twaintrain
Well-known member
I would think Linda is an influence on everyone in country and rock. She’s one of the greatest ever.
Carrie Underwood Fans
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2019 Kennedy Center Honors
- Thread starter maddkat
- Start date
thaifood
Active member
Her original back up band wasn't too bad either.
twaintrain
Well-known member
The greatest band of all-time, in my opinion.
Farawayhills
Well-known member
I think this is mainly decided by the committee planning the event. They may consult other people who have worked with the honorees, in confidence - but the tribute performers are meant to be a surprise. Performers are not supposed to announce in advance that they will be performing, and I understand that the honorees themselves are not supposed to know the full details of the programme. (I can't say, though, how closely that has been always been adhered to, in practice)
As for the proceedings themselves, there have typically been three stages - a dinner at the State Department the night before, when the honorees receive the medallions and lanyards that they wear; a reception at the White House when they meet the President, and the evening performances, which the President has traditionally attended. (Due to the fraught political divisions, the current President has chosen not to be involved, however - but the State Department dinner still goes ahead).
Farawayhills
Well-known member
I thought it was interesting that Carrie (in her short red carpet interview) particularly praised Linda for doing whatever she wanted in her musical career, and said 'we should all be more like her'
thaifood
Active member
And all that may indeed be true, but lets be honest here. Linda built her career on the back of singing one cover song after another. A huge proportion of her hit singles had already been hits for others, years or even decades before. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but it really isn't stretching any bounds when you aren't coming up with new stuff of your own. And before anyone takes me to task, I was always a big fan of Linda.
Smokyiiis
Well-known member
I'm not absolutely positive but she also allowed others to write the music. During her entire career I believe she may have written less than a handful of songs herself. She didn't enjoy writing.
(And I'm a huge fan too)
thaifood
Active member
Her 1[SUP]st[/SUP] charting single was Different Drum when she was still with the Stone Poneys. Mike Nesmith of The Monkees wrote that one.
Her 1[SUP]st[/SUP] hit as a solo artist was Long, Long Time, written by Gary White
Even though Buddy Holly & The Crickets didn’t chart with It’s So Easy, Buddy co – wrote that one with Norman Petty.
Poor, Poor Pitiful Me…Warren Zevon
How Do I Make You Billy Steinberg
Get Closer ..Jonathan Carroll
Somewhere Out There, her duet with James Ingram…written by Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil & James Horner
All My Life her duet with Aaron Neville written by Karla Bonoff
These were just her top 40 hits & doesn’t include the other singles that stalled out somewhere between 41 & 100.
Her other Top 40 hits that had already been hits by others:
You’re No Good, When Will I Be Loved, Heat Wave, Tracks Of My Tears, That’ll Be The Day, Blue Bayou, Tumbling Dice, Back In The USA, Ooh Baby, Baby, Hurt So Bad, I Can’t Let Go, I Knew You When, & Don’t Know Much.
All of her top 40 hits were written by someone else.
None of this is to say that she isn't well deserving of all the accolades, because she was an incredible vocalist & interpreter of songs. It just shows that there is more than one way to skin a cat.
Smokyiiis
Well-known member
Yes that's exactly what drew me to her and the music....her gorgeous intonation and interpretation of the songs....her phrasing was pure magic and made you EXPERIENCE the words of the songs.
thaifood
Active member
I must say, I don't agree with that at all. One of the reasons there was so much turmoil in the Beatles had to do the John & Paul not allowing George any breathing space as a songwriter & keeping most of his songs off the albums. He had so many songs saved back because of that, that his All Things Must Pass album had to be a 3 album set.
pkslongbeach
New member
You can say this about most true vocalists. What does her writing songs have anything to do with her incredible talent. If this goes back to her creating her own path, she absolutely "DID". Her ability to attack so many different styles of music and do it with such natural style was what made her so exceptional. Lets not forget that she redefined herself singing a grammy award winning Mariachi album. And then proceeded to do the film adaptation of the modern classical Pirates of Penzance. She was a once in a generation vocalist who Did pave her own way. Songwriting is a completely different conversation.
DaisyTweets
Active member
And that 'once in a generation vocalist' also describes Carrie!!! And she's also following her own path!
Writing your own songs is not the be all end all of an artist. Absolutely not, but I can't see how it can be categorized as grossly overrated. There is a talent in being able to write in a way that people relate to, when others would never be able to do that. Look at Dolly, she obviously has an incredible talent in her voice, and interpretation skills, as well as her acting, business, and philanthropic skills as well. And then there's her writing. She's simply one of the greatest writers in music history, but would she still be one of greatest icons of entertainment without the writing? Then look at Reba, she writes very, very, very little, but is still an icon of entertainment.
So, while writing isn't necessary to be an influencer in your career, it definitely adds a level to one's resume of talent.
So, while writing isn't necessary to be an influencer in your career, it definitely adds a level to one's resume of talent.
twaintrain
Well-known member
Linda may have covered a lot of other artists songs, but the fact that we remember her versions over the originals says a lot about her talent.
txacar
Well-known member
When I hear a song, it never enters my mind to wonder who wrote it. I remember a time when singers sang and songwriters wrote. Occasionally you would find a singer who could write, or a songwriter who could sing. Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Perry Como, Elvis Presley never wrote a note, but Elvis and Frank will be remembered long after many singer/songwriters are forgotten.
opry051008
New member
Totally agree. When I hear a song that I like I have never once thought... "hmmm, I wonder who wrote this", because I couldn't care less.
These days it's almost better you don't write the song because you're just gonna get sued anyway. lol.