I’m stunned the performances from the CMAs were not up on iTunes the same night.

Why not?

Oh, the acts don’t want the imperfections memorialized. They don’t understand, these are souvenirs. The fans don’t care about the problems. They want to own this stuff. When the impulse hits, IMMEDIATELY!

There’s not one single file-trading site everybody frequents anymore. So, unlike in 2001, when you just fired up Napster to get Eminem and Elton’s duet, downloading the performances requires some effort. But to see them? NO PROBLEM!

Now I want all you dyed-in-the-wool rockers to fire up Sugarland’s performance of "Stay".

If Jennifer Nettles were in her early twenties instead of a decade older, she’d be a ubiquitous star, in the rarefied air of Beyonce, eclipsing Mariah, Christina and all the young pups on TMZ and PerezHilton. Then again, Jennifer’s not a child. You believe she’s actually lived the experience, she’s had some hard years.

Okay, this next one is going to demand a bit of perseverance. Because I want you to hang in for the SECOND performance, that of Miranda Lambert, which begins just about five minutes in. Still, sit back and enjoy the opening number, Rascal Flatts’ "Still Feels Good".

Yup, after the announcer fades out, the show truly begins. You’ll feel the power of today’s country music. That truly is the guy’s voice. Even if he’s singing to tape. They call this a hit single. A hit is not something you analyze on paper, it’s just something you hear and need to hear again and again. Because it just FEELS GOOD! True, "Still Feels Good" doesn’t have the classic line about standing on the corner in Winslow, Arizona of "Take It Easy", but it goes down just as well, it puts a smile on your face. And, as I’ve gone on about seemingly ad infinitum, wait until the guitar solo outro! Slash hasn’t cut a solo of this quality in this century (meanwhile, have you caught Velvet Revolver’s grosses…positively SCARY!) Like I said, don’t analyze, just sit back and LISTEN! Not an incredibly meaningful song, but meaning rides in the backseat. LISTENABILITY is up front!

And, after James Denton’s idiocy, you get Miranda Lambert. The highlight of the show for me. They’re playing live, so the TV sound isn’t perfect. But just imagine being there. Still, the point is to watch Miranda herself. She hasn’t seemed to have read the poised popster handbook. She’s running on INSTINCT! On EMOTION!

Blow it up full screen (click on the box in the lower right-hand corner, below the moving image…to escape back to regular size when you’re done…hit ESCAPE!)

See how Miranda’s body is moving so subtly as the intro plays. Like you, at the show, GETTING INTO THE GROOVE! Then, she channels Bonnie Bramlett, but with a better voice. The twang is unforced, there’s a weird blend of hillbilly and sophistication. She’s all dressed up, but she’s letting go. The contrast is utterly RIVETING!

It’s like prior to this, she’s only worn jeans. She was out drinking with the boys last night. This is her debut. Oh, she’s stepping in those boots with a soul that Nancy Sinatra never possessed. She’s holding her hand to her head, thrusting her arm in the air. Going from sultry to take charge JUST LIKE THAT! Check out the way she throws her head forward from the neck at around 6:56. The Gibson wails, she’s tossing her hair, the drummer’s pounding and it all comes to a halt.

My favorite performance of the evening.

Check it out: 41st CMA Awards: Rascal Flatts | Miranda Lambert

The performance everybody’s talking about. Kellie Pickler.

When you’re listening, remember the song is about her mother abandoning her as a child. You might think it’s sappy. But it’s her song. And when she starts to cry at the end, first you think it’s forced. Then you realize… Her life has been tough. But she’s on stage at the CMAs… She’s singing her hit, about her life. YOU’D CRY TOO!

Kellie Pickler tearfully sings I Wonder CMA 11-07-07

The Eagles.

The Eagles-How Long(live on CMA)

Make your own judgment.

Now if you search on YouTube, or Truveo, I’m sure you’ll find more performances. But these are the ones that stuck out for me.

Like I said, too bad you can’t buy ’em. Too bad they’re not being given away on ABC’s or the acts’ sites. Technology is marching on. It’s enriching the public’s lives. But businessmen are so worried about protecting their rights, they can’t see they’re not only leaving money on the table, they’re hurting the artists’ careers. The hardest thing today is getting noticed. You’ve got to give people the tools to spread the word. You’ve got to continue to feed them with product, so they’ll stay hooked. Not one album every few years, a steady stream of music. A fan can have TWENTY different versions of the same song. And the one with the lowest recording quality can be his favorite, because maybe he was there, or it reminds him of the night he watched the CMAs with his honey, or even alone. Music gets us through life. It’s not quite as necessary as air, food and water, but it’s close. Think of it that way. Think of how you can get it in people’s hands, not about whether they’re going to rip you off. Do you think the people posted these YouTube clips to fuck with the acts? No, they did it because they were fans, they wanted to SHARE THE JOY!