Johnny Cash is putting out a record. Great. There goes our spot on the Americana Chart. Again. Now I certainly don't want to disrespect the departed nor do I have anything against Johnny Cash. Loved his music all my life. Met him once on Waylon's bus after a Highwaymen show. Listened to him and Willie talk about cooking rice recipes in the microwave on a tour bus. Pretty surreal...but anyway it seems that first Townes, now Johnny still come out with a new record every couple of years. The dilemma I see is that all the artists who are out here schlepping around amps from one city to the next and writing new songs are vying for the same spot on the ever so coveted Americana Chart not to mention the new Americana Grammy category.
Seems like there should be a sub-category in each genre for that. Like maybe: A.Living B. Not living (Hint: There is no C).
Just a thought.
Ahhh ... that made me laugh out loud this morning. Sprayed vitamin water everywhere!
ReplyDeleteWe've had this discussion, haven't we?
Weird. I was thinking about this conundrum as I listened to the Cash record in order to review it. It seems to me, that given the way it is being marketed, it should be held to the standards of the pop charts. Not because it's a pop record, but because Johnny Cash is a pop icon in the same way Elvis and Frank Sinatra are and transcend smaller genres and invite audiences outside any single demographic. It seems weird to chain Cash--and thereby do an injustice to--songwriters who are out there working it and who do operate (i.e. are chained), for better or worse to the Americana category. Hell, I think Ray's record should get nominated for a W.C. Handy award (and a Grammy for that matter) for best contemporary blues album.
ReplyDeleteI agree. There should be a posthumous award category if this is going to happen.
ReplyDelete