Talk about mining the ancient archives! Now, that’s classic country!
I don’t suppose rockabilly counts. I can’t think of a sad rockabilly song.
“Lukenbach, Texas” (Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings)
“I Hope You Dance” (Lee Ann Womack)
“The Tennessee Stud” (Eddy Arnold)
“This Kiss” (Faith Hill, one of my favorite Country videos ever)
Years ago I was invited to an RCA party. Country star Clint Black was going to be there. Knowing nothing about his music, I listened to a few of his CDs.
When we were talking, he asked me if I had heard any of his music.I said I had, and really enjoyed one from his current release, D’Electrified (an all acoustic release). The song I really enjoyed was called The Galaxy Song.
He chuckled. Turns out, the song was a cover of a song written by Eric Idle. Clint liked the song, but he explained that it was not a Country song. I was embarrassed, but he was very cool about the whole thing.
Oh yeah, the best kind. I can even get slighty older than Carter Family stuff, depending on what you consider country.
Vernon Dalhart - The Clouds are Gwine Roll Away
Fiddlin John Carson - When You and I Were Young, Maggie. Positive outlook at the end. But this might stretch the bounds of country?? All the good guys worth their salt cover at least one of Johnny’s songs, anyway.
Ernest V. Stoneman - I am Resolved. Religious, of course, which I am not, but some of the very best music is old gospel country stuff. The absolute masters of that proved it just fine.
Uncle Dave Macon - Walking in the Sunlight.
Etc.
I’d have to agree with this statement.
Anyway, one of my recent favorites in the country genre is anything but sad. Red Solo Cup is an incredibly fun party song. Toby Keith - Red Solo Cup (Unedited Version) - YouTube Nothing downbeat there!
“What Was I Thinking?” Dierks Bentley
“God Bless the Broken Road” Rascal Flatts
“My Front Porch Looking In” Lonestar
(Okay, maybe the last one’s a little sappy.)
“Summertime” by Kenny Chesney.
“Something in Red” by Lorrie Morgan
How can you miss “Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off”? Nothing downbeat about that one!
Red Solo Cup.
Thank God and Greyhound She’s Gone.
“Feels So Good Feelin’ Good Again” Robert Earl King
I consider him Texas or Americana or Roots Country, rather than the Nashville hat act stuff though. (Though not all of that is bad–please don’t get me wrong! I’ve heard some fun music–it’s just not so much my kind of music in general.)
And I live in Houston, so…YAY!
country isn’t my favorite but I like a lot of the songs mentioned.
the first thing that came to my mind as “upbeat” is Fancy, by Reba. I think it’s very upbeat (adversity overcome!) despite including the words
- “Your pa’s run’d off and I’m real sick
And the baby’s gonna starve to death” 
If it counts (and it sort of does?), Poco is all about good times.
Kind Woman. This is technically a Buffalo Springfield song, but really it’s just Richie’s song and he did it better with Poco. And having said that, Deliverin’ is one of the best live records of all time, which is where I take this version.
Beyond Richie I really can’t speak for Poco’s music (and DEFINITELY am not apologetic for the original reunion in the 80s).
Feel Like a Woman - Shania Twain
Take a Backroad - Rodney Adtkins
Banjo - Rascall Flats
Calypso–by John Denver