A recent article by Geoff Herbert in the Syracuse Post-Standard/syracuse.com makes the case that hip hop has surpassed rock and country as the most popular musical style at the New York State Fair. It’s hard to accept such a theory based upon the acts booked this year by the incompetent agency used by New York State to create the concert lineup for the two major stages. 
It’s unreasonable to say that country popularity has faded when fans are given no opportunity to show up for an act with bona fide country cred.
This year may have been the worst lineup in Fair history with a half-dozen hip hop acts and fewer major rock bands, while the handful of country performers were exclusively newcomers or second-stringers with one exception. The biggest name was Jimmie Allen, who sings lightweight pop with a twang and a heavy beat that mimics hip hop. Thus Allen is the definition of what current commercial radio passes off as country, though it’s completely unsatisfying for fans who know real country.
It was nothing less than laughable when clueless local media referred to sideshow goofballs Big and Rich as “country superstars.” These two flakes have cracked the Billboard Country Chart top ten exactly twice over the course of the past 19 years, not exactly superstar credentials. When they played the grandstand in 2009, their crude and insulting show drew a paltry crowd.
While other upstate venues staged impressive artists including Lorrie Morgan, Clint Black, Sara Evans, Martina McBride, Emmylou Harris, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Rhonda Vincent this summer, the Fair whiffed completely on genuine, traditional-style country.
Again.
If other venues can book such talent, why can’t the Fair?
No surprise–they sure don’t know much about country music as they signed unknown country “stars” like American Idol (uh-oh) singer Alex Miller and Niko Moon. 
Another kid, Ernest (State Fair Hound refuses to ignore standard journalistic practice to spell his name in capital letters as he prefers) put on an entirely credible show at Chevy Court, but he’s not exactly a big name in capital letters or otherwise.
Rap fans should certainly have a chance to cheer their favorites, but it’s been several years since the Fair brought in a top-flight, real country act, especially one with the track record to draw the fans who consistently filled concert seats in years past. Those folks are still here and they still want to hear country.
It’s unfair to compare the audiences’ response to minor league or fledgling country acts against some of hip hop’s biggest names. Numbers aside, when you book 52 shows over 13 days, a wide variety of acts is the logical way to go.
This infuriating issue is nothing new, but maybe a new exec at the top of the Fair’s team, whether it’s Sean Hennessey or someone else, will do something to correct it. They should start right now.
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