Americana Music: For Artists Gone Bad

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This is the genre for musicians who have totally wrecked their careers by making stupid left wing Anti-American political commentary.

 

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar...D=2006606160372

 

Americana leans to the left with Dixie Chicks

Awards nominees include several outspoken voices

 

By PETER COOPER

Staff Writer

 

Country music radio and awards shows are steering clear of any lyrical content critical of the Bush administration and of the war in Iraq.

 

That won't be the case with the Americana Honors & Awards on Sept. 22 at Ryman Auditorium.

 

At Thursday afternoon's Americana nominations announcement at the BMI building on Music Row, Steve Earle and Allison Moorer announced a slate of nominees that includes Rodney Crowell, James McMurtry and Neil Young, all of whom recently released caustic musical critiques of the political, economic and military status quo.

 

Even the Dixie Chicks received a song of the year nomination for "Not Ready To Make Nice," a song largely ignored by country radio.

 

"This is the first time since the 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?' soundtrack that the top-selling album in America is on Americana radio but not on any other genre's stations," said Jeff Green, the AMA's executive director. "Americana artists have never shied away from being politically outspoken."

 

Chicks members Martie Maguire, Natalie Maines and Emily Robison aren't the only nominees who were once featured on country radio. More than half the nominees have either sung or played on country hits, including former radio staples Crowell, Marty Stuart and Rosanne Cash.

 

The host Americana Music Association defines the genre as "American roots music based on the traditions of country," though Americana also encompasses music with roots in blues (Delbert McClinton) and rock (Drive-By Truckers). Artists that were once on the cutting edge of commercial, Music Row country often find acceptance in the Americana world after their days at country radio are through.

 

"This is music with integrity who are non-compromising," Green said. "They don't necessarily want to live within commercial country's confinements of lyrical content and of production values."

 

The Ryman makes sense for the awards, as Nashville is a center for Americana. Thirteen of the 19 nominated artists and acts have at least one member living in the Nashville area.

 

And even though the genre's name sounds United States-specific, the nominee list includes James Hunter of Great Britain and The Greencards, a trio with members hailing from the United Kingdom and Australia.

 

McMurtry leads the field with three nominations, for top album, song and artist. His searing "We Can't Make It Here" joins song of the year nominees "Don't Get Me Started" (Crowell) and "Not Ready To Make Nice" (Dixie Chicks) in expressing viewpoints that are aligned to the political left of country radio.

 

"People are looking for a different voice," Green said. "Our newest research by The Media Audit said that the people who listen to Americana music showed that only 15 percent of our audience defines itself as Republican, and that may help our artists to feel empowered to speak their minds

[Furd]

I wouldn't want to bump this drivel, but since its at the top right now anyway