Comments on: Underwood is the Perfect Choice for New Grand Ole Opry

By: Mark

Mark — Sat, 24 May 2008 22:40:24 +0000

The point about Taylor remix is simple. Our song radio edition is the same. As for teardrops it was just change pace of the song. Even on radio its a slow ballad. They just just change the song so it would be more up beat. Which is fine because when riding in a car so wont want to hear all slow songs

By: Tony

Tony — Sat, 24 May 2008 19:49:45 +0000

I personally think that Carrie Underwood is not only a fantastic and soulful singer, but she also performs as an artist, not a competitive athelete.

Too often we’ve turned the industry into a competition…nobody wins.

By: Razor X

Razor X — Wed, 21 May 2008 15:56:30 +0000

Anna said: ” …the opry needs Carrie Underwood a lot more than she needs the Opry. She is doing them a favor by joining. they are falling apart, there old singers, who have payed there dues are at the ends of their careers and are croaking.”

You’re saying that an 82-year-old institution can’t survive without the likes of Carrie Underwood? Give me a break! The Opry was not falling apart prior to her induction — whether that continues to be the case afterwards remains to be seen. I would actually rather see the Opry come to a dignified end, as opposed to dying by a thousand paper cuts, and inducting pop singer after pop singer in order to stay relevant.

I’m not saying that the Opry shouldn’t be actively recruiting new artists to become members, just that this particular choice was a poor one.

By: Stormy

Stormy — Wed, 21 May 2008 14:56:31 +0000

I believe those “passive means” lead to a lawsuit, and if they are adding all the flavors of the month, who will they play in their stead?

By: Matt C.

Matt C. — Wed, 21 May 2008 04:02:11 +0000

Stormy: the Opry currently has no minimum appearances requirement. There are also no “lifetime contracts” as many artists have left the Opry willingly (Eddy Arnold) and unwillingly (Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, DeFord Bailey). Furthermore, the Opry uses passive means to limit the appearances of artists when they are not interested in having them perform (e.g., Stonewall Jackson and Charlie Louvin).

By: Stormy

Stormy — Wed, 21 May 2008 03:30:20 +0000

Raxor: Chill. The Ryman is the Mother Church of Country.

By: Stormy

Stormy — Wed, 21 May 2008 03:29:12 +0000

What is the Opry going to do in ten or fifteen years when they have a whole stable of flavor of the month artists artists with lifetime contracts (and a required number of shows a year) and no one cares about them any more? Hank III certainly got this one right.

By: anna

anna — Tue, 20 May 2008 21:02:24 +0000

Razor x,

lets put it this way…. the opry needs Carrie Underwood a lot more than she needs the Opry. She is doing them a favor by joining. they are falling apart, there old singers, who have payed there dues are at the ends of their careers and are croaking. its a smart move. she has always shown initiative in performing there, has done so 2 weeks after winning american idol. she respects the past, and knows what an honor this is. plus, she is amazingly talented , and has the best voice is in all of country music right now. she has all the potential in the world, and judging from her performances, especially the Eddie Arnold tribute on the ACMAS, is only going to keep getting better.
save your scorn for Taylor Swift.

By: Razor X

Razor X — Tue, 20 May 2008 19:47:43 +0000

I lost all respect for the Opry upon learning that Carrie Underwood had been invited to become a member. The Opry was always the Mother Church, the one institution that would always stand for real country music and would never sell out to crass commmercialism. Or so I thought. It was a sad day when a newbie pop singer was allowed to join without first having to pay her dues. Carrie Underwood on the same stage as Loretta Lynn and Connie Smith? Give me a break! The Opry stage has been desecrated.

By: Lucas

Lucas — Sat, 10 May 2008 02:35:08 +0000

Throwing Ashton Shepherd’s name into the article you sly devil you.

Anyway, Carrie is talented beyond most, if not all of the new pack of female singers. Dierks Bentley is rapidly growing his popularity and is only going up. Josh Turner brings in the guys like me, actual country fans who knew what the Opry was before they knew who Josh Turner was. They’re all beneficial and they’re all talented.

Dierks is tricky, he grabbed me with his first album with his neotraditional sound and reeled me in for the rest. This still won’t prevent me from kicking some rec league hockey butt come this fall. That’s right Iceholes, I’m out to get ya!

The Opry usually has little problems being full on Tuesdays. If they truly start to suffer, there’s one man they can call to fix that. Starts with a G ends with an arth.