Travis Tritt Is Spot On About The Timeless Relevance of Country
Part and parcel with the recent uproar over Lil Nas X and his song “Old Town Road” being removed from the country charts—and previously when Bro-Country acts like Florida Georgia Line or EDM country stars like Sam Hunt would stir dissent among some country fans—defenders of these performers along with members of the media would profess that country music must be inclusive to these new sounds and artists or risk losing its “relevance.”
Often these media members and fans are not native to country music, and don’t understand why it has always been the place of country to pay homage to the past, and offer something different from the rest of popular music as opposed to playing follow the leader. Furthermore, these theories that country music must evolve or it will go extinct seem to be completely out of touch with the fact that country music is doing just fine at the moment, if not excelling compared to many periods during its history.
Though these cautionary tales of this supposed “relevancy” threat are shoved down the throats of country fans, theaters and arenas continue to be sold out, sales and streaming numbers continue to be strong, and new artists continue to be supported, including ones with more traditional-sounding music. There are no signs that country music is weakening or being left behind due to supposed “relevance” issues. In fact country music appears to be going through a Spring of more country-sounding songs and talent.
Country music’s two biggest superstars since the implosion of Bro-Country in 2014 have been Chris Stapleton and Luke Combs—two artists who regardless how you may feel about their music, don’t mix electronic beats or rap verses into their songs, and don’t fit the natural model of a sculpted superstar. These artists are also doing very well in crossover appeal. Who has been the one of the biggest concert draws for the last few years in all of music, country or otherwise? Garth Brooks, whose heyday was well over two decades ago.
On June 4th, AXS-TV aired an interview with “Class of ’89” country artist Travis Tritt conducted by Dan Rather. The veteran journalist once again broached the concern that country music must stay “relevant” to survive, asking Tritt, “As time moves on, and new generations of people for example have difficulty translating to a train song. But people are trying to make country music relevant for the current generation. Let’s talk about how you do that when Travis Tritt is off saying, ‘We got to sing the old music. We’ve got to sing the old themes.'”
Travis Tritt’s response was spot on.
“How many young people go through heartbreak? How many young people are out there looking for the right person to share the rest of their lives with … looking for love? How many young people are out there that get fired from their job for whatever reason, or they’re frustrated because they can’t find a job? The frustrations that go with that, and all those different feelings—the acquisition of love, the loss of it—all of those different feelings, those are no different than the same feelings that were behind the great songs of yesterday.”
Country music has never drawn its strength or appeal from whatever happens to be relevant in the here and now. Country music is unique in how its themes remain timeless and eternally relevant regardless of the trends that may influence the rest of the popular music world. Country is also one of the few places listeners can go to hear something that isn’t all rosy, but speaks to real life and its common struggles.
“[Love and loss are] not reflected in most of the [new] stuff,” Tritt continues. “You know, if you go to a country music radio station right now, and you ask them, ‘What are you looking for on your playlist?’ 99% of them will tell you, ‘Well, we want something that’s upbeat and positive.’ Life is not always upbeat and positive. As a matter of fact, far from it.”
And this is what makes country music appeal to so many people, even if some of the sounds or modes feel a little antiquated. If anything, country music’s behind-the-times nature reminds listeners that people have always gone through tough times, if not tougher, which breeds comfort through the shared commiseration that country music provides.
When Billy Ray Cyrus decided to collaborate with Lil Nas X on “Old Town Road,” it was heralded as an important time in country music’s evolution, and it was believed that Cyrus would be handsomly rewarded by a massive resurgence of interest in his career. Though “Old Town Road” has been the #1 song in all of music for 10 weeks and counting, that successes and attention hasn’t translated to Billy Ray Cyrus, or to country music whatsoever. Billy Ray’s latest album The Snakedoctor Circus released in the midst of “Old Town Road” and its wild popularity sold an abysmal 425 copies.
Media pundits and prognosticators—many with ulterior motives that have as much to do with politics as anything—will continue to prescribe trend chasing and the adoption of influences from other genres as a way to buffer country music from irrelevance. But for 70 years, country music has done just fine focusing on what makes it different from other genres as opposed to trying to be something it isn’t. Adopting the sounds and modes of pop and hip-hop might make country music cool to some, but the genre’s most existential threat is not dying because nobody wants to listen to it, it’s going extinct as an art form because nobody can distinguishing it from anything else.
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Unfortunately, AXS-TV has not made video available of the interview, but the segment of the interviewed quoted in this story can be seen here.
June 10, 2019 @ 8:55 am
Something I’ve said that separates radio Hick Hop from actual country music? Fun.
Country has ALWAYS had humor and fun sprinkled in. And the Tractor Rap is SOOO SERIOUS. Sure, it’s about going to tailgates and beaches…but these guys are so whiny and serious. There is no smile in there. Probably because that is harder to write.
Be it Buck Owens or Brad Paisley, or Isbell recalling why the guy at the bar punched him (in an otherwise serious breakup song), country has always had room for laughs. It’s why Hee-Haw worked. Can you imagine Kane Brown out there trying to make people laugh? That frog-faced dork can barely complete a sentence.
June 11, 2019 @ 5:50 pm
Great point. I have been arguing for a while now that most of music on top 40 isn’t fun anymore not matter the genre. It is angry and bitter, jaded and the production is harsh and blown out.
I mean song like Harper Valley PTA is a hilarious and fun kiss off song. But even the sad songs were fun. “I Think I’ll Just Stay Here A Drink” for example.
Also you don’t have the old story songs (let alone murder ballads) in the mainstream anymore. And a song like, “Seven Spanish Angels” or “Long Black Veil” or “Fancy” are super fun songs not only to hear but to sing yourself.
And then you have all those silly songs like, “Put You Back on The Rack”, and “Nobody”. or “Men” by the Forester Sisters, “Guys Do It All The Time” by Mindy McCreedy, “Jackson”…
Sigh most of these new chart hit songs may be party songs but they aren’t fun to me. Somebody like Alan Jackson or Nanci Griffith or Lyle Lovett… they write fun songs.
June 10, 2019 @ 9:15 am
nailed it trigger . timeless subject matter is the essence of the BEST songs and trad country understood that . you undermine melody and lyric when you focus on sonics and contemporary sound over emotion and substance . in fairness , however ,the BEST pop ( American Songbook ….even jazz lyric ) adheres to the same approach to producing a song . Smart , clever, well-crafted music will ALWAYS transcend trend and time when the emotional pallette takes priority in its performance and production . when that is undersood , a singer with one guitar ( Springsteen ) can move us as powerfully as a symphony .
June 10, 2019 @ 10:41 am
I hate most of the country songs today i hate the fact that the women seem to think wearing sexy dresses showing most of their skin is good country music. Look at reba and the ladies who sang delta dawn those are ladies. And country singers. I think they try to out do each other on who can show more skin and boobs. Country music sure isnt what it use to be and that is sad. They also need to calm the award show down like it use to be. To much going on in a short amount of time. Its crazy. Get all the fans back up in high seats the balcony let the stars have their places back up front and centered. The show was a mess. Little big town didnt do a good job at all. We still have the men who did a good job and trying to stay country. Gosh get it together country music. Hated the show so again i will back away from country music
June 10, 2019 @ 11:26 am
All three of these comments plus Trig’s post is some of the best on here. I agree with EVERYTHING mentioned thus far. And that is a noteworthy feat.
June 10, 2019 @ 11:26 am
I can’t speak for anybody else, but I’m approaching middle age faster than I care to admit and it’s no coincidence I’ve grown more and more fond of country music in recent years.
I’m not a kid anymore. I no longer identify with the immature aggro posturing, vulgar language, sexism, misogyny, newfangled sparkle, and ridiculous wish-fulfillment fantasies of most hip-hop, pop, and rock. That stuff has its place with the youth, and I’m not going to fault them for it, but let’s not try to shoehorn some of contemporary popular music’s worst qualities into hundred year old musical traditions.
As has already been said here, country’s basic lyrical concepts and musical aesthetic are universal, timeless, and ageless. They’ll always stand on their own. Life’s short. Life’s tough. At a certain point we all grow out of childish things and grander considerations like relationships, family, duty, struggle, faith, and mortality come into greater focus. Country music speaks to those subjects in ways most contemporary popular music simply can’t.
June 10, 2019 @ 11:29 am
Do these country music industry organizations have advisory boards? Marty Stuart, Travis Tritt, Tanya Tucker, Emmylou Harris, Rhiannon Giddens — these kind of people should be on it.
Not celebrity chef bullshit artists like Billy Ray Cyrus. I’m surprised that dude doesn’t have a side hustle already selling kitchen gadgets and make-up.
June 10, 2019 @ 4:06 pm
Corncobcaster, I’d rather listen to Billy Ray any day than Travis blank, lol…I mean Tritt. You people totally got this guy all wrong. You have no clue what he’s about and you’ve missed out on some damn good music over the years by him because you think he’s a flash in the pan & fits in with all these other*^/ $#@@@# well he doesn’t he’s been a Trail Blazer since he came out he fits in with the Legends…it’s funny how I can like Johnny Cash and Merle Haggard and George Jones and all the Legendary Classic artists like Bob Dylan Etc but oh no I like Billy Ray Cyrus too, how is that possible? Perhaps you guys are missing something and I think it’s freaking hilarious people can be so damn dumbed down and clueless sometimes…
June 10, 2019 @ 6:44 pm
“you’ve missed out on some damn good music over the years”
Didn’t kill me.
June 15, 2019 @ 11:19 pm
I am about as close to a country traditionalist as you can get, as in I only listen to legends like Cash, Hank, Hank jr, charley pride, buck Owens, Waylon, willie, etc. and new guys like sturgill, Childers, and Jamey Johnson. However, I am also a big fan of Billy Ray Cyrus.
How is this possible?!?!?
Maybe because the man has made some damn good music over the years. And his voice was so good in the 90s that I regularly tell people that I think Billy Ray has one of the best voices in country music. Check out Shot Full of Love to see what I mean.
People only think bad of the man because of Achy Breaky, his daughter, and now Old Town Road, and it’s a damn shame because he is a great artist.
People seem to forget that he was good friends with Carl Perkins, George Jones, Dolly Parton, and Waylon Jennings. For Fucks sake he recorded songs with Shooter Jennings, performed with Willie Nelson, Jamey Johnson, and appeared on the George Jones show.
Billy Ray Cyrus is a good artist and it’s a fucking shame to see the bad rep he gets from people that judge him because a bad song.
June 10, 2019 @ 11:32 am
Despite commercials, I really miss listening to country music on the radio. I won’t listen to all this (c)rap / hip – hop . There is absolutely nothing appealing about it. One of the over+whelming feelings I get when I hear country rap (CRAP) is the same as when somebody decides to be a snitch or a traitor, I think : “What an idiot, now your life ain’t worth a bucket of piss. Now you have zero friends, you’ve betrayed the trust of all sides and deserve nothing but what you get.” In this case, a little less drastic, but they’ll always have to live with looking like a gold digging fly in a wind storm.
June 10, 2019 @ 2:16 pm
so true glen
June 10, 2019 @ 12:01 pm
Country Music was once described as “White Man’s Blues”. Although not 100% accurate, it is pretty close.
June 11, 2019 @ 4:05 am
“There’s only two kinds of music: the blues and zippety doo-dah.”-Townes Van Zandt
Still works for me.
June 10, 2019 @ 12:37 pm
Dan Rather is implying that traditional country music is all “train songs!?” What a steaming load! Clearly he’s like these idiots that always say country music is about your dog dying! Yeah? Well name 10 country songs about your dog dying, probably ya can’t. Train songs Dan? Sure Johnny Cash had a few and Kenny Rogers had one, and there was Wabash Cannonball and Orange Blossom Special, but duude…there are waaay more subjects covered in country music. Clearly Rather is the one out of touch with reality. The vast amount of country songs are about relationships, good and bad, and coping with failures and adversity. Good for Tritt, he handled it like a pro. I would’a told Rather where to stick it.
June 10, 2019 @ 12:50 pm
I don’t think it was an entirely bad question from Dan, but the “train” comment was a little silly.
It made me think of the song “Jimmy’s Dead and Gone” by JP Harris.
“You’ve heard this tale 100 times, but this story’s true to life,
still got the slack action banging in my brain
Well Jimmy’s dead and gone, but this hobo rambles on
You’re Goddamn right I wrote a song about a train.”
June 10, 2019 @ 1:13 pm
Jp Harris is the man
June 11, 2019 @ 7:00 am
Well according to DAC it can’t be the greatest country song ever unless it says something about trains, trucks, mamma, and getting drunk.
I do agree with you that these things don’t “make” a song country, but the themes are fairly prevalent.
June 10, 2019 @ 1:23 pm
Yep
June 10, 2019 @ 2:26 pm
70 years? More like 90 years.
June 10, 2019 @ 7:01 pm
For as many cogent points as Travis Tritt made in his interview with Dan Rather, I think he left out one very important component of what the genre is REALLY about: COUNTRY. Specifically, I am speaking about Rural America and its people, be they farmers, ranchers, woodsmen, or long-haul big-rig truck drivers, and any region where rural life still exists, be it in the Ozarks, Appalachia, Oklahoma, Texas, the Mountain West, or California. You can even include small towns where, instead of a Wal-Mart, there are small neighborhood Mom-and-Pop stores and markets.
Yes, it should be about heartbreak and loss; Momma; trains; trucks; prison; or gettin’ drunk as well. That’s not what I, a classic rock fan who also likes country music, would ever dispute. But if you don’t mention the very way of life, the very milieu, that gave life to the genre, and you don’t mention the very people who cultivated that way of life, then you miss the very essence, the entire reason the country music genre has existed for the last ninety years. For all the fans and clout that he has, I think Travis Tritt missed, at least on those points that I mentioned.
June 10, 2019 @ 11:51 pm
You nailed it Trigger, you and Travis both couldn’t have been more spot on. Country music used to have a unique yet relatable identity that was it’s very own,it was an American art form, and now it’s neither and it really makes me sick.
June 11, 2019 @ 4:48 am
“The genre’s most existential threat is not dying because nobody wants to listen to it, it’s going extinct as an art form because nobody can distinguishing it from anything else.”
Absolutely spot on, Trigger.
June 11, 2019 @ 6:03 am
I read somewhere that when someone asked Townes Van Zant why he wrote sad songs, he responded with something like “Don’t you think life is sad?”
June 11, 2019 @ 10:49 am
The train is a metaphor as well as a transportation vehicle.
Commercial music tries to appeal to the lowest common denominator. Good music, regardless of the genre, doesn’t have to try. It connects to basic human truths.
June 11, 2019 @ 9:31 pm
We can’t take Dan Rather’s thoughts on country music seriously when he repeatedly called Merle Haggard “Merrill.”
June 12, 2019 @ 7:52 am
Billy Ray Cyrus has made some straight up legit country records.
And damn good ones.
June 15, 2019 @ 11:22 pm
Exactly! It so sad to see so many people judge the man based off of Axhy Breaky. He has so many great songs and albums over the years.
June 24, 2019 @ 5:18 pm
For all the problems country music has had to endure from those seeking to steal it’s good name – check out the disaster that is rock and roll. It is gone.