Saving Country Music Official 2013 CMA Awards LIVE Blog
Here we go folks, our annual gathering of old souls and independent-minded country fans to collectively commiserate and contemplate what the hell has happened to our fair genre known as country music as the pomp and circumstance of the CMA Awards transpires right before our shocked and disgruntled eyes. Be forewarned that all sense of decorum and courtesy will be tossed aside in lieu of admittedly immature and reactionary snark delivered with little or no governor. This is a night to get small and speak our minds, while at the same time being willing to give credit to any glimmers of true talent or hope.
So get your refresh fingers ready, and feel free to chime in yourself below in the comments.
Touch gloves and let’s go!
SCM’s 47th Annual CMA Awards Complete Preview
SCM’s 2013 CMA Awards Nominees, Picks, & Prognostications
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Recap of the Winners:
- Entertainer of the Year – George Strait
- Male Vocalist of the Year – Blake Shelton
- Female Vocalist of the Year – Miranda Lambert
- Album of the Year – Blake Shelton’s Based On A True Story
- Song of the Year – “I Drive Your Truck”
- Single of the Year – “Cruise”
- Vocal Duo of the Year – Florida Georgia Line
- Vocal Group of the Year – Little Big Town
- New Artist of the Year – Kacey Musgraves
- Musical Event of the Year – Tim McGraw with Taylor Swift and Keith Urban for “Highway Don’t Care.”
- Music Video of the Year – Tim McGraw with Taylor Swift and Keith Urban for “Highway Don’t Care.”
- Musician of the Year – Mac McAnally (Guitar)
- Lifetime Achievement Award – Kenny Rogers
- Pinnacle Award – Taylor Swift
10:13 – Will probably elaborate more on this later, but I honestly felt like this year’s CMA Awards was a retrenching of sorts to the roots of the music. Yes, of course, some of the performances and outfits and such were over-the-top, which is to be expected, but with the massive with for George Strait for Entertainer of the Year, the tributes to George Jones and Kenny Rogers, and even Taylor Swift’s performance that showcased Alison Krauss, Sam Bush, and Vice gill, there was more face time for traditional country artists on tonight’s show than in recent memory.
And not to gloat 😉 , but out of my CMA predictions, I was a perfect 7 for 7 on the big awards, though a few of them I’d picked multiple possibilities, so…
Some notable losers: Luke Bryan got completely shut out. Jason Aldean got shut out. Taylor Swift only won with her collaboration with Tim McGraw (though she did receive the Pinnacle Award). And Kacey Musgraves, despite her 6 nominations, only won for New Artist of the Year.
10:06 – Not that George Strait needs an alternative winner, but since I had it prepared, here’s your INDEPENDENT alternative to the CMA Entertainer of the Year.
10:04 – Thanks so much to everyone for stopping by! Thanks to everyone that left comments, retweeted, reposeted, or just participated with your eyes! I am going to compose one last post as a summation, and then say goodnight!
10:02 – George Strait’s win for Entertainer of the Year is HUGE folks!
9:59 – The 2013 CMA for Entertainer of the Year goes to George Strait.
9:57 – Yyyyyyyeeeeessssssss!!!
9:55 – And why is a talking head from some morning show presenting what is supposed to be the most prestigious award in country music? Wouldn’t it be a good time to shine the spotlight on someone else?
9:53 – Your Saving Country Music alternative for Male Vocalist of the Year: Sturgill Simpson
9:52 – The CMA for Male Vocalist of the Year goes to Blake Shelton.
9:51 – NNNoooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
9:49 – I know this song might be very personal to Luke Bryan, but seeing how Chris Stapleton wrote it and not him, and it ends with such a cliche lyrical hook, I just can’t buy into it. Good for Stapleton though to get this exposure.
9:46 – That is Chris Stapleton on stage with Luke Bryan.
9:42 – Your Saving Country Music alternative for Female Vocalist of the Year: Caitlin Rose
9:41 – Safe, unsexy pick for Female Vocalist, but hard to get too worked up about.
9:40 – The CMA for Female Vocalist of the Year goes to Miranda Lambert.
9:37 – Kenny Rogers is presented with the CMA Lifetime Achievement Award.
9:36 – Serviceable Kenny Rogers tribute, but how about including some of his contemporaries?
9:34 – I swear, I’ve seen more shimmery Disco pants tonight than in a swanky downtown cocaine bar. I guess silvery silk is the new denim.
9:32 – SOURCE: Darius Rucker had to receive an emergency tetanus shot after being impaled in the abdomen by a particularly sharp shard of Gary LeVox’s bleached hair during rehearsal.
9:29 – The big awards coming up! Male and Female Vocalist, and Entertainer of the Year. 30 more minutes. Hang in there!
9:25 – Fun Fact: The first CMA Awards taping was televised in 1968, and the first live broadcast was in 1969.
9:22 – Audio for Zac Brown Band sounded fine. Brad Paisley’s performance sounds completely washed out. These performers deserve better.
9:20 – See Eric Church, this is how you blend country and rock influences without being gimmicky, trite, and overreaching.
9:18 – I would have liked this Zac Brown performance more if he hadn’t made nice with Luke Bryan and the beginning of the show 😉
9:16 – Dave Grohl has to watch that whole “as ubiquitous as Sheryl Crow” label, but he’s really hard not to like.
9:13 – A little abridged, but a worthy tribute to George Jones. Wouldn’t have mind seeing a video montage like they did for Taylor Swift’s Pinnacle Award or a little more effort. But it was more than the 30 seconds passed greats usually get stuck with.
9:09 – George Strait and Alan Jackson delivering a stirring tribute on George Jones by singing “He Stopped Loving Her Today” with a backdrop indicative of the Grand Ole Opry.
9:08 – Your Saving Country Music alternative to Blake Shelton’s Album of the Year win is The Mavericks In Time
9:06 – The CMA For Vocal Group of the Year goes to Little Big Town.
9:05 – Kellie Pickler finally gets some face time on the CMA’s….and it’s with Puff Daddy.
9:02 – Man, Carrie Underwood can sing, but I’m not sure why she decided to wear workout shorts to the performance.
8:59 – I was about to say, wasn’t that Carrie Underwood “Good Girl” song an old one to sing here, but it appears we’re getting the ‘ol song medley.
8:55 – Fun Fact: George Strait is the most nominated artist in CMA history with 82 nominations. He’s also won the most CMA Awards, with a total of 16 wins…
…and he never received the “Pinnacle Award”
8:53 – How thrilled did George Strait look to be on that stage for Taylor’s Pinnacle Award?
8:52 – Yes folks, it was Eric Church pissing off Rascal Flatts that gave Taylor Swift her big break.
8:51 – Taylor is presented the Pinnacle Award by Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts, George Strait, Faith Hill, Keith Urban, and Brad Paisley, with video accolades Justin Timberlake, Reese Whiterspoon, Mick Jagger, Julia Roberts, and Ellen Degeneres.
8:46 – Taylor Swift receives the Pinnacle Award, “given to an artist who has achieved worldwide success and recognition that’s unique to country music.” The award was created in 2005, and has only been awarded one other time to Garth Brooks.
8:44 – Sorry, I’m boycotting Blake Shelton’s performance. It’s probably some sappy, overproduced song written by someone else.
8:38 – However, Blake Shelton’s win does keep my prediction winning streak going. 5 for 5.
8:37 – Back to the Blake Shelton win for Album of the Year, this was really the worst of all possibilities in my opinion. Just about anybody else deserved it more no matter if you’re basing the winner on creative or commercial success.
8:34 – Tim McGraw’s performance is completely flat. The crowd looks bored. Yawn.
8:33 – Every day Tim McGraw’s body more resembles that of a female 40-something Venice Beach body builder with melanoma.
8:32 – Time to schedule that anorexic intervention for Tim McGraw. Christ.
8:29 – The CMA for Album of the Year goes to Blake Shelton for Based on a True Story.
8:28 – Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
8:27 – Insert snarky comment here about how The Band Perry brothers have hairdo like hobbits.
8:26 – Kimberly Perry is a good singer, but her live performances always come across as breathy.
8:24 – This washed out sound, especially at the very beginning of performances is whipping my audiophile ass. It’s a music show folks, let’s at least get that part right!
8:22 – 4 for 4 on my predictions so far (though I did split my New Artists prediction between Musgraves and FGL).
8:21 – Fun Fact: The first CMA Awards taping was televised in 1968, and the first live broadcast was in 1969.
8:19 – I’m sorry, I’m seeing some inconsistencies in this performance. Some of that ending part at least looked pre-recorded.
8:17 – HELL YEAH!!! This is the best Bon Jovi song I’ve heard in years!!!
8:15 – Kacey Muasgraves beats out Florida Georgia Line for New Artist. Chalk it up as a victory.
8:14 – The CMA for New Artist of the Year goes to Kacey Musgraves.
8:13 – Which one is Hunter Hayes, and which is Ellen DeGeneres? Yes! (via Farce The Music)
8:12 – SOURCE: Hunter Hayes has been warned by his label Atlantic Records that if he ever goes through puberty, they will drop him from their roster.
8:10 – Back to the Taylor Swift performance, it was with Vince Gill, Alison Krauss, mandolin player Sam Bush, bassist Edger Meyer, and percussionist Eric Darden.
8:08 – The CMA for Musician of the Year went to Mac McAnally (Guitar).
8:05 – If you’re wondering what Brian Kelley (the Doogie Houser looking dude) from Florida-Georgia Line actually does:
- 1. Hold back Tyler Hubbard’s hair when he vomits his designer drugs into the toilet.
- __ 2. Check ID’s of groupies to make sure they’re older than 18, but younger than 18 1/2.
- __ 3. Issue fake ID’s to groupies younger than 18.
- __ 4.Look really, really pretty at all times.
- __ 5. Make sure Tyler Hubbard’s penis pump is securely fashioned in its dedicated stowaway compartment on the tour bus before the bus departs.
- __ 6. Measure Tyler Hubbard’s penis.
- __ 7. Make sure Antares Auto-Tune software in concert sound system is updated, backed-up, and virus scanned before each performance.
- __ 8. De-shell 50 M&M’s, put them in Tyler Hubbard’s Mighty Morphin Power Rangers cup, and place beside his bed in the bus.
- __ 9. Never talk to the media about your unhealthy obsession with My Little Pony.
- __ 10. Never actually sing or play guitar.
8:02 – Heard no pitch issues from Taylor (always a concern), she looked beautiful, and delivered a solid performance. Just wish the audio wasn’t so washed out.
8:00 – Sorry Taylor Swift haters, but this is a really substantive moment for the CMA’s, showcasing some really cool artists to a wider audience. And this song, that Taylor Swift wrote, and Nathan Chapman produced, is not bad.
7:58 – Wow, crowd of 12,000 went completely silent for Taylor Swift’s performance.
7:54 – Your Saving Country Music alternative for Vocal Duo of the Year: First Aid Kit
7:53 – This song is a song is a leaving me flat. So is the performance. Too manic.
7:51 – Is it me, or is the audio of all the performances a little washed out?
7:50 – For those of you counting at home, I’m 3 for 3 on my predictions. Here’s the predictions.
7:48 – CMA for Vocal Duo of the Year goes to Florida Georgia Line.
7:47 – Vocal duo of the year will go to Florida Georgia Line.
7:43 – Not terrible, Little Big Town. Don’t know why more artists don’t go for the stripped-down acoustic setup that highlights their stregnths and talents instead of the big production. Good 4 part harmonies.
7:40 – Fun fact: The very first Entertainer of the Year was Eddy Arnold in 1967.
7:38 – I’ll take “I Drive Your Truck.” It’s a good, heartfelt song, regardless of maybe being pandering a little bit.
7:36 – The CMA for Song of the Year goes to “I Drive Your Truck.”
7:34 – Wow! Didn’t know The Lumineers were performing tonight. Cool!
7:32 – Really purturbed about this Kacey Musgraves editing. I’m pretty much over all the pot references in music, but let the girl do her thing!
7:28 – Okay, they’re bleeping out the “roll up a joint” completely against the spirit of the song. Not cool. Not cool at all. Let the girl sing her song! Booo!
7:26 – And Kacey self-edits “roll up a joint.” This is somewhat disappointing. At least there’s a steel guitar.
7:24 – Oh great, they put Kacey Musgraves, the girl that is nominated for the most CMA’s, on the “other” stage.
7:22 – Jason Aldean wouldn’t be caught dead in a box car unless it was fitted with a manscapping attendant and a bidet.
7:21 – Fun fact: There are about 12,000 people in attendance at the Bridgestone Arena.
7:20 – And just if you thought my previous line about Florida Georgia Line and Luke Bryan hanging out in the bathroom together, here’s a pic of them rehearsing their routine earlier today:
7:16 – Your Saving Country Music alternative for Single of the Year: Josh Abbott Band “I’ll Sing About Mine”
7:15 – Scout’s honor, I wrote that following line before they announced it. Pretty obvious here.
7:14 – The CMA for Single of the Year goes to Florida Georgia Line for “Cruise.”
7:12 – Leave them wanting more Carrie and Brad. I’m starting to yawn and fumble with my phone.
7:10 – Seriously, Luke Bryan. That shirt. Someone should have intervened.
7:07 – Okay, this feuding bit is kind of funny. Though I couldn’t tell you who the hell Julianna Hough is.
7:06 – Zac Brown and Luke Bryan hug on the front row while hosts Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley sing “Why Can’t We Be Friends?” Anyone know how to get vomit out of the nooks and crannies of a computer keyboard?
7:04 – After this, Luke Bryan & Florida Georgia Line will all go to the bathroom together like sorority sisters out on a Saturday night.
7:03 – Seriously folks, quite being so mean. I think Luke Bryan’s shimmer blouse is quite handsome.
7:00 – Yeah, here’s Luke Bryan’s “big black jacked up truck—the one with the catfish sucking up Frito crumbs off the floorboards:
6:58 – Presented without commentary:
6:55 – A fun fact to get us started: The original CMA Award was made out of walnut wood, and was designed to resemble a radio chart bullet. The current trophy weighs 7½ pounds. Here’s a picture of the CMA trophies over the years from Ricky Skaggs:
6:54 – Some awards have already been given out. On Good Morning America today, both the CMA “Musical Event of the Year” and “Music Video of the Year” was awarded to Tim McGraw with Taylor Swift and Keith Urban for “Highway Don’t Care.” Also, Scott Borchetta beat out Mike Curb for “Country Cretin of the Year” by the measure of one dead Zimbabwean orphan.
November 6, 2013 @ 6:09 pm
This feuding stuff Is funny. But I don’t like how they are taking it really lightly. I could not imagine Waylon hugging someone.
November 6, 2013 @ 6:09 pm
Taylor Swift looks so flawless <3
November 6, 2013 @ 6:12 pm
I don’t care if it makes me unpopular but I think Brad and Carrie are always great.
Julianne Hough is from Dancing with the Stars and she made news last week for going to a Halloween party in blackface.
November 6, 2013 @ 6:43 pm
They’re likable. Got no problem with them as hosts.
November 6, 2013 @ 6:13 pm
My response to Luke Bryan’s outfit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzUqGVmW_T0
November 6, 2013 @ 6:14 pm
Might not be a good show fr the kids. We got some mature themes once again on an awards show.
November 6, 2013 @ 6:17 pm
“Can I feel that thing?” That writes its own joke.
November 6, 2013 @ 6:18 pm
I just want to thank you Trigger for this live blog. This is how I discovered your site one year ago at the last cma’s. Had I not discovered this site I’m not sure I would have some of great artists you showcase like Sturgill Simpson and Lindi Ortega amongst many others.
November 6, 2013 @ 9:46 pm
Thanks for reading Scott!
November 6, 2013 @ 6:18 pm
George Strait looked totally disgusted.
November 6, 2013 @ 6:19 pm
I thought Brad and Carrie were great! I’m already irritated with FGL. Hopefully that’s the last we see of them.
November 6, 2013 @ 6:21 pm
Doubtful, unfortunately.
November 6, 2013 @ 6:20 pm
Ugh… Can’t find the live stream site..
November 6, 2013 @ 6:22 pm
Did the Bridgestone Arena forget to pay their light bill? 2nd performance in the dark.
November 6, 2013 @ 6:26 pm
As soon as they made a twerking joke within the first 10 minutes, I thought, “This is gonna be a long night.”
November 6, 2013 @ 6:27 pm
“Oh great, they put Kacey Musgraves, the girl that is nominated for the most CMA”™s, on the ‘other’ stage.”
Not only that, but my stupid ABC affiliate is muting the “roll up a joint” line.
November 6, 2013 @ 6:30 pm
I posted this on the marijuana article from last week, but I can’t figure out why my local radio station is censoring “joint” but leaving the “then you’re on crack” line alone. The CMAs gave it the same treatment. Doesn’t make any sense to me.
November 6, 2013 @ 6:57 pm
Them bleeping that line is complete garbage. I’m mad as hell.
November 7, 2013 @ 12:02 am
You know, I thought the CMAs were being very cautious with Kacey Musgraves. They know she was on to something, and she was clearly the right choice for the New Artist award. But she goes against the “laundry list” paradigm that is the current mainstream in Nashville. I think some of the suits are afraid to upset the conformity that has become part of the brand of today’s country. She is seen as a left of center voice in a right of center genre, perhaps the industry insiders fear that she might turn into another Natalie Maines.
November 6, 2013 @ 6:28 pm
It sucks they put Kacey on the small stage, but at least she got to sing the whole song. Usually the little stage acts only get one verse and then have to announce something.
November 6, 2013 @ 6:32 pm
All I have to say about them Bleepin Kacey out is “on a Sunday morning sidewalk wishing Lord that I was stoned!”
November 7, 2013 @ 12:33 pm
when I was a kid “stoned” was also used to describe being drunk that’s probably why that line never got edited on radio back then
November 6, 2013 @ 6:32 pm
I believe Kacey was playing Willie Nelsons Guitar there. Sure looked like it.
November 6, 2013 @ 6:37 pm
On further review probably not but it did have a hole in it but not Trigger
November 6, 2013 @ 6:33 pm
First steel guitar sighting of the night there with Kasey
November 6, 2013 @ 6:33 pm
Chicken sh*t ABC “family” viewing bleeping Kacey Musgraves
November 6, 2013 @ 6:46 pm
I hated Pontoon, but I kind of like LIttle Big Town when they strip it down. I enjoyed their first album.
November 6, 2013 @ 8:15 pm
Yeah, I really liked that performance of “Sober.” 🙂 Can’t say I object to their Vocal Group win — they do have pretty great harmonies…
November 6, 2013 @ 6:51 pm
Please God, let Eddie Spaghetti run in and kick the mic stand over and break into a Supersuckers song…….
November 6, 2013 @ 6:52 pm
Keith Urban can make anyone sound pedestrian. Even someone else’s wife.
November 6, 2013 @ 6:54 pm
Please God, hear my prayer. Let Eddie Spaghetti run onstage, kick the podium over and break into a Supersuckers song……
November 6, 2013 @ 8:21 pm
That would awesome.
November 6, 2013 @ 7:00 pm
Someone turn Allison Krause’s mic up!
November 6, 2013 @ 7:01 pm
Nice ovation for Allison
November 6, 2013 @ 7:01 pm
I don’t know what is worse: the way Luke Bryan shakes his ass or the actual songs that he sings.
November 6, 2013 @ 7:03 pm
Welcome back Taylor. Now I must turn my tv on mute.
November 6, 2013 @ 7:04 pm
That was actually a beautiful performance by Taylor. Loving the stripped down acoustic performances tonight.
November 6, 2013 @ 7:06 pm
Sorry trigger. I thought the Taylor bit was awful. Not as bad as FGL tho
November 6, 2013 @ 9:50 pm
I’m not saying it was great. I am saying it was great for the CMA Awards, and for Taylor Swift. And because she gave some major face time to deserving people. If we’re gonna be as hard on these folks as we are, I think it is fair to give credit too when it’s due. But if it wasn’t your thing, I totally understand.
November 6, 2013 @ 7:06 pm
Man, that was good. Last year the Jason/Luke/Eric performance was cut as a stand alone video and they cleaned up Luke’s missed lyrics. Maybe they’ll clean up the audio on that one and release it as a video. I wouldn’t mind hearing it again.
November 6, 2013 @ 7:10 pm
Conspiracy theory: Saw one of FGL’s band singing in the chorus. What if HE is singing for BK?
November 6, 2013 @ 7:24 pm
BK sings the low harmony part, it seems. How lame. Surely his jeans are tight enough to do the high part.
November 6, 2013 @ 7:17 pm
That may have been Taylor’s best country music performance ever. She seems shocked by the standing ovation and that a country audience loves actual country music. Imagine that! However this performance seems to be about keeping her pop in country and on country radio. This version should have been the country radio version. I’m not a Taylor hater, just a lover of country music, hater of country going pop and pop on country radio.
November 6, 2013 @ 7:22 pm
I should add that I only saw the last part of her performance and assumed the rest of it was good. I didn’t care for the “red r-eh-eh-ehd” stuttering though.
November 6, 2013 @ 7:27 pm
Agreed, I could have done without the “re re reed” too. I also like his performance with Valerie June too.
November 6, 2013 @ 7:43 pm
The “re re Red” was a little awkward, and so were some of her contrived facial expressions. But it was a gutsy performance that she delivered on. I give her credit.
November 6, 2013 @ 8:21 pm
I happen to think that what she does for one performance at the CMA’s is much less important than what she’s been doing with her music the rest of the time. One performance does not make a pop singer country. It would have been much better for country music in the long run if she had skipped the performance and made a simple announcement that yes, she decided to change her musical identity and become a pop singer, she’s happy where she is, and she won’t accept any more country awards because they should be reserved for country singers.
On a different note, I love Alison Krauss. In my opinion she deserved to win many more CMA awards over the course of her career than she has. There was a television special about 10 years ago where she actually made Shania Twain sound listenable for a while, though giving country credibility to pop singers seems to be a poor use of her talent.
November 6, 2013 @ 8:50 pm
It’s interesting to see how much the CMA has changed in the last 15 years or so. For most of the 1990s, the traditionalists stood their ground. I gotta give them some credit for defending country’s traditions when the CMA refused to give Shania Twain an award after “The Woman in Me” sold 12 million copies. That was conviction.
Now the CMA bends over backwards to put bubblegum pop singer Taylor Swift on a pedestal. She can get away with anything, no matter how pop the song is the industry will say it’s country if Taylor recorded it. Basically I think the big change is because 1) the industry has tasted economic pain during the past 5-10 years and decided that there’s nothing like a cash cow, 2) Taylor has learned from Shania’s mistakes and poured some sugar on Nashville often enough to please the industry insiders.
On a different note, this year’s Pinnacle Award would have been much more appropriate for George Strait than for Taylor Swift.
November 6, 2013 @ 9:55 pm
I agree the Pinnacle Award should have gone to Strait than to Swift, and I agree that one performance, however good or however country, doesn’t atone for a career of pop. I’ve been quite harsh to Taylor Swift over the years. But I thought it was a gutsy, solid performance, however pop the song is, and don’t see the reason to trash it. We can fight the Taylor Swift pop battle any time.
November 6, 2013 @ 8:37 pm
Chris, I think Taylor gets the standing ovation because of all the money she has brought into Nashville. The past five years have been tough economic times for the music industry, and undoubtedly some insiders are standing up because they don’t know if some folks in the record business might not have jobs today if not for pop acts like Taylor. And yes, I agree that this is intended to keep her pop songs on country radio as much as possible.
I gotta say she is a smart business woman … every time she faces legitimate criticism she seems to have a plan to turn the tables and make the most of the situation. It reminds me of when she was criticized for a bad performance at the Grammys, released “Mean”, and framed it as an anti-bullying anthem. This year, there is no reason for her to be nominated for a country award, much less for her to win one, considering the bubblegum pop she has been releasing from her current album, yet she manages to convince some country fans that she’s on their side, even if just for a few minutes. And the country fans believe it if only for a while, because they want to.
November 6, 2013 @ 9:57 pm
In fairness, Taylor also didn’t win any of the rank and file awards tonight, just a participatory award in a Tim McGraw song, and the Pinnacle Awards that probably had just as much to do with her $4 million donation to the Country Hall of Fame as anything. As far as her music this year, the CMA spoke, and shut her out.
November 6, 2013 @ 10:48 pm
You have a good point. This is the first CMA Awards in 10 years where a traditional artist won the Entertainer of the Year Award – this has not happened since Alan Jackson won in 2003. So yes, that was a big statement from tonight’s award shows.
Probably some folks in the industry realized that Nashville might have gone too far in the mono-genre direction in recent years and this was a rare opportunity for traditionalists to stand their ground. I do have concerns about who will be around to carry the torch for traditionalists after Strait retires though.
On a different note, do you think some of the suits at the CMA might have had a talk with Taylor like, “You can be as pop as you want on the radio, but you have to try to be country tonight, because we can’t afford to lose our credibility as a country association, and we don’t want the grass roots to revolt”?
November 7, 2013 @ 12:36 am
“On a different note, do you think some of the suits at the CMA might have had a talk with Taylor like, “You can be as pop as you want on the radio, but you have to try to be country tonight, because we can”™t afford to lose our credibility as a country association, and we don”™t want the grass roots to revolt”?”
Apparently they forgot to convey the same message to Luke Bryan (for his initial performance), Eric Church, Florida Georgia Line, or the myriad others who sang completely pop/rock songs.
November 6, 2013 @ 7:17 pm
Eric church looks like ring starr
November 6, 2013 @ 7:17 pm
“8:14 – The CMA for New Artist of the Year goes to Kacey Musgraves.”
Hey, all right! 🙂
November 6, 2013 @ 7:19 pm
Well that really was terrible. Stick to acoustic
November 6, 2013 @ 7:25 pm
Yeah Eric’s performance with Valerie June was much better! Eric thinks he’s a rock star and maybe he is.
November 6, 2013 @ 7:23 pm
Alison Krauss and Vince Gill harmonizing with ME would sound good. I’m a pop country hater, but that was the most country performance of the night, well until Alan Jackson and George Strait walk out there.
November 6, 2013 @ 7:25 pm
Does the long haired Perry have diamond-spangled jeans on?
November 6, 2013 @ 7:34 pm
Love your old man high pants, Tim.
November 6, 2013 @ 7:44 pm
Seriously. Someone should tell Tim the high waistline is only fashionable for women.
November 6, 2013 @ 7:39 pm
Man Tim McGraw has gone downhill fast.
November 6, 2013 @ 7:40 pm
I agree. Tim was the worst performance so far. As bad as FGL was at least they were somewhat entertaining. What was that song? ‘Southern Girl?’ Put that right there on the stack with Southern Voice, Southern Summer and Southern Truck.
November 6, 2013 @ 7:45 pm
Yuck. I need a bucket. I’m gagged out Little Big Town blond baby talk.
November 6, 2013 @ 7:50 pm
God dammit, Blake. Why can’t you use that voice for good?
November 6, 2013 @ 7:54 pm
Totally agree!! He’s got a great voice…and had some really decent songs out early in his career. Even did a good job on a Conway Twitty remake…but now it’s just sad, sad, sad…
November 6, 2013 @ 7:52 pm
Hey trigger, I know you hate him and aren’t a fan of the outsiders and you don’t think its country yada yada yada. But the man brought down the house and in my opinion is the only artist ive seen so far who brings raw emotion to his music. Which would you choose, Church rockin out or Luke Bryan shaking his ass with his hat on backwards?
November 6, 2013 @ 10:01 pm
I would choose Eric Church. And I agree, he brought a lot of energy to the performance, and I don’t take anything away from him for that. I still think the song is a stretch though. Beyond that, I really am trying to reserve my Eric Church opinions until the full album comes out. That seems most fair with the content he’s releasing, and the greater narrative it might fit in.
November 6, 2013 @ 7:52 pm
George looks maybe like isn’t so sure about his part in all this.
November 6, 2013 @ 7:53 pm
This Taylor pinnacle award and commercial is brought to you by the CIGPA (Country Is Going Pop Association).
November 6, 2013 @ 7:57 pm
Tim has always been terrible vocally, no talent. Isn’t it crazy that him and Daryle Singletary came out together? Daryle is one of the greatest country music singers on the planet, yet barely anyone knows him. Tim Mcgraw was a record label puppet and the rest is history.
November 6, 2013 @ 7:59 pm
I missed the first 15 minutes due to being in the shower. I realize I didn’t miss much.
I really like Taylor Swift’s “Red” as a song itself, but the fact that legendary and renowned musicians had to sit around on the CMAs to play HER song seems a bit sad to me…though the performance was quite good and if that was her idea to do that, I give her props. One of the best I’ve seen of her…and the “re re red” thing really was a bit much.
I’m also annoyed at the “roll up a joint” censorship. I thought they censored it for her at first, and then I realized she did it herself. Perhaps the channel or someone else told her to do it. I was quite afraid they’d censor “or kiss lots of girls”, and then I remembered it’s 2013 and even country probably knows to be relatively normal members of society and not as ignorant as the rest of the world thinks it might be.
Watching Taylor get that Pinnacle award right now, I wish I could screencap George Strait’s face when she said “…who taught me to play the songs your fans love” or something. His face just looked like “*sigh*…it’s come to this, eh?” hahaha!
I REALLY hope that George Jones tribute is at least 4x as long as CMT Awards’ tribute was. *rolls eyes*.
I want to stab Florida Georgia Line.
Tim McGraw needs an intervention on the tanning and etc.
Okay, I’m done.
November 6, 2013 @ 11:55 pm
That is the best thing anyone has ever said about FGL. They are the worst.
November 6, 2013 @ 8:00 pm
Tim looked like he was wearing Fred Mertz’s pants.
November 6, 2013 @ 8:03 pm
Kick off to Sunday Night Football must be soon.
November 6, 2013 @ 8:16 pm
Good one!
November 6, 2013 @ 8:05 pm
All these music shows seem to be about strong thighs – at least at some point.
November 6, 2013 @ 8:05 pm
My hunch is that the Pinnacle Award was just made up so that the CMA could give something to Taylor Swift, and that she won’t win anything else tonight.
November 6, 2013 @ 8:08 pm
It’s actually already been won by Garth Brooks, but I agree that they’re only giving her the award so her fans tune in, cause she’s probably not winning anything else tonight.
November 6, 2013 @ 8:10 pm
Aww. Can’t say I’m surprised by the choice of song (“He Stopped Loving Her Today”), but this is a sweet George Jones tribute. :’)
November 6, 2013 @ 8:11 pm
Finally!!! Real Country Music! Two of the best artists around.
November 6, 2013 @ 8:14 pm
I waited all night for that! I thought they’d sing a few George Jones songs. I swear if the Kenny Rodgers tribute/ induction is longer, it will be another 5 years before I tune in to the CMAs.
November 6, 2013 @ 8:29 pm
Rogers is about as country as Rascal Flatts so it probably will be!!
November 6, 2013 @ 8:15 pm
Nice to hear some real country music, Thank you George and Alan
November 6, 2013 @ 8:19 pm
Now that is what real country music artists look and sound like George Strait and Alan Jackson. Really enjoy your blog
November 6, 2013 @ 8:20 pm
wasn’t ZBB recently critical of country no longer being country?
this is simply noise.
November 7, 2013 @ 8:21 am
That actually wasn’t the complaint that Zac Brown had made in his recent comments, Bob. He made the point that Luke Bryan’s song is a piece of crap, of which he was correct. Quite frankly, I’d rather listen to Zac Brown operate a jackhammer in my bedroom as I try to sleep than have to hear “That’s My Kind Of Night” again.
November 6, 2013 @ 8:21 pm
Awesome job by two of the greats! Alan and George are very fitting artists to tribute The Possum. Hopefully a lot of young “country” fans opened their eyes for 2-3 minutes to see how it’s really done!
November 6, 2013 @ 8:23 pm
Dear Eric Church,
You want to be an outlaw and rock out on the country stage? Please take note how it’s really done.
Sincerely,
ZBB and Dave Grohl
November 6, 2013 @ 8:28 pm
Right on! As country-rock hybrids go, I thought their performance sounded cool and interesting.
November 6, 2013 @ 8:27 pm
I’m embarrassed for all the trashville assembly line puppets. Thank you George and Alan for reminding us tonite what country music is. I’m tuning out now. Long live Texas Country Music!
November 6, 2013 @ 8:27 pm
I want get close to Kacey/Carrie/Miranda/Kimberly/Kelly Pickler but the restraining order is making it tough.
Strait hates Faget Georgia Line Ha!
November 6, 2013 @ 8:33 pm
I don’t like them either, but is it really necessary to use bigoted language to insult them? I mean, surely their music is bad enough to mock on its own merits without resorting to fifth grade humour.
November 6, 2013 @ 8:32 pm
Would this guy look like Kenny Rodgers if . . . oh, wait . . .
November 6, 2013 @ 8:34 pm
It don’t matter whose in Nashville, George Jones is still the king. and i’m going to bed folks. yall have a good one!
November 6, 2013 @ 8:36 pm
There ain’t no halter top in the world cut low enough to make Jennifer Nettles a suitable stand-in for Dolly.
November 6, 2013 @ 8:36 pm
I don’t know if I can ever read this blog again. Did you seriously say Taylor Swift sounded good? It was terrible. She most likely has never even heard of Sam Bush in her life. I honestly feel bad for those guys for being stuck up there with her.
November 6, 2013 @ 8:43 pm
I don’t care if she had the most amazing country performance ever – she opened the door for the current pop country artists, and she will never have my respect at any level for that.
November 7, 2013 @ 12:45 am
I don’t see how she opened that door. There is no resemblance between her music and that of today’s male “country” singers.
November 6, 2013 @ 10:10 pm
Yes, I did, and I stand behind that. It doesn’t mean I’ve converted to a Taylor Swift super fan, I’m simply saying that in the context of the CMA Awards, and what we usually hear from Taylor which is pitchy performances, she did a good job. And yes, I do think she deserves credit for probably causing thousands of people to Google Vince Gill, Sam Bush, and Alison Krauss. Does that mean Taylor Swift is what I care to listen to ouside of the context of the CMA Awards? Of course not. I think I’ve been on record over the years as one of Taylor Swift’s harshest critics, but I think to be harsh and for it to have an impact, you also have to be honest and give credit where credit is due. And in my opinion, Taylor Swift deserved credit for that performance. If it wasn’t your speed, hey, I totally understand.
And I hope you’re not done with this blog. I don’t run a popularity contest, I run a blog that I hope people respect because I’m always 100% honest with them.
November 6, 2013 @ 8:37 pm
When is Jason Isbell going to be on?
November 6, 2013 @ 8:45 pm
Hold that thought.
November 6, 2013 @ 8:40 pm
Anybody else want to smack Taylor Swift in the face? Why does the spotlight always have to be on her? Also how can they have more focus on Kenny Rogers than George Jones. Excuse me while I go listen to Mickey Newbury to try and erase that performance of Rascal Flatts from my mind.
November 6, 2013 @ 8:50 pm
Don’t forget to mention beer in your song, okay?
November 6, 2013 @ 8:54 pm
That Blake Shelton and Eric Church handshake was a little awkward!!!
November 6, 2013 @ 8:59 pm
GO, KING GEORGE! 😀
November 6, 2013 @ 9:02 pm
My problem with Darius Rucker has always been his casual relationship with pitch.
November 6, 2013 @ 9:04 pm
final year or not Strait owns everyone in the building!!!!!!
November 6, 2013 @ 9:05 pm
It was worth suffering through the CMA’s to see George Strait win Entertainer of the Year. I have to say I am really surprised…could there be hope?
November 6, 2013 @ 9:07 pm
I love that George got it, but I don’t trust it. Is it their send off / cya and now they’ll ignore him forever?
November 6, 2013 @ 10:12 pm
It was definitely a send off, and the mainstream probably will forget him. But it still doesn’t make that moment a sweet one, and a victory for true country music.
November 6, 2013 @ 9:09 pm
During George Strait’s acceptance speech the camera panned to Luke Bryan and I could swear the look on Luke’s face was “hrmmm… who is this guy? I don’t recognize him.” Wish I could post a screencap.
Unrelated, I loathe Darius Rucker. I couldn’t stand him in Hootie, and now he’s nothing more than yet another parasite and leech on country music, having run his course in pop-garbage. What’s worse is he’s put no effort into being more country these days. His current songs could have come right off his Hootie-day albums. Pathetic.
November 7, 2013 @ 12:48 am
Darius Rucker is still far better than Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, and the rest of the frat boy “country” ilk.
November 6, 2013 @ 9:10 pm
Hell Yeah !!!!! King George!!!!! I do appreciate that they played Twang as his victory song, seeing as how he’s had two albums since. Good research CMA’s!!! None the less, George Strait is king for a reason!!!!!
November 6, 2013 @ 9:28 pm
Yes it is great to see that the best country singer won. Now if they wanted to make this an Entertainer of a Lifetime award they might as well go back 30 years and play “Amarillo By Morning”. (Then you could imagine all the Swifties watching the show with their surprised faces asking “mommy what is that song about?”).
November 6, 2013 @ 9:41 pm
Well Adrian, as a Swift fan and not from the US, I deffo have never heard that tune before, but sure thing I’ll go to Youtube and read some fun stuffs about it on Wiki! Merci!
November 6, 2013 @ 9:56 pm
Yoggy, that’s my favorite George Strait song. My favorite line is “I ain’t got a dime, but what I got is mine, I ain’t rich, but Lord I’m free.” It’s hard to appreciate those lyrics if you haven’t lived in the rural American West. Even some of my liberal friends in San Francisco don’t get it.
November 6, 2013 @ 10:14 pm
Yes, I think the “Twang” victory song was an interesting, subliminal pick by the producers. Don’t think it was on accident.
November 6, 2013 @ 10:22 pm
The only moment that truly touched me was the George Jones Tribute. I didn’t have to work it up because it was correct…it made me sob and sob. I thought of George Jones, his Wife…and heaven.
I miss George Jones and I miss music that touches your heart.
November 6, 2013 @ 10:25 pm
What the hell was that? Aside from George and Alan paying tribute to one of country’s lost treasures… I mean wtf???? It looked like much music for the most part… I wait all year for this? George Strait wins entertainer of the year, (my favorite artist of all time) so what does that tell you? Tale the glitter off your tits, cut your freakin hair, and put on a cowboy hat… put some fiddle in your act and MAYBE IN 10 or 15 YEARS you will earn the right to be called a country legend!
November 6, 2013 @ 11:08 pm
Hello again Triggerman,
I chimed in a few years ago about how much Taylor Swift meant to my daughter, and I gotta say she wasn’t disappointed tonight. That was an outstanding performance.
It never hurts to be in good company, and you can’t go wrong with Alison Krauss.
Is it me, or does Vince Gill look like Bill Clinton? It’s probably me.
Cheers
November 7, 2013 @ 12:02 am
Good to hear from you again Kevin. Music is about making a connection, and regardless what anyone thinks about taste, Taylor has that ability to connect with some people. This can’t be denied.
November 6, 2013 @ 11:39 pm
I know this would never come close to happening..but every part of me would have loved to see George and Alan, at the conclusion of their great performance, stand up on stage and voice their opinion of the current direction in country music. Sort of a “murder on music row” kind of speech and really put those morons in their place. I think it is extremely disrespectful for Paisley to state how Jones was the greatest country music artist of all time while so many, including Brad Paisley, continue to destroy the genre that Mr. Jones and so many others dedicated their lives to.
I love how Zac Brown and many others have recently bashed mainstream acts, but it wouldn’t come anywhere close to having the same impact as the kind George and Alan could make at the CMA award show. Once again though, very wishful thinking.
I’d also just like to thank you trig for the updates as always. I really enjoy this site and visit it daily. Keed up the good work!
November 6, 2013 @ 11:54 pm
I think criticizing the recent direction of country music in a song – as in “Murder On Music Row”, or Alan Jackson’s “Gone Country”, or even the Dixie Chicks’ “Long Time Gone” – is more effective than making a speech about it.
Paisley has shown himself to be a follower, and not one of the movers and shakers, on the country music scene. He is more of a gauge of where the rest of the industry is going, than an instigator of change.
November 7, 2013 @ 12:26 am
I see what you mean, but I still think if they were to stop the music, look some of them straight in the eye, and really lay it on them it would have a better effect. Doesn’t have to be an ass chewing or even a long speech. Just something short and sincere would do the trick. It would also get the attention of the fans better I believe. Because if George and Alan are gonna say somethin…you can bet everyone in the audience is gonna give it their FULL attention. And don’t get me wrong, I used to enjoy Brad’s music because he is such a unique songwriter and artist. In my opinion, he could be one of the few that people would really listen to if he were to turn things around because i believe he is one of the better songwriters when he wants to be. It seems like all hope is lost for Alden and Bryan and no traditional fan would ever give them a chance. The only way they can make it is if they release catchy pop songs. Because Brad has that ability and talent but chooses no to, that is almost more offensive to me.
November 7, 2013 @ 1:13 am
I think the contrast between “He Stopped Loving Her Today” and today’s mainstream country more than speaks for itself.
November 7, 2013 @ 12:04 am
Trig-
Do you really not know who’s Julianne Hough? She is a dancer on that show ‘Dancing with the Star,’ but she tried to make it as a country performer. She put out an album in 2008. The single did well, and the video was in heavy rotation on CMT. We bought tons of it to ship to Wal-Mart. She was even tabbed as the opening act for George Strait on his tour in ’09.
Anyways, she dressed up as this african american character from this show called “Orange is the New Black” (or something like that) for Halloween and got ridiculed by the media. She had to issue an apology.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/29/showbiz/celebrity-news-gossip/julianne-hough-blackface-dwts/
That made handing the her feud card to Darius Rucker one of the funnier and edgiest moments of the night.
November 7, 2013 @ 12:15 am
There may have been an element of snark in that comment ;), but I can honestly say I don’t know much about her beyond the big bullet points. I do remember that black face story as I skimmed it in passing, but I hadn’t put a face to a name, so to speak.
November 7, 2013 @ 12:16 am
Julianne’s sex appeal was supposed to make her a candidate to become the next Shania Twain. But her singing career faltered because her songs were weak and she didn’t have a Mutt Lange to turn them into hits. Her videos were predictably sexy but they did not have production or themes that made them memorable.
November 7, 2013 @ 1:11 am
A few thoughts:
1) The performance by George Strait and Alan Jackson truly represented country music at its highest quality. It is utterly depressing and maddening to see the contrast between that and the songs dominating country radio right now.
2) THIS was the Taylor Swift that I love. I dislike the song “Red”, but her CMA performance has made me rethink that. I guess that shows how important production is when it comes to quality.
3) I literally shouted in joy when Kacey Musgraves won the Best Artist award. Just like you, I was also disappointed that the “joint” line was censored, but the fact that the country music industry has welcomed that song at all, with its overt socially liberal message, shows that times are a changin’.
4) George Strait won Entertainer of the Year not only because of his legacy, but also because of his sold-out tour over the past year. I will be going to his San Jose concert in January, and I am so excited that I can already feel the adrenaline rush!
5) The frat boy country rap “singers”, despite their dominance on radio, were surprisingly marginalized at the CMA. As you mentioned, Luke Bryan and Jason Aldean won no awards, and Florida-Georgia Line missed out on Best New Artist.
These events made this year’s CMA an improvement over last year’s. Hopefully this will be followed up by an improvement in the quality of country radio, but I am not holding my breath.
November 7, 2013 @ 2:34 am
While I’m absolutely delighted Kacey Musgraves won “New Artist of the Year”……..I have to admit my disappointment in her lack of graciousness in response to Miranda Lambert’s win for “Female Vocalist of the Year” (again)
Say what you will about the fact the CMAs once again continued their industry-driven love-fest of this power couple………..it made Musgraves look like a sore loser and wasn’t the kind of first impression she probably wants to leave with many.
Granted Miranda Lambert has done the same thing herself (most recently to Eric Church)……….but Musgraves was better than that. And while her fierce criticism of the much of the music industry is absolutely justified and I most encourage her to continue to speak her mind and to try and disrupt the apple cart……….let’s hope she can do so with more grace and dwell more on the positive along the way.
It also didn’t help matters that she self-censored the joint reference in her own song. Unfortunately, her credibility descended a rung or two in plenty of eyes in result when she has been steadily establishing an image of someone who is never afraid to ruffle feathers and ruckle people’s chains and that “Follow Your Arrow” is all about respecting one’s individual life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. By censoring what was obviously intended as one of the song’s two most controversial lyrics, she slightly defeated its purpose.
Sorry, just had to be honest here. Regardless, congratulations on your well-deserved win, Kacey!
November 7, 2013 @ 2:40 am
And trust me………..regardless of whether you think this is overreacting or not, a LOT of people are making note of her ungracious non-verbal body language. Including on her own Facebook page.
Obviously she has every right to be upset with the committee’s propensity to generally reward mediocrity and commerce over artistry. Still, especially when you encouraged us in this thread to “get small and speak our minds, while at the same time being willing to give credit to any glimmers of true talent or hope”, I honestly feel Musgraves was short of the latter this evening.
She still has my support overall at any rate.
November 7, 2013 @ 6:21 am
Still–I like the realism Kacey displayed. Now she will get all PC with her explanation–just save it, girl. Keep on being real!!
November 7, 2013 @ 12:02 pm
“Realism” shouldn’t be equated with looking unprofessional and being short of gratitude.
Perhaps it’s just my observation here (but trust me, many others have made it too and have mentioned it to Kacey on her own page, and many of them aren’t “trolls”) and I’m still supportive of her outspokenness about the industry at large………….but she should have known better.
November 7, 2013 @ 2:57 am
On another note, I’m marvelling at exactly how bat-shit crazy Carrie Underwood fans can truly be. While I can agree that her not even receiving a nomination for “Entertainer of the Year” was a bit telling, since when was she assured or guaranteed to have the award locked down?
“Blown Away” wasn’t even a great album in the first place. I much enjoyed the single “Two Black Cadillacs” as well as the deeper cuts “Wine After Whiskey” and “Do You Think About Me”, but otherwise I consider it a slightly above-average pop album with faint country leanings. And I thought “Good Girl” was terribly overrated (it’s basically a rehash of “Cowboy Cassanova” with a new coat of production paint and arrangement), the title track was marred by overly glossy production and vocals that are at times processed to death, and other cuts such as “One Way Ticket” and “Leave Love Alone” are forgettable filler that bog the whole down.
I may prefer Underwood over Swift for the radio genre, but she still has a lot of room to grow, and I’ve never bought the claim that she was entitled to win both the Entertainer and Album of the Year categories. All I can say is, be wary of the Trolls From The Underwoods! 😉
November 7, 2013 @ 7:21 am
Agree on “Wine After Whiskey”. It’s the most country sounding song I heard from her and was hoping it would be the next single,but seeing she did a “best of” performance,I don’t see it happening.
November 7, 2013 @ 12:27 pm
I think Carrie’s fans saw the CMA give Taylor Swift four awards in 2009, including both the Entertainer and Female Vocalist awards, and questioned why their favorite singer could not get multiple awards too. 2009 set a very bad precedent.
I thought Carrie was a better candidate for this year’s Female Vocalist award than Miranda Lambert, but do not think Carrie deserves an Entertainer award for this year.
Blown Away was an average album. I thought “Two Black Cadillacs” was an interesting song. What I found unusual about this song was that the lyrics were country but the production was pop. This is the opposite of the Shania formula used by many crossover artists (pop lyrics with a little bit of token fiddle in the production). However this begs the question of why Carrie didn’t go country all the way with this song.
November 7, 2013 @ 12:12 pm
Miranda deserved some of her earlier Female Vocalist awards, but four consecutive years for both her and Blake is definitely excessive. I do think she has benefited at the awards from being married to Blake. Nashville wants to turn them into the next Faith and Tim.
I think Miranda may also have benefited from this year’s political fight over gun control. This is a major cultural issue for much of country’s audience, and with lyrics that have made her the NRA’s unofficial ambassador to Nashville no other mainstream artist is as strongly associated with guns and the Second Amendment. The backlash against gun control has been intense. For example after Colorado passed gun control laws, two state senators were recalled (this had not happened before in over 100 years), and several rural counties recently voted to secede from the state. Miranda exemplifies the cultural differences between country and pop audiences more than other Female Vocalist contenders such as Carrie Underwood, for example.
November 7, 2013 @ 12:34 pm
I hardly think the issue of gun control had anything to do with Miranda’s fourth-consecutive win.
If that were true, Justin Moore would have garnered multiple nominations for cutting “Guns” and “This Is NRA Country”, right? RIGHT?!!! 😉
Instead, Moore didn’t receive a single nomination (much of it makes sense in that “Off The Beaten Path” wouldn’t have qualified for this calendar year anyway, though “Point At You” would have).
November 7, 2013 @ 6:45 am
The Obamacare spoof was still the highlight of the show for me!
November 7, 2013 @ 7:01 am
What the fuck is with the Zac Brown Luke Bryan hugging shit?? If Brown had a backbone he would have stood up for his comments earlier instead he hugs the faggot like only a true pussy would do. I am a fan of the ZBB but think that was truly a publicity move to regain some of the 13 year old fanbase that he lost. ANd what the fuck was withe the Dave Grohl performance??? Its called Country fucking music people!!!! I am a fan of Dave Grohl, but I am a die hard to the grave Country fan and that was awful, if it is a Country show play FUCKING COUNTRY MUSIC FOLKS!! Not pop, not rock, to the bone fucking country music. even Brad Paisley performed an absolutley terrible song that could have past for terrible 80’s rock.
Fuck fuck fuck!!!!! Just once it would be nice to watch a country show with country music as the theme not everything but. And on that note fuck you Zac Brown you are no better than all the other skin puppet retards and more than likely participated in the NewCountry orgy in Jason Aldeans hotel room!!
November 7, 2013 @ 10:47 am
Yeah, he’s gonna push the guy away, tell him off in the middle of a bit with 12,000 people watching with a hundred cameras on him broadcasting the show live to the world.
Then he’ll have to talk about it in interviews for the next year and a half instead of his music and have a legion of LB fans out for his head.
He’s such a pussy for avoiding that. *sarcasm*
November 7, 2013 @ 11:08 am
Believe it or not there was a time when people stood up for their beliefs in the music industry, and we know that is few and far between these days. It would have made a hell of a statement to do such an act in front of the masses and could have sparked a big fuck you to the new shitty country genre. However after watching the ZBB’s performance its quite clear they are just like the rest of the skin puppets trends of the big gay machine playing pop/rock noise.
November 7, 2013 @ 12:06 pm
I disagree.
Look, Zac Brown said in his initial remark that he LOVES Luke Bryan and he has written some great songs: proceeding to single out “That’s My Kind of Night” as one of the worst songs he’s ever heard. His remarks were articulated with good faith from the start, and I didn’t view their hug last night as a retreat at all.
Trigger has said repeatedly in the same breath while he’s bashing pop “country” in his rants that he would nonetheless shake the performer’s hand if he met the individual(s) in person. What Bryan and Brown did is consistent with that disposition, and I had no problem with it.
November 7, 2013 @ 7:13 am
Yes,the look on Kaceys face.I was starting to think I was the only one who caught that.While theres non-stop chatter about a lot Taylors “looks” after award shows,it’s interesting how all is mute on HER look of ungraciousness..Either that or it was just a look of a stoned out zombie,coz she’s all badass,and kewl,and smokes pot, and a rebel,and the best thing that’s happened to country music since Patsy Cline or something (cough)
And I did get a chuckle when Blake hugged all the other nominees when he won,then basically walked right by Church,lol..Funny shit.
November 7, 2013 @ 8:07 am
For the first time in a long time I watched most of the show. Most of it was God awful. Whats up with Tim looks like he may be seriously ill,no kidding and those pants what happened to wranglers people.. Eric Church that was beyond stretching it, not good at all. ZBB with Dave was damn good if your going to rock do it well. George and Alan did Mr. Jones proud ! Glad Kasey won and thrilled George won.I can handle that Miranda won. Love that Mcanally got musician again the guy is a freaking treasure. Didn’t see Allison krauss and Vince and Sam with Taylor but sounds like it went well. George should have one Male vocalist as well as entertainer but so it goes.Kenny’s tribute needed Dolly it’s a shame about the car wreck. Jennifer was NOT a suitable replacement.
November 7, 2013 @ 8:45 am
I like the tribute to George Jones but felt it should have been longer with highlights from his life too. Alan and George nailed the song. I was shocked when George got Entertainer of the year. I loved it Nice to see the CMA still cares about him.
November 7, 2013 @ 8:51 am
My sister and I noticed Kacey’s ‘look’ while Miranda received her award. She may have been disturbed at the camera pointed at her face.
Remember when Miranda was constantly passed over, she was the new kid on the block. Miranda didn’t let it get to her. It’s part of her southern charm.
There is that fine line of remaining humble when you receive everything vs. a nod here and there.
November 7, 2013 @ 9:46 am
In defense of Zac Brown and his hug with Luke Bryan I don’t think it was staged. And furthermore, Luke Bryan runs all the way over to where Zac Brown was sitting to hug him. What was Zac suppose to do, push him away? Be realistic…
November 7, 2013 @ 12:55 pm
As a CMA member, I voted for more than a dozen years who “deserved” to win in a certain category and attended probably about 10 live shows as a journalist/photographer. I quit being a member of the CMA, when Garth Brooks, who was to Country Music what stockings were to fingerfucking (quote by Poodie), started changing the concept of the very music I so dearly love(d).
And no, I did not watch last night’s awards, it’s a freakin’ waste of time, but here are some random thoughts:
a) the dominance of Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert in the male/female categories over the last four years, actually shows that the CMA member don’t care about some of the other wannabes – and with that I’m not defending BS or ML, just stating that they may be closer to the “truth” as the rest of them.
b) I also think that the CMA voters snubbed BS on purpose by giving the Entertainer Award to Mr. Clean himself. George Strait. In his over 30 year long career he never once made a “bad” headline.
c) I also think that the demographics, on who actually listens to Country Radio has changed. With an absence of quality rock/pop many people boarded the Country ship and the ship took on a new course. Motto of this new cruise is – we give you lowest common denominator music, so y’all are happy. With this came a gentrification of not just the sounds but the lyrics as well, heartbreaks, alcohol (abuse) and daily struggles of simply surviving got replaced with mom’s driving their kids to McDonalds, feel good stories of pickup trucks on a dirt road and other crap that shines a light of a holy but unreal world. With it also came a turn away from fiction, Johnny Cash never shot a man in Reno, El Paso City never happened to Marty Robbins, Johnny Paycheck never excused himself because he had someone to kill (reality bit almost), and I don’t think a contemporary country artist could earn a nickname like the Killer. The public was quite cool with this part of fiction as well with real realities of trying to make it either in barley surviving or trying to survive a breakup.
But all this has become another reality show – dancing with the wannabes.
d) So it is utterly refreshing to actually hear females bringing meaningful stories back to the captain. But the captain (radio stations) won’t play it, because they may upset the dormant passengers on the ship. Kacey is a good example, Jaida Dreyer, Ashley Monroe, Pistol Annies, Gretchen Wilson and Brandy Clark all have substantial songs, mostly being ignored by mainstream outlets.
e) and as long as you are happy with a mass-produced dollar burger and don’t crave for pork tenderloin on a mushroom cream sauce, as long as you shop box stores instead of a local artisans, buy your veggies at WalMart and not on the local farmers’ market and are basically happy with what you have. That’s how long the lowest common denominator music will ring in the ear of the consumers and during the yearly clapping on the shoulder award shows.
And yes if you search you will find – go out, check your local music scene – tip the bands and the bartenders – because all the old joints are closing down. But that’s another chapter for another day.
December 16, 2013 @ 10:51 pm
This past Saturday night Brad Paisley was bestowed the prestigious Harmony Award by the Nashville Symphony at the 29th annual Symphony Ball, “A Midwinter Night”™s Dream,” held at Schermerhorn Symphony Center.
Source:http://www.nashville.com/music/2013/12/brad-paisley-receives-prestigious-harmony-award/