Re: Country music stands on the war (and radio)

["Dan Billings" <billings@suscom-maine.net>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Dave Faneuf" <tklaundry@juno.com>
To: <raccoonradio@yahoo.com>
Cc: <boston-radio-interest@bostonradio.org>
Sent: Friday, March 14, 2003 1:33 PM
Subject: Re: Country music stands on the war (and radio)


> I would also
> speculate that stations jumping on the Chicks free weekend etc are doing
> it more for the publicity than to punish Maines for her political view.

I agree with Dave on this one.  It's a publicity stunt.  I never understood
dropping Cat Stevens songs.  If the music is good and your audience likes
it, play it.

This is an interesting issue.  There is a long history of politics being
tied up with music.  Rock in the 1960's and 1970's often represented
counterculture views and some country music was put out at the time
supporting more traditional views.  Then there was Johnny Cash, who took
liberal stands on the Vietnam War and prisoner rights and didn't seem to
hurt his career.  I wonder how a pro-war rock song would have been received
at the time?  I'm sure many stations would have refused to play it.

In this case, the statement was made by a group that has not taken political
stands in their songs.  (Unless you consider "Goodbye Earl" as an
endorsement of vigilantism.)  It's one thing to go to a Joan Baez concert
and her political statements from the stage, but most people wouldn't expect
it at a Dixie Chicks show.

Music that takes political stands also usually reflects the political views
of its audience.  The rock music of the 60's reflected the views of its
audience.  While I don't have any data to prove it, my guess is that country
music listeners are more likely to be supportive of the President and his
policies.  As a result, the Dixie Chicks are more likely to see a backlash
than if they were a rock act.  (I know the Chicks are a cross-over act but
their core audience is still country.)

If Maines simply made an anti-war statement, I don't think there would have
been much publicity.  The statement she made was a personal, partisan attack
on the President in a foreign county.  I would have more respect for her if
she made the remark at a show in Dallas.  Instead, she was in London playing
to the crowd.  She's entitled to her views but she could have made her point
in a better way.  Imus, one of the group's early supporters, was calling her
a "fat toad" on his show this morning.  Considering the tone of her remarks,
that seemed like an appropriate response.

-- Dan Billings, Bowdoinham, Maine