Blake Shelton Calls Classic Country Fans “Old Farts” & “Jackasses”

Saving Your Country Music ^ | January 23, 2013 | Trigger (Thanks to Greg Morris for the tip on this story.)

[a fool in paradise]

The reigning Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year and reality TV personality Blake Shelton made some disparaging remarks about traditional country fans in a recent interview with GAC as part of their Backstory series. The “Hillbilly Bone” singer and judge on NBC’s The Voice made the remarks as part of an update to the original GAC Backstory episode to include more information on Blake Shelton’s continued success. In connection with Blake’s first CMA for “Male Vocalist of the Year” award in 2010, Blake Shelton said,

If I am “Male Vocalist of the Year” that must mean that I’m one of those people now that gets to decide if it moves forward and if it moves on. Country music has to evolve in order to survive. Nobody wants to listen to their grandpa’s music. And I don’t care how many of these old farts around Nashville going, “My God, that ain’t country!” Well that’s because you don’t buy records anymore, jackass. The kids do, and they don’t want to buy the music you were buying.

The new version of Blake Shelton’s GAC Backstory aired first in mid December 2012, and will be airing numerous times in February.

Blake Shelton’s comments are not only hurtful to classic and traditional country fans, they are incorrect. According to a study of country radio conducted by Edison Research and released during last year’s Country Radio Seminar in Nashville, listeners actually want more classic country on radio, and the lack of it has been given credit for the contraction being experienced in the radio format. Edison Research President Larry Rosin last February said,

I believe that we as an industry have really made a mistake in our conception of our own stations. While many people don’t want to listen to classic country music, some still do, and we’ve let them float away…We run the risk that we just are more and more pleasing to fewer and fewer people until all we are is ecstatically pleasing a tiny, unsustainable number of people.”

Blake Shelton also specifically mention “records,” but statistics shows that older music listeners are the ones that still by music in physical formats, while younger listeners (aka “kids”) tend to download music illegally, stream it at very low margins for artists and their labels, or purchase individual songs.

Furthermore Blake Shelton brought up the common misconception that classic and traditional country fans do not want country music to evolve. Though this may be true for some traditional fans, as Saving Country Music pointed out in a piece titled Progress Vs. Traditionalism in Country Music, the progression of country music while still keeping it tied to its roots is the foundation of Americana which has benefited from tremendous growth over the last few years.

Blake Shelton has landed in hot water before for making inflammatory comments, especially on his infamous Twitter account. In May of 2011 Blake got in trouble for seemingly advocating violence against gays by re-writing the words to a Shania Twain song. The singer later apologized.

[Cap'n Crunch]

Sorry, I couldn’t resist. George Strait junkie.

Nobody saw them running
From 16th Avenue
They never found the fingerprints
Or the weapon that was used
But someone killed country music
Cut out its heart and soul
They got away with murder
Down on music row

The almight dollar
And the lust for worldwide fame
Slowly killed tradition
And for that, someone shouldhang (”Ahh, you tell ‘em Alan”)
They all say “Not Guilty!”
But the evidence will show
That murder was committed
Down on music row

For the steel guitars no longer cry
And the fiddles barely play
But drums and rock ‘n’ roll guitars
Are mixed up in your face
Ol’ Hank wouldn’t have a chance
On today’s radio
Since they committed murder
Down on music row

They thought no one would miss it
Once it was dead and gone
They said no one would buy them ol’
Drinkin’ and cheatin’ songs (”Oh, but I still buy ‘em”)
Well there ain’t no justice in it
And the hard facts are cold
Murder’s been committed
Down on music row

For the steel guitars no longer cry
And you can’t hear fiddles play
With drums and rock ‘n’ roll guitars
Mixed right up in your face
Why the Hag wouldn’t have a chance
On today’s radio
Since they committed murder
Down on music row

Why they even tell the Possum
To pack up and go back home
There’s been an awful murder
Down on music row

[OldPossum]

Look at how many “Classic Rock” radio stations there are.

I suppose there are lots of them, but have you tried listening to them? G-dawful crap--at least to these ears, who enjoyed real rock 'n roll from 1955 on, until it turned to crud in the late 1970s.

Of course, there's no accounting for taste, now, is there?

[TropicanaRose]

I listen to this Houston station on the radio...haven’t tried online but their website does have a “listen live” button so you might give it a try:

http://www.countrylegends971.com/

[chrisser]

Thanks for the link!

[Revolting cat!]

Country music that all the plastic Blake Sheltons will never grow up to:

http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/av/2013/01/video-premiere-overmountain-men-—smoke-and-mirror.html

[a fool in paradise]

Two posts, one Shelton's own response to the kerfluffle:

"The truth is my statement was and STILL Is about how we as the new generation of country artists have to keep re-inventing country music to keep it popular."

[a fool in paradise]

The other is country legend Ray Price's response (which was where I first read the article in question).

I posted it at the time but the article double posted and that was the thread that got nuked.

It's a shame that I have spend 63 years in this business trying to introduce music to a larger audience and to make it easier for the younger artists who are coming behind me. Every now and then some young artist will record a rock and roll type song , have a hit first time out with kids only. This is why you see stars come with a few hits only and then just fade away believing they are God's answer to the world. This guy sounds like in his own mind that his head is so large no hat ever made will fit him. Stupidity Reigns Supreme!!!!!!! Ray Price (CHIEF "OLD FART" & JACKASS") " P.S. YOU SHOULD BE SO LUCKY AS US OLD-TIMERS. CHECK BACK IN 63 YEARS (THE YEAR 2075) AND LET US KNOW HOW YOUR NAME AND YOUR MUSIC WILL BE REMEMBERED.

Just saw him play a sell out show on his birthday this month.

And saw how Nashville told Johnny Cash to go out to pasture and give it up. Nobody wants you no mo'!

[a fool in paradise]

I’ve since reposted the Ray Price quote. I was the one who even alerted the mods to the double post and requested the other thread be preserved. Oh well.

[Revolting cat!]

When country performers play rock and roll, they are closer to the roots of country, then when they play that MBA inspired pop schmaltz or arty rock! Garth Brooks through his mega-success contributed a lot to the current corruption of country music.

[a fool in paradise]

The entertainment at this year’s rodeo holds little to draw me. I’d like to see Gary P. Nunn on the second stage (opening night) or maybe Justin Van Sandt (saw him perform in a RECORD store). But the main stage? Not so much. Styx (without Dennis DeYoung?)

https://www.rodeohouston.com/Concerts/TheHideout.aspx

https://www.rodeohouston.com/Concerts.aspx

Youngest country music lineup I can recall. And not even a Hank III in there (Cross Canadian Ragweed were alright, I think they played one time, and drew the ladies; but they’ve broken up or gone on hiatus).

But then what do I know, I’d like to see them book The Sadies with John Doe if it is “new and hip”.