If You Don't Like Country Music You're a Blue State Elitist

Awesome article. i am guilty of #2, saying I like country but only anything recorded before 1980. I have yet to give modern country singers a listen, because I too consider it red state bullshit but perhaps its about time I open up my mind, like a certain Madlib sample from Lootpack.

 My gateway to country began with Johnny Cash, and then Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard (who i had the pleasure to see open up for Bob Dylan a few years back) ...and Dylan. My favorite Dylan stuff is his country stuff ( Wesley Harding, Nashville Skyline). I loooove steel pedal guitar, and alot of classic country use it. Another artist I love is Marty Robbins, who rarely gets much love. and you can thank Family Guy for exposing me to Conway Twitty. and then there is Gram Parsons (International Submarine Band, Byrds, Flying Burrito Bros.)  Country is wonderful.

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Colour me blue...

You can't tell me that Brad Paisley and Kenny Chesney and the rest of today's modern country singers are even in the same conversation as Patsy Cline, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Hoyt Axton, Sam Cooke and Waylon Jennings. Today's country musicians owe everything to Cline, Williams, Cash and the rest. You can't tell me modern country can produce anything that comes close to "I've Got a Feelin' called the Blues" or "Crazy" or "Folsom Prison Blues." I like Mozart and Debussey, particularly "Eine Kliene Nacht Music" and "Clare de Lune." But when it comes time to hitch my wagon, I'll go to "Lukenbach, Texas with Waylon and Willie and the boys." Or as Waylon said in another song covered by Three Dog Night, "Well I never been to heaven, but I've been to Oklahoma."

Yeah, I livd in Mexican polka land for a while and after some time having fun adventures to the pumping sounds of an accordian it endeared itself to me. My point? We don't listen to country because we don't live in those parts. We're supposed to apologize? Or care? I don't. Your article does not inspire me to prove my non elitism by listening to a music that's not my own. If it one day works it's way into my life so be it. Furthermore, I believe it is ultimately "hipster" to appropriate other people's music to prove your open mindedness. You're just out hipstering the hipsters. But whatever, have a good time, cheers.

"That's the beauty of music, isn't it? You don't have to choose. You can have it all."

Amen. 

Admitting you like country music is like admitting you likeLittle House on the Prairie.  You comeoff looking like a backwoods hillbilly but yet many of us know the plot to each episode but to admit it makes us too cheesy.

There is a stigma with country music.  I grew up in what would be considered The Sticksfor So.Cal and I didn’t like country music at first and once I did, I didn’tadmit it for years.  I was the girl whowould stay up late on the rare nights I could pick up reception of KNAC just tohear it.  I dared not admit I likedcountry.  I could only go to so manyGeorge Strait concerts before I finally had to admit it.

The problem with country is the same problem all genreshave, a lot of different sounds fall under the umbrella of country.  I’m not a fan of some of the more popular radio acts and if I based my opinionof country based on the popular drinking songs  so many artists tend to favor, I’dflat out say it sucked.  Do we reallyneed another song to promote excessive drinking?  Does it make me a better American if I liketo party? Am I uncool because I am a longtime teetotaler and find the songs disturbing?

There are so many sounds to country that I often wonder thatwhen someone doesn’t like it  if they have only heard the top 40 popcountry hits.  Have they ever tried classicslike Don Williams, Merle Haggard, Charlie Pride or Eddie Raven?  Have they heard traditional artists likeGeorge Strait and Randy Travis.? Have they ever even heard of Chris Ledoux whoin his lifetime never got the recognition he deserved in mainstream country.?

On the flipside there is a similar stigma like that of admittingyou like country within the country circles. If you don’t listen to all country all the time, you ain’t a real memberof the country club.  I’ve had many aplastered guy at concerts ask me who my favorite artist is.  My response is Sam Cooke because he is myfavorite in any genre.  I get a blankglossy look as a response and after I explain who he was you would think I saidI listened to gangsta rap and I no longer am country enough because apparentlythere are so many real cowgirls in So Cal. Once I point out that I own cowboy boots, Wranglers, and a belt with myname on it, they back off a little on the criticism.

It really boils down to personal preference, if you like thesound of country you do.  Say it loud andproud that you like it, there is no shame. If you don’t like it, that’s fine too but I would recommend that if youdon’t at the very least watch the movie Pure Country.  Even if you hate the music, John Doe gives asolid performance as the drummer.  Nowthere is a man who is fearless when it comes to crossing over to differentgenres.

Proud to be a coastal urban elitist for life. 

Thanks for the read! It's about time we city folks figured out what we've been missing out on. If you've never rolled down PCH on a sunny Saturday afternoon with the windows/top down and some Dirks/Tim/Faith blasting, you're missing one of life's little pleasures.

Seems to me that the vast majority of "acceptable" music these days conveys one emotion: generalized angst bordering on impotent rage. Rock n' roll long ago gave up on the power ballad (whose passing I shall mourn until my own dying day). In country, there are still plenty of men and women who'll commiserate with your broken heart. In country, you're still allowed to drive up that lonesome road and sit on your hood looking at the stars wondering about it all. Call me a sap, but I find that reassuring.

I'd even go so far as to argue that "serious" country music fans are the truest and most knowledgeable fans out there, the music equivalent of hockey fans. They'll listen to everything from early Patsy Cline to Levon Helm to Dirks Bentley, with some bluegrass and roots thrown in, all in the same afternoon. How many rock n' roll fans still listen to Bill Haley or Elvis, much less the Rat Pack and the great crooners?

As for the alleged cheese factor, I can say only this: If you say you hate country because it's "cheesy," then you are no longer allowed to go ape and sing at the top of your lungs when "Livin' on a Prayer" comes on the radio!

Country sucks donkey dick

Sorry, my girlfriend listens to lots of country and it's not my cup of tea.

This is right on!

Hey, there's even indie country music out there that crazy pure country folks and music elitists turn a blind eye to. I love almost all music, I have some qualms with reggaeton, norteño tuba crap where the singers always sound drunk, and hip hop/pop songs about murder or sex that parents let their kids listen to because it's on the radio. But if they ever start playing Teddy Thompson, Shelby Lynne, and maybe some Ryan Adams alongside the pop country hits maybe I'll actually listen to country radio. Till that day comes I'm going to stay tuned to kcrw. If that makes me elitist too then I just plane don't care whatever people think.

The truest article I have ever read, as a city kid from queens i was told to hate country music by pretty much everyone. When I went to college in upstate new york I got my 1st taste of country music and haven't looked back. Lets just say the kenny chesney/zac brown/billy currington concert at giants stadium was one of the most fun days i can recall.

Not convinced... but maybe some free shots might do the trick. Nice article though, I'd like to read the same on another frowned upon genre by the artsy community of course. Oh idk gangsta rap, r & b perhaps. Just sayin'