Cowboy hats losing their cool?

[Duper]

http://www.tampabay.com/things-to-do/music/cowboy-hat-losing-its-cool-among-country-singers/2127687

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Most main stream country artist are pop more than country now day's. They want hits from all people and not just country fans.

 

[job]

I find it funny to hear a country artist sing with a southern accent and speak with a northern one. So to me the western hat seems like they are trying to sell them self or make them look legit. It used to be called country and western music but I don't hear the western any more since John Denver died. As far as southern country goes a baseball cap would seem more fitting.

 

[hatophile]

At least Willie still wears 'em!

 

[AtomicEraTom]

Don't even get me started on how Country music has turned its back on tradition.

They mentioned Shelton and how he used to wear one. His sound also used to be more traditional. His sound and style have both changed and he referred to those who prefer the old ways as 'old farts and jackasses.'

 

[majormoore]

I have for several years been seeing this in the singers of Country music, also when they are winning arwards at major events they dress like they are playing volley ball on the beach.

I pretty much do not listen to counrty music, when I do its the older stuff , what I do like is western, at least those guys and ladies will wear a cowboy hat and they dress looking good.

Major Moore

 

[Edward]

Without venturing into verboten territory, I would suggest there may be an undertone of political symbolism (Toby Keith and such) with which some artists do not with to be associated. That aside, though, I'd suspect a lot of it is simply the nature of the genre changing, as everything does. If the cowboy look is considered a bit naff by a significant chunk of the potential market who might otherwise listen to your stuff, it's no surprise many will ditch it. It's very easy to talk about tradition and integrity, but the reality of the music business and, more particularly, what an audience will buy into is that your visual image is a huge factor - sometimes more important than the sound itself. Most working artists struggling to make minimum wage no matter how talented they are would likely go onstage in a banana suit if it meant getting a break.

Over here, it's a whole different ball game again - the cowboy thing can seem dreadfully fake when Brits do it (on a par with the ska act I saw a few years ago which featuring a middle-aged, white English guy from Essex affecting a Jamaican patois - that's your Northerner singing like a Southerner on speed). Don't even get me started on frickin' jolly line dancers wandering around waving Confederate Battle Flag because "it's sort of a cowboy flag", with not the slightest idea of what the flag really is (and I'm not even talking about ignorance as to it being controversial or making any value judgement on that here).

 

[suitedcboy]

I contend western hats have not lost even one tiny bit of their cool. I think there are just fewer cool people to wear them. I do hope that this turns around.
They can have my hat when they pry it out of my cold dead hands. Wait, they'd better not do that as I will haunt them. I want to be buried with it.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

They failed to mention George Strait still wears one and currently has his 60th #1 hit getting radio play.

Little Jimmy Dickens still knows how to dress like a Country singer.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

Jason Aldean is one of the biggest country stars out there and he wears one. Luke Bryan, his best friend and another country star doesn't. It depends on the person and the occasion.

 

[pjt113]

I agree about the wave of "pop country" being nowhere near what country used to be. I always preferred Waylon Jennings and have recently discovered a group that goes back to hios sound and how country used to be, check out Whitey Morgan and the 78s

 

[Matt Crunk]

If you think old traditional country is dead, listen to Wayne Hancock, Chris Scruggs, BR549, Johnny Dilks, Joel Paterson & The Modern Sounds, Junior Brown and more. You won't hear them much on the radio, but they are out there, putting out new country music just like it was played in the 50s. and 60s. Google them.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

I love BR-549 and Junior Brown. Jamey Johnson has a traditional sound, as well.

 

[johnnycanuck]

I think it can be said that until an artist gets a fan base they have to do what the manager tells them to do. Including how to dress. I know Toby Keith told the press in his early days he was told how to dress for video's, interviews, yadda yadda. Combine that with artists like Taylor Swift and Carry Underwood crossing over to mainstream the money wants them to make top dollar. So if that means no cowboy hats and designer jeans, that’s what it means.
My two cents worth
I still prefer the cowboy hats myself.
Go Trace Adkins.
Johnny

 

[HudsonHawk]

I think this just further illustrates that if you're wearing a hat, of any kind, to project an image rather than for function first, you probably look like a doofus.

 

[1961MJS]

Hi

I thought that an article from a Florida news outlet (newspaper?) on the subject of Cowboy Hats, was a bit out of their league. I don't expect an article on the usefulness of Tuxedo's to get much traction coming out of Idaho for example...

Later

 

[HudsonHawk]

Hi

I thought that an article from a Florida news outlet (newspaper?) on the subject of Cowboy Hats, was a bit out of their league. I don't expect an article on the usefulness of Tuxedo's to get much traction coming out of Idaho for example...

Later

Does Florida's long and significant history of cattle raising and cowboys not count for anything?

 

[1961MJS]

Does Florida's long and significant history of cattle raising and cowboys not count for anything?

Nahhh, not so much that, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky has a lot of farms that raise cattle too. Guys that raise cattle in those states (including the whole South until you get to the Mississippi) are usually considered to be farmers, not ranchers. The cattle drives my grandfather worked in Kentucky were from the back of his field to the loading chute and into the truck.

Cattle Raising doesn't equal cowboy in a lot of ways. I owned cattle, wear a cowboy hat, but I sure ain't a cowboy...

Just my $0.02

 

[HudsonHawk]

Nahhh, not so much that, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky has a lot of farms that raise cattle too. Guys that raise cattle in those states (including the whole South until you get to the Mississippi) are usually considered to be farmers, not ranchers. The cattle drives my grandfather worked in Kentucky were from the back of his field to the loading chute and into the truck.

Cattle Raising doesn't equal cowboy in a lot of ways. I owned cattle, wear a cowboy hat, but I sure ain't a cowboy...

Just my $0.02

In case you're interested in Florida ranch and cowboy history..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g842Z3MbDMM

 

[hatophile]

In case you're interested in Florida ranch and cowboy history..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g842Z3MbDMM

Great video Hudson. The Adams ranch is in my parents hometown of Ft. Pierce, we had family and friends who worked cattle down there.
Way I look at it, Cowboy is a state of mind...