Vince lost his record deal, he's going to be working more with the Time Jumpers, they're moving from the Station Inn to 3rd and Lindsey, a bigger venue with more parking. I believe he's positioning himself to be the new big fish in Americana. I predict that gradually Americana will move into the place where Country used to be, saleswise. Country now has picked up the market that pop abandoned, the light rock guitar oriented pop stuff. Americana will pick up Country. It's all a market shift. There are probably as many people today buying rootsy country as there were back in the 80's when everyone was complaining that country went pop. They just call it Americana.

We have a stronger "real" country scene in Nashville than ever before. It used to be two or three trad country dance venues in the area, now there are six or eight of them. We have the major trad country radio station in the world, WSM, doing better than ever. When I play a Midnight Jamboree on WSM, the theater is full, that's about 400 people.

Country isn't dead, far from it, you just won't hear it on so called "country" radio.

Here are some resources.

http://www.hillbilliesville.com/

http://www.thealternateroot.com/

http://americanamusic.org/

http://home.mindspring.com/~stever/

http://www.dhcountrymusic.com/

As more stars such as Gill move into Americana, and as more new artists, such as Jack White and the Civil Wars make inroads into the mainstream music business with roots and country sounding music, Americana will eventually become more mainstream. Then folks will be saying "I remember when Americana Music wasn't just a bunch of commercial garbage."

And it goes on.

You've got to know your limitations. I don't know what your limitations are. I found out what mine were when I was twelve. I found out that there weren't too many limitations, if I did it my way. -Johnny Cash

It's only music.
-niteshift

Mike Dunbar Music