Your Take: Aging Country Legends

I’m not sure exactly what the question is. Do I not like country legends put out albums when they’re nearing the end, and don’t sound the way they used to? Or when the subject matter of their last albums has that foreboding feel of them “realizing they’re going to die soon”?

Personally, I’m confident that the legends will record good music no matter how old they get. Even if their chops aren’t the same, they know what got them to that status, and both them and their team are going to record the best stuff possible.

I must agree with Baron on this – Porter’s last CD was quite good, and I think that we are lucky to have had it released so close to his passing. Bobby Bare, Ray Price and Merle may be not have the great voices that they did in their heyday, but they are still putting out really interesting material, flavoured and somewhat liberated by years and mileage. If Willie put out less, I would say the same thing, but a lot of the quantity he’s releasing is not of quality, IMO (although I loved his work with Marsalis). At any rate, I’d rather hear these vets than someone who (other than for their first 6 albums) has “always been country”.

Barry has a point. And, while I don’t agree completely with Baron’s “Music City” bashing (I mean, when has any popular musical genre made room for the aging? never that I can think of) I want to thank Karlie for introducing a topic that the fanbots and street team kids will steer clear of.

I do think that there are songs and song topics that seem completely natural to folks at a certain age, but perplexing to those much older or younger. And as a result those songs and topics are considered to be either icky/wrong/doomed/ridiculous or mysterious/magical/right/on target — you know, the old totem or taboo thing. To use myself as an example, when “Wichita Lineman” first came out I thought it was the stupidest thing in the world. It didn’t seem to be about anything at all, to my 14-year-old ears. Then I, um, grew up some, and now it’s one of my favorite expressions of responsibility and devotion out there. So I think it’s reasonable for middle-aged singers to sing about taking stock of things, and I think it’s reasonable for elderly singers to sing about facing the end of things. But I don’t see why singers in either of those groups can’t still dance, too, if they want to.

I don’t think “manipulated” is the right word – and I say that as someone who doesn’t much care for those recordings – but that the presentation is pretty much one-dimensional seems almost beyond question.

Dolly Parton’s “Backwoods Barbie” had some of her best vocal performances on it, so I don’t have a problem

Jon, you don’t give any of the credit to Marty Stuart’s flair for publicity, and Wagoner’s big deal anniversary at the Opry?

I think Marty had a good sense of what material, what kind of production and what presentation would help draw attention to the album. I think Porter was happy to do it, too. The point is that he self-produced some fine albums in the years before that – albums that, in my opinion at least, were every bit as good – that basically went unnoticed, because they were simply good country or gospel albums put out on a second-string country label. Matieral, production, “story” – those, rather than any obvious or undeniable musical superiority, were what distinguished Wagonmaster.

I think it all depends on the artist. That darkness that we’re talking about, I feel, has always been there in the background for Johnny Cash, so it seemed like a fairly natural stepping stone to me. As far as Rick Rubin ‘manipulating’ him is concerned, I think that’s not the case. How many artists have we heard talk about him just laying down on the control room floor and letting them do their thing?

As far as Kristofferson is concerned, I’ve felt like he’s been trying too hard to be that guy recently. He has a reputation as this philosophical songwriter, and i’ve felt like he’s been working really hard to live up to the hype, given his age. Maybe I’m wrong here, but that’s just my opinion.

All of that to say, my answer is….if it fits the artist, then it usually comes off fairly well to my ears, but if it’s some contrived attempt at being old and legendary, it usually shines through that way. For instance, Loretta Lynn’s personality doesn’t seem to lend itself to those kind of recordings, which makes her teaming up with Jack White seem like a natural progression for her.

“I found it so grim that I couldn’t even enjoy it. It sounds like a man putting his affairs in order and getting ready to die — i.e., it sounds just like This Old Road. I love Kristofferson as both a musician and an actor, and it pains me to see him go out this way — so solemn, so resigned, so… acoustic.”

Just wondering which Kristofferson albums Stephen does enjoy then……because everything he’s ever done is grim, solemn and pretty stripped down (acoustic). I’ve only listened once all the way through but seems pretty strong….just like nearly everything he’s ever done.

I should point out that i don’t think older artists shouldn’t record or that they shouldn’t confront their own mortality. But Kristofferson’s new album sounds like he’s already given up the ghost, which seems a bit depressing considering that even at his most downcast, he always seemed so lively and flinty.

The American Recordings definitely set the tone for this trend, but I don’t hear it very much on the first one and not at all on the second, which remains my favorite. And I think Dolly, Loretta, and Willie are good examples of how to age — Willie can abide a few misses if there are enough hits (although lately the balance seems to be shifting…), Loretta made a feisty comeback, and Dolly remains as spry as ever, gently experimenting with a variety of sounds and styles. Their voices may not be as strong as they once were, but they don’t sound like they’re going down without a fight.

I guess that’s what I’d like to hear Kristofferson do: make an album that flips death the bird.

Listened to the Charlie Louvin albums today……Thanks for the recommendation. Can’t believe I’d overlooked those.