Pete Townshend and John Entwistle wrote nearly all of their songs. Moon and Daltrey contributed as well.

All here

 

Of course the Who sung the songs? And they didn't produce all of it but what band does?

 

Outside producers were used on a number of albums (but Townshend and Entwistle have produced a few tracks over the years as well), but this is not uncommon.

Outside producers were used on a number of albums (but Townshend and Entwistle have produced a few tracks over the years as well), but this is not uncommon.

 

Chesney also has over 30 writing credits on his 31 #1 songs and his 13 albums. Like him or not, he is more talented than you want to admit and since he isn't "indie" enough for you I don't think you will ever give him credit. YOU might not like him but you've already proven you aren't the end all be all authority on music. What people like about him is that he makes them feel good and lifts them up. Maybe he doesn't play the drums or the Oboe, the fact is his music strikes a chord with the people of today--maybe we aren't cool enough or maybe, just maybe you are too big of a music snob (like the sad, sad twosome in High Fidelity--I can see that, you do have the hairline) to see that every song and singer doesn't have to be a classic.

So, back to my original question. You have chosen The Who to be your avatar and defacto mouthpiece. How many records did the band write? Because, after all that is what you are stringing up Kenny, Britney, The N'Synch 98 Degree Backstreet Boys for. How many did they write, sing and produce on their own? It's okay, you can tell us--we already know.

 

Like cch5432 said w/re to The Who, pretty much all of the material. From a cursory glance, I'll give Chesney 20 percent (and that's probably generous, given how Nashville operates, and you know darned good and well he's not his own master when he gets in the studio). The others? Zilch.

 

But you're missing the point. Yes, the artists who do write their own stuff are infinitely more respectable. The ones who don't aren't automatically discounted -- like I said, I love Frank Sinatra. But the ones who don't bring writing chops to the table, like cch5432 said, need something else to set them apart from the flock. Sinatra did that; so did Aretha. Chesney, however, just sounds like everybody else. I'm betting that in 20 years nobody will know who he was.

Like cch5432 said w/re to The Who, pretty much all of the material. From a cursory glance, I'll give Chesney 20 percent (and that's probably generous, given how Nashville operates, and you know darned good and well he's not his own master when he gets in the studio). The others? Zilch.

 

But you're missing the point. Yes, the artists who do write their own stuff are infinitely more respectable. The ones who don't aren't automatically discounted -- like I said, I love Frank Sinatra. But the ones who don't bring writing chops to the table, like cch5432 said, need something else to set them apart from the flock. Sinatra did that; so did Aretha. Chesney, however, just sounds like everybody else. I'm betting that in 20 years nobody will know who he was.

 

 

No really he doesn't, that is where you want to dismiss out of hand all contemporary country musicians. Chesney is way different from the pack. Go on try to distinguish between Trace Adkins, Toby Keith, Tracy Adkins, Sugarland, Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, OR Chesney--he really is that good.

Chesney also has over 30 writing credits on his 31 #1 songs and his 13 albums. Like him or not, he is more talented than you want to admit and since he isn't "indie" enough for you I don't think you will ever give him credit. YOU might not like him but you've already proven you aren't the end all be all authority on music. What people like about him is that he makes them feel good and lifts them up. Maybe he doesn't play the drums or the Oboe, the fact is his music strikes a chord with the people of today--maybe we aren't cool enough or maybe, just maybe you are too big of a music snob (like the sad, sad twosome in High Fidelity--I can see that, you do have the hairline) to see that every song and singer doesn't have to be a classic.

 

"High Fidelity" is one of my favorite flicks, and yes, I've exhibited that behavior for a long time. I make no apologies for this.

 

Your phrase about "his music strikes a chord" and your suggestion of his writing 30 of 31 No. 1 tunes got me to investigating a bit, and you won't like what I've found out about the artist's alleged creativity.

 

Of 10 albums of original material, Chesney wrote or co-wrote only 34 or the 110 tunes, so I'm having a hard time believing he's that prolific with his writing with relation to chart success. If he really was, wouldn't he be writing more tunes, as they would almost be guaranteed hits?

 

Other Chesney facts:

 

On only two of his albums of "original" material did Chesney write more than half the songs. On one of them, admirably, he wrote 12 of 13. However, that particular album doesn't appear to have sold as well as the others, which tells me (and Nashville, based on the fact that on the next two albums he wrote exactly two of 11 on one and zero of 11 on the other) that writing ain't his strong suit.

 

Please stop trying to make him out to be more than he is: A Nashville creation who does little more than cover other people's songs. Maybe he does make people feel good. But I can direct those people to music that will make them feel a lot better.

No really he doesn't, that is where you want to dismiss out of hand all contemporary country musicians. Chesney is way different from the pack. Go on try to distinguish between Trace Adkins, Toby Keith, Tracy Adkins, Sugarland, Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, OR Chesney--he really is that good.

 

If you're talking strictly about the sound of the guy's voice, maybe not. I look at the big picture. Pretty much all the songs coming out of Nashville are rehashing of the same stuff. Most all the songs sound alike. So yes, Adkins, Keith, Urban, et al, all sound alike. They sound like a cover band doing all the same songs, which makes sense when you consider the same core group of about 10 songwriters pens 95 percent of the country hits.

My whole bone is that if all those Chesney fans out there took the time to discover some real country music, with real songs about life and love (and not stuff churned out by the 10 or so songwriters in Nashville who write 95 percent of the stuff that tops the country charts), they'd really wonder what the hell took them so long to see the light.

 

So who's blessing does one need to be classified as real country music. Also your pretty assuming to suggest that just becasue someone is a fan of Kenny Chesney that they haven't discovered real country music (Which I assume means music that hasn't found it way into radio playlist) I'd be willing to bet that most people on here haven't heard of Thom Shepherd, but they've heard his songs. Personally I'm a fan, especially of his stuff that hasn't been covered by more popular artist (Although "Private Malone" and "Redneck Yatch Club" are prety good) Whether or not he is real country music I guess I'm not qualified to say.

So who's blessing does one need to be classified as real country music.

 

I think that the point is that in order to be REAL music, it doesn't need a blessing. It doesn't need the blessing of a "music snob" like Jim or me, and it doesn't need the blessing of big music executives in Nashville.

 

Real, quality music can come from anywhere, and whether or not you listen to it does not make it any better or worse (or the listener any better or worse). But just because it is played on the radio over and over and over does not make it good. And a guy like Kenny Chesney, who as noted hardly writes his own songs and really doesn't do anything that seperates him from the crowd, I have trouble placing in the category of "good" music.

 

Fortunately for the sake of music, I am not the final judge. But that's my opinion, and it really bothers me when people try and defend Chesney when they have heard so little other music than what is constantly being sold to them.

 

Furthermore and finally, I am no expert on country. Someone who does listen to country from Nashville, from nowhere, from today and from Johnny Cash's time and beyond would probably be more fitted to speak on this subject. And I don't think you will find many people who really love country outside of the Nashville scene that will consider Kenny Chesney a great country musician.

So who's blessing does one need to be classified as real country music. Also your pretty assuming to suggest that just becasue someone is a fan of Kenny Chesney that they haven't discovered real country music (Which I assume means music that hasn't found it way into radio playlist) I'd be willing to bet that most people on here haven't heard of Thom Shepherd, but they've heard his songs. Personally I'm a fan, especially of his stuff that hasn't been covered by more popular artist (Although "Private Malone" and "Redneck Yatch Club" are prety good) Whether or not he is real country music I guess I'm not qualified to say.

 

First thing I would recommend is abandoning listening to pop country commercial radio and its extremely narrow format. Songs don't "find their way onto a playlist;" the pop country format is not egalitarian. The only things that get on that narrow format are established stars and the "flavors of the month" whose songs Music Row record companies pay program directors to get played on the air (payola).

 

This is a good place to start to find real country music: http://bootliquor.com/

Anyway, anybody heard about how the concert was? I know someone that went but havent talked to her yet.

Sorry if he feels that way; it was only my intent to explain the benefits of the smaller-venue shows to both performer and artist. People who only go to the large-venue shows and the big stars that play them and don't check out the smaller, regional acts miss out on the joy of seeing an intimate show. Personally, I enjoy being able to walk up to a performer after a show, shake his hand and say, "thanks for a great show," and maybe have a drink with them as well.

 

Another reason performers do it is to "test-drive" their new material for larger tours. Kind of a dress rehearsal for the public.

Well put. I've been lucky enough to have a beer with several artists post show.