Good morning, missred! We see these things similarly it appears.
You’ve been around Music City even longer than I have, Zeldar. We tend to hear the country in just about every kind of music played here (and there are all kinds). 
As an autoharp player, I’ve sat in with traditional Irish bands and even tried my hand at the Irish harp a time or two. Even without lessons or ever having played one, it wasn’t hard to pick out a few tunes (not virtuoso by a long shot) that were recognizable. I’ve worked with fiddle, banjo, guitar and mandolin players who would play a jig at the drop of a hat. As Ricky Skaggs once said after touring Ireland, “It was kind of like playing with the neighbors in the hood. We played the songs they knew and the songs I knew and some of them were the same songs with different names.”
I wanted to find the solo a capella version of “Talk About Suffering Here Below” that Ricky has done. It’s not on YouTube at this moment, but if anybody wants to hear as pure a voice as there is, it’s in that rendition of that song by Ricky.
Slight nitpick–
George Strait
And yes, he is God.
I like any Vince Gill song where he decides to show off his playing.
I like Kathleen Edwards a lot.
I’m not sure if either of those fall into people’s idea of ‘country’, but I figure close enough.
I prefer traditional country, along with blue grass, western, swing and all kinds of non-pop sounding country, but has anyone here heard Colt Ford? He mixes hip-hop and country in a way that actually works, in my opinion.
I actually have that one on a collection from Rounder (either the bluegrass one or Hills of Home). I agree with you. It’s pretty typical of many harmonies sung in little churches up in the hills of East Tennessee, eastern Kentucky and West Virginia. Some good stuff.
I hated country music when I was young but know love much of the older stuff - Patsy Cline, Chet Atkins, Hank Williams and Don Gibson in particular. I like a few of the modern guys who pay a nod to that style BR549, Steve Earle, Dwight Yoakham and I absolutely adore the Felice Brothers who won best country album from the BBC last tear for** Yonder is the Clock**.
Anyone thinking of going to Stage Coach this year (April 24/25)?
I went last year, and it was awesome - Brad Paisley, Kenny Chesney, Reba, Kid Rock, Miranda Lambert, Lady Antebellum, Lynn Anderson, etc.
I have, all my life, fled in horror from country music. Don’t like the music, the ‘lifestyle’, the busty interchangeable big haired blonds, the hats. I know some of them are talented, they are the biggest acts at the State Fair every year. Just not my thing.
But I LOVE all of Hank Williams and most of Willie Nelson!!! LOVE them.
I kind of wish now I listened to Loretta Lynn’s songs when I was younger, I’ve always kind of liked her, and some of her song lyrics now make me laugh. Guess it’s too late to get into her now.
What does that mean? Are you on your death bed? I have just started “getting in to” Miles Davis since I heard a couple of things that made sense to me. Before that it all seemed like garbage to me. If I live for a few more months I may come to like some of it.
Naw, it ain’t too late to get into Loretta: http://www.lorettalynn.com/tour/
And Loretta is still making music, the White Stripes are fans of hers and have recorded her “Rated X” song. Plus Jack White collaborated with her on her “Van Lear Rose” album.
Merle Haggard is touring this summer too apparently.
You don’t have to like the lifestyle to make the music. I like stoner metal but have never smoked a day in my life.
OK, now I’m inspired, I’m gonna dig out the old Loretta Lynn and give it a real listen. Because I DO like her, and I have heard and enjoyed her collaboration with Jack White. (And I’m getting into jazz a little, too, never paid much attention to it in the past but I think it’s ideal background listening for a lot of things.)
The movie Coal Miner’s Daughter is the slightly fictionalized life of Loretta Lynn. But the essence is true. Sissy Spacek did her own singing, as did Beverly D’Angelo, who played Patsy Cline. Definitely worth seeing.
Anyone even slightly interested in the roots of Country (& Blues)–who has not seen O Brother Where Art Thou ought to rectify the situation immediately. Definitely not a “true” story–but the music is all true…
You take that back! I’ve been nuts about Johnny ever since I was a wee sprout, and I will not listen to such slander.
Mind you, that’s not to say he’s the only great country artist, or even the only great one of his era–I have a deep and abiding love for Waylon, Willie, Conway, both Georges, Loretta and others whose names escape me at the moment. But Johnny, imo, caps 'em all, with Miss Dolly giving him a damn close run for his money.
It’s never too late to develop taste, style, and class. Get to listening.
I like pretty much all styles of country music except for the mainstream stuff from the early 90’s on. There was a sea change in style around then, as the great ones from the 70’s and 80’s were retiring and/or dying. Personally, I blame Garth Brooks. Don’t get me wrong, I quite like Garth. But he ushered in an era of truly execrable music.
My radio is typically set to the community-supported station run by the local arts collective, where roughly 60% of the time they’re playing bluegrass, old-time, or classic country. The rest of the time it could be anything from a live cooking show to hip-hop. You can stream it live at appalshop.org if you’re so inclined.
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Merle Haggard is touring this summer too apparently.[/QUOTE]
Really?! Didn’t know this, I’m definitely going to do some research into this.
He’s gonna be a busy man this year: http://merlehaggard.com/tour-dates/
04/22/10 in Winterhaven, CA at Quechan Casino Resort
04/23/10 in Santa Ynez, CA at Chumash Casino
04/24/10 in Indo, CA at Stagecoach Music Festival
04/25/10 in Pozo, CA at Pozo Saloon
04/28/10 in Eugene, OR at Silva Concert Hall, Hult Center
04/29/10 in Wenatchee, WA at Town Toyota Center
04/30/10 in Tacoma, WA at Emerald Queen Casino
05/01/10 in Pendleton, OR at Wild Horse Gaming Resort
05/06/10 in Boise, ID at Idaho Botanical Gardens
05/07/10 in Wendover, NV at Peppermill Casino
That’s just the beginning…
I have to admit that I have a fondness for that song. It’s one of a handful of, as Chuck Klosterman so aptly termed it, Wal-Mart country songs, and, indeed, Blake Shelton is among a small handful of Wal-Mart country artists, that I actually like.