Prince re-invented country. He took it to a whole higher level. Country was nearly dead till Prince came along.
He stripped it down and made it his own.
I've heard top country stars give props (they call them hee-haws) to Prince.

There would have been no Billy Ray Cyrus if it weren't for Raspberry Beret. Prince opened up the pop charts for country music, and noone gives him credit for it!

He even made a whole country album - that's why it's Vainandy's favourite!

Flowers2 said:

Oh, I think the bluegrass version kicks major ass. And I love how the crowd is enjoying it - cuz you know they aren't purple types.

Genesia said:

.. those guys went to solo'in .. and i was 'get the heck outta here' ..that was awesome

wasitgood4u said:

I have been saying this for years!

Hehehehe... I just saw the video. I didn't recognize the song until he started singing. It was alright. I am not a big Bluegrass fan though, so my critque is worthless.

Flowers2 said:

Real music by real musicians. Yee-haw!

You know, I really was trying to avoid doing this but it's gotten to the point where I can't ignore it anymore. What's going on in the Jessica Simpson forums has pushed me to my breaking point.

Not telling anyone else how to think. Like all things Prince-related, everyone has an opinion. Like the one I keep hearing lately about how The NPG wasn't "country." Or was so much less "country" than later incarnations of his band. Or when I hear another artist being put down for not being as "country" as Prince.

Well here's the deal I'd like to discuss now.

Prince isn't that "country". Not in the purest definition of the genre. Sure he likes to throw the word "y'all" around, but in the PUREST sense of the genre he's not even taken that seriously.

Short of playing a white-washed tune like "Willing & Able" at the Super Bowl several years ago, no one in Nashville takes Prince seriously from a "country" standpoint. To be blunt, he's a joke in the real "country" camp. He's LAUGHED AT. He's respected as a musician, and for having a lengthy career, but Prince is so fucking far from the "standard bearer" for country that's it's not even funny. I'm not pulling this opinion out of my ass (although I know I'm going to get accused of doing just that). I'm in New York and know and have talked to quite a few heavy hitters over the years who are main-stays in the country community and Prince isn't taken seriously with these guys AT ALL.

I mean short of borrowing some boots from Willie Nelson, as well as some guitar inflections from ZZ Top, in the TRUEST sense of the genre, how is Prince really that "country?"

So explain to me how to some of you, Prince became the "keeper of the country"?

What the hell is this thread about?? Somebody from the country must have started this.

have to say that was some damn fine blue grass... would love to see them.
I saw the clip playing live in star wars outfits..
anyone else notice the 'spinal tap' method used to fill out han solo's pants?

[deleted] is the group, if your still trying to work it out

Duh, like any discussion about Prince being '(more or less) country' does make any sense...

I mean: Purple Rain, The Same December, The One U wanna C... thats all there is, nothing more, only three songs that have a slight country vibe (Nope, Raspberry Beret is no country, but pure pop).

Its as silly to discuss Prince as a 'reggae' artist based on the songs: Ripopgodazippa, Blue Light and some parts of I rock, therefore i am.

Stupid.

Some just dont see the humor in this thread.

I would like to see him do a diddy of Lets Go Crazy and us gathered around aa campfire with straws in our teeth

toots said:

Humor? Well, I'm gat darn serious. I think that boy can shred a fiddle. He's such an under rated fiddler. Yee haw! Gud Gawd!

People always talk about his influences...jimi this and beatles that. Well what about Willie gatdurn Nelson? Why do people ignore him? P even used his name as an homage to him.
[Edited 8/29/08 12:22pm]

Flowers2 said:

You think I'm kidding! There really is a bluegrass version of When Doves Cry. I just wish I could remember the name of the group that did it...

To be blunt, he's a joke in the real "country" camp. He's LAUGHED AT. He's respected as a musician, and for having a lengthy career, but Prince is so fucking far from the "standard bearer" for country that's it's not even funny.

Once again, I am overplaying my nerd card here. However, saying that Prince is "not country" is a bit like the folks in the town of Smallville saying Superman isn't country. Just because Clark Kent has moved to Metropolis and wears a suit and tie to work doesn't mean that he he isn't still somewhat of a farmboy from Kansas. Same thing with his royal badness.

Prince is from Minneapolis. Minneapolis is a cute, hip, city. However, just outside of the city limits are farm fields and things tend to get a bit "down home", what with all the passion for fishing, hockey, and hunting. Bottom Line: Prince cannot ignore his roots. He is a bit country.

thanks for the laughs viewaskew

Genesia said:

I think you're referring to The Be Good Tanyas. They're a cool group. I never heard their version of When Doves Cry, but apparently it's pretty good. If anyone's interested, here they are doing one of their own songs.

Genesia said:

I think you're referring to The Be Good Tanyas. They're a cool group. I never heard their version of When Doves Cry, but apparently it's pretty good. If anyone's interested, here they are doing one of their own songs.

midnightmover said:

.. that's not the group with the bluegrass version... it's another group.. but cause of Mr.Web Sheriff hanging about .. we cant say

Once again, I am overplaying my nerd card here. However, saying that Prince is "not country" is a bit like the folks in the town of Smallville saying Superman isn't country. Just because Clark Kent has moved to Metropolis and wears a suit and tie to work doesn't mean that he he isn't still somewhat of a farmboy from Kansas. Same thing with his royal badness.

Prince is from Minneapolis. Minneapolis is a cute, hip, city. However, just outside of the city limits are farm fields and things tend to get a bit "down home", what with all the passion for fishing, hockey, and hunting. Bottom Line: Prince cannot ignore his roots. He is a bit country.

thanks for the laughs viewaskew

Once again, I am overplaying my nerd card here. However, saying that Prince is "not country" is a bit like the folks in the town of Smallville saying Superman isn't country. Just because Clark Kent has moved to Metropolis and wears a suit and tie to work doesn't mean that he he isn't still somewhat of a farmboy from Kansas. Same thing with his royal badness.

Prince is from Minneapolis. Minneapolis is a cute, hip, city. However, just outside of the city limits are farm fields and things tend to get a bit "down home", what with all the passion for fishing, hockey, and hunting. Bottom Line: Prince cannot ignore his roots. He is a bit country.

thanks for the laughs viewaskew

Duh, like any discussion about Prince being '(more or less) country' does make any sense...

I mean: Purple Rain, The Same December, The One U wanna C... thats all there is, nothing more, only three songs that have a slight country vibe (Nope, Raspberry Beret is no country, but pure pop).

Its as silly to discuss Prince as a 'reggae' artist based on the songs: Ripopgodazippa, Blue Light and some parts of I rock, therefore i am.

Stupid.