The TV ratings for the Country Music Awards Show were down a whopping 34% from  last year’s  show.  This came as no surprise to me.

I grew up in the days of the big bands like Jimmy Dorsey, and vocalists like Bing Crosby.  That was the type of music appealing to young people in the fifties.  And then, one day, I heard a guy on the radio with a deep, monotone voice, sing, “I walk the line,” and I fell in love with the rhythms of  country music.  After that, I was hooked.  I had a girlfriend who felt the same way, and we would sneak into  music stores where they let you play records for free, and listen to good old Johnny Cash.  Does anyone actually do country music like that anymore? The Country Music Awards Show was a disappointment.

In the glory days of country music at the Grand Old Opera,  there were  no dazzling sets, back up dancers, lighting and hi tech audio.  Just some good old country music stars like Patsy Cline , Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson standing up on a bare stage in front of a microphone tearing our hearts out with their songs of angst, heartache, and things gone bad.

My husband and I  were bored with this year’s CMA show right from the git go.  What really turned us off was the  opening monologue with Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood.   First off, I’m not a fan of the current clingy maternity tops. It’s okay to be proud of your pregnancy, but I don’t see anything aesthetic about a distended belly button.   I know, I’m old fashioned, but I prefer flowing maternity clothes that make a woman appear a bit mysterious,  rather than like she’s got a basketball in her pants.  This is not an appealing  look, folks.  And I hope  it will soon go out of style.

And while I applaud Brad Paisley’s decision not to make political jokes,  his alternative was a bit lame.  Too Much Information about Carrie’s pregnancy, embarrassing and banal jokes about opening a milk bar, etc.  Other awkward jokes about the sex  of the baby, who is the father, etc.  This was inside conversation at it’s worst.  If they didn’t want to talk about politics,  couldn’t they  have come up with  something a bit more entertaining  than Carrie’s pregnancy?

The first act opened with something that sounded more like hip hop than country.   I know, we should have had been patient enough to wait for some real entertainment, but we missed the good old days  when artists didn’t have fabulous  sets, lighting, or so many  bells and whistles  to prop them up.  They just got  and played their instruments  and sang.  You had to have real talent to make it in Nashville.

No wonder Willie Nelson is still going strong.  Hopefully, he’ll be doing concerts until he’s 100!