OD,
As always, there is no problem with your decisions. I have come to expect it from you. "Ping Pong Ball." I am never surprised one way or another. You never have to make any apologies to anyone. You are not forced to do anything. If you change your mind and want to come, that would be fine. No problem either way. Never have to have any explanations. Just glad you are around here.
Ott, nice post, many good points. The fact that you don't care for most country music is more than fine. A l.ot of the reason we talk about that and Nashville in particular is because for most intents and purposes the songwriting industry no longer exists in most towns and cities and most are gravitating to Nashville, which is why we are in the growth spurt we are which has been building for about 40 years. some of the largest influxes are from the former rock and pop stars leaving LA and New York and moving here. it is why the rock and pop business is almost as big here as anywhere else in the country. And this is more and more including overseas as well. Some of my current tour clients are from Australia, England, Scottland, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, and other countries who talk about the influences country is currently having across their countries.
Similarly, I have no interest in modern rock, pop or rap. All are exceedingly boring, endless drum loops, noises and inane lyrics that say nothing about anything. For me, that market all but died 20 years ago, so I left it behind willingly. Never looked back.
And I do understand your non-interest in the "I Drive your Truck" song. In some ways people might look at it as "just another redneck truck song" and in some ways it might be. As far as overly sentimental, I might agree had I not known the STORY WAS TRUE. It happend to one of the writers. I will go for the truth any time over inanity.
I will have to take issue with you on the "Country not being mainstream" comments, however. I don't know if you pay attention to yearly sales figures in the entertainment industry but for nearly two decades, Nashville based artists have out performed pop artists consistantly. There are usually as many country artists in the top ten money winners as any other format. Last year, Kenny Chesney led ALL THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY in touring and sales with around $200 million dollars. No one else was even in the ballpark. Taylor Swift is one of the most successful commercial artists of all. Country artists are on the "mainstream" television shows, like Dancing with the Stars and John Rich on "The Donald Trump" television shows. Blake Shelton and Brad Paisley have been intregal in the Voice, Keith Urban on American Idol. The CMA's and ACM's out perform Grammys and Oscars in the viewing share of audiences and have beaten things like Monday night football. If there is a major television show or movie, chances are a country artist is going to be involved. There are more country artists on the cover of magazines, the subject of television and movies, involved in commercials, and more commercial country radio stations than any other format. You find as many country songs liscenesed for product development than anything but classic rock songs.
Country artists are able to tour with one or two acts, and make enormous financial. and cultural earnings,whereas rock must have the "Lollapaloosa, OZZ FEST, or other festival touring with 15-22 artists to be able to gross enough money to stay viable. Country's actual earning numbers are up when most other formats have stayed stagnant or lost market share. And interesting that reviews coming out of the Wall Street Journal and Rolling Stone, talking about "country not being mainstream" when BOTH have recently opened offices here in Nashville.
So quite frankly, Country now IS mainstream. Numbers and fan base just don't lie. The rest is simply opinion. But we do respect all opinions here. Glad to have you.
MAB