Screw the CMA's

It seems Zach Bryan got arrested tonight.

https://x.com/zachlanebryan/status/1699973491712229796?s=46&t=wVPJyeunUA-4G1zuWq69ug

Ah. Vinita. That explains it.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/zach-bryan-arrested-oklahoma-1234820496/

 

The latest CMA Award nominees were released today. A former student of mine wrote one of the songs that’s nominated for Song of the Year, an award which goes to the songwriter, not the performer.

 

Damn, Maren Morris!!!

“People are streaming these songs out of spite. It’s not out of true joy or love of the music. It’s to own the libs. And that’s so not what music is intended for. Music is supposed to be the voice of the oppressed — the actual oppressed. And now it’s being used as this really toxic weapon in culture wars.”

Maren Morris is getting the hell out of country music: 'I've said everything I can say'

 

The CMAs are being hosted by Luke Bryant and Peyton Manning? I realize its a Disney show now and they are both under contract, but still - why? My guess is Lainey Wilson will probably settle in for about a 10-year run doing it before too long.

 

Can't believe Morgan Wallen is up for Entertainer of the Year just a couple years after being "banned." Also noticed Tracy Chapman won the Single of the Year for Fast Car 35 years after she wrote it. Hers was the only song written by one person, the other nominees were written by three people and the three others by four people. The more people who write a song or a screenplay, the worse it is - I am convinced of this.

 

At last year’s Grammy awards, a song by Beyoncé was nominated. There was a whole slew of songwriters named as the nominees were announced. Bonnie Raitt’s song was also nominated. The lone songwriter: Bonnie Raitt. Even she looked shocked when she won.

 

Multiple songwriters? More like postpadding compilers.

 

Anybody know anything about Buddy Holly? I got into looking him up, and he has co-writing credits with his producer. Was the producer writing everything or was he just taking a cut?

 

Absolutely taking a cut. That’s why Holly stopped working with him.

 

I don't know if country music is any more "country" - but I will say that the genre seems to have been overtaken by artists who sing what they actually feel, unlike the bro-country generation. Nice seeing Wynonna and Alan Jackson on the show.

 

And now, the news!

• Dateline NASHVILLE, where the Oak Ridge Boys have announced that tenor Joe Bonsall’s farewell from their ongoing farewell tour will come immediately. Bonsai, who’s been fighting some sort of a progressive neurological disorder, has announced that he’s at a point where walking is impossible. Singer/songwriter Ben James, whose group Dailey & Vincent has close ties to the Oaks, will replace Bonsall through the scheduled Sept. 15 end of the tour.
• Dateline also NASHVILLE (look, it’s country music, it’s all Nashville, I don’t make the rules here), where John Michael Montgomery has also decided that at the age of 60 he’s ready to step away from touring … but that first he’s got one more tour to hash out.

 

Went to the Oaks final Branson show. They darkened the stage and you could see shadows carrying Joe to a stool. Still had the voice, but sad to see.