Recap – 2011 CMA Awards
My overall grade of the 2011 CMA Awards would be “not terrible.” It goes without saying that not much that is “country” went down on the show, and if you take into consideration the wide spectrum of country talent, the artists that truly deserved to win the awards didn’t. But we could have had much worse results. Jason Aldean could have swept the awards, and ushered in a new era in country music where a country rap song was the reigning Song of the Year.
Instead what we got was a mish mash of winners that didn’t really offer any new definition or shift in mainstream country, and rather illustrate a continuance of the pop-orientented performers dominating the scene, likely resulting in the continuance of declining sales for country, and leaving it open to continued infection from other genres.
The Saving Country Music predictions went 7 for 9 (ish) on the night, with one of the first surprises coming early in the show, when the sister and brothers trio of The Band Parry stole the Song of the Year award with their easily forgettable “If I Die Young.” The award should have gone to Taylor Swift’s “Mean”, or to Colt Ford and Brantley Gilbert for the country rap made famous by Jason Aldean, “Dirt Road Anthem”. As offensive as some might find “Dirt Road”, it’s hard to argue there was a more popular, or a more influential song this year than it.
As you will always get with live awards shows like this, there are times when the facade of popular music is pulled back, and you get a chance to see what a charade popular music can be. Twice this happened last night, with Martina McBride clearly using a teleprompter, and Scotty McCreery lip syncing.
The opening performance featured the finest in cross marketing, which is the norm now for these awards shows, as a cabal of country pop stars peddled the soundtrack for the new movie “Footloose”. As much as Eric Church apologists want to preach how he’s never called himself an “Outlaw”, he was introduced last night by Brad Paisley as “Country music’s latest Outlaw.” And in one of the night’s most unusual offerings, in a situation that could have only come about with big payola changing hands, Lionel Ritchie got what is an eternity in award show time to feature duets with country stars on an album that won’t even be out for another 5 months.
I’m sure many will assume I’m only saying this because they think Taylor Swift is my new favorite toy, but she delivered the most tolerable performance of the show. On a night that featured a carnival of only the greatest excesses in over-production, including legions dancers barely clad in glitter, explosions, symphonies, and synchronized light and visual shows, Taylor did what many of the performers don’t have the skill set or the balls to do: unplug, sit down with their guitar and a Shure SM-58 microphone, and flat pick an original song.
And in a moment that illustrated remarkable contrast and lack of class, the next performance was the worst of the night, as Luke Bryan, the man most poised to knock Brantley Gilbert off the perch for being the official country music douche, led a troupe of whores dressed in volleyball shorts in an unadulterated sex romp that included dry humping chairs, dry humping the floor, and wizzing all over 100 years of country music tradition.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPK4S-8ghF8
Country legends were scarce last night as you can imagine, but Glen Campbell did get a decent tribute. Hank Williams Jr. got some face time in a self-deprecating moment at the beginning of the show, showing some good nature about his Monday Night Football debacle. And Little Jimmy Dickens, dressed as Justin Bieber, got scant attention from a crowd whose majority had no idea who he was.
As easily anticipated, country pop’s first couple Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton took home the male and female Vocalist of the Year trophies, Sugarland won Duo of the Year, Lady Antebellum won Group of the Year, and The Band Perry were the New Artist of the Year. When Jason Aldean finally won an award, it was a big one: Album of the Year, but the possibility of a Jason Aldean sweep had been avoided.
Now all that was left was Entertainer of the Year. If Aldean could reel that in, it would still solidify him as the most dominant force in country music in 2011. And sitting there with surprisingly no awards was Taylor Swift, who looked visibly angry when Miranda Lambert took Female Vocalist of the Year. If Taylor walked away with no awards, it might be as big of a coup as Aldean winning all of them.
In the end, Taylor won for Entertainer of the Year, which for me, was some weird version of a mild victory. I went into last night’s presentation ready to come here the next day and declare that the formation of the mono-genre was complete, and any last glimmer of taking back mainstream country music had been quashed. That still might be the case, but even though Taylor Swift has very little if anything that could be considered country in her, Taylor’s victory at least means that at least a little authenticity is still alive in the “country” genre. Or at least for another year.
November 10, 2011 @ 3:13 pm
I thought it was funny how Lionel Ritchies’ “country” songs were basically just regular soul-pop, except you could hear a pedal steel guitar slightly in the background.
November 10, 2011 @ 3:56 pm
Even funnier (or more sad) that’s all the pedal steel you’d see all night. When the crossover stars are more country than the country stars, you know something isn’t right.
November 10, 2011 @ 3:31 pm
You’re a brave (or foolish) man sitting through that shit. I couldn’t stomach it. I thank you for taking the bullet for those of us with more delicate constitutions.
November 10, 2011 @ 4:22 pm
For me it was like watching wrestling. I didn’t tune in and then get pissed the wrestling was fake.
My take aways:
1. Band Perry isn’t my cup of tea, but they are more country than Sugarland and Lady A-wful, so maybe that is a bit of a victory.
2. I thought Chesney/Potter duet was good. I mean the song is decent, they actually sang it and played acoustic.
3. Appeared Glen Campbell got cut off. If so, that was classless.
4. The goal of this type of music is simple. Low level entertainment. If they can just get a head nod or toe tape, that is victory, appearently that is an award win. There is no depth to the music at all. None. Even the Cancer song by Martina was low level for entertainment value.
5. The days of singer coming out and just singing are done. Hell Tim McGraw would come out and just sing and seemed into it. Now it is a Brittany Spears dance poduction, and friends, these country folks can’t dance like pop stars, stop it.
6. How out of place and horrid was the Sugarland w/ wanna be Bono performance?
7. Luke Bryant is gay. Nothing wrong with that, but he is gay. The g/f or wife he has, is a front. Nobody does the act he did and think it was a good idea unless you’re gay. No money, no promise of record sales, no award has a straight guy wearing glitter(yea, it wasn’t rhinestones, it was glitter) pants and boots, singing a “shake it for me girl” song, but he is the one shaking it.
This isn’t even pop country anymore, it is primetime/network TV entertainment. Sad thing is, they carry that out on the radio and concerts.
WWE= World Wrestling Entertainment
It’s not wrestling, its entertainment.
WWMEWSA’s= World Wide Music Entertainment With Southern Accents
It’s not country music, its entertainment.
November 10, 2011 @ 5:01 pm
hahaha i totally loved the new Bono—that song is raw! I really dig the lyrics—the music is pretty good I guess 🙂
November 10, 2011 @ 4:34 pm
Never liked Taylor, and never will, as she cannot seem to finish one song without missing more than a few notes IMO, but I must admit she deserved that Entertainer win. I don’t agree regarding her live performance however. Yes, it was quiet and simple, but the whole performance is fit more in a high school recital, not country’s biggest night. It was too amateurish, with Swift missing half the notes of the song. Sorry.
She did look scary when she lost the vocalist to Miranda lol.
Speaking of Miranda, I’m hoping you’ll do a review of her latest album, Triggerman. I’ve read mostly glowing reviews from other sites. I’m interested in what you think of it. Thanks.
November 10, 2011 @ 4:40 pm
I watched most of the CMA awards and was happy with a few performances and winners. I really liked Thompson Square and The Band Perry, Miranda Lambert (even if she’s strayed away from that outlaw/bad girl vibe from her first few albums–i still dig her music). Matt Nathanson, whered he come from??? I’m diggin his sound, but maybe because he looks/sounds/acts like a young Bono). Kenny Chesney & Grace Potter’s song was awesome but I’m sad she didn’t show off her vocal range more…
Luke Bryan can go to fucking hell!
Sad Taylor Swift didn’t get more recognition—I just remember in the opening monologue when the hosts took a jab at her saying something like “and whoever Taylor Swift’s dating”….poor thing, shes young! Give her a break—makes for good song writing material anyway….Shes got a way with words!
November 10, 2011 @ 5:10 pm
It’s looking more in more like Luke Bryan shit in his nest last night. He just crossed way too many lines trying to make a big splash. This is what legendary country reporter Chet Flippo had to say about it:
“Now, full-blown rap beats are accompanied by what appear to be nearly-nude Vegas strippers and that now seems to be routine. Why not try recruiting some real Daisy Dukes or Hooters employees or Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders to be country dancers instead of these gamy-looking strippers? How about getting some wholesome, old-fashioned, decent-dressing, cut-off jeans-wearing, down-home soft-core porn dancers? How are Chevrolet-driving mom and pop and grandpa and grandma reacting to all this at home? Doesn’t matter, the demographers say. The old-timers don’t count in their audience metrics.”
http://www.cmt.com/news/nashville-skyline/1674132/nashville-skyline-cma-awards-do-right-with-glen-campbell-tribute.jhtml
November 10, 2011 @ 5:45 pm
Everyone’s going the sexual route these days—-if they can’t wow you with talent…what about a shong about girls shakin their shit??!! yeah!!!!…..NOOOOOO!
November 10, 2011 @ 6:42 pm
Another reason to boycott the award shows. Pitiful is what that is. It’s run it’s course and they know it but still hang on because just singing the POP song is not good enough because the POP song is not good enough. I reckon watchin’ Garth fly around like a circus monkey would be more interesting than that type of production that only entertains those who cannot hold deep thoughts.
November 11, 2011 @ 3:09 pm
OH MY GOD! His pants glittered! I could only watch for about a minute and turned it off. The only time my clothes have glitter is when my daughter throws her glitter shirt in the laundry with my stuff and I don’t catch it in time. But hey, with those pants he can be an extra in the Twilight movies!
November 10, 2011 @ 5:13 pm
pfff no comment…. thanks for this recap tho. All we know now…
If it aint Country it aint music…like this show last night 😉
one thing…whats up with Lionel Ritchie???
November 10, 2011 @ 5:20 pm
you hit on the nail when you said Luke Bryan as country official douche. Luke Bryan,Big N rich and Blake Shelton make me think of what some bands like Poison or Ratt used to be during the end of the 80’s……bands that did what has been already done over and over again on purpose and adding even more sauce to it. Every Cliché were in that performance
November 10, 2011 @ 6:05 pm
How unfair of you Pags to compare Luke Bryan to Poison. Yeah, he may not be perfect, but every rose has its thorn.
November 10, 2011 @ 7:30 pm
just like every cowboy sings his sad, sad songs
November 10, 2011 @ 5:52 pm
I seen the look Swift had too.Blake and Miranda pretty much think they’re hot shit these days and it probably shows backstage may be why.OR maybe she was just pissed at the fact she out-sold Miranda’s head banging ass in like a week and deserved the damn award!
November 10, 2011 @ 6:35 pm
What a sad year for country music.
November 10, 2011 @ 9:30 pm
Triggerman, It’s awesome how well you understand Taylor, while at the same time clearly you are not a fan. It’s becoming more and more clear to me that at least Taylor Swift is real and sincere. And she is a fighter. I have never seen somebody work so hard. She could save country music.
November 11, 2011 @ 6:41 am
Work so hard at what? Does she want to be a country singer? She has fallen into the corporate Nashville machine doing commercials and movies and overproduced arena tours and award shows and you still want to act like she is a innocent young girl who just wants to sing her songs. Johnny Cash wouldn’t ever be seen with a hair goo commercial cuz he didn’t have to. Elvis grew to dislike Hollywood for a reason. Kanye said what he said for a reason. Taylor Swift knows what she is doing as she is building a mogul career and is not a great singer by any stretch of the imagination. Y’all act like she is some great songwriter. Compared to some songs she ain’t bad. But she clearly is not the best at that either. That shows me one thing and one thing only: manufactured superstar and not everyone is impressed with it.
November 11, 2011 @ 7:24 am
You’re right.Johnny was too busy doing Taco Bell comercials,he would never do a hair goo one though.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZG5vBYDcbug
November 11, 2011 @ 8:33 am
Well color me corrected. Big difference between the man in black and Taylor Swift is that Johnny can sing on key. And write songs that have transcended people through the years of time. He lived country and died country. Johnny and June lived a life of incomparable overcomings and triumphs. Taylor has been handed most things with a silver spoon and I wonder who she is thankful to it for? Johnny and June loved the Lord.
I hope Taylor can turn her life around and make a difference in country music but for the right reasons, not for the glammy glitzy pretty girl singin’ off key but she’s better than the fake outlaws reasons. Time will tell. I still don’t like any of her songs. I thought I liked her song Drew something for me . . . guitar song? Until I heard it over and over and over and realized it’s not a song I like. It’s a glammy glitzy girlie song I don’t relate to. It seems Triggerman has jumped ship and climbing on the miranda/taylor kick that pop country is SO BAD that there is something that has to have a glimmer of hope. Well ok. But I think he is way off base. Giving Taylor opportunity to shine later is commendable, but right now she’s shining brighter to him because the genre of country music took a wrong turn at Albilene. That wrong turn started decades ago. Nothing new in the world of music. I get it that y’all want to believe in Taylor. Good for y’uns. Maybe she will surprise y’all. Meanwhile, POP country is still not country music, never will be, no matter what they want you to buy into. RIP Johnny Cash. I like taco bell too.
I’d really like to see a humbling of the genre of POP country. Corporate radio needs brought down a notch or two. Music is meant to be enjoyed, not idolized, and taste will always play a part in what people like and what they don’t like. I don’t like POP country and Taylor Swift’s music is POP country. End of story for me.
Johnny makes me happy 🙂
November 11, 2011 @ 9:14 pm
Denise thank you for your sincere and thoughtful comments. Johnny Cash does it for you. My favorite male artist is Willie Nelson. As you point out Taylor Swift is certainly exploring many ways to expand her empire. And she is very successful. However, the difference between Taylor and most others is that she rules her empire with an iron fist. She controls her brand which includes being a good role model and being respectful to country music. Her “brand” is worth hundreds of millions of dollars. She learned this business strategy from her father and it works for her because she is inherently gifted. I don’t have any fear that Taylor will someday start disrespecting country music. However, I did have a nightmare the other night while dreaming about Sony’s attempts to buy her record label. The one thing that could destroy Taylor is governance from a large corporate bureaucracy just as corporations have destroyed the balance of country music. If Taylor can stay in control of her creative process country music could survive.
November 10, 2011 @ 10:27 pm
I’m sure Scott McCreery was not the only one lipsynching on the show. Luke Bryan’s singing was also canned. How could he run across stage jumping around and hit every note perfectly and not produce any difference in loudness on the mic? (Don’t get me wrong. Luke is a good live singer. Check out his acoustic performance of “Shake It for Me” on the web.)
Canned vocals and instrumentals are way more common on these live shows than people might think. Authenticity is often sacrificed for faked perfection.
November 10, 2011 @ 11:02 pm
You very well might be right. Scotty was the only one that it immediately hit me when he was singing that something wasn’t right, and that was the last thing I expected from him. The story would be if Luke Bryan DIDN’T lip sync. I’m telling you, that dude jumped the shark last night.
November 10, 2011 @ 10:33 pm
Oh my God! Luke Bryan, never heard of him before but seeing that discusting clip forced me out in the cold cold night to puke. I get it now, T-man. But the way I see it, they lost.
November 11, 2011 @ 6:44 am
Blessed is the man who expects nothing, because he will never be disapointed.
November 11, 2011 @ 7:04 am
The lowly and meek are fortunate! for the whole wide world belongs to them. Matthew 5:5
November 11, 2011 @ 7:38 am
“Shake it for the crickets and the critters and the squirrels…” Now tell me that’s not country!.
And then there’s when he walks out and gets handed a baseball cap to put on right before he starts singing. Nice.
November 11, 2011 @ 7:50 am
Just watched it again. Actually, he gets the hat while he’s singing. One of the dancers puts the hat on her raised foot. He takes it from there and puts it on his head. Yep, jumped the shark all right.
November 11, 2011 @ 9:14 am
Dare I say…and this kind of comes with the 180 Trigger has done with Taylor (which I agree with and have thought for sometime), like her or not, she writes and sings what she knows, and she does it quiet well. (Although she is off key sometimes) But as she matures, she will continue to write what she knows and that will change. What does she know right now…?
She knows she only walked away with entertainer of the year when it should have been more. She knows she sat there watching the same shit we watched, and it appeared she had a look on her face of “WTF is all this” throughout the night,
She knows that she isn’t going to sell sex (as she never has)
She knows she and going to rap in a song.
I think they pissed her off with the shot about who is she dating now in the opening as well.
She could decide to put together a very traditional country album just to stick to them and her legion of fans would follow and that would turn the tides. Taylor could be the savior.
There is just a feel about her that she isn’t going to down the Underwood/Pickler, etc… road. She has more experience than Lambert (and I don’t think she likes Miranda). Taylor is smart. You might not like her, but she is smart. Again, dare I say… much like Waylon, you piss her off and she will write a song about it, and for her demographic, it is a good song. If she decides this pop-country thing is getting to far gone, she could cut something traditional and it will turn everything.
November 11, 2011 @ 10:07 am
I think the fact that “If I Die Young” won single of the year show that people are looking for some sort of heartbreak that they can’t find on the radio. It seams easily forgettable to us because we have gone out of our way to seek good, soulful music, but to them, people raised on pop country radio, that song seams real deep. And I thought it was interesting that the Zac Brown Band chose to do Georgia On My Mind with Gregg Allman, my favorite performance of the night, rather than some Allman Brother song.
November 11, 2011 @ 10:14 am
I heard the ZBB and Allman performance on the radio. I don’t know if they are collaborationg on something, I don’t follow Zac all that much. I thought it interesting just cause it featured Allman so much vs. ZBB. Which is fine by me. ZBB never really grab me. There lastest song I hear on the radio, don’t recall the name, but it isn’t “colder weather” it is something else. Sounds like something you’d hear on a crusie ship. Not good.
I have heard that ZBB is great live though, so I guess that maybe the draw to them.
November 11, 2011 @ 11:41 am
The song is called Knees Deep and it’s a duet with Jimmy Buffett. It’s not Jimmy or ZBB’s best song and I can see why people around here wouldn’t like it, but being a life long parrothead, it’s good enough for me. And they are great in concert, but they are more in the vein of a Grateful Deadesque jam band.
November 11, 2011 @ 12:44 pm
Jeb, it isn’t “Knees Deep” it is something else. Something about “the night…”? I can’t remember. Knees Deep is ZBB just working the Chicken Fried/Toes formula over again.
This other literally sounds like they are playing a cruise ship or some disney resort.
November 11, 2011 @ 1:24 pm
Jeb, the song I am thinking of is “Keep me in mind”. Cruise ship band material.
November 16, 2011 @ 2:59 pm
Wow.. haven’t heard that one. All I can say is that everybody fucks up once in a while.
November 11, 2011 @ 10:16 am
You might be on to something there. My theroy is that the votes got split almost half and half between Taylor Swift’s “Mean” and Aldean’s “Dirt Road Antherm,” and it’s one of those situations where while Coke and Pepsi are fighting each other, Dr. Pepper wins out. I also think that there was a concerted effort by the CMA’s this year to really push The Band Perry, to make them a bona-fide top-tier country music franchise like Lady Antebellum, and I think they accomplished that.
November 11, 2011 @ 11:46 am
I’m not sure that’s totally a bad thing. They might kind of gay, but at least they make an effort to sound country.
November 11, 2011 @ 10:23 am
Trigg, and to some other industry insiders…
The CMA’s isn’t a fan based award show. I know sales of albums, tickets, etc..that fans dictate, go into it, but the CMA’s are not fans voting on the awards.
With that said, is there anything to consider that Band Perry won what they did, that Aldean didn’t win what we expected was going to be a clean sweep, and some of the other awards that didn’t go completely the way of what may have been expected.
I guess, if Aldean didn’t prevail with “Dirt Road Anthem”, isn’t the industry kind of hinting, “hey, we aren’t going rap/country.”
And Band Perry, a group that actually can play some instruments and doesn’t sing about sunshine, cold beer, 4×4’s… isn’t the industry kind of hinting, “hey, lets get some actual skill and talent going again.”
Just curious since some of the comments here that are surprised by winners say “shows the people wanted something else.” but the awards are not voted on by the “people”, they are by the record industry.
So can we take some hope from this CMA’s? Maybe they let Luke Bryant do that thing just to show…”we have bottomed out. Now give Taylor entertainer and lets go regroup.”
November 11, 2011 @ 3:34 pm
You seem to have the insider scoop. Does it cost to go to the CMA’s? Do the record labels have to buy into it? I know commercials pay for a lot of it, but how does it get funded? The CMA’s create their own award show and put on a big whoo ha and give out little crystal statues and everybody says yep, they are the best in the west (not the south silly cuz country music is traditionally southern) and strategically scan Taylor’s looks of disgust over Miranda’s honey it’s so great bein’ country stars glee, and the rest of America buys into the fact that country music sure is gettin’ cool now that they’re startin’ to rap, and did you see her dress? It cost 25000 dollars but because it was gettin’ camera time just don’t worry about it, and here, here’s a cap with our logo on it, and if you snatch it off some country gal’s fishnetted biker booted booty shakin’ leg then we will give you a big ole incentive check and by the way, don’t forget the Ellen show and power drink companies need a piece of ya. Furthermore, we’ll bring Bocephus out and let him tell a joke or two to throw em off guard and Bono, well, I really like Bono but he really needs to stop with the Pop country sympathy. You have alot of bonos in the bank Bono, so you don’t do it for the money and after hearing the feedback of these comments, you surely can’t be doing it for the craft and love of music. Cuz it’s all one big Hollyweird showdown disguised as a hoe down. Yeeee haw y’all.
November 11, 2011 @ 6:02 pm
The only surprise of the night for me was the fact that I didn’t want to punch the tv during Eric Church’s performance. I actually found it mildly enjoyable.
November 11, 2011 @ 7:05 pm
im not much for award shows,but if there were a bunch of booty shaking whores dry humping the floor while Justin Townes Earle did a live version of Harlem River Blues at the Americana awards…im not gonna front,i probably would’ve tuned in.
November 11, 2011 @ 9:45 pm
@ Bob
Thank you for your thoughtful comments as well. You are placing all the hope in Taylor Swift, who is inherently POP country and her empire of dirt means nothing to me. Country music is still alive. It’s POP Country and it’s idols and it’s worship of fame and money that will topple. The spirit of country music is intertwined with the gospel and I’m not going to invest in POP country’s perverted greed, fame and idoltry. The real country music artists have souls, not money making agendas and Taylor Swift INC will never do if for me nor never save country music. If she uses her “power” to return to more classic country then I’ll say good for her, but she’ll still do it for the wrong reasons. Unless she gives up her iron fist and submits to the humbleness of real country music, she’s just changing strategy to make more money. To quote a favorite song of mine: AND ALL YOUR MONEY WON’T ANOTHER MINUTE BUY . . . and I’ll glady watch POP country’s empire turn to dust.
November 13, 2011 @ 5:56 pm
Hmmm….Lots to think about Diane. I actually witnessed what I think was some real country music a few months ago. I had flown to Nashville with my family to watch Taylor’s Help Now concert that she did to collect money for Tornado victims (sorry). Anyway, at about 6AM on the morning of the concert I took a walk down Broadway. A guy playing a guitar on the side of the street stopped me and asked me to listen to a song he had just written. He had scribbled the lyrics on a couple post-it notes. He was awesome….I’ll never forget it. My observation is that this talk about the death of country music is really overstated because it sure seems to be alive in well on the sidewalks of Nashville.
November 13, 2011 @ 5:58 pm
Oops….Denise, sorry I got you name wrong above….typing too fast.
November 13, 2011 @ 8:09 pm
That sense of realness and aliveness may very well be because you were witnessing a true musician and not a manufactured one. I’m glad Taylor Swift contributes to charity though. That’s kind of her and hopefully done in the true spirit of giving and thanksgiving for her prosperity.
November 12, 2011 @ 1:56 am
last time i checked the CMA Awards were part of what was killing country music. isn’t this website about saving country music? Taylor Swift and the CMA’s are consuming your life Triggerman. get yourself a drink, a drug, and a cheap dirty whore. shit man, im worried bout’cha.
November 12, 2011 @ 2:40 am
years ago this website turned me on to all kinds of new sounds and albums and gave solid info on the music that led me to this site. Triggerman what the fuck has happened? really. i do not watch the CMA Awards nor do i listen to any of these singers you talk about from nashville. IT IS NOT COUNTRY MUSIC TO ME. it seems that somehow we have developed a fundamental disagreement. i always thought we were ‘saving country music’ from Taylor Swift. who gives a shit if she rights her own songs. how dare you mention her name in the same sentence as Hank Williams. for that insult alone i no longer take anything you say serious. i personally believe the real ‘Triggerman’ died months ago after a 2 week meth binge at a motel 6 in Glascock, GA. an imposter must be writing all this shit about the CMA Awards. yeah, thats got to be it. thats the only thing that makes sense…
November 12, 2011 @ 1:20 pm
First off, I’m glad someone finally got the balls to speak out about what I know dozens of others are thinking.
I have always covered the CMA Awards. Nowhere will you see me say that I like them, but as unarguably the most important event in country music each year, I feel it is an imperative I cover it.
Here’s a whole series of blogs I wrote around the CMA Awards 3 years ago, before my Georgia meth binge:
https://savingcountrymusic.com/down-with-the-cma-part-1-waylon-jennings
https://savingcountrymusic.com/down-with-the-cma-part-2-corruption-in-performances
https://savingcountrymusic.com/down-with-the-cma-part-3-ace-the-outlaws
The CMA’s just happened. That’s why I wrote a bunch about them. Now you will probably not hear anything about them for another year.It’s called the news cycle. I get the same criticism about other things, like two months ago when Hank3 released 4 albums and went on tour for the first time in a year. People said that’s “all” I talked about. Now I haven’t said a thing about him in 6 weeks.
Without question, since I started this site, my voice and approached has changed, but my dedication to promoting underground bands has not, and nor has the amount or percentage of this on the site. I could write a bitch rant about the CMA’s, and all I would be doing is preaching to the choir. Or I could be critical, but also be fair, and maybe turn some folks on to the fact that they are a ruse.
And don’t single out one positive article about Taylor Swift without remarking on the dozen I wrote about her that were negative. I am not promoting Taylor Swifts music. All my reviews of her albums and songs have been negative, and I stand behind them. I was simply trying to divest the human element from her music, and to illustrate just how far country has fallen, by asserting my honest opinion that she is one of the best things mainstream country has going.
I will never please everybody, and nobody will always agree with me. All I do is try to give my honest opinion, about Hank3, Taylor Swift, or anybody. If you want someone lying to you to pander to a constituency, there are plenty of sites out there that do that. I refuse to, even if this means sacrificing readers or traffic.
November 12, 2011 @ 4:35 pm
i almost gagged when Brad Paisley introduced Eric Church as ‘The New Outlaw’-that said i will give Taylor Swift credit for appearing onstage with just her and her acoustic although i could’ve done without the couch and set dressing..
November 12, 2011 @ 9:02 pm
Would agree with you on the “outlaw” introduction but the performance wasn’t that bad.
There are far worse things taking place in country music today than whatever that Church song was.
November 13, 2011 @ 6:35 am
I just don’t see why Taylor Swift needed to win a CMA-award. What would be the benefit? I mean, most of this award-shit is about marketing, and Taylor clearly has taken a firm place in the popcountry-market, plus she already won them all. Need more for your own personal satisfaction? There’s still a lot of growing up to do.
Right now I’m listening to Miranda Lambert’s new cd, and so far every song on that album has more country in it than the complete works of Swift. So in my opinion all awards involving female should go to Miranda. Who is definitely not the best in originality, but she’s giving it a good shot to at least sound like country, and not roll over to the mediocre mainstream popcountry. Well, sometimes she does, but that’s alright with me. I liked her music from the beginning, always found it a good listen. Which makes her probably the only artist in the whole CMA-awards that I listen to. And that deserves an award.
November 13, 2011 @ 8:40 am
I’m not sure that how many awards an artist has won in the past should have any bearing on how many they win in the future. It should be given to the one most deserving of it, but I do think the fact that Music Row had newer toys to promote is the reason Taylor Swift won only one.
Miranda really didn’t have a dog in the race this year, because her new album just came out. Next year is when she might be up for more awards. I’ve got her new album and will be posting a review soon. There’s some good songs, and some bad songs. But I think the people who want to tout her has the most authentic thing in Nashville need to appreciate that she does not write her own songs, and does not produce her own albums, like Taylor Swift and Jamey Johnson do. She is probably a better performer and singer than both of them, but Miranda is as immersed in the ugly trappings of the Music Row machine as anyone, while Taylor works from the outside looking in, on an independent label, with 100% creative freedom, writing her own songs and producing her own albums. None of that has to do with taste or appeal, but it makes it difficult to put the two side by side and compare them.
Good Times Tiddy Bits
November 16, 2011 @ 9:24 am
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November 17, 2011 @ 6:04 pm
Thanks for posting that Luke Bryan clip. I just about spat out my coffee watching it. Sadly we don’t get the CMA’s where I live so I have to experience it vicariously through you. Little Jimmy Dickens as the Biebster? That I have to see. I googled it but couldn’t find an image of it. Are you pleeeeeeease able to post a pic up here if you have one?
November 17, 2011 @ 6:14 pm
November 19, 2011 @ 2:15 am
I would like to know how digits were on the check Jimmy got!