If they can be comfortable and make a living, they're happy just getting heard. Bill Curry, guitarist and singer for Red Star Belgrade, a roots band from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, says making money is not that much of a priority for many roots bands. One of the most important things about this music is that it's built from the ground up. It's not like, all of a sudden, there's a band with a big hit, and then it's gone. This music has built a following.
People care about the bands.
Now it's getting bigger, and you want more people to come to your party. But the more that come, the less manageable it becomes. Eventually, it can get out of control. Major labels are showing an interest in roots music. Son Volt's debut album, Trace , was released by Warner Brothers and has sold more than 100,000.