Question:
I'm still a kid, but im serious about becoming a country music star, any ideas how?
Smiles :)
2009-12-19 16:45:01 UTC
I've taken piano, guitar, and vocal lessons and ive currently written 20 or so songs. i still need to choose collage classes, along with high school. But if anyone is close to being a pro or knows how to get to that point, please tell! thank you so much!
Six answers:
?
2009-12-19 20:06:12 UTC
First and foremost, if your desire is to be a STAR, forget country music and go into acting. People in the Country Music Hall of Fame didn't get there setting out to be a star -- they were MUSICIANS who absolutely HAD to get their music out of them. Chet Atkins said he would have gladly PAID people to listen to him -- the thought of them paying to hear him never entered his mind.



Secondly, forget about it NOW. Be a kid, for crying out loud. Read about so-called "child stars" and how, universally, their biggest regret was that they never got the chance to be just a kid.



Then the usual rules apply:



1. If you want to be a COUNTRY singer, SOUND COUNTRY. DO NOT sing rock or pop and try to pass yourself off as a country singer.



2. And while you're at it, develop your OWN sound. DO NOT try to be "the next (whoever is hot right now)" because by the time you're heard, discovered, signed, and recorded, whoever is hot will be a feature on the "where are they now" segment of "Entertainment Tonight."



3. In regard to the earlier remark about taking time to be a kid, get some books on the industry and biographies or autobiographies of country performers and see just what they had to go through. When you see what a racket the industry is anymore -- you're told how to dress, what to sing, when to sing it, and probably when to announce you're breaking up with someone -- you may not want it. Look at what Tiger Woods is going through right now. Celebrities have their every bowel movement analyzed anymore by the ever-prying media. That isn't polite, but it IS, unfortunately, the truth.



4. Stay where you are and develop a following there. If you cannot impress the home folks, no one is going to be interested in Nashville.



5. Speaking of Nashville, DO NOT move there. The idea of waltzing into town and getting a record deal only happens in the movies, it does NOT happen in real life. On that subject, do not send demos to the record company because they will end up in the trash can, unopened; or, if the receptionist is feeling particularly generous that day they will mark "refused, return to sender" on it and send it back to you.



6. Be ready for rejection, and LOTS of it. Remember, the Beatles, the biggest band in rock music history, was rejected by every single label they auditioned for the first time around, and they ended up on a tiny label named Vee Jay because no major label wanted them. Jim Denny, the Opry manager, told a guesting singer that he should go back to driving trucks because he would never make it in music. The "truck driver" Denny told off was Elvis Presley. Both Homer & Jethro and the Carter Family were told to fire their guitar player if they wanted to become members of the Opry because Opry management didn't like him. The guitarist in question was Chet Atkins. It happened to the absolute best, so it's going to happen to you.



7. Remember the odds. Less than 1/10th of 1% of all the people who "want" to be discovered ever get heard. Of those who do, 1/10th of 1% of them get a second listen.
Sonny
2009-12-19 18:06:51 UTC
I'm not a pro nor near to it it's more a hobby for me... Some friends and I had a band in high school and we went around preforming at restaurants and social events it was a lot of fun i completely see why you'd want to make it your career. I think it's great you've found something your passionate about and actually enjoy so many of us get stuck at dead end jobs we hate. If you really wanna try and make it big never give up on your dream. Keep practicing and stay strong...

To help you out there is a show called Nashville Star i don't know if you've heard of it but it's like american idol for country artists... if you really want to do it then I'd say look into maybe getting an audition on the show... Here's the website link check it out and best of luck to you!

http://www.nashvillestar.com/
?
2016-03-02 06:01:26 UTC
I guess I am an outsider too but I like to read the questions and answers in the Country Music section to learn a few things and share opinions. I'm not great on the "history" questions but do remember some of the old time greats. I like many of the new, young country singers too. I've enjoyed listening to country music my whole life. I could care less about points, stars, thumbs up, thumbs down. You know this isn't real life? It's just a pleasant way to pass the time. You never said why you come to the Country Music section. Please do tell!
cohibasafterdark
2009-12-21 01:34:12 UTC
Start putting your stuff on myspace and youtube. When you get older, get shows downtown at bars and stuff. If you put in your time, maybe you'll have a chance. If you can get enough studio time for an EP, a lot of country radio stations have a local music program that you could try and get on. Really it's a lot of luck to go beyond that.



When you write, don't write filler. You don't "need" any certain kind of song. Trying to write an "I miss high school" song or a "break up" song just because lots of other people do is a waste of time. You need to focus on writing quality, personal lyrics. If there's anything you can learn from Taylor Swift, it's how to write. Thematically she's made fun of a lot because she writes for teen girls, but that doesn't detract from her writing ability. Stay away from pop country sounds though. Follow other people's advice and stay more traditional.
2009-12-19 16:56:46 UTC
make sure you actually sound country. Don't be pop like taylor swift and pretend to be country....you would be one of the first in a while and maybe true country music will be in style again.
Rescue & Foster Mom
2009-12-19 19:42:42 UTC
Immerse yourself in the classics.



To name a few:

George Jones

Merle Haggard

Waylon Jennings

Jessie Coulter

Patsy Cline

Tammy Wynette



The people who usually have the longevity of a country music career have all been influenced by the greats (not by TS or CU).


This content was originally posted on Y! Answers, a Q&A website that shut down in 2021.
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