Country music dominates local radio. Country music dominates local concert ticket sales. The Dixie Chicks. Pretty much every time a big country act comes to The Mark of the Quad Cities, it sells out. And on top of that, the Isle of Capri and the Adler Theater bring in a fair share of patrons with their country shows.
Country music dominates area music sales.
Most every record shop in the Quad-Cities will report that country is a big seller. Earlier this year, Jason Gillespie, a country musician, called me up in hopes that I could help hook him up with a band to play with or a club to play in. He had made the rounds at area taverns and music stores, putting up flyers and putting out feelers, but he had had no luck. Usually, unless you're looking for people who play odd instruments or you're trying to put together an esoteric-sounding group, it's not too difficult to form a band or get a gig. Especially if you want to play a popular style of music and particularly if you're a solid musician with good credentials.