==== ==== Country music is the most enjoyable to relax and dream. www.countrymusic.web44.net ==== ====
There was a time when all I knew about country music was what was playing on my Top 40 country radio station. I liked what I heard: Vince Gill, Reba McEntire, Garth Brooks, George Strait, Clint Black, and others. However, if it wasn't on the radio or on TNN (The Nashville Network, as it was known back then), I knew nothing about it. I never knew there was a whole group of artists flying under the radar hoping someday to be "discovered." As I started working on my web site, the International Country Music Database, and preparing for my first trip to the CMA Music Festival as a journalist, I discovered a whole list of new country music artists I had not heard of before. There were also names of artists who had disappeared from the airwaves, except for their biggest hits that were played periodically. What I discovered was that there is a whole pool of virtually unknown or forgotten talent that is still vying for the attention of country music fans. From wannabes just starting their career to artists who had their 15 minutes of fame, but are now relegated to obscurity. What was more surprising than this discovery was the fact that these artists were just as talented, if not more so, than the artists I was hearing on Top 40 country radio. I'm not bashing Top 40 radio - I like some of what's on it. My point here is that there are a lot more country music artists out there than Top 40 radio would have us believe. However, that is beginning to change. Independent record labels are popping up all over the place and indie artists are getting more attention. The Internet has opened up the world to independent country music artists. Social networking sites like MySpace, Internet radio stations, niche music sites, and easier ways to get CDs and songs into online stores all work together to help indie artists get their names and music out there. It's not just the online world either. Independent radio stations that are not subject to corporation mandates play what they like, regardless of what label an artist is on (or not on, as the case may be). Also, the overseas market for country music is strong and growing. Again, overseas stations play what they like, not what is dictated. So, the important thing to remember is that there is a larger pool of talent in country music than just what you hear on your Top 40 country radio station. No matter what type of country music you like, from traditional to contemporary, you can find hundreds of unknown artists who are making great music. If you're ever looking for good new country music, dive deeper into the country music pool and check out great indie artists like Sage Keffer, Daniel Lee Martin, Sharmian, Tammy Cochran, Rachel Williams, Todd Fritsch, and Brigitte London, just to name a few. You'll be glad that you did.
Mary L. Duval http://www.icmdb.com The International Country Music Database is your source for country music - past, present, and future. ICMDb supports and promotes new and independent artists while covering all of country music, including the international country music scene.
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==== ==== Country music is the most enjoyable to relax and dream. www.countrymusic.web44.net ==== ====