LOST HIGHWAY
by ESCOTT C
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Book Summary Information
Author: ESCOTT CEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Published)
Format: Bargain Price
Published: 2003-09-17
ISBN: N/A
Number of pages: 192
Publisher: Smithsonian
Book Reviews of LOST HIGHWAY
Book Review: With Country Music ,the past is the future.
Summary: 5 Stars
Colin Escott gives us the what,when, where, who, why and wence of Country Music in this excellent book that tells it all;by someone who knows about as much about the subject as anyone.Escott has also written other books,"Hank Williams-the Biography" (see my review dated October 23,2003) and "Hank Williams-Snapshots From the Lost Highway" (see my review dated October 4,2003 )which are also excellent. Another book, "Lovesick Blues" by Paul Hemphill,(see my review dated July 12,2007) is also excellent.
In this book ,Escott traces the history of the music we have come to love, under the large umberella of Country Music.He goes right back to the beginning,covers the different artists and all the different forms and of course;the music and songs themselves.More than that,he shows how and why changes took place. Some of these changes were made by the artists,but many were made by the "industry". In many cases ,the people who had control,made changes that were in their interests as opposed to the interests of the artists and partitularly those of the fans. They said ,this is the way it's going to be whether the fans like it or not---often the fans didn't,and many walked away.
Country Music fans have alwys been open to change and have embraced many forms;When "the business" pushes aside what the fans want,and gives them something they don't want,usually for what they think will be monetaty gain with new audiences;they have failed.
Escott sums it up pretty well with this;
"Honky-Tonk music has gone in and out of vogue ,(with the industry) but in times of crisis country music has retreated to its honky-tonk roots.Drinking songs,cheatin' songs,and beer hall shuffles were the white man's blues.And,like the blues,honky-tonk music is profoundly adult music.Whenever country music chases the youth dollar,its honky-tonk roots are the first to go,but whenever it tries to rediscover its greatness and uniqueness,honkey-tonk reappears."
This book is both a clebration of the strange,raw spirt of authentic country music and a critique of the bland,soulless product that often passes for country today.
Country Music fans know what they like ,it's Hank Williams,Hank Snow,Merle Haggard,Webb Pierce,Jim Reeves,Red Foley,Bobby Bare,June and Johnny Cash,Loretta Lynn,Tammy Wnnette,George JonesHank Cochran,The Carter Family,Bill Monroe,Patsy Cline,Willie Nelson,Ray Price,Marty Robbins,Conway Twitty and a host of other great songwriters ,singers and musicians.
Authentic Country Music is still what the fans want;and the soundtrack to "O Though"Brother Where ArtThou" sold millions and left the industry scratching their heads.
The fact that Shania and Garth Brooks and many of the stars today,may make a lot of money;they just don't capture the countriness in country music.
This book does an excellent job of capturing how I feel about Country Music and is why I return to my old favorites and by and large pass by most of the stuff coming out of Nashville today.
Thanks Colin;and if "they" won't give us what we want;we know where to find it.Is it any wonder,as much as I love Country Music:I seldom tune in to the Grand Ole Opry these days?
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