Food for thought

Ted Solesky · Post by **Ted Solesky** » 29 Sep 2002 5:05 pm

The band that I'm working in usually plays at Billy Bob's about every 5th or 6th week. This past Saturday we opened for Loretta Lynn. On Friday nite, the manager told us that they sold over 7,000 tickets for her show. From my past experience pickin there for 2 for 3 years, the big draws were George Jones, Merle Haggard and now Loretta. It was so crowded that if I had a heart attack, no one would know it - I'd never hit the ground. The point here is, I worked there when "new country" stars picked there and sold about 300 to 600 tickets generally. Very few hit over 1000. Another quick note - a young country singer from this area is doing a great job singing Ray Price, Johnny Bush, Jones, Mel Street etc. He mentioned on a radio talk show that he is seeing more and more young people in his crowd. Good news - huh? By the way, Dick Overby is pickin steel for him.

Marty Pollard · Post by **Marty Pollard** » 29 Sep 2002 5:25 pm

Gee Ted, I wonder if there is a little bit of the 'better catch 'em before they're dead' sentiment going on.

That's what I told Robyn when I got tickets to see Merle (of couse Redd V. was my REAL reason

).

Ted Solesky · Post by **Ted Solesky** » 29 Sep 2002 5:38 pm

You might be right Marty. It was just an observation. I do miss pickin the real country songs but I made pickin the new stuff interesting and fun for myself and the audience.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 29 Sep 2002 5:39 pm

Marty...

(sigh)

Never mind.

Janice Brooks · Post by **Janice Brooks** » 29 Sep 2002 6:12 pm

Tell that to the folks at Dollywood who want to drop their legends show.
As for that young fella, I dig his albums

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Janice "Busgal" Brooks
ICQ 44729047

Danny Naccarato · Post by **Danny Naccarato** » 30 Sep 2002 4:04 am

The young guy Ted was referring to is Jake Hooker.
Ted is also correct in that the big guns of "yesterday" are packing the place. Ray Price, Mel Tillis, Willie, etc. However, believe it or not, some of the Texas artists are doing the same. I've played there 3 times when Pat Green was the headliner, once when he cut his live CD, and the place has been sold out everytime. Course it's a bit of a different crowd. Robert Earl, Cory Morrow, etc, etc. have been doing very well there also.

What's similiar is none of those acts are getting "mainstream" radioplay, yet packing from 3k-5k people in there!!!

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 30 Sep 2002 8:32 am

Mineral Wells, Texas....how long has it been since I played a job at the "Wintergarden" there one night and since no one showed up the bandleader paid me by giving me his cowboy hat....that was OK with me, but while I was loading my equipment someone stoled the hat!

www.genejones.com [This message was edited by Gene Jones on 30 September 2002 at 09:33 AM.]

Ron Page · Post by **Ron Page** » 30 Sep 2002 9:40 am

Great to hear!

I don't think it's anything to do with "see 'em before they're dead", Marty. How many of the NCS artists would you rush to see, even if it were your last chance?

I think it's more like "see --no, hear-- what most new artists have fogotten".

I know of Jake Hooker from my Justin Trevino CD's. I might have the wrong cut, but I think that's him on "Undo the Right". Man! What a singer!

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HagFan

[This message was edited by Ron Page on 30 September 2002 at 10:40 AM.]

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 30 Sep 2002 10:34 am

Live shows are the only place to hear the older performers these days. They get no TV or radio coverage. The only CDs you can find by them are their "Greatest Hits".

When Merle, Loretta, et. al. come to Santa Rosa, they always pack the house. The record companies don't know how to market these artists, but the artists themselves seem to be doing just fine by selling CDs they produced themselves at their concerts. Plus, you get a personalized signature and maybe a t-shirt or cap.

Anyone who says that traditional country music is dead just doesn't get out much.

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<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b.gif" width="64" height="64">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (F Diatonic), Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6), Roland Handsonic

Dave Birkett · Post by **Dave Birkett** » 30 Sep 2002 11:02 am

Is it possible for a young traditional country artist to reach the public? Or are the greats who have already made their mark the last we'll know of?

Dave Robbins · Post by **Dave Robbins** » 30 Sep 2002 11:12 am

Bobby Lee....."AMEN!"

After just coming back home from a road trip with the Kitty Wells organization I can attest that people stood in long lines for hours after the shows just to get a picture, autograph, and/or souveniers! I won't tell you how much money was made in sales.
I will tell you that on each performance Kitty was met with "standing ovations" before she even performed!
Traditional music dead? No, but "backs have been turned" towards it in hopes it would go away. You won't hear Kitty Wells or Jean Shepard played on mainstream radio (short of Eddie Stubbs) but that doesn't mean they don't still have a fan base and those who are still buying their recordings, even if they aren't on a major label.

Dave[This message was edited by Dave Robbins on 30 September 2002 at 03:06 PM.]

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 30 Sep 2002 12:07 pm

With the success of 'indie' marketing, especially facilitated by the web, the major labels' stranglehold on what we can listen to is being seriously threatened. Before the advent of affordable recording gear and high quality media available to most bands and songwriters, studio time and record production and duplication was too expensive for most to afford. I'm not saying that the quality of indie projects is always good, but it is possible to produce high quality recordings on a shoestring.

The combination of the 'indie' artists who appeal to the country audience and traditional country artists who have been bumped off of the mainstream labels may actually be contributing to the erosion of the popularity of what Billboard calls country music today. Most folks are just as happy to spend their $10-15 at the local venue where they see people they can talk to and shake hands with as at some 'CDs-R-US' outlet where nobody knows country from Shinola.

Just a thought based on the food.

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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2000 Fessenden S-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro

Bruce W Heffner · Post by **Bruce W Heffner** » 30 Sep 2002 3:17 pm

Hi Uncle Teddy,

Your perception of the situation is only surpassed by all of your hot licks. Henry's Jam is this weekend. I will represent you. We are looking forward to seeing you later this month

Bruce AKA Wally

Fred Truitt · Post by **Fred Truitt** » 30 Sep 2002 4:04 pm

Fred Truitt
Member
From: Port au Port, Newfoundland, Canada
posted 30 September 2002 04:52 PM profile send email edit
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Marty, there is a mountain of advice coming out of all this which should help you. My question is????????
WHAT IS YOUR REAL PROBLEM?
I ask this on behalf of a lot of frusturated forumites. We really don't know what you are trying to say.

God help you.......Fred