I accept the argument that what I consider "good" is poisoned by my upbringing. I had limited "genrical" exposure to music as a child (bluegrass and classical), discovered rock 'n' roll late in thre 1960s, played with a bluegrass band three of whose members came from rock backgrounds, and have grown over time to appreciate country music especially for the writing. I still think most of today's music is c**p.

And I blame mostly the *process*. There was definitely c**p being written 50 years ago, and 30 years ago, but not that much of it made it to the radio or to the record stores. There were filters, in the form of all those local DJs at all those local radio stations, that made sure good stuff did get exposed and promoted, and we mostly don't have that mechanism any more. Instead, playlists are controlled by people who aren't necessarily interested in talent, and may be more interested in protecting the work of people they control, and I think what you hear on the radio is the result.

And of course I could be dead wrong. I'm an outsider who is occasionally bothered by rejection, and that mindset is fertile ground for conspiracy theories, as you probably know. I just see a lot of talent (I even know some of it) that can't get any attention, and used to be able to. And (my opinion) a higher percentage of that stuff is good than what you hear on the radio or find on commercial records.

That's not to say I have a solution. I don't. I have simply voted with my feet. I would rather attend--even pay money for--a performance by some of that Unrecognized Talent, and I would rather spend money on *their* records. Because *I* think the material is better. And after three years, I still have not bothered to learn how to turn that Idiot Japanese Radio on in my car.

And I agree with The Foot about bluegrass music. (Of course. I grew up on it. For those who didn't, as Bill Clinton used to say, I feel your pain.)

Joe

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