Tony's Page

 

 

What is happening to 'Country Music' ?

That's the question everyone seems to be asking.

My opinion and I stress my opinion only is you don't go to a Jazz club to listen to Rock music, you don't go to a Folk club to listen to Country music so why do people have to put up with listening to pop music and electric Irish music at Country Music Clubs?

Pop music is fine but please keep it where it belongs.

We've all been there, seen the large stage with a beautiful BIG flag as a backdrop stating quite clearly the name of the club followed by the letters CMC. To me that means the music I am going to hear in the breaks is country music, be it old country or new. I certainly don't expect to hear the Scissor Sister's or indeed any form of 'Bubble Gum' music.

Recently I was talking to a DJ who was wearing Cowboy Boots, a Stetson bought in Texas, a western shirt bought in Nashville, and said he had met just about every famous country music artist living. What he didn't know about country music was not worth knowing (or so he thought).

This same man was the clubs DJ who had two half hour spots to fill in during the evening. I heard three country music songs being played, the rest were diso/pop bubble gum music.

I approached him later and said "I thought you were a Country Music Fan", he said "It's what they want". I said "who wants", he said "those four ladies sat over there".

It would seem that out of a room of 200 people who were mostly country line/partner dancers a few were dictating what the DJ was playing.

Why are we allowing these people to jeopardize our beloved country music?

Firstly the choreographers could help us out here. Surely they could choose a good piece of country music with the correct tempo to write their dances to.

Secondly the instructors could insist on only teaching dances that have been written to country music.

Thirdly the DJ's should state that as they are at a country music venue they will only play country music songs in the intervals.

We've proved that this can work. Anyone who has ever joined us on one of our holidays be it abroad or in the UK know that we insist the teacher only teaches to country music (and the odd fun song), also the DJ only plays country music in the breaks.

This is not only my point of view. Speaking to fellow artists' and country music fans the length and breadth of the UK the majority of people feel as I do.

By all means, line dance to Pop (bubble gum) music, but please don't do it under the umberella of a country music club. Invent your own club and call it a Popular Music Line Dance Club. You will attract all the right people and our country music clubs will once again be filled with country music fans.

The most popular album we've made to date is 'Keeping the Peace'. The song 'Voices of the Highlands' in included on this album. Such a strong piece of music that the country music line and partner dancers along with country music fans took to their hearts.

We are so grateful to Pete Cranwell and John Sharman for taking the music and choreographing such a wonderful line and partner dance to it.

Our original intention of recording 'Voices of the Highlands' was as a dedication to all our friends in Scotland. We are just so pleased everyone still enjoys it.

Please don't think I am knocking line dancing, I am NOT. We love the line dancers, partner dancers, regular dancers and listenders alike, as long as they are country music fans. So many of our friends are line or partnerdancers its the quality of the audience that is important. I feel so strongly about this subject. Techno dancing should not be labelled as country music or we could loose it.

'That's my opinion, but who am I, just a grumpy old steel player.

Feel free to voice your opinion on this subject of indeed any other topic. Go to the home page and click on the book, I look forward to hearing from you.

 

NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT

As many of you know I achieved by pilots wings on 7th August 2007.

I decided I wanted to be a pilot as far back as when I was five years old. I used to watch the Vampire's, Meteor's, Canberra's and Chipmonk's fly over my home in awe.

I was involved in my teens with building and flying model aircraft which gave me so much pleasure. Then music came along! The aircraft took a back seat until I was 55 years of age.

Angie gave me five one hour lessons in a Microlite for my 55th birthday. I was HOOKED.

I bought and studied all the books necessary to pass the five exams needed. That coupled with many hours of flying ensured I passed when taking my final GST test.

Click on the pictures above to get more.

We enjoyed many hours flying the C42 aircraft (pictured above) but I felt the need to move on to a more advanced aircraft.

I formed a new partnership with one of my friends (not the sort of partnership I've got with Angie Ha! ha! more the flying type, at least with Pete I have 50% of the say in everything).

Pete Watson and I are now the proud owners of a wonderful CTSW pictured below.

For more infomation on this Aircraft follow the link below

http://www.pmaviation.co.uk/ctsw.html

 

 

Pete & Tony posing with CTSW G-SAAA

 

 

G-SAAA on you tube click below

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hhBS7NTG24

If you want to learn fly follow the link

http://www.aaa-microlight.co.uk/