Countrypolitan.com


	Home Biographies On The Fringe Artist Profile Archives News Flash Message Board Reader's Poll Fan Pics Photo Album Merchandise Artist Websites Related Sites Website Resources Contact Us Get the latest Countrypolitan news! Join our mailing list today! Click Here				Is The Tradition Dying? I'm sure that everyone who loves old-time country music asks themselves this question every time they turn on the radio. Well, I'm here to tell you that even though mainstream radio is doing it's part to kill the tradition, some industry executives are trying to save it. Their solution? Americana, the new genre of country music developed to give traditional artists a forum to showcase their talent, and the dying breed of traditional country music its place on radio. The idea of forming a trade association was addressed when a group of about fifty industry leaders got together during the spring of 1999 at the SXSW (South by Southwest) convention in Austin, TX. The purpose of this meeting was to discuss the various ways in which these industry leaders could pool their resources to help expand the audience for this new genre. Following a series of e-mail correspondence, a two day conference was held in October 1999, where the Americana Music Association was founded. They elected an interim board of directors and the first official board of directors was elected one year later in October 2000. The board consists of members representing many different facets of the industry ranging from songwriters and musicians to publications and record labels and everyone in between. The current board of directors is listed on their website. "This whole organization is driven by a lot of very passionate people who really believe in this movement," AMA President Dennis Lord, a senior vice president of business affairs at performing-rights organization SESAC, said. "It's a genre of music, but it's a movement also. And if that's an indication, then we can move mountains." The AMA's motto is "We Walk The Line" borrowed from the Johnny Cash song. The AMA currently has approximately 500 members and is rapidly growing. They completed their first annual convention November 10-11, 2000 held in Nashville, TN, which featured two days of workshops and seminars and two evenings of live music showcases. The AMA reports that "a total of 367 people registered for the event, spanning the broad range of participants within the Americana field, from musicians to heads of record labels to fans." The second annual conference is currently being planned for the fall of 2001. Many different styles of country music fall under the umbrella of Americana, including countrypolitan. Other styles re-emerging with Americana's help are rockabilly, bluegrass, honky-tonk, roots and alternative country. If it's too country for country radio or too twangy for rock, then it's Americana. While mainstream radio continues to stick to it's watered down pop-style of musical fluff, there is now a new radio format on the airwaves. While you'll usually only find this programming on the AM and college stations, it is growing. There is even a weekly syndicated radio show, aired in 63 markets, called "This Week in Americana" hosted by Shannon McCombs. The show is co-hosted by a different artist every week. Many artists are benefitting from the work of the AMA. Mandy Barnett is one of these artists. "Getting played on country radio has always been a struggle for me," says Barnett. "There have been times that it's been very discouraging, but by the time I was making 'I've Got A Right To Cry,' I pretty much had decided that no matter what radio thought of this project, I was going to do it anyway." And it paid off for her. The title cut spent three weeks at number one on the Gavin Americana charts in June 1999. "I really liked the idea of calling on the College radio stations. I've heard that some triple-A stations are playing 'Whispering Wind.' So, you really never know who's going to play the record, or support it," Barnett explains. While "The Whispering Wind (Blows On By)" didn't make it onto the radio charts, the video was fairly successful on GAC and CMT, thus reaching a more mainstream audience and broadening Barnett's fan base. Allison Moorer, who currently represents her fellow songwriters on the AMA's Board of Directors, is another artist who is faring well in the Americana world. Her latest album, "The Hardest Part," is considered one of the best albums of 2000 since it's release in September. On the last Americana Gavin chart, week ending October 13, 2000, Moorer's album was at number two. The first single released from the album, "Send Down An Angel," got a lot of airplay on CMT and GAC, as well. While these video networks play mostly mainstream country, they also leave the door open to Americana musicians. Many can be seen every night on CMT's "Jammin' Country." Americana is helping not only the new artists, but also many of the legends whose careers would be dead today. Such artists as Willie Nelson, Porter Wagoner, Don Williams, Connie Smith, Bill Anderson, Michael Martin Murphy, Merle Haggard, and Bobby Bare are finding renewed success on the Americana airwaves. So, the next time you turn on your radio and find yourself asking, "Is the tradition dying?" don't turn off the radio, but turn on Americana and help keep the tradition alive. Show mainstream radio that the stuff they are calling "country" just doesn't cut it anymore. Mainstream's programming is dictated by album and single sales, while Americana programming is based on the music. Thank you, Americana, for giving us an alternative to mainstream country music. If you appreciate what Americana is doing for the music, then call your local Americana station and thank them. That's the only way that they will know that we're listening to and appreciating their programming. Together, we can keep the tradition alive. *Written by Sherry Anderson, Countrypolitan.com. February 2001.*

Web Design and Hosting provided by .

Is The Tradition Dying?