Growing up, I remember sitting in front of the TV watching the ACMs, CMAs, (insert other country music award show acronyms here), etc. The 80s were about big hair, big shoulder pads and lots of sequins. The 90s were leggings, smaller shoulders, smaller hair and a few less sequins. The 00s (double aughts) were certainly less dressy--often T-shirts and torn jeans for the guys, and everyone had a hat. But the one thing they had in common was music, COUNTRY music. Sure it tended to get pop-ish, but it had country stars singing country songs.
Fast forward to the the 10s--the awards are still there, they still use country in the titles--but the country is starting to get harder and harder to find. Last night's awards show is a perfect example. Apparently someone decided to revamp the show with "duets," not an uncommon occurrence, as there has been a vocal collaboration award for a long time. And these have crossed genres occasionally. But last night's mishmashes of Rihanna with Jennifer Nettles and Carrie Underwood with Steven Tyler should have stayed in the brainstorming room. The Rihanna and Nettles song might have been better if you could have heard the first part of the song (which Rihanna sang). The title "California King Bed" and the ensuing explanation of distances between lovers in said bed, is typical country music fodder. It could have worked...but it didn't. FAIL
The Carrie Underwood and Steven Tyler "duet" was a more of a yelling match throughout "Undo It" and continued into "Walk this Way." I admit, I am not a big Underwood fan, and "Undo It" positively grates on me, but I do like "Walk this Way," usually... except for last night's version, which was relatively painful. FAIL
When the awards show opened with "Old Alabama," a new song featuring Brad Paisley and ALABAMA (one of the greatest music making groups of all time), I knew it was going to be down hill from there....
IT WAS...
Actually, the rest of the show was up and down like a hilly road. There were a few redeeming moments--Blake Shelton's new song "Honey Bee" (including a chorus paying homage to Conway and Loretta) and Jason Aldean's "Dirt Road Anthem" will be this year's summer anthems, along with "Old Alabama." Darius Rucker's performance with ACM Lifting Lives music campers was inspirational and uplifting. Martina McBride, Miranda Lambert, and Reba McEntire showed the girls could "bring it" too.
And the down hill moments were interspersed throughout... I am so tired of Lady Antebellum--at first they were good, kind of a breath of fresh air, but they have put out maybe 5 songs total to country music in the five years they have been around, so consequently, we keep hearing the same five songs. And The Band Perry-- wow, not sure what I could say, but stay in school kids... get that degree...
Until the ultimate drop off into a canyon...
Taylor Swift won Entertainer of the Year.
This used to be a coveted award. It has been won by the country music pioneers and greats such as:
Merle Haggard, Roy Clark, Lorretta Lynn, Alabama, Hank Williams Jr., Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Mickey Gilly, Kenny Rogers, Barbara Mandrell, Mac Davis, Freddie Hart, Garth Brooks, Brooks and Dunn, Reba McEntire, George Strait, Kenny Chesney, Toby Keith....
and Shania Twain, the Dixie Chicks, Carrie Underwood, and now... Taylor Swift.
Apparently the actual ability to sing is no longer a necessity to win the award. Of course the award winner was based on fan vote, including voting by text. So unfortunate. But hey, at least Cover Girl is finally getting through to her on how to put on eye makeup...
