Here you can discuss any other artist including Sunny Jim, Todd Snider, Jerry Jeff Walker, Steve Goodman, James Taylor, Alan Jackson, Bob Marley, Kenny Chesney and others
Travelin'man wrote:I agree. To me, it is completely obvious that there is a greater risk to Kenny's departure from country than Jimmy's departure from...what?
I agree completely. Let's face it - if Jimmy released a CD of himself reading a medical dictionary, Parrotheads would make it platinum.We'd listen to it while drinking his lousy tequila and eating his mediocre frozen shrimp...where's the risk in that?
a) never have bought a bottle of m'ville tequila and would never keep a bottle of it in the house.
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".
and here I thought it was because she married Tim McGraw and did the whole "perfect marriage, perfect kids, saccharine to the point of treacle" thing...
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.
Bocanut wrote:Buffett hasn't taken a risk since the 70s. He plays the same GD songs over and over in concert. KC may be trying to be like JB but the songwriting on KC's album surpasses any of the crap JB has put out in 25 years.
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.
Thank you. This pretty much sums up why I avoid country music as Nashville is pushing it now.
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.
Pirate Lookin' at 40 wrote:While a different genre, the marketing of Britney Spears is not that different from someone like Kenny Chesney.
Or any artist in a major genre, for that matter. You see everyone from Rod Stewart pimping his standards album to Fifty Cent telling how he got shot again, they're all cogs in the marketing machine.
i wonder how mainstream country, which i believe kenny to be a huge part of, woudl accept re-releases of jimmy's early work. old blue chair sounds a lot like the theme of a1a to me. songs about a lifestle of relaxation on the sea. kenny's biggest risk is hoping most of today's fans dont go 30 years back in jimmys career.
if you cant laugh at yourself, laugh at someone else.
Country, Rock, Pop there has never been a better time for Jimmy to let people know who he really is and what this is all about. I hope he doesn't miss the opportunity. Country duets are fine, but Jimmy can make a solo statement with some of his basic music. Look at 5:00 o'clock huge success, not simply because of Alan Jackson, people know what it is about, check out all of the other music that have a related theme. People love the laid back ocean feel of Island music. He is doing fine with this Country thing and the money is following, but Jimmy could make a statement with his own songs, if he would devote sometime to the passion for his style of music.
Although I've never really been a fan of his I think Garth started out on the right foot but he let his affinity for the big rock shows of his favorite bands growing up like Rush take over his stage show. His widespread popularity amongst several demographics also kinda made him the Hootie and the Blowfish of country. All and all not a bad thing but it only helped to further homogenize country music. The fact that he kept pulling marketing stunts through Wal-Mart so he could outsell the Beatles only helped to show his heart was in his wallet. Now, I've got to go listen to some Hank Williams, Sr. records to counteract discussing Garth. If you're a fan, more power to ya, but I contribute a lot of what's the matter with country music today to Garth. Let's hope he stays retired, yet another performer that should take a hint from Johnny Carson.
Faith got dissed for the eighty bazillion covers of herself and Tim as the poster children for marital perfection, this is true....
But I think that was part of the hype surrounding Cry. Not that cry had anything to do with family, but the country music powers that be were positioning her to be the next Shania in the crossover game, and she was way overexposed.
BTW - I think, at the time, both Hill&McGraw and KC were getting more CMT covers and articles than any other artists, and more CMT airtime than any other artists. Kenny seems to have survived - flourished, even, while Faith seems to have suffered a blip in her career.
Jimmy's fans encompass both those who are fans because they like his music and those who like his music because they're fans of the lifestyle it speaks to. He's an icon for a lifestyle and a mindset as well as an artist who appeals to a variety of people. He's pretty unique in that.
~Voici mon secret. Il est très simple: on ne voit bien qu'avec le coeur. L'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux.~ Antoine de Ste. Exupery
Jahfin wrote:His widespread popularity amongst several demographics also kinda made him the Hootie and the Blowfish of country.
Except for the fact Garth dominated for several years, Hootie dominated for one. And, I did love that one!
Jahfin wrote:...but I contribute a lot of what's the matter with country music today to Garth.
Garth rocked, and brought joy and happiness to many people. I don't see the problem. Just because handfulls of "purists" for lack of a better word, don't like the current state of country music, doesn't mean that there's anything the matter with it. It's also making a lot of people happy.
You’re still grinning, we’re still winning, nothing left to say
I’m still gliding as I go flying down this endless wave
I would love to have seen Garth live. I like him. But I am a music fan I like all types. Have seen lots of shows. My favorite live show is Buffett.
But right up there is KISS. If you like rock and roll, man what a high energy show!
"At a moment like this, I can't help but wonder...what would Jimmy Buffett do?"
Lightning Bolt wrote:Wouldn't mind at all hearing something new from GARTH
I would be tickled pink to hear something new from Garth!!! And see him perform!
Amen to that. Best live performer I've ever seen, bar none.
Try Chris Ledoux
(if he beats this bout of cancer)
Chris is awesome! Right up there with Dwight Yoakom. Seen both these gents in some pretty intimate settings! (Small venues...few hundred people) Didn't know Chris has cancer. Hope he fares well...
"I ran into a chum with a bottle of rum, and we wound up drinkin' all night"
