tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post2444326161680542133..comments2024-03-28T13:34:02.271-04:00Comments on Fayfare's Opry Blog: Opry Wants Key Role In Country Musicfayfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00173166778978335059noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-48704488952078097072014-03-27T00:10:34.719-04:002014-03-27T00:10:34.719-04:00Speaking of old-time string music, where the heck ...Speaking of old-time string music, where the heck has Mike Snider been?Tim Sweatmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12207080258485611356noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-85661133217509204632014-03-25T10:14:54.061-04:002014-03-25T10:14:54.061-04:00Tuesday's show:
Members: Connie Smith, Craig ...Tuesday's show:<br /><br />Members: Connie Smith, Craig Morgan, Jesse McReynolds, John Conlee<br /><br />Guests: Chase Rice, Easton Corbin, Gwen Sebastian, ParmaleeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-36320537636355786892014-03-24T17:43:34.569-04:002014-03-24T17:43:34.569-04:00Incidentally, I found something that may be of gre...Incidentally, I found something that may be of great interest. Skip to 2:42 for the truly old-time music.<br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXqAJYbZ8G0PLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11632095460801950001noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-52395099293804757602014-03-24T12:15:55.069-04:002014-03-24T12:15:55.069-04:00This is not sarcasm but an honest question. What ...This is not sarcasm but an honest question. What are the influences of the current staff band members? How many of them would site the rock influences that all the new acts mention?<br /><br />If my suspicions are true why should we expect them to back a square dance like a string band? I must say that I am really surprised that the square dancers still have a spot on the Opry..<br /><br />Now for little sarcasm, my take on the staff band being versatile isn't that at all. It's code for we need some hip new staff band members who know how to back southern rock groups like all these new folks we want to play the Opry. Who needs for them to know how to play real country or string band music. We are trying to kill it off! I said it was going to be sarcasm.<br /><br />I agree with everyone about the drums. They sound so obnoxious, I'm waiting to see Animal form the Muppets back there!<br /><br />A couple of side notes about this weekend. For those who couldn't bare to listen to the entire shows, Jimmy Dickens made a brief appearance with Jim Ed on Saturday night. He told a couple jokes and thanked everyone. I've never listened to the Steel Drivers closely but I caught them this time. I have to ask if this was punk rock meets bluegrass? Talks about Uncle Dave spinning, Mr. Monroe must be too. And, trying to find hope and be positive, I wish I had caught all of Caitlin Rose for what I did hear she sounded pretty good for a new young artist of today. I need more proof though! <br /><br />Jim<br />Knightsville, INAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-72296776808686948252014-03-23T22:36:14.493-04:002014-03-23T22:36:14.493-04:00Thanks Michael. I just had to say something after ...Thanks Michael. I just had to say something after hearing portions of "Sally Goodin" drowned out by incessant pedal-steel harmonics (sure sounds "traditional," and "very authentic;" doesn't it?). Fred, I wholeheartedly agree with your comments. In the case of square dance music, it might be worth noting that lot of old-time bands were very small, often consisting of just a fiddle player and an accompanist. You would think that the Opry would be able to provide just one decent acoustic guitar player to accompany Earl White. But actual, authentic old-time music that made the Opry what it is today? That isn't something that I've ever heard. Not even once. Uncle Dave is doing 600 rpm in his grave...PLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11632095460801950001noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-31677318908817197512014-03-23T21:35:40.529-04:002014-03-23T21:35:40.529-04:00Fred, Bismarck:
Great comments, fellows.
Being s...Fred, Bismarck:<br /><br />Great comments, fellows.<br /><br />Being stubborn, I can't help but think a "versatile" staff band would be capable of switching to standup bass for the square-dance number. Drums have their place in C&W ... with Bob Wills, E.T., Pee Wee, and God knows all the modern radio acts. But NOT in old-time or square-dance numbers, dammit! <br /><br />The genius of an unamplified bass is that it's TUNEFUL! Nobody ever got a tune out of a drum.<br /><br />If nobody knows how to play doghouse bass, let a guitar picker play the part.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-60286508114406430312014-03-23T21:14:35.727-04:002014-03-23T21:14:35.727-04:00PL, I bow to you for that one. On the live CD'...PL, I bow to you for that one. On the live CD's I have of Earl White, you can hear Tim Atwood a good bit, but it fits, and you know he was good if the current management decided to get rid of him. Buddy Harman was on drums for most of them, and he certainly knew what he was doing.Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01998867386294693956noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-76722001158128012492014-03-23T20:01:27.464-04:002014-03-23T20:01:27.464-04:00Fred, Bismarck:
"Old-time heavy metal" ...Fred, Bismarck:<br /><br />"Old-time heavy metal" -- wish I'd thought of that!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-75088726853868552102014-03-23T19:49:25.378-04:002014-03-23T19:49:25.378-04:00I believe that the Opry should accurately represen...I believe that the Opry should accurately represent different types of country music in the manner which it did only a few decades ago. To add to Anonymous's comment, a few months ago, I saw a video of the Square Dancers taken during the late 1980s. The staff band (if I'm remembering correctly) entirely changed over to acoustic instruments. Even the drummer switched to a simple snare drum, in keeping with old-time instrumentation. Now, on the few occasions that I listen to the Opry, all I hear is Earl White (who is a great old-time fiddler in his own right) with the rest of the band laying down electric guitar power chords, very heavy electric bass, ear-shattering drum-beats, and highly distracting pedal-steel harmonics and glissandos behind him. Old-time heavy metal is the only way I can describe it. If anything, that's as far from versatile as I am able to fathom. PLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11632095460801950001noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-32301897522109134392014-03-23T11:09:20.848-04:002014-03-23T11:09:20.848-04:00Fred, it was Joe Edwards, and you are right about ...Fred, it was Joe Edwards, and you are right about their versatility. I also can remember Eddie Stubbs--I love that Connie Smith calls him Edward; he once said that for years, Bill Monroe just called him "Boy"--saying once that the band loved playing the Coke jingle because they could be jazzy with it. I can remember one singer--I wish I remembered who it was!--who said to Ralph Davis, "Hit it." Ralph said, "Hit what?" The singer said, "Anything." And off they went. I'd like to see the current group have Mr. Acuff turn to them as he would to his band and do something other than what he planned!Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01998867386294693956noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-6958288711087822842014-03-23T11:02:21.232-04:002014-03-23T11:02:21.232-04:00Sadly, Don Walser retired not long after this arti...Sadly, Don Walser retired not long after this article was written and passed away a few years later.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-62642300794945627902014-03-23T07:58:43.880-04:002014-03-23T07:58:43.880-04:00Fred, Bismarck:
Well, Fisher talked a good game ....Fred, Bismarck:<br /><br />Well, Fisher talked a good game ... and maybe even got off to a promising start. But where have the Gillian Welches, Iris DeMents and Don Walsers ("The Pavarotti of the Prairie") been lately?<br /><br />I did appreciate as true his comment that some newer artists are so traditional they're "progressive," Welch being a prominent example.<br /><br />His comments on the staff band were ... interesting. Who (besides Fisher) says the old band wasn't versatile? Weldon Myrick not versatile? (At the time, still one of the busiest studio guys around.) Joe, the fiddler (can't put my hands on his last name right now)?<br /><br />The present staff band, to me, is as far from versatile as you can get. Their hammering away behind Earl White ruins the flavor of his square-dance numbers. Last night, the drummer managed to destroy the Whites' job on one of the anthems of trad country, "Keep on the Sunny Side." (The song was in progress when I tuned in, and I clicked away from the station almost as quickly ... sadly, my usual Opry listening experience these days.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-30080755647777727422014-03-22T22:28:57.537-04:002014-03-22T22:28:57.537-04:00I will say that Fisher seems to have tried some of...I will say that Fisher seems to have tried some of the big names to show up, or perhaps he chose wisely in certain cases. Some who hadn't been around much before have been here more often--Larry Gatlin, for example. Among the newcomers, Carrie Underwood strikes me as having been especially good. But he's made some poor choices or had limited success in other cases. Another way to look at it is this: some longtime members like Dolly Parton got out of the habit of showing up, and frankly have sacrificed any right to our affection for that.Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01998867386294693956noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-66272171320935691782014-03-22T21:50:45.539-04:002014-03-22T21:50:45.539-04:00"Fisher is also trying to address a long-stan..."Fisher is also trying to address a long-standing complaint that many of the big stars that are cast members rarely show up to perform."<br /><br />Yeah, he's done a really great job of that. /sAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com