Edmonton: Country for a Week

[jon]

From yesterday's Hicks on Six by Graham Hicks in the Edmonton Sun:

COUNTRY FOR A WEEK

You will see more buckles and cowboy hats this week in Edmonton than any other time besides the Canadian Finals Rodeo — because it’s Canadian Country Music Week and we are this year’s hosts.

Country music is so much more genteel than rock. Those involved are friendly, polite and respect their fans.

Normally competing country music stations CISN-FM and CFCW, for instance, work hand-in-hand to make the week a success. CFCW’s Jackie Rae-Greening and CISN’s Chris Scheetz are the week’s honorary co-chairs.

But it’s just as tough in country music as in rock music to make it to the top and stay there. If your first two albums don’t sell, you will lose your recording contract, period. Making it in the U.S. is even tougher.

In Canada you can make an OK living as a country music performer if you’ve had a few hits, usually playing the summer fair/festival/party circuit. Most country musicians combine music with other jobs.

The “hot” Canadian country musicians this year are Johnny Reid and Gord Bamford — both nominated as performer of the year. Reid’s so hot that he virtually sold out a four-night stand next week in the 2,700-seat Jubilee Auditorium.

On the hometown front, the Edmonton (and Hay Lakes) based Hey Romeo trio is up for Group of the Year.

Adopted hometown fave Corb Lund is nominated as a fan favourite.

ref. - http://www.edmontonsun.com/news/columni ... 76616.html

[Howaboutthat]

Yee Haw!

[radiofan]

Yee Haw!

Is that a genuine response or are you paging an old friend?

[Howaboutthat]

Yee Haw!

Is that a genuine response or are you paging an old friend?

Friend?? haa!!

I don't think they have computers in prison!

[RationalKeith]

Thanks, interesting, especially “Country music is so much more genteel than rock. Those involved are friendly, polite and respect their fans.” More than the subject of the “Let’s think about living” song claims.

If I had time for TV I’d watch the show.

(I’m still laughing over Reba McIntyre’s crack about the Dixie Chicks, infamous for their bashing of a US president who tried to defend Americans. As host of a particular country music award show in 2006 Reba had removed negative lines about them from what writers provided to her. But not long before the show the group sneered about the music of several popular performers including McIntyre. So during the show she referred to the Dixie Chicks as “dumb clucks”.