Why Have I Started Watching Award Shows at 40? American Country Awards

I've made it through half my life, plus or minus, without watching or caring about award shows, so why start now?  Since I no longer smoke, drink in excess, or party like I used to before entering the world of suburban family bliss, give me this one stupidity.

The inaugural (everyone seems to be using that word) American Country Awards (ACA) were Monday night. It hasn't gotten good reviews. It was a poorly produced and confusing combination of  award and variety show. The funniest blog coverage that I've read is The 9513's live blog.  If you didn't see the show it probably won't make any sense.  The Boot has a  review up that covers everything. I'm only going to comment on the few parts of the show that stuck with me.

The ACA is an award show where fans voted for their favorite in each category from a list of nominees. This turned musicians into an annoying chorus of self-promoters chanting "Vote for me! Vote for me!" for over a month. Of course, I voted for my absolute favorite, Joe Nichols, and my honorary favorite (because he's MOT), Jaron and Long Road to Love. Alas, neither of them won anything, but show organizers must have been channeling my vibes.  They sent the two of them onto the stage together to introduce someone. As far as award show pleasure goes, Joe and Jaron on stage together is about as good as it gets for me. It could only be improved upon by their singing a duet and then Jaron wishing everyone a Happy Hanukkah.
  
Trace Adkins as host exceeded my expectations, which were very low. Award show host probably isn't a natural role for him. The whole bit where he had two hot busty ladies participating in his silly skits was rather misogynistic but, like the New York Times article "No Sex Please, We're Middle Class" states (somewhere in the middle of the article), traditional and bawdy gender roles are part of country music. Perhaps country music lovers all over are enjoying the physical company of their partners more often because of these antics. We can only hope.

Easton Corbin was a hoot. He was either very excited to win, couldn't hear because of his earphones, or forgot he was on TV.  He shouted his thank yous like at a live concert in a stadium. As far as the "I'm so country and here are my qualifications" songs go, Corbin's "A Little More Country than That" is a charming one. His win for breakthrough artist of the year was deserved and his performance, enjoyable.

Toby Keith was honored for his videos and performed "Bullets in the Gun". (Click to read previous post on the "Bullets in the Gun" video.) If I had to sit and watch all of one musician's videos in one sitting, I'd choose Toby's. I may have come close to doing that on an occasion, so I second the honor.

The Band Perry, three cuties with remarkable hair, won song of the year with "If I Die Young". I was following a number of country music bloggers and fans on Twitter during the show and was surprised how many of them don't like this song. I love this song. It's a beautiful, sad and poetic song. Unlike most country songs, the lyrics are sophisticated enough that they require a few listens to digest. Good for the Band Perry!

I liked the fact that they honored the careers of Rascal Flatts and Alan Jackson, but really didn't like the medleys. I fast forwarded through Rascal Flatt's and cringed through Alan Jackson's, which was unfortunately a bit awkward. Unless it is the Beachboys or Queen, please, no more live medleys.

To the often asked question, does country music really need the ACA, my answer is maybe.  I do think the ACA was much more enjoyable to watch than the CMT Artists of the Year melodrama that was on TV last week. If they do the ACA again next year, it will hopefully be a better produced show.

Oy, They Got Me. Facebook has Changed My Consumer Behavior.

Lately my Facebook page has more posts from bands, musicians, and radio stations than friends.  A friend from my high school class, Seth Goldstein, is an expert and entrepreneur in the area of social media.  He is definitely on the leading edge while I am following far in the rear. He sometimes posts his thoughts on social networking and advertising. Seeing these posts made me realize that people are thinking long and deep about something most of us just consider a nuisance. I say to myself, "He isn't talking about me. I'm never clicking on any of those FB ads. Those advertisers think they've got my number, but they consistently miss the mark." I even had confirmation. A while back, probably because I googled horseback riding lessons, all of the ads on my FB page became horse related.  I'm not a horsey kind of gal. I'm actually a little afraid of horses. These horse related ads persist, months later.

Then, the other day, an ad for Sean Patrick McGraw popped up. I was skeptical but I couldn't resist. I clicked. I listened to the one song I could listen to on his website, "My So Called Life", and the next thing I knew I was spending 99 cents.  I am a very impulsive and loose music purchaser, so let's not overthink this purchase, but I am going to concede that they got me. I even "liked" him. Now today, I see his status is "My So Called Life" hits country radio TODAY. Call your local stations!!" I don't call radio stations to make requests but, dang, I have been sucked right into his little marketing ploy.

I think of the time I bought a t-shirt and koozie from Joe Nichols. He posted something about his website's merchandise sale, like he's doing his fans a favor.   I wanted a t-shirt but he didn't have my size at his concert. I went to his website, found my size, added the koozie (which I do love) and typed in my credit card number. I don't regret that purchase, but I wouldn't have made it if it hadn't been for that post.

Other examples are Toby Keith's "Bullets in the Gun" and Kenny Chesney's "Hemingway's Whiskey", two new albums being released within a few days of each other. I see both artists' posts, or rather, posts by their people. They are promoting their albums ad nauseum and I bought both albums within a week of their releases.  This is very uncharacteristic behavior. Usually I download albums in pieces.

Now, to my surprise, I find myself occasionally voting in a peoples' choice award called The ACAs (American Country Awards).  A few of the nominated artists encourage their fans via FB posts to vote for them at least once every day. I rarely do things like vote in online contests. It requires registering initially, signing in each time, and voting over several pages.  I have always assumed that there is some very obsessive group of fans to whom such tasks were automatically delegated. That was not my job.

I've had enough. I'm about to hide the posts of all of the artists I've "liked" on FB, apart from the ones who do the posting themselves and occasionally say something mildly interesting (and I'm using the word "interesting" loosely).  Dierks Bentley, Jaron, Jason Michael Carroll, Jace Everett and Joe Nichols will make the cut .  The first one to be blocked is Jason Aldean.  "Vote for this. Download this. Buy this. Request this." That's enough, Mr. Aldean. Sing a good song, and I'll listen.

I've successfully avoided the distractions of Twitter but am considering giving it another shot.  I've heard a number of artists talk about how they like communicating with their fans via Twitter and am a little curious. Am I just asking for it?

It's Oct. 29th. The post's title has been changed to reflect that FB is the social networking website I use. So far I've hidden Trace Adkins, Toby Keith, Kenney Chesney, and Jason Aldean.  Now that I'm paying attention, I will applaud Dierks Bentley, The Band Perry and Lady Antebellum for making and effort on Facebook to connect with their fans in addition to their fan's wallets.

But is it Good for the Jews?

Yesterday I purchased and downloaded Jaron and the Long Road to Love's album, "Getting Dressed in the Dark". It's very easy to listen to, shall I say, easy listening. Every song is, at the very least, pretty, which I know isn't what an artist wants to hear, but that's the truth. Pretty songs. The one stand-out song is "Pray for You". It's been on the radio for a while and I understand from something Jaron posted on his facebook page, is now the #1 video on CMT.

The first time I heard the song “Pray for You” I was so surprised. It was one of those moments when I search the faces of other drivers at the stoplight for signs that we are listening to the same thing. Country music has many funny songs, but this one is mean funny. There are also countless country songs that talk about church, preachers and praying, but Pray for You is charmingly irreverent. A few days later I was flipping through a magazine and saw that a guy named Jaron Lowenstein sings “Pray for You”. Of course the MOT bells rang and I nearly plotzed in the checkout line as I heard my Grandmother, of blessed memory, ask “But is this good for the Jews?”

Why would I hear my Grandmother asking that?  If you don't know the song, here's the video. 

Jewish people don’t say “I’ll pray for you.” That’s a Christian expression.  So, as a Jewish person who has lived in the Bible belt most of her life, quite frankly, it made me feel a bit paranoid. What will they think of him, and us, if G-d forbid someone decides he is making fun of Christians. To me it’s obvious that he’s not making fun of anyone but himself, but G-d forbid someone doesn't see it that way. It would be a shame.

I dug around the Internet searching for insight. Very few people seem all that spun up about it. The song has its detractors, but in most of the comment threads I read, the complainers were greatly outnumbered by people who loved the song.  It's a poignant little song. I certainly had a grudge that immediately came to mind when I heard it.  When asked why he used a preacher and church in the song, Jaron has said in an interview that he co-wrote the song with the son of a Baptist minister and jokes that nothing rhymes with synagogue. Well, I am very glad that he was able to find a way to get that song out of his brain and onto the radio. If he had written it in a Jewish context, nobody would have heard it.

Yes! Grandma, it is good for the Jews. Country Weekly gave readers the option to vote for Jaron as Country’s hottest man.  I voted for him four times, using all my husband’s and my email addresses.  There is nothing that would make me happier than seeing his shaina punim on the cover of Country Weekly as Country Music’s hottest man. 

Now regarding the video for “That’s Beautiful to Me”. Why the Santa hat on the lady? Enough with the camouflage Jaron.  Grow some beitzim.