Only if you are an accountant ... entertainers would never consider earnings to be the equivalent of talent.

But I must admit I do like Lady Gaga. My classic rock band plays a couple of Lady Gaga covers. They go down well with a bar audience.

I never compare music artists. That is so very pointless. I like artists simply based on their work.

Donny

I don't believe in judging talent in dollars earned. Plenty of limited talent people have gotten rich in the business. And I'm aware of the phrase "can't argue with success" I wasn't picking out Lady alone its just a lot of what's passed off for talent these days. Take away her costumes and everything else and let her just stand there with a mic in her hand like they did. She'd never cut it.
Do you see where I'm going with this?
Its not her or any entertainers fault, its what the public has grown to expect. I believe Elvis started it and guys like Gene Simmons of Kiss, Madonna, etc. jumped on the idea that the show is sometimes a bigger seller than the music.
Anyhow, I love those "classic" preformances.

Bill in NJ

I have learned after 45 years in the business to appreciate and absorb the good in all music...in return it makes me a better artist ....we all learn from each other lady gaga included... & what is in the past & what is to come in the future also.

The biggest 'music money maker' in 2011 was Taylor Swift at $35.7 million ... Lady GaGa was fourth ...

What is amazing is the unlimited exposure today's artists have ...Lauren Alaina - last years AI runner up, sang her first single from her debut album on AI last week, and the song broke onto the C/W top forty at number 31 ... in Dean and Perry's day a song would have to be played on radio for weeks for it to get any attention ...

lady gaga

Different day...different media...different skill sets

Dean and Perry came up in a time when "mass media" wasn't so "mass"...in fact, it was sort of elitist, and gradually became more affordable and available.

There's was a kinder, more gentler time.

Gradually, theatrics became the draw. Watch Lady Gaga play piano with Elton John. Watch the recording she did with Tony Bennett.

You miss true talent, sometimes, because "the show" takes priority.

I'm not very impressed with anything Taylor Swift does. Her strength is in writing cute hooks and being a crossover performer.

It's really hard to compare performers from different eras. The adjustments required for technology, staging, larger budgets, makes the playing field uneven.

What IS easy is recognition of GIANTS from a kinder, gentler time.

And that's certainly where Dean and Perry come in.


Russ

Well said Cap'n ...

We talkin' twitter followers' or $$$$$ ??? Taylor Swift

Hi Tony,

Actually Lauren Alaina's first release song was written by a friend of mine Greg Hathaway called My Kind of Country. This song was one of several that was on her firstdemo album that he produced for her and promoted her around the GA area for the last few years before she made the "Big Time" I actually reworked and redid some tracks using a Technics Kn7000 and sent it up to Nashville to be studio recorded for a professional demo. This song was recorded in Gregs Studio with her parents there a few years back.

I mentioned this post to Greg about the fame and money involved with these young talents - here is what he said quoted;

To the best of my knowledge it was her first original she recorded. I remember the first time Lauren, her parents and I heard the song played on a Nashville Internet station. We were talking on the phone and all of we're so excited! Wow..... Now all I get is the ignore button.... Forget releasing "My kind of Country".... Yes I am very proud of the song....It's a history lesson about America as well as well as our love for God.

I would just like to understand why Lauren and her family treat someone (who truly believed in her) the way they do! The hurt and pain just continue with nothing to explain why I get treated this way. I've never asked for a thing. I never charged a thing. That's my story of dreams gone wild


Greg Hathaway
423-693-9264

So we never know what goes on behind the scenes of stardom.

I am posting a link to the song. Presently it has a slide show along with the vocal of Lauren. She also performed this song opening for Confederate Railway.

Here is the link:



http://s172.photobucket.com/albums/w34/keys2240/?action=view&current=LaurenSlide_GregsSlide.mp4

Walt