.
Who can believe any other explanation? The
result: traditional sounds of country music are
slowly being phased out by all of it...a mix of
rock, pop, and rap.
Repercussions, you may ask?
Most definitely.
   Apart from Nashville's music industry
scrambling to recover major losses in album
sales since 2005, there is also a disconnect
bearing a strong under-current of consumer
discontent. Country music with its rich history
has been left to dry up like an old creek bed.
You might think this analysis to be a bit harsh or
even exaggerated and some may say that
Texas is too backward to really know the pulse
of country music. Not the case at all.

  But you should know that the music folks in
Nashville are trying not to feel the losses from
careful strategies as they pursue a means to an
end which is evidence enough of misplaced
motives and losing touch with reality. They
cannot know how their decisions and actions
are affecting broad audiences.
  Consider this. What sets country music apart
from all other genres of music is the inclusion of
three basic virtues: gratitude toward God,
family, and country. In early country music
however, songs about God and reference to
Him in ordinary life experiences was limited to
gospel music. But, today our culture recognizes
openly the necessity of human dependence on
a divine power which is greater, hopeful, and
positive.
   A sign of hope today is that all three virtuous
applications have slipped through the arms of
resistance and found their place in soaring
number one hit songs on the country music
charts. To name a few: Three Wooden
Crosses: Randy Travis, I Hope You Dance:
LeeAnn Womak, Mountains: Lone Star, The
Broken Road: Rascal Flatts, Have You
Forgotten: Daryl Worley, The American Soldier:
Toby Keith, The World, She's Everything, and
When I Get To Where I'm Going: Brad Paisley,
Watching You: Rodney Atkins. Now if Bon Jovi
and others want to conform and attach
themselves to country music, then let them
include these virtues as well. As for me, I
choose music that inspires all three virtues. I
choose country music.
   One thing is sure, major country music
record labels do not understand how folks think
in Texas. A Texan by nature will not sit by when
they have been unfairly taken advantage of or
if something they believe in has been badly
mishandled or will be ruined. The feeling is that
country music coming out of Nashville is being
misrepresented. Texans will change that and
are moving to protect the rich music history
they love.
   Who remembers that the early Grand Ole
Opry fame came from already popular Texas
artists and musicians who catapulted country
music to national recognition. Prior to Gene
Autry, the Nation looked down on music coming
from the areas of Tennessee and the Carolinas
calling it "Hillibilly music". Texans remember.
Someone once said, "History doesn't lie".
Look up the backgrounds of all the Opry
members and you will see that at least one half
to this very day have Texas roots. The time has
come to recognize, celebrate, and preserve the
glory of Nashville's Grand Ole Opry's humble
beginnings and the success of Texas country
greats like Gene Autry, Tex Ritter, Bob
Wells, Lefty Frizzell, and Hank Thompson.
   Here in Texas many still talk of how the
audiences went wild because they couldn't get
enough of the Texas performers even though
they were required to work under restrictive
rules and conditions the Grand Ole Opry had
set (much like Bluegrass music is performed
today) demanding no "electrified" guitars,
drums, or any wind instrumentation such as
horns.
    Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys certainly
had to face the Grand Ole Opry rules. Bob Wills
and his band arrived in Nashville dressed in
their black suits and white hats. They had no
sooner stepped off the bus when Bob Wills was
told he could not bring his horn section and
drums on stage. He promptly told his band,
"Boys get on the bus we're headed back to
Texas". The Opry had ticket obligations and
quickly agreed to let Bob Wills and his band
play. It was said that the audience jumped out
of their seats while he and his band performed!
   It is true that Texas is proud but certainly not
arrogant. When it comes to their rich musical
heritage they will do everything in their power to
protect what is near and dear to their hearts.
Indeed, the winds have changed. There is no
stopping it now.
   The Texas country music movement is
building in momentum and impacting other
traditional country music artists who are headed
to Texas where country roots run strong, deep,
and fast. I wish you could see and hear it for
yourself. If you are from Texas you already
know.                               T R