Jim Reeves & Dottie West ~ Love Is No Excuse

The Demise of Original Country Music
Original Country Music (OCM) is a type of music that has a unique sound and style with a blend of musical forms originally found in the Southern United States. It evolved from folk music, gospel music and old-time or hillbilly music in the 1920s. The term country music began to surface in the 1940s when the earlier term hillbilly music was considered degrading. Currently it is referred to as original country music (coined by Ray Price), thereby distinguishing it from the current pop oriented sound.

Traditional artists had a distinctive sound, a sort of brand that made them easily identifiable from their peers. Hank Williams, Ray Price, Merle Haggard, Conway Twitty, George Jones, Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette, Kitty Wells and Patsy Cline all had distinguishable voices as did their peers. The music was presented in a heartfelt and professional manner. The industry fostered respect and it was exemplified by the method the artists presented themselves on and off stage. There were no faded or torn jeans, unmatched apparel or exposed cleavage. The Grand Ole Opry had stringent rules that not only governed the aforementioned, but also the type of musical instruments allowed on stage. Until the mid-1950s, the Opry didnt allow drums on stage and initially drums were placed back stage behind curtains. By the early-1990s, Opry executives loosened the rules regarding onstage presentations and today it appears they have little involvement in that aspect of the business.

Country music began to drift away from its traditional roots and transition toward a soft pop sound (commonly referred to as alternative country) in the Eighties. By the early-1990s, a flurry of new artists such as The Judds, Garth Brooks, Billy Ray Cyrus, Sawyer Brown and Clint Black were among several who helped transform country music beyond its original identity. Some of those singers as wells as many who have since broke into the business have indistinguishable voices. Garth Brooks played a key role in reshaping country music by setting records for both sales and concert attendance throughout the decade. He also had a role in altering the untainted image of country music when he began swinging from ropes and busting up expensive guitars during his act.

Alternative country evolved from a diverse group of musicians, songwriters and singers operating outside the traditions of OCM. Today, most lyrics are sort of a cookie cutter type, often bland, dull and weak on substance. During the emergence of alternative country music, the Nashville establishment got caught between greed for generation huge revenue and exercising sound judgment and in the process, they decided to cast aside the established artists and the traditional sound and promote new artists and the outlandish sound they then and now pass as country music.

While its understandable that the music industry is in business to make a profit, they chose to commit all resources to the new trend and bury the past. Their decision to change course was evidently driven by what they thought would generate the highest revenue and with budget constraints, they probably lacked resources to promote new artist as well as the established. However, during that time, there was a huge demand for traditional artists, such as, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, George Jones, Conway Twitty, Loretta Lynn, Barbara Mandrel and Dolly Parton. Established artists were drawing substantial concert crowds and sales of their music remained steadfast. Accordingly, there seemed to be an opportunity for the industry to make reasonable profits by promoting established artists.

Without the support of the music industry, the traditional artists had no chance of survival and their careers diminished. Despite objection from many sectors of the music and entertainment arena and country music fans, the Nashville establishment stayed the course.

The real country sound, so common back then, is rarely duplicated today. That sound is forever lost in a maze of over produced, assembly-line music that passes for country music. While theres still significant interest in OCM, its becoming increasingly difficult to locate on all media types. Most of what is available is only a sparse selection of the artist bigger hits. Some radio stations across America devote a few hours each week for airing OCM. However, the broadcasting of the music is usually done during non-peak time, such as late night or weekends. OCM is aired on satellite radio, but the biggest outlet for the music at present is YouTube. Young people are discovering the music on YouTube and surprisingly, many are amazed it exists. YouTube is also the source for fans to stay connected with a musical genre that has an exclusive identity. Thanks to YouTube original country music may never fade into oblivion.
Written by: RJB
Country Music Historian - Nashville, TN, USA

Category:

Music

[islandCouture]

uhave NO idea how much, i appreciate ur UPloads flashbell of all these great songs and musicians, god bless you, and dont stop hurahhh for the good old days and wOnderful music...

[flashbell]

@islandCouture, Thank you. I humbly thank you!

[flashbell]

I am trying to find better pictures of both of these great legends of original country music. I have found a nice one on Dottie, however keep in minf Jim Reeves dies 44 ago, so his photos are scarce just like his music. Thanks.

[briranger]

a voice like spring water so crystal clear and pure i could go on and on. we still miss you jim.

[yedon68]

THEY WERE MAGICAL TOGETHER!!!

[dog1701]

If you get a chance, take a look at my vid, Jim Reeves: "Courtin' in the Rain" and Other Tomfollery.

[susantabi]

Thank you for posting this. So beautiful. A refreshing trip into the past; when the songs and singers had a disciplined sound.

[direfranchement]

Two of American Music's warmest voices. Beautiful and mellow.

[Gary28766]

Good song.  Written by Justin Tubb, I think.

[gaudz488]

Country music really makes me feel good...

[MyJustified]

@TheHopecentral Unfortunately there would'nt be a Dottie impersonater because her so called friends have not remembered her over the years, so sadly Dottie has slipped into a category of forgotton artists, so sad when you think of the things she did to help people over the years and then when her troubles started no one was there they all turned their backs.

[alancolwill1]

The greatest singer of all time for me. I have always put music in two bins. The music i like and in the other the music i don't. Country,pop, middle of the road, i dont care.

If Jim sings it, i like.

[SteelguitarLane]

You cannot play the Country Music without the steel guitar

[SteelguitarLane]

This version has no shuffle and hardly any steel. Give me Justin Trevino and Pretty Miss Norma Jean singing it. This cut represents not the country side of the country/pop tension, but the pop side. Jim spent years taking the twang out. Twang is Good

[candw87]

@TheHopecentral If Mary Reeves had lived l think there would have been many duets dubbed