It's very true. A conversation we have here on occasion, over the years, under various guises. There's a point of technical ability that while impressive to other guitarists, is not really particularly compelling to the average listener. As my Dad used to say, "If you're a rock or country or pop band, you lose more audience the more complicated your sound gets. Keep it simple. Musicians play themselves out of gigs trying to get technically better." He was right. It's why millions of people will go hear the Stones play three chords rocking out, and Eric Johnson - while technically a master - plays to much smaller houses. Music is about feeling. A lot more people share the feeling of the simpler music of say, the Stones (insert any other pop/rock/country three chords and the truth band here) than they do the feeling of the music of Mr. Johnson. It's like the whole "you using too many big words, so imma take it as a sign of disrespect" meme.
tl/dr - Play music that makes the girls dance, and the guys buy them beer.