Yeah, I've never been a fan of the blonde bimbo types that occasionally make a successful record or two. Jessica Simpson definitely fits into that mold. Without autotune, I'm sure she is average at best. Even with autotune, I've never been impressed. There was another bimbo type who bombed out when her pre-recorded track started on the wrong song on SNL? Obviously, a forgetable gal.

No doubt there are too many "pagent alumni" auditioning for Idol these days. There were several last year (and we had bikini girl this year). Like I said above, the producers want the short-term ratings AND the long-term artist. There is nothing wrong with "eye candy" per se, as long as there is talent in addition to that.

It's interesting that looks have become so important...I recently had a young gal ask me to find songs and produce a CD for her (I had never met her). She didn't spend any time telling me where she had been performing (very little experience), but she did mention she had been a runner-up in a "Miss Teenage [something or other]" contest.

The key to success today (assuming you have sufficient talent and perseverence) is marketing. It can easily cost $1,000,000 to launch a new artist, with TV spots, VH1 or MTV videos, posters, radio ads, industry magazine ads, tour support, etc. Someone performing in a local honky-tonk will NEVER have that kind of money unless they find a sugardaddy of some type. That could be a record label, but record labels only want "sure things" nowdays so you have to prove you've already had success on your own before they'll sign you.




Larry
http://www.audibleresponse.com
http://www.myspace.com/larrywilliamsproductions
...now writing/producing with Natascha: http://www.myspace.com/nataschacorrigan