Haven’t read the whole thread, but the ones I’ve read recommended some tasty stuff. Did anyone mention Nancy Griffith? I like her material better than Emmylou Harris, for some reason. Rounder records has put out some really good Bluegrass compilations. Or you could go for a whole album of Jim and Jessee. Will the Circle be Unbroken - the 1st collaboration album from the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band with the Grand Ole Opry types has some good material for a country music introduction. Enjoy!
“Bluegrass” covers a pretty wide genre. Hayseed Dixie, who I mentioned on the previous page, plays bluegrass covers of rock hits.
As Quercus said, The “O Brother” soundtrack is a good cross-section of the genre.
I think you’ll find Red Star Express accpetable.
Garth has some great songs. Here are a few more:
Callin’ Baton Rouge
Papa Loved Mama
Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)
The River
Two Pina Coladas [ie, Garth’s Margaritaville ;)]
Friends in Low Places
The Dance
Then you’d like anything by the Dixie Chicks (or much of it):
Goodbye Earl
Cowboy Take Me Away
Wide Open Spaces
I Can Love You Better
Sin Wagon
If I Fall You’re Going Down With Me
Ready to Run
Hayseed Dixie is more in line with Weird Al Yankovic than legitimate bluegrass bands. They are a novelty act, not a real band. I’m not saying that to put them down, it’s just a fact.
I love Nanci Griffith, especially The Flyer.
Hey, skutir, I’m on Allison Krauss’ email list, and they just sent out a tour dates email. Included in that email were the reviews you linked to - INCLUDING YOURS!
You’re a star! 
Yeah, I know… I just have to figure out how I can use this honor to meet Alison and jam with Union Station.
Quite right. I mentioned this on the previous page as well. 
Great list, Sam Stone!
But of course I have a few additions:
Let Him Fly - Patty Griffin (not the Dixie Chicks version)
The Tenessee Stud - Doc Watson with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Come Around - Kim Richey
Don’t Fence Me In - Willy Nelson & Leon Russell
Hey, no one has mentioned Ray Charles. Not normally known as a country singer, he sang some absolute classics. “Georgia on my Mind”, “I Can’t Stop Loving You”, “Born to Lose”.
Neko Case and Johnny Cash.
I don’t like country music, but these two are fantastic.
Here’s a few country music song suggestions that I don’t think have been covered so far–I’m not sure about their availability on iTunes.
(Oh, and has anybody recommended Wayne “The Train” Hancock yet? He’s great.)
Fred Eaglesmith:
Carmelita (this was covered by the Cowboy Junkies)
Cumberland County
105
Time To Get a Gun
Lucille
Pretty Good Guy
49 Tons
Water in the Fuel (I think Kasey Chambers did a good cover of this)
Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter:
Reckless Burning
Doralee
Lonely Still
Don’t Let Me Go
Love Me, Someday
Wayne Hancock:
Juke Joint Jumping
87 Southbound
Alejandro Escovedo:
Five Hearts Breaking
Pissed Off 2 A.M.
Rhapsody
Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys:
Stay All Night (Stay a Little Longer)
The Magnetic Fields:
Papa Was a Rodeo (Hey, it’s at least as much a country song as “Hurt”)
Bobby Bare Jr.'s Young Criminals Starvation League:
I’ll Be Around
Johnny Dowd (bear in mind that this guy is not a typical country artist):
A Picture from Life’s Other Side
Worried Mind
No Woman’s Flesh But Hers
Well, if you are really somewhat of a rocker and need something to get you interested in country, I would suggest Dwight Yoakum.
Which reminds me… If you’re looking for individual songs on iTunes, Warren Zevon wrote a few great country songs. Two off the top of my head would be Heartache Spoken Here with Dwight Yoakim, and Renegade. Both are fantastic songs.
In addition to my earlier suggestion, two Dopers recommened The Be Good Tanyas to me in a thread about music. Sorry guys, I really can’t remember who but I went and bought the album and am very happy with it.
It’s really more acoustic and rustic sounding than I think Opal would like, but just in case someone else is viewing the thread for some nice sounds.
I’ve got another recommendation: Carolyn Mark. She’s played with Neko Case, but also does good solo work. I saw her last weekend on her tour for her new album “The Pros and Cons of Collaboration”. It took a couple of listens to the CD before I decided that I liked it, but her live show was great. She would also be a good choice if you don’t really like the tear-in-your-beer school of country–she’s kind of goofy (in a cool alterna-chick kind of way), and she’s got a lot of humor.
The opening act was Purty Mouth, which is a very gay country band. They were a real hoot. No CDs yet, though.
Finally found the name of another Aussie country artist that I like. Kevin Johnson has a great voice, you have got to find his cover of “Rock n’ Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life)”!
Another vote here for Lyle Lovett. He’s got this sort of bluesy gospel thing mixed into his country, and I for one simply love it. ‘Lyle Lovett and his Large Band’ and ‘Joshua Judges Ruth’ are both very good - though each has a single twangy track that simply have to be intended as parody - “She’s Leaving Me (Because She Really Wants To)” and “I Married Her Just Because She Looks Like You”. Those songs crack me up.
They’ve been mentioned a few times already, but they need to be mentioned again:
Alison Krauss + Union Station
Their “Live” album is on iTunes and it’s just outstanding. Without question, the best recorded version of any of their songs is on that Live album. More mature, better playing, more energy.
My favorite songs:
“Baby, Now that I’ve Found You” – try this one even if you’re not interested in the rest
“Every time You Say Goodbye”
“Take Me For Longing”
“Maybe”
“Stay”
“Oh, Atlanta”
and, depending on whether you like the instrumentals or if you’re just into Alison’s voice:
“Chocataw Hayride” (instrumental)
“We Hide and Seek” (instrumental)
“I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow” (sung by Dan Tyminski)
“Tiny Broken Heart” (Dan T)
Ah, hell. Just buy the whole album.
Also, I forgot. Absolute Torch and Twang by k.d. lang and the Reclines is a pretty good album. “Pullin’ Back the Reins” is my favorite track. It’s on iTunes.
Just ran across a CD of a John Fogarty country album that was originally recorded 30 years ago.