Chesney takes bigger risks than Buffett???

cmpete · Post by **cmpete** » February 2, 2005 1:06 pm

PA PAR8 HED wrote:WOW!

Ultimately, I give credit to any artist who feels free to express their creativity and explore new channels, regardless of how it may be viewed and reviewd externally. Bruce broke up the E Street Band (and got them back together), Prince changed his name (did he change it back?), Billy Joel went classical, Pete Townshend wrote a rock opera, Brian Wilson wrote Pet Sounds! Some worked, some didn't.

Interesting Take!

So, which is a bigger risk?

Kenny doing island?
Buffett doing DSTC?
or Buffett doing LTC?

Buffett has had HUGE influence on the current country Mega-Stars (especially Alan Jackson) as we've all said before: he was just ahead of his time!

Desdamona · Post by **Desdamona** » February 2, 2005 1:10 pm

sonofabeach wrote:now this is a risk

Has anyone seen Chris lately?
Or Garth either, for that matter?

Quiet and Shy · Post by **Quiet and Shy** » February 2, 2005 2:12 pm

Buffett seems to seek out risk and flourish on it -- all performers do to some extent (as that's the nature of live performance), but Jimmy seems to feed off of and gain tremendous creative energy from it at a level beyond most others. Some examples include: his 70's work and the island music he created, opening Margaritaville in the 80s (wasn't so much the thing to do back then, kind of started a trend, actually), writing books (several different kinds), doing a musical, broadening his business involvement, boating, flying (including stunt planes) and traveling the world. I think his venturing out is part of what has kept him fresh and inspired to still be around and doing well this far into his career. Perhaps his best song writing was in the 70s when he was a young and hungry artist, but he's accomplished an awful lot since then. And as a traveler, I just gotta love the song Far Side of the World.

To Jimmy, I think risk is like shark bait; it gets him to bite.

Jahfin · Post by **Jahfin** » February 2, 2005 2:18 pm

Quiet and Shy wrote:Buffett seems to seek out risk and flourish on it -- all performers do to some extent (as that's the nature of live performance)

I know this may not exactly be the issue you're addressing but I think Buffett plays it pretty safe on stage these days. All the extra performers seem to get in the way of the music. For an interesting take on this, take a peak at the Josh Leo thread in the Coral Reefers section of the board for those that have noticed the difference.

As far as "risks" are concerned I'd say Don't Stop the Carnival was a much greater one than License To Chill. Perhaps he reserves his risk taking to his seaplane flying these days because for the most part, I really don't hear it in his current music.

Pirate Lookin' at 40 · February 2, 2005 2:55 pm

Parrotheads will not be a big part of Chesney's fan base. Sure, there are parrotheads that are country music fans and thus will really dig what the guy is doing. But non country fans are not going jump on the KC bandwagon in mass as some people here seem to think they will. He will never have the parrothead type following because most non country liking parrotheads think that the guy is a joke. This is fact, like it or not.

Travelin'man · Post by **Travelin'man** » February 2, 2005 3:20 pm

Pirate Lookin' at 40 wrote:Parrotheads will not be a big part of Chesney's fan base. Sure, there are parrotheads that are country music fans and thus will really dig what the guy is doing. But non country fans are not going jump on the KC bandwagon in mass as some people here seem to think they will. He will never have the parrothead type following because most non country liking parrotheads think that the guy is a joke. This is fact, like it or not.

Your opinion, and you are more than welcome to it...but a big difference between fact and opinion.

Steve Seiler · Post by **Steve Seiler** » February 2, 2005 3:22 pm

Okay, here we go.
It seems that both take risks and are searching for something, exactly what, I am not sure.
But when I listen to the new KC CD in particular the one song, Soul of a Sailor (still trying to figure out what a salty sway is, but then again I live in Indiana not near the sea) I can picture the two of them, JB and KC sitting inside of this beat up old bar on a beach somewhere, somewhere warmer than here with a gentle breeze moving the palms overhead and the bright blue ocean behind them as they sit and talk, telling each other lies.
Hell, the Cheeseburger Resturants (man love those ribs here at the Indpls location) were kind of risk, split between Mr. Buffett and some other resturant chain. License to Chill, yep, a risk sort of, he caught some flak over it, but how many parrotheads bought it. The message was still there from singing with Jackson, tired of the same old same, boards to bend, planks to nail, seas to sail, Lenny taking that poor girl way past the Dadeland Mall, all the way to Key West, Back to the Islands, the message was there, but a risk perhaps, a calculated one.
So for whatever reason they both continue to search for whatever it is they are searching for. Was KC kind of showing us a different part of himself that others do not see, hell, I do not know either of them, just listen to what they both sing and I like them both in particular the new CD by KC.

ConkyTonk · Post by **ConkyTonk** » February 2, 2005 4:16 pm

I'm tempted to buy the new KC CD, but I have liked some of his "island" songs in the past (Coast of Somewhere Beautiful and Old Blue Chair). By the way, has anyone noticed that in the new version of Old Blue Chair on Be as You Are that he changes the drink he passes out from on New Year's Eve from a feminine Malibu and diet to a more masculine drink Cuzan and diet (Not to offend any Malibu drinkers).

cowboyjunkie · Post by **cowboyjunkie** » February 2, 2005 4:57 pm

Pirate Lookin' at 40 wrote:Parrotheads will not be a big part of Chesney's fan base. Sure, there are parrotheads that are country music fans and thus will really dig what the guy is doing. But non country fans are not going jump on the KC bandwagon in mass as some people here seem to think they will. He will never have the parrothead type following because most non country liking parrotheads think that the guy is a joke. This is fact, like it or not.

The biggest surprise to me since visiting this board is the amount of people listening to mainstream country. The connection between Buffett and country seems to be rooted more in the songwriting traditions of Townes Van Zandt, Steve Earle, and Robert Earl Keen; artists with talent who do not (did not) bend to the wishes of the major labels. It's not that I think Kenny Chesney is a joke but I do think that his album is a reflection of the artificial crap coming out of Nashville. While a different genre, the marketing of Britney Spears is not that different from someone like Kenny Chesney.

The Margaritaville model is a permanent reminder that a talented artist can build a career on their own terms. He made his own music and built businesses around it. A more recent example would be Ani Difranco. These are artists worthy of respect and remain a huge reason my admiration of Jimmy has not wavered despite the growing predictability of his shows.

Jahfin · Post by **Jahfin** » February 2, 2005 5:04 pm

cowboyjunkie wrote:The biggest surprise to me since visiting this board is the amount of people listening to mainstream country.

Those of us that aren't as fond of mainstream country may be in the minority here but we do exist. I've always related Buffett more to the artists that I considered his peers in the 70s such as Jerry Jeff Walker, John Prine, Steve Goodman, Jesse Winchester, Willis Alan Ramsay and Guy Clark myself. He's stayed somewhat true to that by covering songs by the likes of Guy, John Hiatt, Bruce Cockburn and Will Kimbrough on the new album but played it safe by including the big name country stars such as Chesney, Toby Keith, Clint Black, George Strait and Alan Jackson (though Alan was sort of a given following the success of "Five O'Clock").

aquaholic · Post by **aquaholic** » February 2, 2005 5:08 pm

listenen today to the auburn cd I think..............he mentions his many failed country careers...........he take it t&c.........anyway.........what was the topic again????

don juan · Post by **don juan** » February 2, 2005 5:43 pm

cowboyjunkie wrote:
The biggest surprise to me since visiting this board is the amount of people listening to mainstream country.

It is what you call "country" George Straight, Alan Jackson, Jimmy Buffett,
Johnny Cash" they fit

Big and Rich, Shania Twain, Kennny Chesney, Tim Mcgraw they fit too

It is just a diffrent puzzle The first is talent, heart, soul, and genuine.

The second is marketing, mixing, production and hype

Just my opinion no curseing please

cowboyjunkie · Post by **cowboyjunkie** » February 2, 2005 6:03 pm

Jahfin wrote:
cowboyjunkie wrote:The biggest surprise to me since visiting this board is the amount of people listening to mainstream country.
Those of us that aren't as fond of mainstream country may be in the minority here but we do exist. I've always related Buffett more to the artists that I considered his peers in the 70s such as Jerry Jeff Walker, John Prine, Steve Goodman, Jesse Winchester, Willis Alan Ramsay and Guy Clark myself. He's stayed somewhat true to that by covering songs by the likes of Guy, John Hiatt, Bruce Cockburn and Will Kimbrough on the new album but played it safe by including the big name country stars such as Chesney, Toby Keith, Clint Black, George Strait and Alan Jackson (though Alan was sort of a given following the success of "Five O'Clock").

My favorite band, Cowboy Junkies, has worked with Prine and Cockburn so it was awesome to see Buffett touch on the Cockburn songs. It definitely brought my two favorite musical interests together in some weird way which made me happy.

SchoolGirlHeart · Post by **SchoolGirlHeart** » February 2, 2005 6:08 pm

ConkyTonk wrote:I'm tempted to buy the new KC CD, but I have liked some of his "island" songs in the past (Coast of Somewhere Beautiful and Old Blue Chair). By the way, has anyone noticed that in the new version of Old Blue Chair on Be as You Are that he changes the drink he passes out from on New Year's Eve from a feminine Malibu and diet to a more masculine drink Cuzan and diet (Not to offend any Malibu drinkers).

Probably because Cruzan Rum sponsors his tour....

Lightning Bolt · Post by **Lightning Bolt** » February 2, 2005 6:13 pm

Desdamona wrote:
sonofabeach wrote:now this is a risk

Has anyone seen Chris lately?
Or Garth either, for that matter?

Don't know about Chris Gaines (or care, frankly)

but a friend of mine saw Garth play a private gig very recently in Las Vegas.
He was in attendance as part of a particular charitable foundation for children, and performed a short solo acoustic set of his and others songs.
My friend got to meet him, and pose for a picture, and said he was very gracious .

Wouldn't mind at all hearing something new from GARTH

Pirate Lookin' at 40 · February 2, 2005 6:36 pm

don juan wrote:
cowboyjunkie wrote:
The biggest surprise to me since visiting this board is the amount of people listening to mainstream country.
It is what you call "country" George Straight, Alan Jackson, Jimmy Buffett,
Johnny Cash" they fit

Big and Rich, Shania Twain, Kennny Chesney, Tim Mcgraw they fit too

It is just a diffrent puzzle The first is talent, heart, soul, and genuine.

The second is marketing, mixing, production and hype

Just my opinion no curseing please

Dead on the money. I love Country music, but not today's Country. Big & Rich make me want to puke and McGraw and Chesney are products of the machine, lacking any originality. I like Jackson and Chris Ledoux. Then give a large dose of Haggard and Don Williams and Vern Gosdin.

wanderingtoes · Post by **wanderingtoes** » February 2, 2005 8:08 pm

Like most of you I've spent thousands of dollars chasing around the Buffett concerts. I've been to one KC concert, it was a great concert, but I don't feel the need to try and see him every time he comes close to my area. Having said that, it doesn't bother me that he writes and sings about the ocean, beach, sun. I think he loves Buffett music, he makes no secret about that, but he has property on the Ocean, and gets to it as much as he can. I can identify with that desire. I bought his new CD and my wife said, that is one you can just put in and listen too. KC is not going to get JB's PH's and he is not going to have his country fans like all of his new stuff. This no big deal to me, there is a lot of room for all kinds of music, if I don't like it, then I won't buy it. I love Jimmy and I like Kenny, it would not hurt my feels if Jimmy would throw a few more ocean, beach, and sun songs our way, everybody else is.

don juan · Post by **don juan** » February 2, 2005 10:21 pm

Pirate Lookin' at 40 wrote:
Dead on the money. I love Country music, but not today's Country. Big & Rich make me want to puke and McGraw and Chesney are products of the machine, lacking any originality. I like Jackson and Chris Ledoux. Then give a large dose of Haggard and Don Williams and Vern Gosdin.

You get it.

Buffett is an american original. He wrote "Railroad Lady" that was a country hit by lefty frizzel. What more do you want?

In 50 years from now somewhere drinks are cold and the water is warm somebody will be listening to and singing Buffett songs. People will still have the Folsom Prision Blues and want to Make it through december.
How many will care if their tractor is sexy, if it keeps gong over and over in their head or will know what a music mafia is??????

Hopefully though there will still be a red neck woman who's going to have a party!!

a1aara · Post by **a1aara** » February 3, 2005 5:56 am

livesbythesea wrote:
buffettita wrote:
The Country Music community is quick to turn their back on one of their own if they think they are venturing into other genres and used country as a way to get in...That is where I see Kennys BIG Risk.

True. Country music powers that be are always looking for the next Garth or Shania, but going the crossover route can backfire. Country music fans totally dissed Faith Hill, for example, for "Cry".

I think Kenny was pretty safe, though, in the long run, because he's been pushing the island theme for some time. And, unlike the hip-hop industry, country music is still live performance driven - if Chesney continues to put on a high energy show, his fans will allow for an atypical album.

I don't think country fans dissed Faith Hill because She crossed over with "Cry".I think they dissed her because the cd sucked?

UK_FAN · Post by **UK_FAN** » February 3, 2005 6:27 am

I don't think we can make accurate comparisons between Chesney and Buffett.

I am in the minority spoken about earlier that doesn't care for Country (not very big in the UK anyway) and don't consider Buffett a Country artist - in fact I would place him in a genre all of his own!

Am I missing something here? Do you have to be in one camp or the other? (like The Rolling stones or The beatles etc)