The point that I feel is missing in all these conversations is that no matter what, who, why or when, an artist, a song, a writer, is judged on 15% the song and 85% the networking, personality, and sometimes pure luck, that makes a success. And the bottom line, the music PURCHASING public. That is what you can't fake.

People are judged by personality, attitudes, that is what makes someone want to work with someone else.

Nashville in particular is two things.
The art of the hang.
The art of the referall.

Anyone that succeeds at all has to have a network of friends, co-writers, producers, industry people, that all push that particular person. They have to build fan base. utilize the same tools everyone does. But it can;t be manufactured any more than trends can be created. They can be nurtured and developed with money and power, but they can't be forced on the public.

There are always people that are very deserving yet, never go anywhere. There are those of limited abilities that seem to go everywhere. But when it comes to actual "SALES" that is the bottom line of every thing. There is simply no way to artifically manipulate that, at least for very long. There are flash in the pans, but those are gone very quickly.

It is my opinion that Taylor Swift is going to be one of those that people talk about for a long time. She is VERY smart. And something I have not seen since Garth Brooks. Someone that has engendred respect on almost every level of the playing field, from very experienced writers, very experienced, industry types, very jaded individuals and most of all, with the buying public.

That is my point. You can't fool all of the people all of the time.

MAB