Comments on: Tom T. Hall to Receive BMI Icon Award; Keith Urban Reportedly Inks American Idol Deal; New Music Videos

By: TX Music Jim

TX Music Jim — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 15:15:01 +0000

Nobody’s music and way of interacting with the powers that be in the music business has had a greater impact on the Texas Red Dirt music scene than Waylon. I can assure you at least in Texas music no one is more respected and admired than Waylon Jennings. In the last 20 years that i’ve been around the Texas music scene the artists tend to always list as there hero’s musically Waylon, Willie, Jerry Jeff Walker and Robert Earl Keen. Waylon is almost always at the top of that list.

By: Rick

Rick — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 01:52:12 +0000

With music sales the way they are these days, I can understand why these major country stars are doing the TV show gigs as the pay levels are astounding. Why tour when you can make a lot more money in a comfy TV studio?

Speaking of Tom T. Hall, on today’s edition of “Ten at 10″ (songs from 1968) on LA’s classic album rock station “The Sound”, the DJ tossed in “Harper Valley PTA” to close the set. I could just imagine all of the listeners tuning in during that song thinking they had pressed the wrong button and doing a double take! (lol)

I don’t think Waylon’s music was respected enough even when he was alive, so should it be surprising that trend has continued in his absence? I wonder if his singing in the Aussie “Ned Kelly” film that starred Mick Jagger helped or hindered his career? Hmm.

Gosh, I didn’t even know there was a “Traditional Country Music Hall of Fame”. So much for the fame part…

By: Mike Wimmer

Mike Wimmer — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 23:48:48 +0000

I think part of the problem with Waylon is that a lot of his Country Music legacy in the eyes of people unfamiliar with his catalog of work is “Good Ol’ Boys”.

I love Waylon’s music, but I kinda think that song and it’s ties to the TV show, while making him cool to a pretty large crowd and the generation of kids that grew up watching that show, also made him a bit uncool in the eyes of some people. Those people generally being non-Country Music fans.

Watching some of those music videos, well Corb Lund continues to be awesome. That might be my favorite of his songs on the new album, also these independent artists need to drop the damn Redneck/Small Town/Truck songs crap. You will never, ever “break out” with that stuff, mostly because the people who like that stuff are listening to Top 40 Country Radio and people who dont get turned off because you come off, fairly or unfairly as a clone/wanna be of those artists.

Seriously, I kinda get playing the game if you are on a major label since that’s I guess what you need to do to get on the radio now, but if you are an indie artist just focus on writing and recording REALLY good songs and you probably have a better shot of attracting an audience.

By: luckyoldsun

luckyoldsun — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 22:08:51 +0000

Barry M,
Waylon was a great artist, but I’d say you have your head….well, in the sand, if you insist on disputing the writer’s observation that his legacy and stature have not been all that well preserved.

Maybe Johnny Cash is an unfair comparison because the turnaround and rehabilitation of his reputation was so unique and so extreme that we shouldn’t expect it to happen with any other artist.

Nontheless, Waylon was largely ignored by the market in the final stage of his career and the projects involving his legacy that have been presented since his death have consistently flopped.

By: Arlene

Arlene — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 20:09:45 +0000

I think after most artists die, there are very often admirers and supporters and business associates and fans who believe that they haven’t been receiving the recognition or respect they deserve. I seem to recall reading similar sentiments expressed in fairly recent articles about Keith Whitley and Porter Wagoner.

By: Barry M

Barry M — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 18:39:40 +0000

Waylon’s music is very broadly accepted, acknowledged and respected. And I mention this as someone who thinks that he was among the very top country greats, ever.

That article is a cliched whiny crock, an obvious play for those for whom being disrespected and aggrieved is practically mother’s milk. I would add that anybody who knows anything about Waylon’s years in Nashville, and with RCA, knows how supportive and protective of him people at the label–Chet in particular–were of him, for years and years in which he didn’t sell all THAT much. I’ll have more to say about this in my next “Roots Watch..”

By: Ben Foster

Ben Foster — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 16:55:33 +0000

Ha, that Hunter Hayes bit could have been a great Fake News article.

By: Janice Brooks

Janice Brooks — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 15:08:44 +0000

Way to go Tom T Hall. When I first met my just deceased friend Tom Bibey it was a showcase for Tom T’s label at IBMA 2010.

When I saw the Dale Watson headline I thought his older daughter might be getting married.