Comments on: Roots Watch: Meeting Kenny Rogers

By: Daniel

Daniel — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 17:06:02 +0000

Just one more point for me on Kenny Rogers: Even his First Edition pop smash, ‘Ruby Don’t Take Your Love To Town’ was really a country song in my book. Written by Country Music Hall of Fame Inductee Mel Tillis: its a great story song in the same vein as The Long Black Veil, Ode to Billie Joe, El Paso ect. Does anyone know if it dented the country charts?

By: Jon

Jon — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 22:57:15 +0000

clearly, Kenny Rogers’s accomplishments are not so patent or so manifest that the voters for HoF inductees agree with you.

And to quote ol’ luckyoldsun him- (or is that her-?) self, so what? I’m finding it hard to imagine a single Hall of Fame elector losing even a nanosecond’s worth of sleep over the disagreement.

By: nm

nm — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 20:29:28 +0000

But, clearly, Kenny Rogers’s accomplishments are not so patent or so manifest that the voters for HoF inductees agree with you. Obviously, there are others they consider better qualified. Some of us have tried to explain to you that what’s obvious to you isn’t, objectively, obvious to everyone. Some of us (starting with Barry Mazor’s column itself) have tried to suggest to you some reasons that there isn’t universal agreement. Your continuing to repeat that Rogers’s qualifications really are obvious (and, by implication, that since they’re obvious everyone who doesn’t see what you see, including the HoF voters, is either blind or corrupt) is getting kind of old. I’d love to have a conversation with you, but you don’t want to converse. So I’m out of this thread.

By: luckyoldsun

luckyoldsun — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 20:08:32 +0000

“But the way that records sound has never been the alpha and omega of why some music is considered country and other music isn’t, and sometimes it’s been neither the alpha *nor* the omega.”

You got me there, Jonno.
I don’t know what the flak you’re talking about, but I certainly cannot refute it!

Daniel:
Thanks–I’m glad that at least somebody else here shares what I was getting at, and probably said it better than I did. The the breadth and depth of Rogers’ accomplishments in the country music business and the success that he’s brought to others are so vast and so unique that his merit for the H-o-F is patently manifest.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 18:49:14 +0000

Aside from Kenny Rogers amazing solo career, he made some great duets records with Dolly Parton and Dottie West. He gave Dottie two gold albums( the only ones of her career) and I believe his duet with Dolly( Island In The Streams) is one of only a handful of multiple million selling country singles from the 80′s or any era. He played a pivotal role in the globalization of country music. One only has to look at Lionel Richees recent #1 album to know he is still relevant and overdue for induction. Barry: I have really enjoyed reading your great ‘No Depression’ articles. Thanks for encouraging a middle age man( who does not have the best diction in the world) to voice his opinion.

By: nm

nm — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 18:21:50 +0000

I don’t consider my opinions prejudices.

One never does.

By: Jon

Jon — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 14:42:03 +0000

Apparently, it hasn’t occurred to luckyoldsun that, when you make the argument that Kenny Rogers’ records are country while Shania Twain’s aren’t because of the way they sound, then any other anonymous internet troll can come along and – with equal legitimacy – make the argument that Merle Haggard’s records are country while Kenny Rogers aren’t because of the way they sound. But the way that records sound has never been the alpha and omega of why some music is considered country and other music isn’t, and sometimes it’s been neither the alpha *nor* the omega.

Yes, I read the Hall-of-Fame “criteria”–a bunch of formal sounding verbiage that boils down to “Vote for a person if you believe they deserve to be in the Hall of Fame.” So what.

Well, then, what are you complaining for? That a bunch of reasonably well-informed, reasonably thoughtful people who actually know something about country music and the country music industry haven’t so far shared your belief? That would suggest that you do, in fact, believe that the Country Music Hall of Fame exists to ratify your prejudices (which, by the way, is a perfectly accurate word here). Which it doesn’t.

By: luckyoldsun

luckyoldsun — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 05:40:20 +0000

Barry–
I look at Kenny Rogers and see a guy who makes records about drinking, cheating, gambling and fighting(in addition to straight love songs)– who has made many records with production that highlights his gruff vocal and an accoustic guitar; and who has been singing his songs in concert and placing his records on the country charts for 40 years (and hitting the top of the country chart for 20-plus years). Sorry for saying it–because people hear are so damn touchy–but Yes, it’s “self-evident” that he’s a country artist–and pretty close to self-evident that he merits induction in a HoF that honors George Morgan, Ferlin Husky and Vince Gill.

Shania Twain’s vocals fronted a bunch of heavily produced records that topped the charts in the late ’90s. More power to her!

Jon–
Yes, I read the Hall-of-Fame “criteria”–a bunch of formal sounding verbiage that boils down to “Vote for a person if you believe they deserve to be in the Hall of Fame.” So what.

NM–

“Ah. So the Country Music Hall of Fame exists to ratify your prejudices? ”
“You may not think that my point has any merit.”

I don’t consider my opinions prejudices. They’re simply my opinions. I’m not prejudiced against Shania Twain because she’s Canadian or Indian or Swiss or whatever. The Country Music Hall of Fame exists to do whatever the owners of the property want to do with it.

I didn’t say your opinion has no merit. It has plenty of merit. I just happen not to agree with the part that equates Rogers and Twain. As far as your analysis of why Rogers has not been inducted: I don’t disagree with it.

By: Barry Mazor

Barry Mazor — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 03:42:27 +0000

Technically, I think, counting from the time of her first major release, Ms. Twain’s not quite eligible yet!

By: nm

nm — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 02:35:41 +0000

I would not put Shania Twain and Kenny Rogers in the same classification.

Ah. So the Country Music Hall of Fame exists to ratify your prejudices?

I’m pointing out, as someone who doesn’t have all that much of an axe to grind on the question, some possible reasons why neither of them is in the HoF and may have more trouble getting inducted than their level of sales might suggest at first glance. You may not think that my point has any merit. But it’s a fact that despite their sales (and Twain’s are impressive), neither of them is in the Hall. So what’s your explanation of why that is, if mine doesn’t work?