Poll – Grammy For Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals

First, two things. I had to mention the group-that-must-not-be-named, but just in the poll, so I guess it’s better. Anyway, I apologize for those who thought that they wouldn’t be mentioned here, but the Grammys made me do it, ok? I didn’t nominate them… Needless to say, they will not be tagged in this post.

Since the Grammys are fast approaching (This coming Sunday!) we have this poll and two more after this, for Best Country Song and Best Collaboration, so we’re almost done! I’ll just have to double-time the last two. As always, make sure to vote and comment below.

Finding country

Something I often wonder about is how other people first started listening to country music.  I imagine for a lot of readers it was very straightforward – you grew up listening to country radio, maybe your parents were fans, and your own interest developed from there.

It was different for me.  Growing up in England, country music was a long way from mainstream.  The only country songs I heard were the few that had crossed over to become pop hits; my parents had one Dolly Parton record, on cassette tape (Love Is Like A Butterfly). It was almost by chance that I found country music for myself.  I think I had always felt something was missing in the pop stuff I heard all the time, but I didn’t really know what.

Then the pop station I listened to started a one-hour country show on Sunday evenings, just after the pop charts. Even though the DJ clearly didn’t know much about country music, he played a good mixture of classics and the latest from Nashville. It was my good fortune that this was in 1987; the neotraditional movement was in full swing, and there was some great music being released. I enjoyed it more the more I heard, until one evening I had an epiphany: I had absolutely hated every single song on that week’s pop chart, and either liked or loved every song on the country show. With the enthusiasm of the convert, I decided I would stick with country music for good.

I found some other radio stations whose catchment area I was in, and which also had an hour or two of country music a week; I got used to changing the dial every night to tune into a different station to get my fix. I began to buy records: my very first purchases were Randy Travis’ Always And Forever, which still holds up for me, and Steve Wariner’s It’s A Crazy World, which has aged less well. Plus I liberated that Dolly cassette tape, so that probably counts as the first country record in my possession.

The love of country music I found so unexpectedly at 16 has stayed with me and grown stronger over time. Maybe living in an environment where I’ve had to actively seek it out has made my love for the music stronger.

So how did other people start listening to country music? Did your interest just develop over time, or did anyone else have a sudden conversion experience?

Spotlight Artist: Wynonna

I’ve recently finished reading Wy’s autobiography and have re-immersed myself in her solo work, as well as the music of The Judds. As one-half of The Judds, Wynonna scored over a dozen #1 country hits, 6 Grammys and 8 CMA awards, among many other accolades. Since her solo debut in 1991, Wynonna has recorded some of the greatest songs of the 1990s and beyond.  Her debut album sold 5 million copies and spawned 3 consecutive #1′s as well as another top 5 single.  She has since released 6 studio albums, a Christmas album, and a Judds reunion album recorded live in 1999.  Though her music later enveloped the influences of jazz, blues, rock, soul, and even some Appalachian elements – the influences of almost every form of American music – she has proven she has the voice to pull off each of these styles ably and competently.  

Also, Wynonna’s latest album, Sing: Chapter 1 is in stores today.  The disc is a collection of covers made famous by country, blues, and rock artists – songs dating back to the 1920s, the 1950s, 1970s and on.  And Wynonna delivers some stunning performances.  So what better time to showcase one of my favorite artists than right now?  Throughout the month of February, we’ll be featuring Wynonna as our Spotlight Artist with reviews, discussions, and (hopefully) an interview with Miss Wynonna herself.  So, don’t forget to pick up the new album and enjoy the next 4 weeks as we submerse ourselves in Wynonna Judd.

Sing: Chapter 1

 

 

Visit Wynonna’s official site.

And also, check out Wynonna’s MySpace Page.