I Miss Real Country Music...

For those of you that know me well, you would know that I'm a big time country music fan. I've not listened to country for a couple of years, mainly due to the fact that KNIX and KMLE here in Phoenix have gone to a top 40 format. Seems like 50% of the time, when I turn the dial to these stations, either Rascal Flatts, Keith Urban, or Taylor Swift is on. I don't want to hear Keith Urban singing about crying in his white zinfandel, Taylor Swift singing about lost loves at such a young age, or Rascal Flatts singing about well, just about anything stupid like they're so fond of doing. I'm a country traditionalist at heart, and to stomach the majority of so-called "country music" on the radio is next to impossible.

It just seems as though a lot of these new "artists" don't respect the tradition of the people who came before them, like Hank Williams, the Statler Brothers, etc... And to not respect the tradition of country music when you claim to be a country musician is not honorable, in my opinion.

I miss hearing George Strait and Randy Travis every time I turn on the radio. Strait's first hit, "The Chair", was released in 1981. I just can't imagine 20 years from now, listening to some of these pop artists they play on current country radio, but yet "Unwound" still sounds fresh to me. Strait keeps churning out hits. After seeing him in concert four times, I figured out a couple of years ago, that he could give two full length shows with just number one hits, and not repeat the same song. Strait doesn't need any lights or smoke to make a good show. Just get up there and perform good music. Plus, he lives what he sings. Very unusual for these days. There are still musicians that respect the tradition however - Brad Paisley and Alan Jackson, to name a couple.

I don't know, maybe I'm getting old, or just sentimental, but I just can't imagine kicking back with a beer on the back porch and listening to Keith Urban like I can listening to Strait.

Long live The Man.

U2

Amy and I just went and saw "U2 3D" at the IMAX Theatre with our friends Dwight and Tracy. It is pretty much undisputable that U2 has established itself as the greatest rock band in the world. They just keep getting better and better, and for a band that's been around since the late 1970's, that's saying a lot. Seeing this show reminded me of seeing the Popmart tour at RFK in Washington DC in '96 or so. This concert, shot in Buenos Aires, was in a stadium similar in size to RFK. In 3D, it seemed as though Bono was reaching through the screen to you. I certainly enjoyed renditions of their hits, including a chilling version of "With Or Without You" and "Yahweh". I highly recommend seeing this show if you have even the slightest interest in U2.