CMA Music Festival Not Representative of CMA’s Mission
When it comes to mainstream country music males, Dierks Bentley is one of the few remaining good guys left. Dierks has made a career of straddling the line between commercial and critical acceptance, making friends and fans across the cultural divide that separates country music by what are many times deep-seated ideological differences. That is why it’s unfortunate that on a recent promotional video for the upcoming broadcast of CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock on ABC on Tuesday, Aug. 5th, Dierks Bentley said some things that somewhat alienate country music’s older, middle-aged, even 30-something fans, and exposes a deeper issue with CMA’s Fan Fest—both with their LP Field lineup at the early June festival itself, and their annual television broadcast of footage taken from the fest later in the summer.
“What I love about CMA Music Fest, it reflects where country music is, you know?” Dierks says in a short promotional video, put together by Taste of Country (see below). “It’s a young, current, hip thing that’s happening that deserves to be in a downtown city center that’s new and growing and feels vibrant and just feels … represents the music properly. You know, this is not like your grandfather’s country music anymore.”
Dierk’s statement is no “Old Farts & Jackasses” declaration by any stretch, but it does state what has been obvious about CMA Fan Fest for a few years now, and a trend that seems to be growing deeper with each new installment.
The CMA’s “Vision Statement” says,
CMA is dedicated to bringing the poetry and emotion of Country Music to the world. We will continue the tradition of leadership and professionalism, promoting the music, and recognizing excellence in all its forms.
But aside from a few token gestures, the CMA Music Festival presentation only features the current and biggest stars of country, not all of the great acts from the past that have made country music the commercial powerhouse it is today, or many of the up-and-comers that are offering a lot of promise to country’s future. By Dierks saying, “It’s a young, current, hip thing that’s happening that deserves to be in a downtown city center that’s new and growing and feels vibrant” before reminding us country music is no longer like our grandfather’s music, he’s saying by default that older country music and their fans are boring and irrelevant. That may be the case to the 15-year-olds the video shows partying down at LP Field, but that’s not the case for many of the other fans and artists of country music that the CMA is charged with supporting and promoting along with the young and hip.
On the CMA website, the organization defines country as:
Country Music – the sound of Jimmie Rodgers yodeling Keith Urban blasting out a guitar solo The poetry of Hank Williams Sr. on “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” – A room full of convicts cheering on Johnny Cash as he sings “San Quentin, I hate every inch of you” – Alan Jackson speaking for the common man in the wake of September 11th – Feisty Loretta Lynn, and tearful Tammy Wynette – Roy Acuff showing off yo-yo tricks at the Grand Ole Opry – Miranda Lambert performing a heartfelt ballad – The King of Country George Strait The showmanship of superstars Reba McEntire, Garth Brooks, Shania Twain, Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley and Taylor Swift.
Country Music moves its fans, hits them where they live. Its artists have traveled millions of miles and recorded just as many songs in their quest to articulate the lives and hopes of everyday Americans. The songs make up a tapestry of the American life.
Unlike other music genres, Country Music artists have been supported for more than five decades by a trade organization dedicated to the advancement of the industry as a whole.
This definition paints a picture where there’s space for all. Sure, pop country and Keith Urban guitar solos have their place. But so does the poetry of Hank Williams and the sound of Jimmie Rodgers yodeling. The CMA is supposed to be about “the advancement of the industry as a whole.” But you won’t see that on Tuesday night’s broadcast. The few token artists that actually made it on the LP Field lineup at the CMA Fan Fest in 2014 are being left off the television presentation, but you will see non-country performers like Nikki Sixx and Vince Neal of Mötley Crüe on the broadcast, and semi-former Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora.
Unfortunately, the CMA Fan Fest seems to not be about promoting country music, but promoting the idea that country music is a lucrative place for advertisers and sponsors looking to appeal to young demographics. As a trade organization, The CMA should be concerned about the commercial solvency and success of country music, but it shouldn’t do it through the abandonment of it’s stated mission and charters, or the huge population of country fans older than age 30. You can’t tell me there aren’t tons of fans who will be sitting at home on Tuesday night who wouldn’t love to see George Strait, Willie Nelson, or Alan Jackson perform. And by promoting these artists’ appearances, the CMA would broaden the appeal of the presentation.
Instead of representing country music as a “young, current, hip thing” and “not like your grandfather’s country music anymore,” why not present the revolutionary idea that music, and country music specifically, is something that people of all ages can enjoy together? Wouldn’t that be the way to appeal to the most people? Wouldn’t that be more in line with the CMA’s stated mission?
August 5, 2014 @ 2:50 pm
Oh, Dierks …. 🙁 Dierks needed to clarify that CMA is putting *some* of its fans first. Guess who has no intention of watching tonight ….
August 5, 2014 @ 2:51 pm
The more I read your articles, the more clearly my path comes into view. Thanks, Trigger.
August 5, 2014 @ 4:24 pm
Ben Dukes?
August 5, 2014 @ 9:23 pm
Yessir.
August 5, 2014 @ 3:36 pm
I think “forty and fabulous” should be a recognized sub-genre in country music. acts like faith Hill and tim mcgraw, sugarland would qualify as county/forty and fabulous/pop? maybe garth brooks. hell. I don’t know.
August 5, 2014 @ 4:40 pm
Today, I was driving home listening to the radio. Tuning throughout stations I suddenly hear a song with quite a lot of twang. I was stunned that radio was actually playing something traditional. 15 seconds later I find the song was actually a commercial for blue bell ice cream.
A little off topic, but I think it speaks to how homogenized the country format is currently that the most unique sound on the radio I heard today was a commercial for ice cream.
August 5, 2014 @ 6:36 pm
I have heard that commercial too and felt the same way!
August 5, 2014 @ 6:32 pm
This article is junk considering that “drunk on a plane” is his current single. His performance at CMT was so far from country. And no mention of Carrie Underwood in definition of country music with other pop infused artists is a joke. She has never remixed for pop and is no more pop than other people listed.
August 5, 2014 @ 8:35 pm
With all due respect, I have no idea what this comment means, similar to Afan’s. I think y’all are following a Carrie Underwood thread from somewhere that characterized this article as something that it isn’t. I don’t see how Dierks current single plays into this article whatsoever, or why Carrie Underwood’s name is even being mentioned. If you don’t like the definition the CMA gave for country music that I quoted in this article because it doesn’t mention Carrie Underwood, then take it up with the CMA. Beyond that, I completely baffled at what you’re getting at.
August 6, 2014 @ 5:06 am
Man, what in the world are you trying to say? I can’t make one lick of sense out of your comment.
August 5, 2014 @ 6:53 pm
Ok I quit!!! I give up on Country music!!! Taylor Swift? When? I don’t even know why I bother when I think this website is up because of Big machine record!!!trigger you advertise every artist from them and bash most (not all) from other labels!!! There’s no way you can hold taylor to the voice of Carrie Underwood to alway bash Carrie! Country fans love her and pop tween fans love Taylor! I will never understand why the cma won’t accept carrie but hey at least country fans and country radio do!!! Let me know when any of today female reach the amount of Number ones she have!!! And I don’t want to hear about her coming from idol because Idol didn’t buy 7 million copies of her debut album!!! It’s what you do with it!!! If that wasn’t the case then every Idol winner would be as successful!!! And I don’t want to hear she’s not country when she sticks to the country format!!! Most of her songs is country and country pop!!! The only song I think that is not country is “see you again” and that still went to number one which was just as wrong as Taylor swift “we are never ever getting back together” I love Miranda lambert and I love how it’s her turn to shine because she really worked hard to be where she’s at but I don’t think this site is fare to a lot of artist that done come from big machine records!!! Trigger I wonder how much do they pay you to bash other artistes?
August 5, 2014 @ 8:32 pm
Afan,
First off, I did not delete your comment, it was awaiting moderation, and I approved it. I encourage dissent here.
Second, I do NOT advertise Big Machine artists on this site, or advertise anyone specifically. I have Google ads that populate with ads chosen for each individual browser. I try my best to control their content, and block artists that I feel don’t fit the spirit of Saving Country Music, but I can only block them if I see them personally. Trust me, Big Machine is NOT advertising with Saving Country Music, and the lack of advertising support is the reason I have to use Google ads, which make about 1/4 of the money direct advertising does. If it makes you feel any better, Saving Country Music is horrifically insolvent, and keeping this website going for half a decade has completely bankrupted me.
As for Carrie Underwood, I really have no idea what your beef is here. I did not mention her ONCE in this article. If you issue is my assessment of the song “Somethin’ Bad”,I think that is an unfortunate collaboration that Carrie got snuckered into and doesn’t represent her well. I wrote negative review for artists I wholeheartedly support. I’m a critic, it is my job to say the tough things. But I think over the years I have steered clear of being overly-critical of Carrie, and always given her credit for being one of the strongest female singers in country music.
August 6, 2014 @ 5:27 am
Have you considered a “tip jar” to help the financial side of things?
I’d be happy to throw a few $$ your way for the great music to which you introduce me.
August 6, 2014 @ 6:47 am
I second that. I’d be willing to contribute, it’s my go to blog for honest country music insight and where I learn about up and coming country artists worth listening to. Not to mention the most entertaining place to be during those live country music award shows!
August 6, 2014 @ 6:28 am
Carrie undefwood fans need to get over this strange obsession they have with taylor swift. Take taylor swift out if the equation and carrie underwood would still be no where near the overall number one country artist anywhere and that includes, concert revenue, radio airplay, single sales, album sale, etc. The guys of the country industry are killing carrie underwood in all areas yet your delusion is still on taylor swift? The guy who wrote this article did not mention taylor at all, he simply quoted the cma mission statment from the cma website but some how you delusional people have turned that in to him working for big machine, lol. And people wonder why no one takes underwood fans seriously, because they do not read for themselves and their comprehension skills are non existent. Please get over your silly taylor obsession, she was not even at this festival and yet she was still the top artist mentioned out of underwoods fans mouths because you are obsessed and you also misunderstood what was written here because the moment this article was posted on the underwood site, it only took one fool to take the taylor comment out of context and all the othe non reading dummies follwing suit complaining about nothing.
August 6, 2014 @ 2:10 pm
I checked the Underwood fan site and the only thing quoted was the CMA definition. I believe that the fans voiced their opinion only towards Underwood’s exclusion from the list of artist according to the CMA definition. No reference was made towards this site and in the past I believe this site has been mentioned positively for bringing insight into the politics that are currently affecting country music.
August 6, 2014 @ 4:28 pm
I wonder if Tammy and Loretta fans acted like Carrie and Taylor fans do now back in the day? I know they didn’t have internet back then,so did the Loretta fans hold signs up at Tammy gatherings saying she’s overrated and can’t write her own songs while Tammy fans held signs saying Loretta is a Jezebel who can’t sing or something?..I think not…
As far as Dierks goes,I’ve always been a half-ass fan,but I’m getting more and more convinced he’s a tool bag,and I’m about done with him.
August 5, 2014 @ 10:34 pm
Watching snippets of the country festival on TV …
No wonder all this shit is going down at the concerts this summer . What disguises itself as ‘country music” seems , for the most part , to be bottom of the barrel 80’s-90’s rap-rock with an inciting , aggressive attitude-riddled edge ( Eric Church scares the hell out of me …someone needs to reign in THAT ego ) , non-musical , non-melodic , no redeeming qualities , substance-less shitty loud abrasive noise . No narrative to the lyric , no traditional instrumentation to speak of , no traditional country music artists ( Jackson , Yokum , Strait , Vince , Kacey Musgraves , Don Williams , Reba , Dolly , Joe Nichols ) and , in my opinion , not a song to stand the test of time in the whole mess . How sad is THAT last point with so many AMAZING writers and songs floating around that town ?
Corporate America hi-jacked rock music in the 80’s and it was downhill from there . Now its hi-jacked ‘country’ music , dressed up all the acts in trendy ball caps , chains , toques and black T-shirts and made sure they all sound the same -TWANGY RAP . Ironically , the hosts are about the most generic-sounding faceless , safe act of them all . I can’t help feeling somehow violated .
August 6, 2014 @ 6:56 am
“Corporate America hi-jacked rock music in the 80”²s and it was downhill from there . Now its hi-jacked ”˜country”™ music ”
I said this last year, ABC has hijacked the music festival and turned it into a hot mess. Looking at last night’s lineup of performers you would have thought those were the only artists there. Did you know that Alabama, Travis Tritt, Charlie Daniels and Sara Evans also performed? Where were their performances?
August 6, 2014 @ 7:41 am
Yet many of the performers they did show got two songs instead of one. Country is now made up of a ruling class: the haves and the have nots.
August 6, 2014 @ 12:37 pm
I agree with the have or have nots comments. I will admit to being a Luke fan when he first came out. I even went to one of his shows. However I feel like he is crammed down our throats at every single event even remotely affiliated with country music. Same with Blake, Miranda, Church and FGL. Every televised event has the same damn line up. Most of the time they perform twice. Switch it up! I would love to see Billy Currington perform on one of these shows. He’s had 2 #1 songs from his new album and never gets a minute of time on these things. Let some of the new artists who are just becoming popular sing an entire song, not just half a hook going into commercial break. Anything so I don’t have to hear the same 7 acts remix the same song that they have been singing for a year.
August 6, 2014 @ 7:38 am
Amen to Albert’s comment above. That just about sums it up. You will not hear much real country music around the CMA Moneyfest.
There is only one redeeming thing about all this. It is driving people to the Americana festivals, where some really great original music is being created.
The jive-ass phonies in Nashville have just about destroyed the reputation of “Country Music.” May it rest in peace while real Country moves over to the Americana tent.
Perhaps the CMA could stage a drunken riot during their telecast, with assaults, a few overdoses, and an attempted rape.
It’s over, y’all and Dierks, looking to pay the rent like the rest of us, has sold his (soul?)
to the bullshit brigade.
On the other hand, Willie’s new c.d. is very, very good.
Ben Jones
August 6, 2014 @ 12:40 pm
I disagree about the 80’s. In my opinion, that decade produced some of the greatest soft rock songs and rock ballads of all time.
The 90’s were an interesting decade for music, in that the transition from rock to hip-hop/techno/electronic began in earnest then. The rock songs of that decade were perhaps a bit too dark and moody, but the songwriting on the soft rock songs in particular was among the greatest of all time.
August 5, 2014 @ 10:36 pm
“Instead of representing country music as a “young, current, hip thing” and “not like your grandfather”™s country music anymore,” why not present the revolutionary idea that music, and country music specifically, is something that people of all ages can enjoy together? Wouldn”™t that be the way to appeal to the most people? Wouldn”™t that be more in line with the CMA”™s stated mission?”
YES! Trigger, you articulated my feelings exactly. I didn’t realize it until I read that paragraph, but I think this is why I have pulled away from (most) country music. I was watching the CMA show earlier tonight and thinking, “I used to be SO into country music. I don’t get it now. Did I change, or did country change?”
I am missing the history, the tradition…being excited about new music, but still hearing odes of the country tunes my grandmother played for me, and feeling like the music connected me to something strong and important.
August 5, 2014 @ 10:38 pm
“Odes TO” I meant!
August 6, 2014 @ 5:15 am
Dierks, Dierks, Dierks……. I’ve been on to you from the beginning. You’re a rock raised suburban boy, who discovered Country music in your senior year, and decided it was cool and different. You are the kind of act that Alan Jackson wrote “Gone Country” about.
Please shut the hell up. Your music is shitty enough; we don’t need to hear your opinions too.
August 6, 2014 @ 5:25 am
Oh, but Dierks, I am curious about one thing.
Just what in the hell is so “hip” about a bunch of male models singing songs about things they’ve never done, in accents they’d never used until they got to Nashville?
August 6, 2014 @ 7:07 am
No problem with Dierks overall, he has made some good music. However, the CMA awards, festival and as an organization overall has nothing to do with the country music that a lot of us once loved; outside of it’s involvement with the hall of fame . I refuse to listen to mainstream radio go to mainstream concerts or festivals even if they feature some artists out of the mainstream I love, I would rather go see them headline a smaller venue later so no money goes to the Nashvegas machine, Supporting independent music and artists is the key. Then things like the CMA festival will not matter at all. BTW, lots of talent in Nashville lots of good independent music being mde there it is the CMA, Big Machane etc that are the problems.
August 6, 2014 @ 7:30 am
“Dierk”™s statement is no “Old Farts & Jackasses” declaration by any stretch”
Maybe not, but he does come across here as a shill for Music Row.
August 6, 2014 @ 9:35 am
Dierks!!!!! Do not sell your soul. You are one of only a few that still respects the traditional country music sound (except for “Drunk on a Plane”). I give you a slight “pass” on this one. If you sell out again, I will be done with you!!
August 6, 2014 @ 9:38 am
I’m sure he was paid more than our annual salaries combined to say that. He probably can’t keep a straight face cashing that check.
August 6, 2014 @ 9:54 am
I flipped the channel past that CMA show last night a few times. Nothing that I saw either looked or sounded like country music.
I thought I was watching Scott Stapp from Creed but then I saw the other guy and realized it was FLGA Line. 2014 Country music is all about muscle shirts, tattoos, and wallet chains. And poorly written and played rock songs.
August 6, 2014 @ 10:48 am
I met a guy who was in the same fraternity as Scott Stapp at FSU. He told me that Stapp was a couple grades ahead of him and would make all of pledges and underclassmen sit through his concerts. He said the band was awful and he was shocked when they became so popular.
August 6, 2014 @ 11:14 am
Oh dear, I neglected to watch last night’s broadcast. (Sarcasm.)
I did see that Zac Brown Band was going to do something or other. Was that any good?
Also: let’s bring back Fan Fair.
August 6, 2014 @ 12:20 pm
Richie Sambora added that special spark of 80’s washup The Zac Brown has been missing.
August 6, 2014 @ 7:52 pm
Lets just face the facts here & call it for what it is.
The current country music genre is a dirtbag genre now full of posers & popstars.
Just let it go.
There’s still great music out there it’s just not on mainstream radio for the most part.
Give it time, it will implode on itself. It’s not all that odd really when you’ve seen it happen to other styles of music.
The feeder of talent is broken & has been for a while. It will take a long time to come
back from this as a result of nearly 2 decades of erosion though.
Just turn to Americana, Roots music etc… If you look, good music is def still there 🙂
August 6, 2014 @ 7:58 pm
Oh… And Dierk’s is an obvious ass to say what he did, asskisser.
And all this Carrie talk… She screams!!! I’ve never heard her sing a good song yet.
She should just switch over to pop genre & call it a day… Compete with Pink, Rhianna etc.
August 7, 2014 @ 5:19 pm
I was born in the late 1950s and literally grew up in the Nashville music scene. As a kid, I was regularly backstage at the Opry (at the Ryman) on Saturday nights. I went to DJ Convention and, when it came along, to Fan Fair. I had friends and relatives in the business. And what strikes me when I read items like his is how old the argument really is. Remember when the Opry didn”™t allow electric guitars? Ernest Tubb, one of those “real country” artists, broke that barrier. Things change; times change. Back when I was a kid the folks lining up for the Opry around the Fifth Avenue corner onto Broadway on those hot summer nights were families ”“ working class folks and their kids for the most part. Look at the typical Nashville tourist now. It”™s younger people who flock to Lower Broad and the honky tonks. It”™s a totally different crowd. It”™s only logical that the folks making the music they are listening to would be different as well. I truly can”™t imagine the average CMA Fest goer sitting in the heat on hard pews and listening to Hank Snow, Little Jimmie Dickens, Skeeter Davis, etc”¦ The entire thing is pretty unrecognizable when compared to, say, 1967. I miss those days for personal, nostalgic reasons. But the whole world is different, not just country music.
And Nashville has always been a company town when it comes to the music industry. You either play ball with the big guys or you don”™t get signed. There are exceptions, of course. But it”™s not typical then or now. And they promote who they want, and if you last record didn”™t sell ”“ it may have been your last.
August 10, 2014 @ 2:29 pm
I just got around to watching this and I ended up using fast forward through the whole thing. I believe this is the first time I’ve ever watched a CMA Event (award show or other) where I didn’t enjoy one single thing about the show.
I think this is the first time I’ve ever watched such an event without seeing at least one person I enjoyed.