Comments on: Your Take: Decades of Country Music

By: Bobby

Bobby — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 18:34:11 +0000

My favoite decade is the 1990s, mainly because that’s what I grew up with (born in 1987). I won’t deny that the 1990s had a few clinkers (the insipid “Watermelon Crawl”, defanged “attitude” songs like “I Wanna Go Too Far”, bland love ballads like “It’s Your Love”, etc.). I’m trying to look back on the 1990s as objectively as I can, but even so, I’m finding fewer clinkers than I would in any other decade. I haven’t found one song in the 1990s that I would consider overproduced. Poorly produced or sung, maybe (check out Trisha Yearwood’s “I Wanna Go Too Far” or David Lee Murphy’s “Out with a Bang”, two songs that have attitude-laden lyrics that clash with their totally lifeless production).

By: BLL

BLL — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 16:59:03 +0000

Josh’s comment on ‘becoming middle aged’ made me
laugh out loud. My kids were born in the 70s!

I grew up listening to Jim Reeves, Pasty Cline, etc so I like a lot of the mid 60s music, but then I drifted away from country into folk, rock and Celtic.

Randy Travis got me to tune in to country sometimes, but Garth Brooks, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Trisha Yearwood got me to lock in on it again. I’d say my favourite era is 87-98.

Now, RF, Taylor Swift, and all the other autotuned wonders are making me either listen to cds or seeking other channels.

By: Josh

Josh — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 15:44:34 +0000

Born in 80’s, started listening to music in the 90’s…guess this places me square with the Garth Brook’s era of thunder. But now as I’m reaching middle-age, I’m going back into the past to see what I’ve been missing and certainly am enjoying the experience. Plus I do agree with the belief that those who are taken with music for the first time (whatever genre/era/style is playing) will be instantly smitten and can’t find a comparable one in the future, or seldom in the past.

By: Hollerin' Ben

Hollerin' Ben — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 08:09:05 +0000

Best decade? I guess I’ll go ‘65-’75, but probably any ten year span from like ‘48-’78 would have nearly comparable great material.

I got into country in the 90’s and some of my first country cds were by folks like Brooks and Dunn, John Michael Montgomery, Garth Brooks.

The answers given in this discussion have been incredibly discouraging.

By: Troy

Troy — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 03:22:42 +0000

For music in general and country i would say 97-2009. I was born in 92 so i think it has to do with that. I wasn’t born into it my parents listen to classic rock. At first all i listen to was pop but Jamie O’Neal There is No Arizona and Billy Gilman’s One Voice changed that. The reason for liking music now i think is because i started off listen to pop music. I can’t stand 80’s music. I couldn’t make it past two songs of 80 music.

By: fran

fran — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 03:07:26 +0000

I first became interested in country in the 1990’s due to Shania, Garth, Faith, and the Dixie Chicks. Then I lost interest again for awhile until Carrie Underwood came along.

Now I love country, because Carrie Underwood re-introduced me to the genre again.

But oddly, I am finding that I prefer alot of the older stuff now. I love Alabama, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, some Dolly and Loretta, etc.

I am losing interest in some of the modern stuff as it is all starting to sound the same. Taylor is not even country at all, and alot of tne new solo males sound exactly the same.

I love Trisha, Carrie, Miranda, Keith Urban and Brad Paisley for the modern artists.

But alot of the older country is soothing, genuine, and timeless.

By: David B

David B — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 03:04:53 +0000

I listen to and own Country Music recordings as early as Vernon Dalhart, The Carter Family & Jimmie Rodgers, on through to Roy Acuff, Patsy Montana, Ernest Tubb, Bob Wills, on through to Hank Snow, Faron Young, Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, Ray Price, Lefty Frizzell, on through to George Jones, Loretta Lynn, Charley Pride, Conway Twitty, Merle Haggard, on through to Willie & Waylon, Janie Fricke, Don Williams, Hank, Jr., The Oaks, on through to George Strait, Randy Travis, Alabama and Reba, on through Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, Vince Gill, Lorrie Morgan…on through Travis Tritt, Mark Chestnut, Marty Stuart and Patty Loveless…then I STOP…

I graduated high school in 1998 from a rural community in Missouri. I believe this is about the time “Country Music” ended. We now have rock & Pop recorded in Nashville on discs with the “label” Country Music.

It’s sick. I don’t watch the CMA awards anymore, or the ACM’s. If it were not for the Grand Ole Opry radio show and “ROADHOUSE” on satalite radio, I would only have my CD collection to hear “COUNTRY MUSIC”

By: idlewildsouth

idlewildsouth — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 02:37:18 +0000

I think my favortie decade, as a whole, would probably also have to be the late 80’s- early 90’s. That could have alot to do with the fact that I was born in 85, so its probably as much nostalgia as anything else.

I just love some Paul Overstreet, Randy Travis, Garth Brooks, Shanendoah, Keith Whitley…the list goes on and on.

By: Stormy

Stormy — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 01:57:39 +0000

No, but I will say that it is equal.

By: President Dan

President Dan — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:13:44 +0000

“I hate to break it to you but Loretta, Emmylou and Merel are STILL putting out great music”

When did I say their current output was bad? But are you seriously going to hold Merle’s work of 99-09 up to his work of 65-75 and say that the new stuff is superior?