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It’s an ominous-sounding slogan plastered across the banner strung up between two microphone stands on The Drunk Uncles’ stage.

“Kill Nashville Pop” — it’s easy to assume that the band (and many others that sport the statement on bumper stickers, shirts and more) advocate an end to artists who populate country music radio these days, men like Kenny Chesney and women like Taylor Swift.

In reality, says the man who started the “Kill Nashville Pop” movement, it has nothing to do with putting down or getting rid of other artists. It’s about returning the mantle of country music to the sound pioneered by artists like Hank Williams Sr., George Jones, Tom T. Hal and other musicians of yesteryear.

“We’re not an organization that goes out and bashes other people about their music,” acclaimed Nashville songwriter Larry Shell told The Daily Times this week. “We’re more about celebrating the country music we love. I’ve had a few people say, ‘Why did you title it Kill Nashville Pop?’ Well, No. 1, I like that phrase, and No. 2, nobody would notice it if we called it ‘I Love Country Music.’ I wanted to get people’s attention, so I use the phrase that I like.

“I want to be clear — as far as young people today making music out of Nashville, we have no problem with it in the end. That’s the labels’ brand what they want them to do in some cases; they want to put acts out there that draw young people. My biggest thing, going back to another time here, is that Nashville as the home of country music has some sort of responsibility to remain the home of country music and should create, manufacture, produce and release a certain amount of country music — and they don’t, because they follow whatever trend is out there.

“I am a capitalist, but there is a place where money is taking over and destroying some very good things in this country,” Shell added. “Have we become a society of trend-followers, driven by the almighty dollar? Have we lost all sense of direction in this world?”

“Kill Nashville Pop” evolved from a conversation between Shell and an old friend of his from Arizona, Bethany Braley. Shell — who’s written songs for such artists as Alan Jackson, Merle Haggard, George Strait, Reba McEntire and other stars — was the co-author of “Murder on Music Row,” a song he wrote in 2000 with bluegrass standard-bearer Larry Cordle bemoaning the change toward industry-driven country in Music City.

The song went on to win the Song of the Year Award by the International Bluegrass Music Association, and in its wake, Shell and Braley lamented the demise of traditional country music.

“She threw out the phrase, ‘Somebody ought to kill Nashville pop,’ and I just loved that,” he said. “I picked it up and started using it on my Facebook page and invited people who felt the same way we did about traditional country music to join up. Lo and behold, the membership is growing daily.”

One of those member is Barbra, whose friendship with Shell dates back several years, when Shell shopped songs by Barbra and his wife, Sarah Pirkle, around Nashville to no avail.

Even more recently, after the death of Gosdin, Barbra attempted to get his tribute to the late, great country songwriter, “Blame It on Vern,” recorded. Again, he found no takers.

“I was like, ‘There obviously needs to be a tribute record to Vern; now’s the time,’” Barbra said. “I thought it would be nice if they put my song on there, but nevertheless, the man needs a tribute record. I was in touch with a couple of big, big producers — I don’t want to mention any names — and the response from both was that no label in town would be interested whatsoever.

“You’re talking about a guy who, if anybody who’s a real country singer were to name their top five influences, would be in that top five. I know they’re in the business to make money, and that’s fine, but when you call Taylor Swift country and put her on CMT, in my mind you’re putting her in the same league as Merle Haggard and George Jones and Vern. And that’s a whole different kind of music, man.”

Shell acknowledges that there is hope — he points to Jamey Johnson as traditional country’s “great white hope” — but the balance of country-pop CDs coming out of Nashville far outnumbers the traditional country albums being made there, he said.

“I have no hard feelings in my heart toward any of the artists who have to work in this miserable, set-up situation we find ourselves in today,” Shell said. “This whole music industry is in flux right now, but the one thing we don’t need to change is the fact there are people who love traditional country music, so let’s make some for them again.”

Traditional country, Barbra said, is for grown-ups — and while he also said he has no problem with younger artists like Taylor Swift, he believes the labels are tailoring her music for a younger crowd that has no concept of the hard luck and heartache that goes hand-in-hand with appreciation for traditional country.

“Country music is for adults. That’s always been my stance,” Barbra said. “Kids can’t understand getting your heart getting ripped out of your chest or trying to make the mortgage at the end of the month or finding salvation at the bottom of a bottle. If Taylor Swift turns kids onto music, that’s great — but we’re talking about lyrics that talk about, ‘Will you go with me,’ or ‘I lost my pencil,’ or ‘Can I borrow your Trapper-Keeper.’”

Even radio executives at country giants like WIVK-FM acknowledge the imbalance between traditional and modern, pop-sounding country. According to WIVK Operations Manager Mike Hammond, what gets played on the radio is determined in large part by what’s sent to the stations from the labels. And right now, modern country has the upper hand.

“I think it all depends on the new product we have to play,” Hammond said. “The problem is that we don’t have many people going after that traditional audience. Most of the artists are the more modern, mainstream country artists, and you have to remember that record companies are motivated by one thing — money.

“They depend on who’s buying the records and the downloads, and the people buying those things these days are definitely a younger demographic. To survive, you have to shift, if you will, toward that. That doesn’t mean they’re not into traditional artists like Jamey Johnson, but Jamey is basically on an island by himself. Most of the artists are going toward that mainstream, modern era.”

This week, Shell organized the inaugural Kill Nashville Pop music series in Nashville, a free show featuring volunteer performers. He hopes to get Barbra’s band, The Drunk Uncles, over to Nashville for a future KNP showcase, he said.

If that happens, and that “Kill Nashville Pop” banner is strung up between the vocal mics, no doubt the cheers will be just as loud in Music City as they are in Maryville.

“When we got that banner, we put it up at a Two Doors Down show, and no less than 30 people came up and asked where I got it and where they could get one,” Barbra said. “They thought it was the coolest thing in the entire world. All I’ve had is 100-percent positive feedback off of it.”