Been talking to a couple on here this morning about this travesty that occurred last night.
Other than being irritated with the unfunny paisley/underwood schtick (yes I'm aware she's hot) - the quality and reasoning behind the show, the performances, who they acknowledge and the bewildering criteria behind who wins - it's all a travesty. And mind boggling.
I'm not a huge fan of "new Nashville country". I have my reasons - much of it having to do with my family's history in bluegrass and country music. I grew up idolizing my grandparents and great uncles who could play anything and everything. Good enough that they occasionally would join some of the more famous artists of the time for sessions and concerts. That aside, I haven't been content with the genre since Garth came along and took it to the shitter.
That said, I've made of it what I can if the artist is remotely decent - picking out their good stuff and rolling with it. Artists like Brad Paisley, Luke, Kenny, Aldean even newer ones like Rhett and Stapleton.
But.....the Cma awards are apparently devoid of even being able to deliver those guys to the stage. Last night was the Garth and Keith Urban show. Urban has talent. He can kill a guitar. And can carry a tune decently. But he's from Australia, looks like a chick and has totally sold out to writing love ballads these days. Booooo.
Garth? I will say it. He's a no talent hack. He has average at best instrument skills. His over the top synthesized twangy voice is not good. His theatrics on stage make me want to vomit. He has been the benefactor of great choreographers, sound engineers and record producers who have great marketing skills and ties to radio station owners. He has released one album in recent memory. And one single that has gotten airplay. His tour just started this fall and has had issues with sound quality thus far. And this asshat gets Entertainer of the year last night. An absolute fail. Look up the definition of what that award means. I don't like everything Eric church puts out but he's legit and about half of his material resembles the genre. And frankly his concert tours the last two years have been stuff of legend. That's an entertainer. Kenny Chesney is an entertainer. KISS are entertainers. Mick Jagger is an entertainer. Garth Brooks is a desperate joke.
George, Hank, Lefty, Merle and many others are rolling in their graves. Not because of the evolution of country music and the aforementioned artists. But because there is a system in place in nashvegas that annoints someone like Garth to be the standard bearer for the genre for over twenty years regardless of what he does or how awful he is.