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Ive always been a dreamer
12-22-2007, 12:46 AM
I got my Christmas card from my aunt who lives in Nashville yesterday. Along with the card, she enclosed a newspaper clipping from the Nashville newspaper, The Tennessean, that was published shortly after the CMAs on November 12th. I was going to scan it, but then decided to look online to see if I could find it. Sure enough, I was able to locate it here (http://www.thetennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071112/ENTERTAINMENT01/711120387/1055/ENTERTAINMENT).

However, while doing my search, I noticed that the guys have been getting quite a bit of press in Nashville lately. A lot of the press over the last week or so has been centered around whether or not the Eagles should be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Vince Gill was recently quoted as saying the Eagles have influenced more people than Ernest Tubb, and therefore should join him in Country Music's Hall of Fame. This is proving to be somewhat controversial among some of the more traditional country music artists and fans. Here are the links where you can read more about this in articles that were published. You may want to scroll down the pages and read the fan comments as well.

Article 1 (http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007712140370)

Article 2 (http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007712090434)

I actually find this very interesting. Although our guys seem to be embraced by most of country music these days, that was most definitely not always the case. I remember that in the 70's, the band was viewed as long-haired, dope-smoking hippies that were not welcomed by much of the country music establishment who vehemently denied that the Eagles played country music. I guess the times, they are a'changin'!

So what do you all think? Do they deserve to be in the Country Music HOF? Do you think it will happen?

It's funny, but I told DonFan and Soda when we were at the CMAs that I thought that they would be inducted next year. I guess we'll see. I thought most of the opposition had faded away by now though, but apparently not all of it has.

And OBTW - my aunt rocks! :D

sodascouts
12-22-2007, 11:57 AM
Thanks to your aunt for leading to this discovery, dreamer!

Honestly, reading the comments under the article, I can understand why some people are reluctant to induct the Eagles into the country hall of fame. Obviously, the main argument for their induction is how influential they were, and how their early stuff was country-rock. Those arguments are certainly valid.

However, there was a time when they were actively trying to ditch the country label. You can read those old interviews from the mid-to-late seventies where they talk about how they rock now, how they're tired of being classified as country-rock, how that's one of the reasons they hired Felder and didn't mind seeing Bernie go, how they wish people would realize that's not what they're about anymore, etc. etc. That's right, they COMPLAINED about people thinking they were all about country-rock.

Yes, things change. Yes, they are marketing themselves to the country audience hard-core now and reaping considerable financial benefits as a result. But let's face it, ask the man on the street, "Would you call the Eagles a country band?" Nine times out of ten - "The band who did Hotel California? No way!" Why? Because, other than "Take It Easy" and "Lyin' Eyes" (arguably "Best of My Love"), they made their name after deliberately moving away from country-rock.

Obviously, I want our boys to have as many accolades as possible... but maybe this time... some others might be a better fit. JMHO.

katherine5832
12-22-2007, 12:41 PM
I actually find this very interesting. Although our guys seem to be embraced by most of country music these days, that was most definitely not always the case. I remember that in the 70's, the band was viewed as long-haired, dope-smoking hippies that were not welcomed by much of the country music establishment who vehemently denied that the Eagles played country music. I guess the times, they are a'changin'!


Thanks for posting that article, Dreamer. It was pretty interesting to read the StoryChat comments. I think this topic will continue to be controversial especially among the Country music purists. I do think The Eagles were/are definitely more country than many of the country stars that are hot today. Many of them - mostly the women - sound more pop than country.

Reading your comments and the article brought to mind what I just finished reading in To the Limit by Marc Eliot. In his section about the recording and album cover shoot for Desperado, he wrote:
"No matter how great it (the album) may have looked, sounded, and felt to those there, the public didn't buy it. Nor did the critics, who for the most part seemed to underscore what Henley, Frey and Meisner had feared from the beginning, that (Glyn) Johns's production of Desperado sounded too country for rock and too rock for country. The album's commercial failure helped clarify and intensify the ongoing conflict of style between the band and its producer. What Henley and Frey had instinctively known all along, what had identified and united them as rock and roll songwriters, was their shared sense of the idealism of youth, the passion, hopes, dreams, and desires of first loves, and the illusion that everyone will stay together and remain forever young. Country, on the other hand, was all about disillusionment, the failure of all those hopes and dreams, the bitterness of losing those desires, the inevitability of growing old. This was the reason rock stars had to stay youthful to remain relevant, while country stars' presence improved with age. And, thematically and aurally, the reason the album failed as an artistic statement. Predictably, it was seen by rock radio programmers as too heavily tilted toward country, and all but completely ignored by country music radio stations."

I think The Eagles are a very enigmatic band. When I was younger and listening to The Eagles, I always professed to hate country. I don't think I ever really "heard" the country influence in their music (although I remember thinking how strange it was that Michigander Glenn's singing voice was always twangier than Texan Don's). Later, I started appreciating country music and loved Common Threads. That album made so much sense to me and I finally recognized the crossover quality of their music. For a band that, early on, was dismissed by both the rock industry and country industry at one time or another, it is a testimony to their talent that nowadays they are well-respected in both genres.

sodascouts
12-23-2007, 03:26 PM
For a band that, early on, was dismissed by both the rock industry and country industry at one time or another, it is a testimony to their talent that nowadays they are well-respected in both genres.

Well-said!

Ive always been a dreamer
12-27-2007, 06:41 PM
Thanks to your aunt for leading to this discovery, dreamer!

Honestly, reading the comments under the article, I can understand why some people are reluctant to induct the Eagles into the country hall of fame. Obviously, the main argument for their induction is how influential they were, and how their early stuff was country-rock. Those arguments are certainly valid.

However, there was a time when they were actively trying to ditch the country label. You can read those old interviews from the mid-to-late seventies where they talk about how they rock now, how they're tired of being classified as country-rock, how that's one of the reasons they hired Felder and didn't mind seeing Bernie go, how they wish people would realize that's not what they're about anymore, etc. etc. That's right, they COMPLAINED about people thinking they were all about country-rock.

Yes, things change. Yes, they are marketing themselves to the country audience hard-core now and reaping considerable financial benefits as a result. But let's face it, ask the man on the street, "Would you call the Eagles a country band?" Nine times out of ten - "The band who did Hotel California? No way!" Why? Because, other than "Take It Easy" and "Lyin' Eyes" (arguably "Best of My Love"), they made their name after deliberately moving away from country-rock.

Obviously, I want our boys to have as many accolades as possible... but maybe this time... some others might be a better fit. JMHO.

I understand your argument, Soda, but here's the way I look at it. I think that the band is more than worthy of being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame because of the enormous influence that they have had. The country music that we are hearing today is largely due to the influence of the Eagles.

While it is true that the band shied away from the country label in the 70's, we have to remember that the feeling was quite mutual at the time. As I said earlier, the country music traditionalist wanted to completely disassociate themselves from the Eagles. The same was true of Elvis during his heyday. While Elvis was definitely a pioneer, IMO, I don't think his influence on country music had as wide an impact as the Eagles. With Elvis, I think that actually country music influenced him to create the "rockabilly" sound. However, those that followed in Elvis' footsteps ventured toward rock and roll. However, those who emulated the Eagles' country rock sound changed the sound of country music as much or more so than rock and roll.

Today, the band is unquestionably courting the country music market, but this time around, it is mutually beneficial to both the band and to country music. With the legendary status that the Eagles have earned, it has to be very beneficial to the country music industry to be associated with the band.


For a band that, early on, was dismissed by both the rock industry and country industry at one time or another, it is a testimony to their talent that nowadays they are well-respected in both genres.

And Katherine, I totally agree with you here. Also, thanks for digging up that exerpt from To the Limit. I think that in this particular case, Eliot actually gets it exactly right in his explanation for the reasons that Desperado was a commercial failure. I've mentioned this before, but to further illustrate the divide between rock and country music during the 70's, the song Desperado was covered and made a country hit by a country artist named Johnny Rivers. Linda Ronstadt's cover was a hit in the rock and rock genre. The Eagles' version was almost unheard of unless you actually bought the album (which not that many people did).

Brooke
12-28-2007, 10:13 AM
I can certainly see both sides here. Given their "shedding" of country music back in the day, I can see the old hard core's saying no, but you can't deny their influence either. And, there's really no where else for them to go now and get much attention. The younger generation of country music tends to be more rockish.

As far as the money goes, I don't think they need it that bad! Just more icing for the cake!

It will be interesting to see what happens. :shrug:

sodascouts
12-29-2007, 12:39 AM
I can certainly see both sides here. Given their "shedding" of country music back in the day, I can see the old hard core's saying no, but you can't deny their influence either. And, there's really no where else for them to go now and get much attention. The younger generation of country music tends to be more rockish.

True, but the Hall of Fame tends to be about the past. It's not about being a place to go to get attention or an indicator of current trends with the younger generation. However, as you said, the Eagles' influence cannot be denied.


As far as the money goes, I don't think they need it that bad! Just more icing for the cake!

Nah, they don't need it... they just WANT it. ;) And there's nothing wrong with trying to maximize your numbers.