And you thought corporations and money held all the power.

For far too long in America we’ve been told that the rich are knowledgeable and powerful and our only hope is to try and imitate them in their capitalistic ways.

This came along with income inequality. To anyone who lived through the sixties…today’s landscape is incomprehensible. The sixties philosophy was love your brother, today’s philosophy is pee on your brother. Yes, Reagan legitimized greed and ever since people have gone for it. One of the worst examples is musicians. Musicians used to be considered artists, who spoke truth to power, who weren’t in it for the money, but to make  a statement. Turns out anybody with intellect today avoids the arts, because it’s no better than a casino, and enters the business world, to our national cultural detriment. All we’ve got is money-grubbers, just the way the rich like it. Come on, the goal in music is to sell out! To get endorsement deals, to play privates… Standing up to these people? That’s unfathomable, everybody wants to be these people, when the truth is you just can’t make that kind of money in music, but you do have a lot of power, if you choose to exercise it.

In case Navalny is off your radar, he was a dissident poisoned by Putin who was treated in Germany, but then returned to Russia. Talk about balls! Americans are all about excuses…someone else did it, it’s not my fault, let me off the hook. There’s little personal responsibility. Everybody lies, everybody cheats, so why not me? Our values are screwed up. As for religious institutions… The preachers live lavish lifestyles and are caught breaking the law and in addition, these “believers” want to dominate choice as a result of their religion, and not only biologically. Betsy DeVos was all about religious schools. But where are the underlying values of the Bible that everybody says they read, that they quote all the time, turns out the religious too often hate instead of love.

And if you’ve got no money, you’re seen as irrelevant. But this is patently wrong. Never underestimate the power of one.

This used to be the American spirit, its mantra, the rugged individual, the unrestrained cowboy who does it his way. You don’t see that here anymore. As for those bubbling up online…they’re all mercenaries, trying to sell, sell, sell…message is either nonexistent or vacant.

So, yesterday in court Navalny made his statement. The “New York Times” printed it in full in the Op-Ed pages, and you have to read it: 

“Vladimir the Poisoner of Underpants – It’s the duty of every person to defy you'”: https://nyti.ms/2YJH6Ca

But since it’s in the “New York Times,” at least half the country won’t read it, even though it’s just Navalny’s words, with no edits. Why does the right hate the “Times” so much? BECAUSE IT PRINTS THE TRUTH AND TRIES ITS HARDEST TO BE UNBIASED!

There, I said it. Is the “New York Times” flawed? Absolutely. But we’re all flawed. Do you see Fox apologizing when it gets it wrong? No way! But the “Times” does this on a regular basis. And forget opinion, when it comes to the news there’s no better outlet.

But the right doesn’t want the truth. It’s the right that has truly brainwashed its constituents, to vote against their own interests, to hate truth, to believe that Trump won the presidency.

Did you catch today’s Fox story?

“Voting technology company Smartmatic files $2.7 billion lawsuit against Fox News, Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell over ‘disinformation campaign'”: https://cnn.it/2MqTogx

You won’t find this story on Fox News, it doesn’t appear, I just checked. The “Times” gets sued and prints it, but the “fair and balanced” (a term no longer used for obvious reasons) outlet does not.

Smartmatic is hitting them where it hurts, the pocket book. And Smartmatic’s case is nearly lock tight. After all, when threatened Fox corrected its false news, but the message didn’t get through and Smartmatic was hurt.

But Smartmatic is not only interested in compensation, it wants to make a point. This is how you fight in today’s world, you get the enemy on the front page, you hash out the issues!

Now Putin’s approval rating is at an all time low, it has shrunk from 36% to 20% in a year. And it appears the screw is now turning, that Putin is on the run:

“Aleksei Navalny Is Resisting Putin, and Winning – The opposition leader was sentenced to prison, but he has mobilized a vast movement that’s not done growing”: https://nyti.ms/3oJ2Rgc

This is not a big enough story in America. Because most people haven’t been anywhere and don’t care about the rest of the world, to their detriment. And Trump never criticized Putin, he lauded Putin!

To tell you the truth, I’ve been able to relax a bit, it’s back to business as usual a bit, I’m not thinking about the news all the damn time. Biden and his team are competent and they’re taking swift action in the right direction, he’s trying to turn the ship around, even better than anybody could have hoped for.

First and foremost Biden has jettisoned the conciliatory policy of the Obama era. This is why I’m not 100% positive on St. Obama. Afraid of pissing someone off, Obama constantly tried to appease the right, which constantly stonewalled. Everybody knew it, but he kept on trying. Biden and his team are not doing this. They’ve got the votes, as Obama had for his first two years, and they’re taking no prisoners. You don’t play to un-American nincompoops who are trying to destroy this country.

Yes, pay attention, Republicans are trying right now to make voting harder. Like Trump said, if everybody votes the Republicans can’t win.

But Biden is not enough. America needs to be remade.

Let’s start with the election process itself, the ridiculous Electoral College. Or the Senate, where North Dakota gets as many seats as California. The right keeps clinging to the Constitution that the framers would even agree was and certainly is imperfect.

But we’ve got no one leading the charge. And we’re constantly told to get inside the system if we want change, but sometimes the system itself needs to be changed. As for the Democrats…too many of its constituents are told to be quiet, that compromise is key, when they are starving and their economic opportunities are low.

We need Mr. Smith in Washington. But we haven’t had that spirit here since 1969! Truly!

And while Navalny is fighting for freedom in Russia, Trump and his cronies are fighting for fascism in America. If that does not spin your head, I don’t know what will. At this late date I still have people e-mailing me that the election was stolen, that Trump really won. And they quote discredited information, but in their bubble it’s put forth as true!

But screw politics. There’s a bigger issue at work here.

The power of one.

One person can make a difference, can move mountains, can change people’s perceptions, can alter the course of history. But in America we’ve been taught we’re powerless without money and connections when this is patently untrue! Never mind that if you don’t have money you are not respected, never mind paid attention to.

But you must be telling the truth. You can’t be compromised. And the powers-that-be do their best to silence you. Because you threaten them. Because business is based on relationships and illegalities and they don’t want them exposed. THIS IS HOW THE RICH LIKE IT!

And they keep telling us how good it is.

And too many Americans are nitwits, who think that not having to work and living on a tropical island is happiness. IT’S NOT!

Ray Davies sang that unemployment was unenjoyment. We need a purpose, we need a personal higher calling, otherwise life is meaningless. All this veneration of partying… Sure, everybody likes to cut loose now and again, but every night? Do you know any of these people? I do. Their lives are scaringly empty, they hang with their brethren elite where life is about getting loaded and being ridiculous. I pity them.

But there cannot be unions because stockholder value is the greatest goal, and the company might not make as much.

It all comes down to values. And America is morally bankrupt.

You can make a difference. You truly can. And even if you don’t want to lead, you can follow in the footsteps of those who do. Don’t let anyone ever tell you you’re powerless. They just want to keep you in line or have had their optimism eviscerated by too many defeats.

It comes down to message, not marketing. It comes down to credibility. It comes down to truth. These are not only the building blocks of society, they’re the building blocks of art! Come on, try and find modern artists who tick all these boxes. They’re few and far between. Meanwhile, the system, the agents, the studios, the labels, have a separate agenda, they just want to sell sell sell when sometimes you’ve got to say no, you’ve got to leave some money on the table.

Pay attention to Navalny. He’s putting his life on the line, literally. He’s standing up and making a difference. Where are these uncompromised people in America?

Steve Lillywhite checks in all the way from Jakarta, where he runs the largest music label for KFC, I kid you not! We delve into Steve’s production of U2, Peter Gabriel, the Rolling Stones, Dave Matthews, Thompson Twins and more. But in addition to the stories you’ll be captivated by the insight! Steve is quite the raconteur and if you want to know how a famous music producer makes records, this is the place!

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/steve-lillywhite/id1316200737?i=1000507699311

https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast

https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9ff4fb19-54d4-41ae-ae7a-8a6f8d3dafa8/The-Bob-Lefsetz-Podcast

I first met Leslie West when I produced the first Crystal Palace garden Party in 1971. Mountain were the US guest band on the bill with Pink Floyd and The Faces. The group were fabulous and were well received.
Leslie West then returned as West Bruce and Laing in 1973 and I took them around Europe. The first concert was at the Chatelet in Paris. We duly arrived and as a treat to start the tour I booked the band into the Hotel Georges Cinq.

I explained before we all retired that all the trappings in the room were real so don’t trash them.

The next morning we left for Hamburg. Leslie had had a tough night drinking and was not in the best of moods.

We landed in Hamburg and as we got to the bottom of the steps two gentlemen in raincoats were waiting for us.

They asked me to introduce them to Leslie. “What for” I asked.

They said they were from Interpol and had a warrant for his arrest for stealing a Persian antique rug from the George Cinq.

We were taken to the customs desk and sure enough there was  the rug neatly rolled up in Leslie’s case.

After a lot of waffling and explanation and autographs, tickets and apologies we managed to get Leslie off.

He was terribly grumpy and said that they should not leave such expensive items in Hotel Rooms.

Such is the world of rock and roll.

Harvey Goldsmith

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Subject: Funny Hilton Valentine yarn

Hi Bob,

 

during the mid-90s I happened to be scouting an act in Connecticut and by chance I read in Goldmine that the Hartford record show was on. As I’m a huge vinyl collector I altered my plans and made a point of dropping by the venue. I found some good records including on one table a guy selling a number of English pressings from the late sixties/seventies and bought a few of near mint condition albums including Free’s debut ‘Tons Of Sobs’ on the original UK Pink ‘eye’ Island label. A snip at $20. We chatted and it turned out he was a British silver haired fox, like me. I thought nothing of it until I overheard someone on another table talking about Hilton Valentine selling his record collection. I thought little more about it but when I got back to my apartment that evening I started to examine the albums. I opened the gatefold sleeve of ‘Tons Of Sobs’ and noticed that one of the inner band pics had been autographed by Paul Kossoff, my all-time guitar hero. I wish I’d have engaged Hilton in deeper conversation but by then it was, of course, too late. 

 

Best,

 

Derek Oliver

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Subject: Re: Tesla/Volkswagen

Very astute. Few see the potential and you draw interesting parallels here. 

Tesla is a software, storage, and energy company being compared by the Wall Street nerds to automobile manufacturers who are still operating like it is 1960. Tesla’s lead in data collection – billions of miles per year now (EVERYTHING is captured) – and autonomous driving could be insurmountable. Storage innovation could end up being the biggest thing since the invention of the laser. SpaceX delivering the Starlink satellite network will allow autonomous driving to become a global reality. People in sunny places will get completely off the grid with a solar roof, battery pack and an EV. Climate change? Musk has that covered. 

Every time I see a car commercial on TV, I think to myself – they just don’t get it. Hell, Tesla doesn’t need to advertise. 

Dave Murphy

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From: Randall Wixen

Subject: RE: Tesla/Volkswagen

I know your article was really about music and the electric car thing was only an analogy, but I wanted to comment on the analogy itself. I was an early adopter of hybrid vehicles, and then electric ones. I’ve owned 6 EVs now: Volt, RAV4 EV, Bolt, Ioniq, eTron, and Model Y. I never wanted to have a Tesla, because to me, owning a Tesla said “I’m an asshole.” But the VW/Audi eTron I had was such a dysfunctional piece of crap that I had to get rid of it before I even had 2,000 miles on it. The Tesla Model Y (so far) seems to be light years ahead of any of my previous EVs so I’m just resigned to ignoring how I feel about what the nameplate might say about the driver and driving something that actually works. There are new and better technologies, and as much as it is tempting to resist them, we have to embrace them when they’re actually better.   

_____________________________________

Subject: Re: Tesla/Volkswagen

Amazon will never be able to compete with Barnes and Noble and Borders!!

I remember those days well.

Brian Lukow

_____________________________________

Subject: Re: Mailbag

Phil called me out of the blue one day when I was developing The Chrysalis Music Group USA.

I was extremely surprised and didn’t really know how to handle such a well known producer, but I ended the conversation abruptly when he started talking to me about guns.

I have used rifles for shooting cans, but am officially anti gun.

Phil was a legend and incredibly creative.

Sad that a mental disorder destroyed such a creative genius.

Ann P Munday

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Subject: Re: Mailbag

Phil Spector

In the mid-90s, I received a call from Dave Marsh that Phil wanted to do some college lectures and would I be interested in having him come to the university.  Of course, he was just shy of three hours late and told me that he was late because he took a “Prozac Lite” and lost track of time.  From a stack of yellow legal pad pages he lectured for two hours on the great American songwriters, and recited tons of lyrics by Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, Cole Porter etc.  The words were just flowing out of him (and over the heads of most of the students).  His point was that these writers were great in their own time and if alive, their style would not be great today.  He was of course, referring to himself and made the point.  Not one word about the “wall of sound”!

He stayed late, signed album jackets for the students was all around gracious.

It’s a shame what happened to him…….. 

steve marcone

wayne, nj

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Subject: Re: Mailbag

My client said to me: “These digital sales are like being a hooker. You sell it, but you still got it.” Well, said. 

Willie Perkins

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From: Hennie Hugo

Subject: RE: More Quarantine

Covid19 is a real and killing virus. So many of my friends and family have been infected and died. About 10 members of our extended family contracted. Covid19 over Christmas having a huge gathering. They thought they were beyond the Covid19 gathering. It can easily happen to others. I am so pissed of with them. A family member checked himself out of hospital today and decided to receive oxygen at home. Thank God he can afford it.

Day by day people are dying from it. It is easy to compare it to HIV. But the problem of spreading the different diseases are so totally different.

Remember our esteemed leader, Thabo  Mbeki, actually denied AIDS/MIV. If there was something like it, it can be treated with garlic and beetroot. What a ficking moron

After Mbeki the plundering got an extra head of steam. It was all for nothing and everything for the total crooks. Difficult for me to say but Ramaphosa at the time when these terrible looting was taking place, was The Vice President of SA. How could he have not seen what was happening? Takes me to lines in “Tommy” Rock Opera by The Who. “Deaf and blind living in his quiet vibration land. Same as it seems his music isn’t quite so bad….”

Not being negative, I honestly believe my relative in hospital is not going to make it. Sad to say.

They had a huge party the day after Christmas with many many people attending with absolutely no social distancing or sanitizing.

Regards

Hennie

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Bob,

Maybe it isn’t about people not knowing Middlebury. In the ’70s, my family moved from Long Island to Essex Junction, Vermont, where I spent two years in high school. We then moved to NorCal, where I attended college, and where I stayed post-graduation.

Can’t tell you how many times people have since asked me “Which state is Vermont in?”

So maybe it’s about geography.

— Maxx

_____________________________________

Dear Bob,

 

You probably know this already, but Mountain’s manager at the time they played Woodstock was my father, the late Gary Kurfirst.  I’m not sure if Gary was “management” who opted the band out of being featured in the Woodstock film.  If he was, I am sure he had good reasons for declining the offer.  Probably was a bad deal for the band, or bad timing in terms of building the band’s brand (ie wasn’t considered a good look) or all of the above.

 

I can assure you the decision was not flippant. Everything Gary did as a manager was strategic and his intention was always to protect the artist and promote the long terms growth of the brand.

 

Maybe he got it wrong this time.

 

Maybe not.

 

I was told another story about Mountain’s experience at Woodstock.  As the story goes Mountain was to play an earlier slot on the Main Stage, but when Gary arrived (after navigating the endless traffic jam the artists and fans faced trying to reach the festival grounds) he noticed how disorganized the event was and that essentially the producers/stage manager were throwing any band out on the stage to perform that they spotted together backstage fully intact.

 

So Gary, always thinking strategy and impact, instructed the band members of Mountain to scatter, sending them to different areas of the festival grounds and told them not to be seen together until X time where they were to conveniently reconvene backstage in full view of the stage managers who were on the endless hunt to wrangle talent.  (I always visualized the band huddling up backstage like a football team listening to the QB (Gary) calling the next play… a Hail Mary to win the game.)

 

The plan worked. Mountain reconvened backstage and were “spotted” together just in time to play the coveted, primetime, 9pm slot on Saturday night. The crowd was estimated to be over 500,000 at this point, but no one really knows – the fences were pulled down on Friday and kids from all over the country were flooding the festival grounds and the rest is history….

 

Many attribute Mountain’s triumphant Woodstock set as their breakout moment, regardless of whether the film would have pushed them even higher up in the history books and who ultimately made that decision – they would not have even been in that position if not for the plan.

 

I felt inclined to respond here because Managers, who play such a pivotal role in the growth of artist/band, are often omitted from the history books.  Its no accident that great bands/artists more often than not have great managers.  Managers make the tough decisions. The great ones are able to see beyond in the instant glory (or money) and make decisions based on the long term growth of the brand.

 

Gary once infamously turned down the cover of Rolling Stone for one his clients (Talking Heads) telling the magazine it “was not the right time” for them to be on cover – that it would hurt their credibility with the underground (remember the Talking Heads first broke out of CBGB’s – they were considered a punk rock band and at the time, punk rock bands did not pose for the cover of Rolling Stone).  He seems to have gotten that one right.  The Talking Heads brand remains iconic, and they haven’t played a gig or released any new music since the mid-80’s (and eventually they were featured on the cover – timing is everything).

 

If you haven’t read Chris Frantz memoir - Remain in Love – you should do it, now.  It’s a great read. Chris (and his lovely wife, Tina Weymouth) recognized the importance of great management.  They loved Gary because he protected them and allowed them to be artists, and the feeling was mutual.

 

Gary took over managing the Ramones around 1978 and was their manager to the very end. One of their last gigs was the Lollapalooza Festival on Randalls Island in New York City in 1996 (other acts on the bill that day included Metallica, Soundgarden, Wu-Tang Clan).  There is no better example of a band whose brand has completely transcended their music, or the music business in general.  I see more young kids wearing Ramones T-shirts today than rock music legends like Led Zeppelin or the Beatles.  Ramones brand is badass.  Timeless. And forever will be the flag of punk.
Ironically, I’ve made my career in festivals.  My job as Global Head of Festivals for WME has me negotiating set times, artist fees, streaming rights, billing positions etc. etc., with the top festival promoters for some of the biggest artists on the planet.  I don’t know if it’s ‘in the blood’ as they say, but as I got older I realized that the music business was the only business where I fit and that music festivals were my calling.

 

I often think about the earlier pioneers of music festivals, like Gary, and what they endured to put on their events without all the modern technology we rely on to help produce them.  From simple tech like walkie talkies to sophisticated festival apps, scan-able wristbands and whatever tech will be needed post-pandemic to ensure the Artist and Fans have a great time and safe experience at festivals of the future.

 

But all of that was absent at original Woodstock – they didn’t even have set times!

 

Josh Kurfirst

Does this mean Trump really didn’t win the election?

Wallen was too stupid to know that when you’re a celebrity all eyes are upon you. That’s the price you pay. If you wanted to be a rock star and do rock star things you should have made it before smartphone cameras. Today your bad behavior is documented, and there are always people looking to take you down.

Wallen’s been caught twice. Used to be three strikes and you’re out. But that was before the cops killed George Floyd and Covid ravaged the country.

Meanwhile, we’ve got a huge sector of the public telling us to forgive and unite, wondering how we just can’t get along… THIS IS WHY!

Not that Wallen’s behavior would have been any better if it wasn’t documented, the point is he was brazen and ignorant, and for far too long that’s been the image of Nashville and country music.

“The news out of Nashville tonight does not represent country music…”

Kelsea Ballerini

“When I read comments saying ‘this is not who we are’ I laugh because this is exactly who country music is. I’ve witnessed it for 10 gd years. You guys should just read some of the vile comments hurled at me on a daily basis. It’s a cold hard truth to face but it is the truth.”

 

Mickey Guyton

Whew! Just because Charley Pride sucked it up and Hootie/Darius crossed over there’s this whitewashing that there’s no racism in Nashville anymore. Like everyone is supposed to be like Hank Aaron, never mind Jackie Robinson, and suck it up. Did you read Aaron’s obits? The white man did not want Hank to break the Babe’s record! Yes, Blacks are supposed to be quiet and subservient, obey their masters, not raise their voices and get out of hand, that’s not how subordinates behave. But you’ve got too many whites calling Black men boys. It’s only been a hundred and fifty years since slavery, we’ve got to give these white men a break, the wheels of progress turn slowly, you can’t hold them accountable, it’s just the way they grew up.

Meanwhile, the right keeps talking about the woke left, about the word police. About political correctness. Did you see Rupert Murdoch himself weigh in on this last week? The 89 year old who is now getting his hands dirty at Fox News once again?

And sure, it’s a spectrum. But not to the right, it’s always black and white, always clear, and they’re always on the correct side. After all, if you elect Democrats, the world as you know it will end. Grandma will die and you house will be taken away and if you don’t stand up and protect your rights now, it’ll be too late!

But we’ve got one ace in our pocket, one corrective company, one entity that has consistently stood up for truth, justice and the American Way. I’m speaking, of course, of Cumulus Media. Yes, the company that told its on-air hosts that they had to stop saying Trump won the election. Where are the rest of the communication companies?

Well, iHeart got on board with Wallen. As well as CMT and Wallen’s own record label, and that’s good. But what about the cable companies and Fox? We have to marginalize hatred and bigotry.

Meanwhile, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar said yesterday that NBA players should be inoculated first, because they’re role models for the Black community: https://nyti.ms/3cLarnY Some people can see through the morass, some people proffer solutions to problems, some people are taking action. Then again, if you’re Black it’s always an uphill battle.

I don’t think Morgan Wallen can recover from this. If Billy Squier was canceled in the eighties for wearing a pink shirt in a video… You see the music business does not need any specific star, it just needs some stars. And it can motor along quite well without Morgan Wallen.

But he’s a good ole boy in a mullet, can’t we cut him a break?

Yeah, just like Trump pardoned Joe Arpaio. The message is if you’re a prominent white and you cross the line your brethren will rescue you. They’re organized, it’s a club, and one thing is for sure, Blacks and immigrants are not members.

It’s good to see the establishment push back against heinous behavior. But we haven’t seen right wing media and Republican elected officials do so whatsoever.

The officials say they’re beholden to the populace, those who elected them. THESE PEOPLE, MORGAN WALLEN’S PEOPLE!

Meanwhile, Colin Kaepernick is banished from the NFL for taking a knee. A white person shoots someone and if they’re even arrested, they get bail and get off. They were overheated, they didn’t mean it.

“It actually IS representative of our town because this isn’t his first ‘scuffle’ and he just demolished a huge streaming record last month regardless. We all know it wasn’t his first time using that word. We keep them rich and protected at all costs with no recourse.”

Maren Morris

And isn’t it interesting that women are standing up for truth and equality while the men mostly stay silent and…

Word has always been that you need to stay quiet, you don’t want to hurt your career. Politics do not belong on stage. Instead, we have a wink… Come on, to this day, have you heard some of these country lyrics?

But they’re just good ole boys, they didn’t mean it.

OF COURSE THEY MEANT IT!

The tail has to stop wagging the dog. Corporations and elected officials can’t keep saying their hands are tied.

Even worse is Facebook, the scourge of society. Sheryl Sandberg stands up and says it was not the driver of the January 6th riot and then it turned out it was. OF COURSE IT WAS! But that’s the world we now live in, where you can lie with impunity!

As for the surge on the Capitol… How many Blacks did you see there? They are the ones truly hurt by the government, getting the short end of the stick. The Supreme Court, THE SUPREME COURT, got rid of the Voting Rights Act because it said there was no racism anymore (just like Tucker Carlson!) Meanwhile, the right is now emboldened in its efforts to suppress voting while racism is not only rampant, it rears its ugly head on a national level on a regular basis and “there are good people on both sides.”

Broadcasting has a responsibility. And that’s got nothing to do with freedom of speech. Contrary to people’s beliefs, you can’t say anything anywhere.

Turns out the twenty first century is a reckoning on racism and democracy. Some want to isolate and return to an era where skin color was king and the rest of the world didn’t matter, not understanding, or even knowing, that back then so many were oppressed, women and people of color and immigrants and… The only way through this is by going forward.

Used to be artists were arbiters of truth, handing down engraved tablets to their listeners. Today they’re just money machines. Then again, they’ve still got power.

Morgan Wallen has been in the public eye for years. If we give this guy a pass, is there a line at all?

Meanwhile, this cancelation sends a message to Nashville and country music fans that this behavior will not be tolerated. And while we’re at it, get rid of the Confederate flags.

Change happens at the top. Trump tries to steal an election in plain sight and his party endorses the falsehood. To the point where seemingly half the country believes he’s the rightful President. Who is going to stand up for the truth? Not only do we need to shut up those uttering taboos, we need people to lead us out of the wilderness. It’s time for Nashville and country music to step up. This is just the beginning. NO EXCUSES!