Country singer Jason Aldean barely concealed his bigotry with the “Try That In A Small Town” single. It’s reassuring to know that these violently evil views are not the norm. Not in music, not in country music, not anywhere.
Basslines and Protest Signs is Brett Callwood’s column looking at the intersection of music and politics. This week stands up in the defense of the Dixie Chicks.
Properties featured: 9-1-1, Queens, Chicago Med, Snoop & Martha’s Very Tasty Halloween, The Next Thing You Eat, Dune, Locke & Key, Adventure Beast
When Dick Clark first pitched “American Bandstand” to ABC as a national series in the 1950s, network executives yawned. “I still have the letter, still have it framed in my office, which in effect said ‘Don’t call us, we’ll call you. Thank you, and it’s nice to see your dance party,’” Clark recalls. When he proposed a 50th anniversary special, Clark found out how little television had changed. Despite the show’s iconic place in pop culture, he had to argue the case of “American Bandstand” all over. An idea that was once ahead of its time was now hopelessly behind… Read more »
