Remember the days of Dolly Parton?
Then the Garth Brooks era (who sold millions upon millions of albums in the U.S , but NOT the UK).
There is currently a big star in the U.S called Miranda Lambert with a song called 'Me And Charlie Talking'

http://www.myspace.com/mirandalambert

Signed to Sony , there was talk last year of her coming to the UK and Europe.
Would be interested to know what everyone's thoughts are on Country music?
Any room in the UK charts for Country???

but it's highly unlikely to grow much from where it is at the moment.

Small genre - but lucrative for the successful one in there. (Garth didn't exactly reach megastar status over here, did he?)

There's a lot bigger acts than Miranda L regularly in Europe (Nanci Griffith, Steve Earle, etc.). They wouldn't come if they didn't at least break even... but none of them are expecting a singles chart hit.

Country, Americana, etc. is quite big here. I mean who's that guy Jinder playing to? Not a metal audience eh?

I know several acts (EmmyLou Harris etc....) still come to the UK and must make their money otherwise they wouldn't return , but what is the likelihood of a Country act having chart success?
One would have thought if they toured well , and venues sold out , surely new single / album material would also do well chart wise?

I reckon that's a country (based) top five hit!
Mind you, I'm biased.

Their material will sell over a period of time - not fast enough to chart.

Albums certainly... singles I doubt it. Although now that downloads have extended the audience for single tracks it would be nice to see more eclectic singles charts.

not unless there is a dramatic upheaval with popular taste in the U.K.

Now that sales are more fragmented and spread around, an awful lot of country/alt-country/americana acts are making a living over here. Some great songwriting going on too.

We were at a country/folk showcase last night. Not too bad a turnout, what struck me, was that a lot of traditional folk followers were there, notably of middle age, and yet the performers were quite young.
I think that the (I predict) upcoming folk/country boom will happen as it doesnt have a sell by date on it.
Jinder was excellent and notably very confident, and at the age of 24, will be able to play his songs for a lifetime. This applied to most of the acts.
Which oddly enough, whilst on the subject of longevity of record sales, brings me to the subject of Pink Floyd.
Very few of their recordings, have used any current trendy sounds of the day, therefore, the drum kit etc sounds are allways recorded pretty much as they sounded, enabling the listener, the joy of not cringing at a large heavily gated , reverbed snare sound. The music cannot date. I used to love bands like the Cutting Crew , and yet I can`t listen anymore as it is so dated.
Folk and country moves throughout generations of listeners and is hard to date, hence a lifetime of work and listening is possible.

full of those awful syn drums pom pom pomming like the f***ing Eastenders theme and they were totally unlistenable to.
Yet when they played 1971, all the hits could be hits today (as Tony Christie became!).
Mind you the buggers failed to play Sakkarin in the top twenty!

Emmylou Harris & Mark Knopfler's new album was a top 20 UK chart hit last month, and a few months before that Jim Reeves (more MOR than country strictly speaking I know, but still under the country banner) had a top 40 album with his best of compilation. But, admittedly, neither of these acts are exactly newcomers.

I think a vibrant young country band shorn of the cheese associated with Nashville and with plenty of attitude could be just what the Uk charts need right now, but it could be a rough trot convincing the mass public to drop their preconceptions of country music as cheesebound, hat-wearing, linedancing material.