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Country music

D

dean1

Guest
After Bruce Carter (an otherwise fine fellow of great stock) so rudely slighted Country Music in another thread, I got to thinking.

If you were programming the perfect C&W format, what would it sound like?

KSCS and KLPX have done alot of things right over the years. And if the state of C&W music is a sad one, it's largely because of the labels. But I grew up on the Lil' ol Gold Miner of WBAP, KBOX, KJIM, KEAN and a few others - and even the fondly recalled eclecticism of the old KFM, where you might hear the Allman Brothers and the Stones between Hank Jr. and Steve Fromholz. I also like some of the things The Ranch and The Range have tried to do - but there's something that's still missing. Maybe things are too slick, or overproduced. Personally I love the sounds I hear when I get past Dublin - where things are a little more organic and a little less polished. Often it's more real, more personable, and even a little ragged. Stations where you might even hear Ernest Tubb, Bob Nolan & The Sons of the Pioneers, and Hank Sr. along with Ag reports and stock notices.

To me, the question has never been the genre but the quality - and it's a given that C&W artists these days are less about quality than marketability. But a Gold format done right - one that highlighted Country's (and Western's) roots in Gospel, Blues, Bluegrass, and early American Folk by presenting the time-tested legends - that might just be a winner. Shoot, I even try never to miss that Saturday morning old-time Gospel show on The Ranch. It might not be fancy, but it's honest.

Who knows - maybe that's why modern radio has a hard time with it.

Jody
 
> After Bruce Carter (an otherwise fine fellow of great stock)
> so rudely slighted Country Music in another thread, I got to
> thinking.
>
> If you were programming the perfect C&W format, what would
> it sound like?

I think I would love to see KPLX get a little more edge to it -- more "outlaw"-type country and/or rock added to it. I was probably the only one that liked KIKK-FM 95.7 Houston's country/classic rock/Texas/Americana hybrid format in the early 2000s (basically, it was KPLX's imaging and energy with a much broader music mix as "95-7 Kick FM, Houston's Country Alternative"); folks on the Houston board ripped it all the time (pre-"Jack" world). Something like that would be great. Basically, it would be blending today's KPLX, with a country/rock hybrid like KKND 106.7 "Rockin' Country 106.7" New Orleans or soon-to-be-Cumulus-sister WSM-FM 95.5 "95-5 the Wolf" Nashville, with a dose of KPLX's Sunday Night Texas/Americana shows ("Front Porch" and Jack Ingram's "Jack Tracks").


>
> KSCS and KLPX have done alot of things right over the years.
> And if the state of C&W music is a sad one, it's largely
> because of the labels. But I grew up on the Lil' ol Gold
> Miner of WBAP, KBOX, KJIM, KEAN and a few others - and even
> the fondly recalled eclecticism of the old KFM, where you
> might hear the Allman Brothers and the Stones between Hank
> Jr. and Steve Fromholz. I also like some of the things The
> Ranch and The Range have tried to do - but there's something
> that's still missing. Maybe things are too slick, or
> overproduced. Personally I love the sounds I hear when I get
> past Dublin - where things are a little more organic and a
> little less polished. Often it's more real, more personable,
> and even a little ragged. Stations where you might even hear
> Ernest Tubb, Bob Nolan & The Sons of the Pioneers, and Hank
> Sr. along with Ag reports and stock notices.
>
> To me, the question has never been the genre but the quality
> - and it's a given that C&W artists these days are less
> about quality than marketability. But a Gold format done
> right - one that highlighted Country's (and Western's) roots
> in Gospel, Blues, Bluegrass, and early American Folk by
> presenting the time-tested legends - that might just be a
> winner. Shoot, I even try never to miss that Saturday
> morning old-time Gospel show on The Ranch. It might not be
> fancy, but it's honest.
>
> Who knows - maybe that's why modern radio has a hard time
> with it.
>
> Jody
>
 
KVET in Austin has the perfect balance of currents & gold, with just enough Texas/local flavor.

If your signal is stout, I think a presentation like that, or the Hank/Indy, Willie/Denver approach is the way to go to be competetive.

One thinsg for sure, the country product is getting better-a lot better.

I know how hard The Ranch, The Range, etc are trying to win in D/FW, but as we all know, if you ain't got the stick, you ain't got the stroke.

Jody reminded us of the "Gold Miner" from WBAP, which reminded me of how KSCS attempted to compliment their programming by selecting those call letters. Don Day should be credited for "Silver Country Stereo"-KSCS, to stand alongside (then) "Country Gold" WBAP.

One other historic tidbit for those not in the know, the WBAP Gold Miner was not mining for solid gold music, as one might think. The concept (by then PD Don Harris) was that the Gold Miner was picking to discover new artists, and fresh faces in country music, or 'golden nuggets'-Come to think of it, I think Don Day was the voice of the WBAP Gold Miner.

I am pretty sure on most of that, then again, I was a kid, and most of the time those guys were tossing me out of the control room.
 
> KVET in Austin has the perfect balance of currents & gold,
> with just enough Texas/local flavor.

KVET is great. Too bad (and thank goodness!) Sammy & Bob are so local--can't be exported. Sammy is a treasure, and Bob is rock solid. An awesome morning show.
 
Would the old KAFM format work in todays market or was that a one time shot? I always liked that mix of country, "progressive country" as it was called back then and southern rock. Most of todays acts are more southern boogie bands than country anyway.
 
> Would the old KAFM format work in todays market or was that
> a one time shot? I always liked that mix of country,
> "progressive country" as it was called back then and
> southern rock. Most of todays acts are more southern boogie
> bands than country anyway.
>
Me, id love to hear more "Real Texas Country",a mix of the newer acts (i.e: Cooter McGraw,Pat Green) mixed in with the old school (Willie, Kinky, Billy Joe Shaver)and a dosing of western swing (Tex Ritter, Bob Wills & The Texas Playboys, The Light Crusted Doughboys,ect..) Think WSM but with texas roots.
 
I may get flamed for this, or I may not...

I really dig KBEC 1390.

It's classic country, and the whole thing has a "small town" feel to it, even though they can cover 8 counties during the day and 3 at night.

I was even considering a job there, at one point... not that they offered, but that I was going to try for one.<P ID="signature">______________
"The only thing that sustains one through life is the consciousness of the immense inferiority of everybody else, and this is a feeling that I have always cultivated."
---Oscar Wilde</P>
 
> > KVET in Austin has the perfect balance of currents & gold,
> > with just enough Texas/local flavor.
>
> KVET is great. Too bad (and thank goodness!) Sammy & Bob
> are so local--can't be exported. Sammy is a treasure, and
> Bob is rock solid. An awesome morning show.

I don't get to Austin nearly as much as I used to nor as much as
I'd like, for that matter. Totally agree with Sammy and Bob.

Question - what's their background and were they on KASE
before KVET came along on FM?
 
> Question - what's their background and were they on KASE
> before KVET came along on FM?


I'm not sure if either was ever on KASE. Both are market veterans who were teamed up after successful individual careers in Austin.

Bob Cole is a seasoned morning man, and Sammy Allred of course is well known for being part of the Geezinslaws:
http://www.geezinslaws.com/
 
> I may get flamed for this, or I may not...
>
> I really dig KBEC 1390.
>
> It's classic country, and the whole thing has a "small town"
> feel to it, even though they can cover 8 counties during the
> day and 3 at night.
>
> I was even considering a job there, at one point... not that
> they offered, but that I was going to try for one.
>
KBEC IS "RADIO". Pure,innocent,non corporate claptrap.The way a station is suppose tpo be, true to its license, serving the community and stil entertaining.
 
I would like to invite all of you to listen to my show on Saturday night on 99.5 The Wolf. Its called Wide Open Country.

Some of the artists that I play are:
ZZ Top
Johnny Cash
Skynard
Cross Canadian Ragweed
Eric Clapton
Jason Aldean
Stevie Ray
Pat Green
Johnny Paycheck
Patsy Cline
The Eagles
David Allen Coe

You get the idea.

Saturday nights 7-12
<P ID="signature">______________

</P>
 
> > Would the old KAFM format work in todays market or was
> that
> > a one time shot? I always liked that mix of country,
> > "progressive country" as it was called back then and
> > southern rock. Most of todays acts are more southern
> boogie
> > bands than country anyway.
> >
> Me, id love to hear more "Real Texas Country",a mix of the
> newer acts

(i.e: Cooter McGraw,

Did you mean Cooder Graw?

By the way, if you're down in Bryan, College Station or Navasota, I work with Lone Star 92.5. We play a lot of the newer Texas acts, along with the classic songwriters- Guy Clark, Rusty Wier, Jerry Jeff, Kinky, and the usual cast of suspects.

Davery
 
Throw in "I Don't Wanna Lay This Guitar Down" and "I'd Have To be Crazy", and you just became appointment listening. Maybe some Amazing Rhythm Aces, too.

A man after my own heart.

Jody

> I would like to invite all of you to listen to my show on
> Saturday night on 99.5 The Wolf. Its called Wide Open
> Country.
>
> Some of the artists that I play are:
> ZZ Top
> Johnny Cash
> Skynard
> Cross Canadian Ragweed
> Eric Clapton
> Jason Aldean
> Stevie Ray
> Pat Green
> Johnny Paycheck
> Patsy Cline
> The Eagles
> David Allen Coe
>
> You get the idea.
>
> Saturday nights 7-12
>
 
> Question - what's their background and were they on KASE
> before KVET came along on FM?
>
Bob Cole grew up in Miami. He worked there, and in Washington DC.
He was Ops Man at Majic 95 in Austin for years, but when he got passed over for GM, he crossed the street and joined KVET/KASE as Ops Man.

Sammy Allred grew up in Austin, formed the Geezenslaw Bros. with 'Son', then moved to New York. They were regulars on Arthur Godfrey's breakfast club show. Sammy also did some work for the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, and put out more than a few records. In the late 60's he moved back to Austin and took a shift at KVET-AM. A personal lapse in the mid '70's led to him leaving radio. Sammy came back to KVET in 1985, and co-hosted mornings with Jim WW Travis. Travis was canned when Cole was brought in, about 1992 I think. About that time KHFI was sold, and became the second LMA in the country, as KVET FM. Sammy and Bob had a rocky start, but by 1994 they were #1, and by 1995 they had a 13.7 share. I don't think the show is as good now as it was 10 years ago, but that's just me. It's obviously working.
g
 
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