It suits me

Beatles forever!

Peggy says I dwell a) on the same things too much and b) in the past.  I'll plead guilty to both charges, but still, I have a point to make about the way performers dress nowadays.

1963

Seeing that awe-inspiring Beatles show on TV last week got me to thinking about this topic.  Messrs. Starr and McCartney reported for work on the day of the taping dressed up nicely.  This reminded me of the early Beatles, known for wearing matching suits and looking sharp.

Hank Williams's
stage suit

ET, phone home!

I know I often quote the words of the great Ernest Tubb as if he were a candidate for sainthood, but he was a dedicated entertainer of the old school in country music, and he always said that since people would get a babysitter and buy tickets to a show and drive to the venue to see their favorite Grand Ole Opry stars perform, it was important for the performers to dress up a little.  "Always dress a little better than your audience, just don't act like you're better than them," was how he put it.

From the wardrobe of
Porter Wagoner

And in the golden days of country music, you could see your favorite singers dressed to the nines.  Now, you pay a king's ransom to see Keith Urban, and he comes onstage dressed like he just finished cleaning out the basement and was on his way out to powerwash the deck.

Thanks for dressing up and all.

And there are, without doubt, people sitting in the audience dressed up more than he is!  

End of rant.  For now.