Some fans not buying country star Garth Brooks reason for not playing inauguration Country music

[pstokely]

Source: Kansas City Star

Brooks, who played at the 2008 inauguration of President Barack Obama, said its always an honor to serve.

This whole presidential thing, weve got one going out pray for him and his family. And for the president going in pray for him and his family to guide this nation, Brooks said. Love and unity, thats what its all about. In the immortal words of Martin Luther King, the most durable power that weve known is love. It will always be that way.

I cant thank the Obamas enough for serving this country, and may God hold Trumps hand in the decisions that he makes in this countrys name as well.

Some of Brooks fans, however, werent happy with his decision or his explanation.



Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article127125079.html

[Feeling the Bern]

1. Screw country music fans. Sorry, lived around them in Arizona. Racist, ignorant

jingoistic xenophobes.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

6. Not to mention mendacious hypocrites.

Country first, nothing comes above the nation. @garthbrooks just couldnt handle it the way @TobyKeithMusic did.

Country first? But only when the Rs are in charge, right?

[paleotn]

14. Rubes.....

I grew up in Nashville, and the majority of my cohort hated it and still do. Music of the great unwashed. As Tom Petty put it, country is a crappy rock band with a fiddle.

[7962]

18. Not quite as bad as rap though; crappy "music" with NO band.

Neither is my preference.

[melman]

32. You're taking the Petty quote out of context

He was lamenting the quality of current commercial country compared to the great stuff of the past.

So when he says 'rock band with a fiddle' he wasn't bashing country as a whole, he was saying the country he hears now isn't really country to his ears.

[paleotn]

40. Maybe not what he meant...

...but I like my context better. Johnny Cash had about as much musical talent as a stump. Maybe familiarity bred contempt in me, but I cannot stand the genre old or new.

[MountainMama]

41. Oooh....

Johnny Cash was a great songwriter and a very intelligent man. He was extremely talented.

Current country music is garbage and has been for years.

[rockfordfile]

49. I like some country music and I agree with Brooks.

[titaniumsalute]

15. Hey thanks

I'm a country music fan and I'm pretty sure I am not a racist, ignorant, jingoistic, xenophobe. Nor is my wife.

[7962]

17. Thank you. I guess its OK to slam an entire group as long as its the "right" group

The hypocrisy of some of the DU members amazes me sometimes

[titaniumsalute]

20. Oh lots of stereotyping here on DU

I know there are certainly some big redneck confederate flag wavers at country concerts...and I stay away from the more hardcore stuff. But I really love the more rocken country like the Zac Brown Band (who travels around the country sourcing local organic foods and then serves about 300 dinner before each concert. Called and Eat and Greet.) I also like Chris Stapleton, Keith Urban's guitar work is amazing. The Dixie Chicks.

[7962]

22. And one of my favorites:

This was live. She hits notes that would make Celine, Mariah, whoever stand up and cheer. Just the build to the end of the song is great.

[LanternWaste]

37. Were it actually ok as you allege, it would not have been called out.

Were it actually ok as you allege, it would not have been criticize more than once on this thread.

Methinks you're getting rather comfortable hanging from the cross you've constructed... just as long as you don't pretend it's oppression as well as martyrdom.

[7962]

45. Maybe you could note the times of most of those other critical posts. After mine.

I'm unable to read minds or see the future.
You havent noticed the eagerness of many here to insult the entire region of the South time & time again in different threads?
Then you havent been paying attention!

[Feeling the Bern]

23. You're not one of my neighbors from Arizona when I lived there before going overseas

Logical fallacy noted.

[Marengo]

35. You wrote "Screw country music fans" Were you only referring to those in Arizona, and only in...

The area of Arizona you lived? If so, perhaps you need to edit that statement to add these qualifiers. As it currently stands, it seems to suggest all country music fans.

[LanternWaste]

38. You certainly like moving the goalposts

You certainly like moving the goalposts, regardless of whether you notice it.

[Feeling the Bern]

47. Nope. . .I lived around them when I lived in Arizona. Statement in my OP

But thanks for playing. Your flamebait is also duly noted.

[IronLionZion]

25. The broader the generalization

the narrower the mind.

[Feeling the Bern]

27. Live around my neighbors in Arizona. . .

[IronLionZion]

31. I have friends in Tucson

they are some of the most radical feminist hippies you'll ever meet. And country fans.

[Feeling the Bern]

34. I was in Marana. . .redneck central. Trumper heaven.

[Marengo]

36. You might want to modify that statement to prevent further misunderstanding.

[Bayard]

30. Oh, I like that!

[Bradical79]

48. Nice flamebait -nt

[dionysus]

50. Screw judgemental broad brushers...

[Drunken Irishman]

2. Brooks is a class act.

[WhiteTara]

28. He just bought property in our little town

and a couple of hotels.

[DonCoquixote]

3. All the same

can we go ahead and actually give Garth books credit for not taking an easy payday? He knows damn well that the country audience is easily weaponized, as his friends the Dixie chicks could tell him. it might be easy to say oh he's got money, what sort of courage does he require?

The same sort of courage it might take no that any number of would be George Zimmerman's, or Dylan roofs might be putting his head or his wife's in the crosshairs. All don't tell me that's not a reality, because the GOP is very effective of making folk heroes out of assassins. sadly it sure doesn't help that a lot of country artist will probably be very happy to join in the dog pile.

if we want support, we need to give support, and as far as I'm concerned, Garth need support. if not, we're going to wonder how come no one is willing to take a risk with us.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

10. "if we want support, we need to give support"

This.

Thanks.

[Cha]

4. "I cant thank the Obamas enough for serving this country.."

That right there is enough for the brainwashed idiots to hate on Brooks.

[Cha]

5. He's losing a bunch of ugly ass brainwashed idiots..

oh well.

[TeamPooka]

7. I think Garth will be just fine in the financial sense. :) nt

[n2doc]

11. Yeah, he's really suffering here

[underpants]

13. Yeah he was in Richmond a few months ago and he could have sold out as many shows as he wanted to

In the article it mentions that the Cincinnati gig got extended to two weekends.
He is just printing money at this point.

Good for him. I don't buy the excuse either but I think it's pretty obvious that he is soft peddling this.

[Judi Lynn]

8. I assumed it would be a big destination for all country musicians. Good to learn he isn't going.

[catbyte]

9. I don't know what the big controversy is. He & Tricia Yearwood have been Democrats & Obama

supporters for years.

[IronLionZion]

26. Some DUers have been deeply prejudiced for years

[ck4829]

12. Ah, the same people who burned CD's of the Dixie Chicks finally speak up

We saw their (lack of) judgment in 2003 and we see it again today.

We really should start using this group as a barometer of how bad something can get.

Because this is just another thing that doesn't make me too enthusiastic about the Trump presidency.

[Nash Teeth]

16. He'll be ok

Most of his fans are beyond the age of buying much music. Today's "country music fans" are mostly millennials and many of them don't care much about politics. Garth doesn't get much airplay on today's "country" radio.

[Dave Starsky]

21. "Country" music today is pretty much bumpkin pop.

Garth, I believe, is easily one of the better performers.

These same fans who excoriated the Dixie Chicks would probably have a stroke if they ever heard "The Man in Black" by Johnny Cash.

[DinahMoeHum]

19. "We Shall Be Free"

Last edited Wed Jan 18, 2017, 01:39 PM - Edit history (1)

[TNNurse]

24. I have an issue with the very last scene in this video.

The brief image of the "stars and bars" bothers me. This great- great granddaughter of a confederate soldier ( I can take you to his grave and show you the marker) WOULD NEVER DISPLAY ANY PART OF THAT FLAG.

[hollowdweller]

29. I like all kinds of music

I don't think what sort of music you like should be a litmus test of what party you are supporting.

I'm not a huge country fan, not the modern stuff at least, but like some of it and bluegrass. Ralph Stanley even did an Obama commercial.

I don't even think your politics should dictate whether I listen to you or not - although I do have a hard time with even hearing Ted Nugent anymore because of all the just mean things he has said

The more we pigeonhole somebody because of where they live, or what kind of music they listen to, or their religion, or what sort of a job they do, the more we play up that difference, the more we allow fence straddlers to fall into the other camp.

I really see too much of this on the DU. To much of the sort of elitism that helped us lose last time and divides our country. We need to keep the door open for people to come in to our party because of our issues. Not push them out because they have a difft culture. We understand this far as immigrants. Not so much rural people.

[Bayard]

33. More division

Yes:

"I really see too much of this on the DU. Too much of the sort of elitism that helped us lose last time and divides our country. We need to keep the door open for people to come in to our party because of our issues. Not push them out because they have a different culture."

The next four years are going to be our best shot at bringing Trump voters over to the light. It may be out of desperation, but we should take support any way we can get it. Not push them away. Think of 2020. We have to start now.

And music--I like everyone from the Dixie Chicks to the Goo Goo Dolls.

[Tikki]

39. I didn't like country music when President Obama was in office and as for division....

no country music fan is coming to our side just because we like their music.

I know a dozen current bands you or they will hate and that is fine by me.

Tikki

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

44. The elitism that helped us lose the last election

to an elite.

There is just as much "elitism" by rural people toward non-rural people as vice-versa. Let's call it cultural snobbery. Ever listen to Sarah Palin? They think they're the "real" Americans.

I have many relatives in various rural areas and most of them and their neighbors and friends think they're better than "city folk." They all love country music and roll their eyes at the music I like.

[7962]

46. Amen!!

[FrodosNewPet]

42. Some rock and roll fans voted for Trump as well

Therefore, rock and roll sucks as well.



I think I will fire up some "Hipster Hillbilly, Rock, and Reggae" on "The Dewberry Jam" (http://am1670.org) and forget about how elitists are driving away voters by giving them an upturned nose instead of a hand reaching out.

[hollowdweller]

43. great country tune

[no_hypocrisy]

51. Brooks obviously concerned/worried about Trump tweeting boycott against him and

his wife's Food Network program.