Mission Statement
Blog, Holla!
Hello and welcome to my blog: City Girl, Country Girl. This blog is about the city, as I live in one, Jersey City (population 240,055), which is a stone’s throw from New York City (no explanation needed) and it is also about country, the music that is. Are these entities completey contradictory? We’ll find out!
Country music is currency in the current “culture wars” that the United States is supposedly fighting. Country music is a Republican thing, a rural thing, an uneducated thing, or so it seems according to popular opinion. (How many times have you heard someone say “I like all music, except country” — what are they really trying to tell you?)
To be fair, some country artists and fans gleefully affirm this image (Toby Keith, Montgomery Gentry, I’m lookin’ at you), while others virulently reject it (ahem, the Chicks). However, I suspect, most aren’t really creating music for either purpose and are unfairly grouped with the conservative camp. The truth is that country music has always openly discussed political and social issues and has never been easily labeled as either liberal or conservative. It’s a musical genre, not a political party affiliation.
So, the NYC metro area is allegedly a bastian of liberalness. It also boasts some of the best live music venues and the selection of record stores might blow your mind but…
Is there country in the city?
January 21, 2007 at 11:02 pm
Hello CGCG-
Well, I just read your mission statement and wanted to let you know that out here in the hinterlands (all the red states!) there are lots of progressive country music fans. Your perception is correct, the popular image is not.I live in NC and we are awash with liberal country/hippie friends. We also have Bluegrass here which has been called ‘God’s Country Music!’
I have to say that I have also seen some of the best Bluegrass and Country shows ever in small clubs in NYC. Brooklyn, especially, seems to have lots of small clubs with small stages where you can see a banjo or a cowboy hat right before you head outside to get 24 hour Thai food and then catch a taxi. Gosh, I miss that. I don’t get to the big city much anymore (work and kids) and so tend to see house concerts or the rare, daytime kid-friendly show. Someday!
Cynthia
June 16, 2007 at 2:03 am
Hey, nice blog. I don’t agree with the perceptions that you mentioned above, but I guess to some people, perception is reality. Radio stations don’t think country is for the uneducated. Studies have shown country listeners have high education and disposable income. I have a blog — http://www.countrystandardtime.com/countrymike. Do you think we could have reciprocal links?
November 15, 2007 at 7:22 pm
I enjoy the style you present on your blog: nice, compact nuggets of country. That said, I’m a kicked out on my *** former country columnist for a local newspaper. Trying to get the thing going again, because I miss it, in blog form. I hope we can exchange links…
Take care,
Grant
December 15, 2007 at 9:24 am
very interesting, but I don’t agree with you
Idetrorce
December 17, 2007 at 2:49 pm
Hi there,
Can you drop me an email, I wanted to discuss a possible writing project with you,
Thanks,
Colleen
December 18, 2007 at 12:39 pm
May I ask, have you guys checked out or posted famous record producer Don Was’ (Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, B-52’s etc) new video channel at MyDamnChannel.com?
Let me know what you think, good or bad…and if you can do a post on it?
What can I do for you? Would love to hear back from you today..
He records/films seasoned americana/blues/songwriter artists professionally and releases the MP3 free on MyDamnChannel.com. Revenue from advertising is split with said artists.
http://www.mydamnchannel.com/explore.aspx?channel=59
My Damn Channel was in the L.A. Times yesterday and Time Magazine recently!
Thoughts on our site?
Thanks.
January 18, 2008 at 1:01 pm
Hi there!
I run an online promotions company in NY. I wanted to touch base with you about the bands that we’re working with as I think you may really like some of our clients. I’d love to send you over some mp3s and perhaps physical promos as well.
Can you get in touch with me please?
Thanks!
Hope to speak to you soon.
Marni
March 5, 2008 at 7:36 pm
Hi. My name is Heather Williams. I am also a country girl living in NJ!
I have just started my own country music blog. Please contact me! I would love to talk.
Heather
March 6, 2008 at 5:59 pm
Hi. My name is James Ihira and I work for an online marketing firm that handles a lot of Country artists that you may like. Please email me if you’re interested in receiving online assets as well as albums for review.
Thanks,
James
March 13, 2008 at 11:56 am
I just wanted to invite you to create a profile for for City Girl, Country Girl Blog on http://www.digitalrodeo.com. We a country music social network dedicated to the country music culture. We have thousands and thousands of country music fans and artists and we would love to have a profile for your blog on our network. Let me know if you have any questions.
Alex
May 2, 2008 at 1:45 pm
Hi CGCG, could you take a second to let me know how to contact you regarding music? Cheers!
May 7, 2008 at 2:47 pm
I, too, am interested in getting your perspective on some country artists! Send me an email and we’ll go from there!