Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Jilly_in_VA

(10,844 posts)
Sun Aug 22, 2021, 03:15 PM Aug 2021

Explaining George Jones, a 'Haunted House of a Human Being'

When I was growing up in the ’90s, whenever I heard people claim to like all kinds of music, they tended to qualify it with “except for country and rap.” Other than sounding dumb and more than a little prejudicial, this was a superficial gloss of two genres that have plenty in common, as Ice-T once pointed out. They’ve both become solidly mainstream, but casual listeners often neglect the music’s intricate social, aesthetic, and political histories. As a music nerd, I must admit that I was a country music dilettante, a mostly Hank-and-Cash fan, until only recently.

Tyler Mahan Coe, son of the outlaw country singer David Allen Coe and half of the duo behind the fun podcast Your Favorite Band Sucks, is working to set the record straight. His celebrated podcast Cocaine and Rhinestones engagingly distinguishes between country music’s fact and fiction. C & R’s first season offered deep dives into the life and work of some of country music’s crucial but perhaps less widely known figures: Spade Cooley, The Louvin Brothers, Ralph Mooney, and others. As Coe explains, “I’ve been hearing these stories all my life. As far as I can tell, this is the truth about this one.”

As with many genres, country often suffers from the distorted projections and misapprehensions coming from both within and outside the community about what’s “real” country and what isn’t. Coe passionately defends his subjects against accusations of inauthenticity or reactionary posturing. There are also vivid, informed, and occasionally harrowing tales about what went on behind closed doors. It’s a crash course that subtly encourages the listener to explore further. And it works—I might not be theologically on board with the sentiment of the Louvin’s Satan is Real record, yet it still gives me the existential shivers every time.

Season two brings the listener into the world of George Jones, aka Old Possum, aka No-Show Jones. Jones’s turbulent life and wrenching songs—give “The Grand Tour” or “A Good Year for the Roses” or “The Window Up Above” a spin to find out why he’s so revered—are already pretty much canonical. But that only means that he can be an entry point into so much else.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/explaining-george-jones-a-haunted-house-of-a-human-being?ref=home
__________________________________________________________________________________
I may have to investigate the podcast, because 35 years in E. TN meant being pretty familiar with two distinct strains of country music---what I heard on radio and TV, and what ai heard from local musicians, many of them older folks but some young

20 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Explaining George Jones, a 'Haunted House of a Human Being' (Original Post) Jilly_in_VA Aug 2021 OP
It's a good podcast. luvs2sing Aug 2021 #1
Thanks for the rec Jilly_in_VA Aug 2021 #2
East Tennessee and East Kentucky-- lots of great musicians viva la Aug 2021 #3
The older country is fine Casady1 Aug 2021 #4
My israeli friend Jilly_in_VA Aug 2021 #5
Gregg Allman's Casady1 Aug 2021 #6
Okay boomer AZSkiffyGeek Aug 2021 #7
As I said to the other person Casady1 Aug 2021 #13
This message was self-deleted by its author AZSkiffyGeek Aug 2021 #15
Probably not Gregg's finest moment. luvs2sing Aug 2021 #9
I think he is right on about music Casady1 Aug 2021 #11
Actually, yes, I have. n/t luvs2sing Aug 2021 #12
do you think that person Casady1 Aug 2021 #14
So only people who can sing Begin the Beguine are real singers? AZSkiffyGeek Aug 2021 #18
I simply don't Casady1 Aug 2021 #20
Why does rap music sound so angry? underpants Aug 2021 #8
As the author points out, Country was the great draw of talent. There was no other language underpants Aug 2021 #10
Blues was a staple Casady1 Aug 2021 #16
But could he play drums on guitar hero? AZSkiffyGeek Aug 2021 #17
That is not what I said Casady1 Aug 2021 #19

Jilly_in_VA

(10,844 posts)
2. Thanks for the rec
Sun Aug 22, 2021, 03:23 PM
Aug 2021

My brother wrote a song that's sort of well-known in some country circles (someone else tried to claim it, but that's a whole other story) and another that was recorded by Doc Watson. Hopefully he'll get some others recorded although I don't think he's trying real hard any more. Long story.

viva la

(3,763 posts)
3. East Tennessee and East Kentucky-- lots of great musicians
Sun Aug 22, 2021, 03:24 PM
Aug 2021

A Good Year for the Roses-
Boy, this is one man who got better looking as he got older. In the photo on this video, he looks like an unsuccessful door-to-door broom salesman.


 

Casady1

(2,133 posts)
4. The older country is fine
Sun Aug 22, 2021, 03:31 PM
Aug 2021

However the new is commercial pop with a twang. As far as rap I put two requirements to music, you either have to play an instrument or sing on key. If you can't do either then you are not a musician.

Jilly_in_VA

(10,844 posts)
5. My israeli friend
Sun Aug 22, 2021, 03:41 PM
Aug 2021

(whose then-teenage son loved rap) used to say that the initial C in rap was silent. I can deal with some rap, having learned a little from my grandkids, but too much of it gives me what my oldest called a "head ouch" when he was little.

 

Casady1

(2,133 posts)
13. As I said to the other person
Sun Aug 22, 2021, 06:37 PM
Aug 2021

Can you provide me a song where a rapper plays an instrument or sang a song on key. I am very open about music and my mom had a professional voice. She practiced all the time. My son is an excellent musician and he taught himself drums on guitar hero. He plays multiple instruments. My cousin graduated from Berklee school of music where you have to play 5 instruments to graduate.
It is not only rap, I don't think "vocalists" using auto tune are musicians either.

It takes years to become proficient on an instrument. You have to play music to be a musician.

Response to Casady1 (Reply #13)

 

Casady1

(2,133 posts)
11. I think he is right on about music
Sun Aug 22, 2021, 06:29 PM
Aug 2021

have you ever seen a rapper play an instrument or sang a song on key.

 

Casady1

(2,133 posts)
14. do you think that person
Sun Aug 22, 2021, 06:40 PM
Aug 2021

is known for his vocal presentation Have he or she sing Begin the beguine by Cole Porter. We will see if they can sing.

AZSkiffyGeek

(12,576 posts)
18. So only people who can sing Begin the Beguine are real singers?
Sun Aug 22, 2021, 06:57 PM
Aug 2021

Here’s a suggestion, rather than denigrate musicians whose music you don’t like, just change the station. And playing video games is not the same as playing music.

 

Casady1

(2,133 posts)
20. I simply don't
Sun Aug 22, 2021, 07:45 PM
Aug 2021

Think they are musicians . It is their own form and one that is popular I just don’t think it is musical. Prove me wrong. Playing a video game to teach yourself how to play an instrument is pretty unbelievable even you have to admit it is pretty unreal. He also plays piano, guitar and all the string instruments. When you are around really good musicians who have that musician thing you find out that they are able to go from one instrument to another and learn to play them all.

underpants

(186,450 posts)
10. As the author points out, Country was the great draw of talent. There was no other language
Sun Aug 22, 2021, 04:34 PM
Aug 2021

Yes there was big band and jazz but that was mostly in the cities. Crooners fronted the big bands and were good for movies. Everyone else with any natural musical calling (mostly self taught) played country. The Grand Ole Opry was a staple of life up and down the Mississippi and all points east and west. If you played guitar, you played country. There was no rock n roll yet.



The truth is pop aesthetics have been a part of country music since the beginning. Country without any pop elements is called folk music and, save for one or two bubbles which expanded for a few years and then popped, nearly nobody in the second half of the 20th century listened to or cared about folk music. Comparatively, country music in the same period was a hugely popular genre and lucrative industry because the truth is, it’s always been both informed by and informing “mainstream” society and culture. Finding ways to connect these things people don’t know about country music to the things they do know about everything else is half the battle. Once those things start clicking into place it unlocks all kinds of doors.

 

Casady1

(2,133 posts)
16. Blues was a staple
Sun Aug 22, 2021, 06:42 PM
Aug 2021

and the foundation of many great forms of music. Bing Crosby may have been a crooner but his early stuff was jazzy and he really had a great voice.

 

Casady1

(2,133 posts)
19. That is not what I said
Sun Aug 22, 2021, 07:42 PM
Aug 2021

Last edited Sun Aug 22, 2021, 08:25 PM - Edit history (1)

I said if you are a vocalist then you have to sing on key. My

Latest Discussions»Culture Forums»Showbiz»Explaining George Jones, ...