Stonewall Jackson and Opry Settle Lawsuit

When you consider the age of many of the “Opry Legends” that perform on every Opry show it would be hard to argue “age discrimination”. What Stonewall really wanted was to make it easier for older guest artists like himself to be able to get on the Opry stage to perform when they wanted too and not have the door slammed shut in their face. I really don’t think this lawsuit changed anything.

Uh-oh, for the first time the Stagecoach Festival will be in direct conflict with the Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival, so that’s one stagecoach I won’t be catching in 2008. Oh well….

Rick’s Random Tidbits:
The Australian Country Music Channel has announced the preliminary lineup for their March 2008 “CMC Rocks The Snowys” concert in Thredbo, NSW and the headliner will be Taylor Swift! All I can say is crikey, mate… (Last year I think it was Sugarland?)

Sarah Buxton News: (From: AllAboutCountry.com)
“Sarah Buxton Delivers “Space”!
You Want “Some Space”, Well Sarah Gives It To You!

Sarah Buxton returns to the country airwaves with her newest single “Space”, available for digital download now via PlayMPE. (AAC Editorial comment: Wow! This is an exceptional song!)

Written by Sarah with Lari White and Chuck Cannon, Space explores the response after a woman hears her partner say that he needs space in their relationship. Buxton also produced the track, a rarity for a new artist and especially rare among female performers.

“I wanted the song to have a raw intimacy to it, like you’re hearing a private conversation at a really emotional moment between a woman and her man,” says Buxton. “We’ve all heard someone say ‘I need some space.’ I wanted the song to show the hurt you feel when someone says that, but I wanted the reaction of the woman to show strength and not just pain. It could have been an insecure, feeling sorry for myself ballad but it turned into a self-empowering anthem.” ”

Go Sarah!

I’m really looking forward to the Alan Jackson CMT Giants.

that seems a bit excessive, although i don’t really think it’s necessary for every celebrity to share their opinions with the world

How many of y’all are running out to buy your Big & Rich GALACTIC Fan Pack? lol

Is Stonewall Jackson related to the great civil war general of the same name?

Just to answer the question - “with prejudice” means that the complaint cannot be filed again, a complaint can be filed “without prejudice” and be filed within a certian time frame depending on the state in which you live - so that means that they came to a settlement that was agreeable to the parties and the case is over.

Razor X is now the President of the Toby Keith fan club :P

I think it would be odd to be so private with my votes that my husband wouldn’t even know. I think he’d figure it out, you know, because we communicate. I don’t know if I believe it either.

Wow, I agree, I’d sure be in trouble if I had to agree with the politics of the artists I liked. I’d have to stop listening to country music almost altogether.

wow. A post from Rick where he fails to mention “Top 40 Airhead Country Radio”. You OK Rick? LOL

It would be very stupid for country artists to come out and say they’re supporting the Democrat ticket. Even dumber if they did it in a flagrant or insulting manner. Thankfully I haven’t seen this since the Dixie Chicks. I would flat-out stop listening to an artist if they felt it was necessary for them to come out and publicly say they were voting for Barack Hussein Obama.

“I would flat-out stop listening to an artist if they felt it was necessary for them to come out and publicly say they were voting for Barack Hussein Obama.”

refusing to do business, in this case purchase cd’s you otherwise would, with people simply because they are openly members of the other major political party makes you, sir, a political radical.

which is fine, you are of course entitled to be a radical, but I don’t think it’s safe to assume that the majority of people share your radical partisan outlook.

after all, bi-partisan “reaching across the aisle” is all the rage these days.

so yeah, I’m confident that an artist can openly support the Obama/Biden ticket without major commercial repercussions.

“I would throw my own mother down the stairs if she looked me in the eye and told me she was voting for somebody as despicable as Obama,”

like I said man, you are a radical. by definition that means that you feel much more strongly about it than the large majority of people.

“But the fact is that if a country artist, with a fanbase dominated by conservative, would be so inclined as to go out of their way to publicly make that statement, already knowing the repercussions of it… then THAT is where I have a problem”

since we’ve established you are a radical, we know that the fanbase isn’t dominated by people who share your feelings. As far as whether most country listeners lean left, lean right, or are apathetic, I don’t have any hard statistical data on it, and I suspect that you don’t either.

but like I said, I suspect that among the large majority of country fans, if an artist (lets say Tim McGraw or Kellie Pickler or Eric Church)said “yeah, I’m a democrat” it wouldn’t cause them to lose substantial support.

Remember the Dixie Chicks said that they were ashamed of the President when they were on forum soil.

They didn’t just say that they were democrats.

Peter, thanks for catching my slip up! (lol) I’ll be sure to attack Top 40 country radio the very next chance I get!

I don’t care what an artist’s political party affiliation is UNLESS they climb on a soapbox and start making it a public issue, at which point it does become an issue. If some of my favorite current artists like Sarah Buxton, Ashley Monroe, Ashton Shepherd and Jamey Johnson are Democrats it doesn’t matter to me because they haven’t made it a public issue. Although I agree with Toby Keith’s recent comments, he is not endearing himself to the Democrats in his fan base. Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush are just being super cautious not to offend any of their fans with politics.

Speaking of “Old Crow Medicine Show”, they were musical guests on last Saturday’s season opening broadcast of “Prairie Home Companion” and kicked some musical butt. Garrison announced the title of their new album “Tennessee Pusher” and said he had no idea at all what that title was referring to! (lol) It is a family show after all…..

“This record is certainly full of messed-up dudes with bloody gums, and people selling their babies for food, and people selling their souls for a high,” Secor says. “We tried to take a snapshot of the guy down at the bus station and the America that he lives in. The machine that churns out country music is totally removed from the people for whom it was intended. Country music is for busboys and bus riders and hitchhikers and prostitutes. It’s for the destitute. It’s not for big business, big machines, big sales and big-box stores.”

Such a shame Country Music has been betrayed by the likes of Shania, Garth, Rascal Flatts and Taylor Swift. Old Crow Medicine Show just nailed what country music SHOULD be.

Geez, Matt, don’t out these poor people!:)

Leeann,

I’m interested into what he’ll respond with. :)

If my Republican mother is reading this, I’d just like to assure her that I will not throw her down any stairs or punch her in the mouth if she wants to vote for McCain. I will continue to love her and to respectfully argue with her. Same goes for my dad, come to think.

I don’t let a performer’s politics get in the way of enjoying their music as long as it doesn’t too pollute their artistry.

Most of my friends are GOP although I have friends who are Democrats. I tend to prefer the middle ground (I’m registered Libertarian)and will support candidates who pull more toward the center. As a practical matter this means that I support more Republicans than I do Democrats but that’s their doing, not mine

What center are we talking about? The center of the Republican party or the center of both parties? Because I don’t believe that more Republicans are in the center than Democrats.

McCain is center-right and Obama is extreme left, to give you perspective. Before the last 10 years or so, the parties were centre-right and centre-left respectively, but the Democratic party has become so corrupted by far left entities such as MoveOn.org, that the mainstream Democratic policies are basically in line with that of socialist states.

I wouldn’t throw anybody’s mother down a flight of stairs but I think Drew’s assessment of where the parties stand is pretty accurate, particularly as regards the Democratic Party in the Northeast and on the West Coast (not so much so in the South and Southwest).

I also think the Democrats are owned lock, stock and mustache by the personal injury bar which makes voting for a Democrat for President or Governor a really scary proposition. I’ve voted for Democrats for the US Senate and House and for statehouse elections, but I don’t trust them to have control of judicial appointments

Drew,

To counterbalance your arguement about extreme-left organizations like move-on.org. What about “extreme right” people like Michael Savage, Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh and other ‘political talkers?’ And I know that there are ‘extreme’ radio people on the left too.

For all of the conservative angles on Obama lacking ‘experience,’ they are sure quick to want to support Palin when she’s had less experience than Obama! So what if she’s a ‘maverick outsider.’ I agree that she’s probably the answer to Chad Brock’s “Put A Redneck In The White House.” And honestly, that downright scares me as much as people saying having “Barack Hussein Obama” in the white house scares them (That doesn’t mean I wanna throw my mom or grandmother down the stairs).

Is it so wrong to want somebody who is intellectual in the white house?

“What about “extreme right” people like Michael Savage, Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh and other ‘political talkers?’ ”

I’ve never listened to Savage, but I do listen to Limbaugh and Hannity quite often. I wouldn’t classify either one of them as “extreme” and am curious why you labeled them as such.

There are extremists in both parties, to be sure. G. Gordon Liddy is the only extreme right-wing radio host I can think of offhand (is he still on the air?). I’m sure there are others but they do not have audiences the size of Limbaugh’s or Hannity’s. Limbaugh and Hannity wouldn’t have such huge audiences if they were extremists. Extremism simply doesn’t play well to a large enough segment of the American public to succeed in the marketplace (one of the reasons Air America didn’t catch on).

“For all of the conservative angles on Obama lacking ‘experience,’ they are sure quick to want to support Palin when she’s had less experience than Obama!”

Actually, it is the other way around. Palin has more experience than Obama, who has spent most of his freshman Senate term running for President. I find it positively mind-boggling that people are actually attempting to say she’s too inexperienced for the VP job, at the same time they’re supporting Obama for President.

“My beef with Sara Palin isn’t that she’s inexperienced. It’s that she’s completely insane.”

How so?

As a white person, how can you seriously think of voting Obama after he sat in the pews for 20 years of a church where the pastor is constantly spewing hatred about whites? He stated that Rev. Wright was his “spiritual mentor” and was married by and had his children baptized by him. He “helped him find religion”, yet Wright’s religion is nothing but hate. Not to mention Obama’s wife has a long history of anti-white sentiments, including her whole thesis paper in college being on how blacks are suppressed on college campuses and need to rise up against the bigotry. It absolutely blows my mind.

Glad to know you’re a commie… that just about takes you out of any worthwhile political conversation. What a disgrace.

“As a white person, how can you seriously think of voting Obama after he sat in the pews for 20 years of a church where the pastor is constantly spewing hatred about whites?”

That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever read. So I shouldn’t vote for someone because they aren’t sufficiently white-supremacist?

I suppose it would be OK to vote for someone if they sat in pews where the preacher was constantly spewing hatred against gays.

for those of you, who think colour matters, when it comes to presidential candidates: why don’t you just colour your own?

Matt B: “For all of the conservative angles on Obama lacking ‘experience,’ they are sure quick to want to support Palin when she’s had less experience than Obama!”

I think you’re the first person to bring experience into the argument. The experience factor is debatable and that argument can be turned just as easily to “For all the liberal angles on Palin lacking ‘experience,’ they sure are quick to want to support Obama.” Especially considering he’s running for President and not VP. I think Palin’s lack of national experience/foreign knowledge is a bit worrying, but I think the same goes for Obama. He continually says, “X number of years ago, I wrote a letter to such and such saying we need to fix this.” Where’s the followup? Where’s the action?

Let’s get Biden’s take on Obama’s experience, “The presidency is not a job that lends itself to on the job training.”

Rainbow: “My beef with Sara Palin isn’t that she’s inexperienced. It’s that she’s completely insane.[...]Well, her extreme religious beliefs (for example the “pray away the gay” thing) makes her a very dangerous person.”

More non-factual, emotional rhetoric. Have her checked out out by a board of psychologists and find a single one that would consider her’completely insane.’ Let’s keep this logical.

And Drew, cut out the attacks, there’s no need to call someone a disgrace for their political beliefs. Not every country in the world is bound by our ideas on government.

Jim: “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever read. So I shouldn’t vote for someone because they aren’t sufficiently white-supremacist?”

Come on Jim, you know that’s not the argument he was making. Would it be acceptable to vote for or elect a white-supremacist in this day and age? How about a person that attended white-supremacist meetings? I’m not saying Obama’s church is completely tantamount to white supremacy, but Wright’s comments do create cause for concern.

I don’t know if I’ll vote for McCain/Palin or not, but I know I’m not voting for Obama/Biden. Did he ever address that question about the health care fines at the debate last night? Too much government for my blood.

Not being able to edit my message is driving me crazy by the way, I discovered like a billion typos after I posted it.

…because our passports are not issue by “opry land”.

I’m still waiting for the U.N. to officially recognize Opryland as a nation.

“Would it be acceptable to vote for or elect a white-supremacist in this day and age? ”

Apparently it is. Sen. Robert Byrd (D - WV) is a former Klansman.

…speaking of world power - does the thought of mrs. palin being pretty close to get in charge only worry me like: “big time!!!!!”

wasn’t one dilettante in power lesson enough?

Brady,

He’d likely ‘enforce’ that requirement for kids by getting the government to provide the health care out of our taxes. Since I believe Kids SHOULD have that health care, it’s something that I agree with. Actually, I agree that there should be a basic health care for all in this country. It needn’t be fully socialized but if it gives people the ability to go to the local clinic w/o fear of a couple hundred dollar bill, then it will save the emergency rooms for real emergencies.

As for my earlier remarks about Palin and Obama’s experience or lack-there-of, I was just trying to spur some debate. Look, I was and am an independent minded voter. I was willing to consider McCain based on who his veep was (someone not named Romney, Huckabee) but then he picked an amalgam of the two in Palin.

I agree w/Jim w/r/t Obama’s previous statements about Rev. Wright. Can we still like someone even if we don’t agree with some or many of their views? For example, I’m sure Drew is a fine guy and one who’d be great to talk over a beer with, that doesn’t mean I agree with his views at all (particularly the assumptions that country music fans need to be white, republican, church going, straight people (which I surmise from his comments). I actually like to have some friends who aren’t ‘the same’ or think ‘the same’ as me. It makes for great conversations (kinda like we’re having here).

Oh, despite this being a country website, it’s good for debate.

Wow, that’s the most I’ve ever posted at one time…

“He’d likely ‘enforce’ that requirement for kids by getting the government to provide the health care out of our taxes.”

Did he say that? Shouldn’t you be asking the same question yourself instead of just assuming that? I almost wouldn’t have a problem with this if the government were responsible with our taxes, but the budget needs to be balanced and our deficit needs to be paid down. Increasing spending while the budget needs to be taken care of is irresponsible. And who is going to qualify for these “subsidies?”

“Actually, I agree that there should be a basic health care for all in this country. It needn’t be fully socialized but if it gives people the ability to go to the local clinic w/o fear of a couple hundred dollar bill, then it will save the emergency rooms for real emergencies.”

How does the government provide basic health care for all without socializing it? And isn’t the bill from an emergency room significantly higher than the one from a clinic?

“Look, I was and am an independent minded voter. I was willing to consider McCain based on who his veep was (someone not named Romney, Huckabee) but then he picked an amalgam of the two in Palin.”

You were willing to consider McCain as long as he didn’t pick an actual conservative? And you’re fine with voting for one of the more liberal senators that exhibits the same experience concerns as the VP you don’t care for? That’s not independent.

“I agree w/Jim w/r/t Obama’s previous statements about Rev. Wright. Can we still like someone even if we don’t agree with some or many of their views?”

Of course you can like them, but do you want them influencing those who shape policy that govern you?

I don’t think Rev. Wright has influenced Obama more than Palin’s own pastors have influenced her. I think that spewing any hatred from the pulpit is bad, no matter what is a ‘reason’ behind it. I just have the ability to take Obama at his word: that he’s not associated with that man anymore.

Drew,

The kinds of things you are saying sadden me. We all know that Rev. Wright has an extremist point of view. Obama has distanced himself from him. We all have skeletons in our closets and Obama’s arent’ as bad as people make them out to be (Neither are McCain’s really). Why do you continue to make choosing Obama about race? It’s not about Race! It’s about issues. Has Obama said anything about what Wright says?

Brady,

I have to agree with Jim there. You talk about issues and want to engage in a dialog instead of just spewing ‘he’s friends with so-and-so rhetoric that so many conservatives (and lefties alike) do.

“How about anyone who’s actually been a white supremacist in the last 50 years?”

Translation: Byrd gets a pass because he’s a Democrat.

Just think of this in a different way: If a Republican went to a church that preached about a “white values system”, similar in respect to that of Wright/Obama’s “black values system”, where you should only support white businesses, only look out for white people, etc… then would that Republican politician get the same free pass? Obviously the answer is no, the media would be all over it and his political career would be finished.

“Why do you continue to make choosing Obama about race? It’s not about Race! It’s about issues.”

Tell that to James Carville. He’s suggesting that there will be riots if Obama loses.

Drew,

Reverend Wright was ‘preachin’ to the choir.’ MANY people who feel underrepresented feel that way. They don’t have to be black. They can be the poor, homosexual, women, native Americans, etc. It may have been race-based but that sentiment is felt by more than just the black folks. I don’t like anyone taking that particular stance because it preys on a victim mentality to get a point across.

Razor X, James Carville is as bad for the democrats as Sean Hannity is for the republicans. They may both be more ‘centrist’ in terms of ideas but they both espouse really horrible rhetoric like that (though I watched him and he didn’t exactly say there’d be riots last night).

“One of the things that I like about talking politics with you, Brady is that I feel like you’re an issues-based conservative. I don’t agree with a lot of those issues, obviously, but I definitely respect your viewpoint, and when it comes to fiscal responsibility, I think we probably share some middle ground. I do favor social programs, but they have to be paid for.”

Thanks, Jim. I wish politics focused more on the issues, then one way or the other, things might get done. As it is now, it’s kinda been reduced to sportslike fanboyism and ultimately meaningless rhetoric. It fires me up like anyone else, but I try to keep from participating in it. I respect your opinion as well and I’m glad we can discuss things civilly.

Anyways, like Ben said, this has gotten pretty derailed and I’m sure people don’t come here for their political news. Everyone has had a chance to get their piece in, so if anyone wants to continue, start up a thread on the forum.

I wanted Hilary to be president! :(

Obama’s still better than McCain though, he’s like Bush Term #3