OK who of the TBer's are fans of Country music or fans of Nashville session players like Dave Pomeroy, Michael Rhodes, Glenn Worf, Larry Paxton, Jimmie Lee Sloas, etc?
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Country music anyone?
- Thread starter Jason Hale
- Start date
Country fan here, newly a fan, I think part of it has to do wit hteh fact that I"m playing country in a group now...
Jason Hale said:
Country is the last genre I'd play given the choice. To each his own, and I'm glad there are players out there who will play country so I don't have to.
I like country.
I'm currently working thru Keith Rosiers "Lost Art Of Country Bass". Lost of info, great for new players like myself. I've sent an email or two to him, seens like a really nice guy.
I'm currently working thru Keith Rosiers "Lost Art Of Country Bass". Lost of info, great for new players like myself. I've sent an email or two to him, seens like a really nice guy.
I love country music, but I hate the session players. Not through any fault of their own, though. They're great players who probably came to Nashville full of hopes and dreams to revolutionize country music. Then they get there and find out that they have to play meatball sessions where the idea is to get in and get out without calling attention to yourself. And for being able to do that, they are rewarded with 10% of the work available, along with 8 other guys who each get their own 10%, while the remaining 10% is fought over by road musicians who beg the producer to let them play one song.
You know, if they just let the road bands play on the albums, that would be a huge step toward improving today's country music. It all sounds so stale nowadays solely because of using the same guys over and over.
You know, if they just let the road bands play on the albums, that would be a huge step toward improving today's country music. It all sounds so stale nowadays solely because of using the same guys over and over.
While I will agree that much of the music being played on country radio right now lacks variety, that doesn't mean that there aren't great players and good bands out there doing something different. Bassists that immediately come to mind are (as mentioned before) Keith Horne. Check out the Hot Apple Pie disk. He plays funk lines along with traditional country and rock lines, and also takes a SMOKING solo in a cover of the Band song "The Shape I'm In". Another one is Jeremy Plato of Cross Canadian Ragweed. The guy is playing 6 string fretless on everything. Along with Edgar Meyer, who can play the upright like no one I've ever heard.
Players like Michael Rhodes, Dave Pomeroy, David Hungate, amongst others are all monster players too. Players that can convey emotion, and still fit the song in a way that makes everyone else shine while still holding down an incredible groove. Also, check out Mike Chapman, who was able to throw interesting ideas like chords and harmonics into Garth's tunes.
Players like Michael Rhodes, Dave Pomeroy, David Hungate, amongst others are all monster players too. Players that can convey emotion, and still fit the song in a way that makes everyone else shine while still holding down an incredible groove. Also, check out Mike Chapman, who was able to throw interesting ideas like chords and harmonics into Garth's tunes.
Yes I like county music, or as my boss says to me "that redneck sh*t" 
I'm more into the Texsas/Red Dirt music now. Where the Band and Studio band are the same.
My fav. right now is Charlie Hayward from the CDB. Get the CDB live cd-you can hear Charlie's bass lines just cuts threw the mix so well. It would change your mind about the typical country bass line.
I'm more into the Texsas/Red Dirt music now. Where the Band and Studio band are the same. My fav. right now is Charlie Hayward from the CDB. Get the CDB live cd-you can hear Charlie's bass lines just cuts threw the mix so well. It would change your mind about the typical country bass line.
It seems like everytime I really enjoy a bassline in a country song, I look up who played it, and there he is.......Glenn Worf......Good Player.... 
Yeah, well the first-call studio cats can make $250k to over $500k a year. That's because they're a known quantity to the producers, who take a huge risk on new projects. I'm sure they're crying all the way to the bank.JimmyM said:
As Jaco said: "I played in a country band for a year, I had a ball."
I DID play a country gig for a year. The players were all top notch. I rarely had to play the root-fifth two feel, instead, I had to play a lot of shuffles and do a lot of walking. As someone who was all about King Crimson at the time, it totally helped me to become a solid groove player.
The best part for me, was that the vocalist went down to Nashville one weekend to do a 3 song demo. The following Tuesday, she handed the band discs with the new songs to learn. I asked "who played bass?" and she said "Willie Weeks."
I DID play a country gig for a year. The players were all top notch. I rarely had to play the root-fifth two feel, instead, I had to play a lot of shuffles and do a lot of walking. As someone who was all about King Crimson at the time, it totally helped me to become a solid groove player.
The best part for me, was that the vocalist went down to Nashville one weekend to do a 3 song demo. The following Tuesday, she handed the band discs with the new songs to learn. I asked "who played bass?" and she said "Willie Weeks."
JimmyM said:
That's an intersting take on things. I don't know all of the ins and outs of Nashville politics (though, I've always thought that the more interesting Country comes out of Texas), but it seems to be filled with a bunch of conservative old guys who want to do everything by the book and not change anything.
I remember when New Grass Revival (Bela Fleck's old band!) came out, and the bass player couldn't get any respect because he played electric. That was a shame too, because he was a smoking player.
The best part about playing country is holding down these other phenomonal musicians. It's helped my groove and being well rounded so much!
The lap steel, guitarist, drummer, and piano player I play with all make me feel insignificant!
Country is a genre where on bass, less truly is more. And if you're not sincere while you're playing hte music, I think people can *feel* that. I think sincerity is a big part of convincing an audience through your playing. If they see you enjoying it, I think they will!
The lap steel, guitarist, drummer, and piano player I play with all make me feel insignificant!
Country is a genre where on bass, less truly is more. And if you're not sincere while you're playing hte music, I think people can *feel* that. I think sincerity is a big part of convincing an audience through your playing. If they see you enjoying it, I think they will!
Country may not be my most-favorite thing to play, but I've payed for a potload of gear playing it. It's really about the only reliable gig around here where I am. Plus, you can throw in enough classic rock to keep it intersting.
dcr
dcr
