Local country singer makes traditional country tunes in an industry dominated by country-pop crossover music.

Kari Barber

Daily Staff Writer

The style of country music is changing.

Cowboy jeans and snakeskin boots have been replaced by trendy designer apparel for many performers. Quicker tempos and the abandonment of traditional instruments, such as the fiddle and steel guitar, have blurred the lines between country music and rock music.

By embracing these changes, some musicians have received immense mainstream success.

However, this is not Jeremy Castle's style.

Castle, a 29-year-old Oklahoma native, is trying to make a name for himself playing what he calls traditional country music. Though this type of country music is not as popular as "poppy" country, Castle said he is not willing to compromise his style.

"I'll continue just to do the type of music that I enjoy," he said. "I wouldn't change for the industry."

Castle, who graduated in 1997 from East Central University with a degree in elementary education, said he admits that he enjoys some pop country, but would rather be two-stepping to George Jones or Merle Haggard.

The mainstreaming of country music is good for the genre as a whole in one way, Castle said.

"I guess it reaches a larger audience of people who normally wouldn't listen to country because it plays on stations that aren't country," Castle said.

However, the country-to-rock crossover phenomenon may be dangerous for the future of country music, Castle said.

"If all the music starts blending to sound like other styles, then they lose their uniqueness," Castle said.

Shawn Blankenship, a former classmate of Castle's at ECU, said his friends are already frustrated with the loss of identity the country crossover has caused.

"A lot of people who like country can't stand some of the new stuff," he said. "It looks more like MTV. They don't even dress country."

There is room for both types of music, but right now the industry is unbalanced, Blankenship said.

"There is just not as much of the traditional good ol' country music," Blankenship said.

It is tougher to make it big playing traditional country because radio stations don't play much traditional music, Castle said.

"What sells is what you hear on the radio," Castle said.

Based on the strong attendance at his concerts and good CD sales, Castle says he thinks radio stations are underestimating the size and type of audience that traditional country is capable of drawing.

"It is probably a lot more appealing to a younger audience than you think," Castle said.

Although Castle's songs have been played on K-Bull and KKNG, Castle said that not being with a record label has made working with radio stations more difficult.

"It is kind of unfortunate," he said. "There are a lot of good independent musicians that just don't get heard."

Although compromising to get a record deal might make it easier for Castle to build his career, Castle said he would rather stick with his style.

Ray Ballew, Castle's voice instructor, said Castle's unwillingness to change himself for the industry is just part of his character.

"You gotta stay in your vein, and his vein is traditional country music," Ballew said.

Country music can only stretch so far away from its roots, then a return to traditional country is inevitable, Castle said.

"Eventually it will have to hit a point where everybody breaks away and goes back to an older style," Castle said.

Until that point, Castle said he will bide his time by putting his energy into writing good music rather than becoming another country music fad.

"It will roll back around," Castle said. "Just not right now."