featherlou, I am afraid you are going to have to listen to those songs in ENTIRETY just to make sure they are ok from beginning to end. I mean, what if the download messed up and you’re missing half of the song? 
Which way of life (WoL) is that?
The “proud to be American” WoL?
The “I work for a living” WoL?
The “I love my wife and children” WoL?
I’m just curious what you find emotionally dishonest about Garth Brooks? I ask because I consider him to be one of the most emotionally honest, and he’s one of those who truly does sing about people in real situations… I’m a person who never really experienced rural farm life or being the child of a trucking family or a rodeo girl for that matter… but he made it real and valid to me in a way no other artist could. Yeah, he was ridiculously popular for a while, but that doesn’t immediately invalidate the sentiment behind his music. I have an album by him which is a compilation of his own personal favorite songs (McDonald’s limited edition–no, I’m not joking. Yes, it’s his best album IMHO.)
Consider these lyrics to my favorite ballad, ‘‘The Cowboy Song’’:
Complete lyrics HERE:
http://www.planetgarth.com/lyrics/the_cowboy_song.php
First time I ever heard that song I wept and wept and wept.
Or consider these lyrics to ''Wolves", which concerns an impassioned plea by a farmer to God, begging him not to let the bank foreclose on his house during a particularly hard winter:
http://www.planetgarth.com/lyrics/wolves.php
Now I love the clean and simple and sweet sound of George Straight, and I’m a fan of Dwight Yoakum as well. But I can’t recall a single country artist that so consistently rips my heart in half as Garth Brooks.
On preview: I can’t believe I’m actually defending a country music artist. I’ll be damned.
Another couple of suggestions by Martina McBride: “God’s Will” and “Concrete Angel.” Avoid the videos unless you have a box of Kleenex handy.
Damn! After reading through this thread, I might have to go and shoot a man in Reno, just to watch him die. 
It seems like he’s just singing standard country themes, and not about things that he’s actually experienced. The fact that he sells it well doesn’t make him emotionally honest. It makes him a good actor.
But, I’ve got friends in low places.
No, you don’t. You’re from a pretty good upbringing in Oklahoma. You went to college, and were sort of a jock. You just know that that song is going to resonate with your audience, but YOU, you don’t have friends in low places.
Loretta Lynn had friends in low places.
lissener, it’s funny you should mention Dwight Yoakam; for all my hatred of country, I just love that dude. He doesn’t have the best voice, and nasal twang like that would normally bother me, but he is very creative. His album, “Under the Covers,” is top of my list of albums I need to buy, and I’ve had the cd “Just Lookin’ For a Hit” for decades now. His duet with k.d. lang, “Sin City,” is one of my all-time favourite songs. I’m a lot more amenable to rockabilly and bluegrass than I am to traditional mopey country.
I have to say, after listening to all this country, I’m surprised at how many of the songs will be in my top-rated playlist now. The George Jones/Charlie Pride/Conway Twitty/Loretta Lynn stuff won’t be, but John Denver, Glen Campbell, Tammy Wynette, Kathy Mattea, Dixie Chicks, and Johnny Cash are all added to my list.
Yeah - Johnny Cash. 
Some awfully good recommendations in this thread, but I couldn’t let it go without a mention of Chris LeDoux: he was an honest PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association) cowboy and a huge influence on Garth Brooks, who mentioned him in his early hit “Much Too Young To Feel This Damned Old” and introduced LeDoux to a new audience. LeDoux and Brooks later recorded a couple of songs together as well.
LeDoux lived the live of a cowboy, decided to sing about it in songs that he wrote mostly himself, sold the recordings at rodeos and county fairs out of his pickup, enjoyed a steady career as a singer, and died nearly two years ago from liver cancer.
There’s also no mention of Willie Nelson in this thread, which is just wrong. The man wrote a song that Patsy Cline sang, for crying out loud.
Here are the 80s-era country songs on my MP3 player (shuffled amongst Franz Ferdinand and Death Cab for Cutie):
Chris LeDoux, “Shot Full of Love”
Gene Watson, “Got No Reason Now For Goin’ Home”
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, “Face on the Cutting Room Floor”
Oak Ridge Boys, “Y’all Come Back Saloon”
Alabama, “Old Flame”
Gatlin Brothers (already mentioned), “What Are We Doing Lonesome”
Lacy J. Dalton, “Sixteenth Avenue”
Highway 101, “Somewhere Tonight”
George Strait (already mentioned), “Amarillo By Morning” – possibly my favorite country song, by another fellow who’s actually ridden a horse. I read a magazine article probably 15 years ago that had a lead I’ll never forget: “George Strait rode out of Texas in 1981 to save country music,” which is pretty much true.
I would have to agree, Gordon. I freakin’ love that song. Me, the suburban Michigander. I have to respect any artist who makes me feel connected to their life experiences when there is no good reason for me to feel that way.
Trunk, I get what you’re saying now. Along the lines of the folks around here who hate Eminem because they went to high school with him and he wasn’t really all that poor and so-forth. I guess the underlying assumption is that if you sing about stuff you can’t personally relate to, you’re most likely a poser. I’m not sure I agree with that entirely, but next to someone like Loretta Lynn I do admit there’s an obvious disparity.
When I mentioned liking Johnny and Willie, to whom did you think I was referring? Much as I like our esteemed ex-President, it isn’t for his musical ability.
Whoops – sorry about that (and apologies to **Enright3 ** as well) – I read through the thread, not thoroughly enough, and then did a text search for “Nelson” – shoulda known that Willie doesn’t need a last name.
You can’t say you love music if you draw the line at Country. Hey, you like Blues? Check out some Travis Tritt and Junior Brown. Partial to Jazz and Standards? Lyle Lovett and k.d. lang have some fresh takes on it. Gretchen Wilson is a huge deal for all the same reasons as Christina Aguilera, and a few more besides.
Forgiven, forgiven… I should be punished myself for forgetting to give a shout out to Alabama too.
Well, maintain that momentum. If you like Dwight, try some Buck Owens, Dwight’s mentor. Then try some neo-retro-country, like Robbie Fulks or Hank Williams III. Current fave country song: Hank3’s “Pills I took”:
There’s blood on the carpet an’ holes in the walls
It must’ve been them pills I took.
The mirrors are all busted an’ someone’s cryin’
It must’ve been them pills I took.
I’m not sure if I love my mom enough to do that! 
(j/k, of course) I hate country, new, old, whatever. So it always shocks me when I find myself singing some country song I grew up listenting to! :eek:
I joke (well, somewhat of a joke) with my husband that country makes me want to slit my wrists because it’s so depressing I have to consider it suicide music.
And another Hank3 lyric, one that’s oddly relevant to this discussion:
So I’m here to put the “dick” in Dixie
And the “cunt” back in country
‘Cause the kind of country I hear now days
Is a bunch of fuckin’ shit to me
They say that I’m ill-mannered
that I’m gonna self-destruct
But if you know what I’m thinkin’
You’ll know that pop country really sucks
I love Lyle Lovett. If I could kidnap him and store him in lucite in my basement, I would.
In addition to country, he does jazz, big band, and gospel. At least. His lyrics are clever, his band is awesome, and he’s not an attention hog. Did I mention I love him? (And if you’re looking for suggestions, try his Live in Texas album – it has some jazz, some gospel, some country.)
Hah. Good luck with that country bar thing. Warning: I am an old fogey, and it’s been years (3? 4?) since I’ve been out at country bars. Canyon Country in Agoura had a country night every now and then, as I remember, but that’s a hellacious drive for you. Neon Moon in Glendale, but also a hellacious drive (and someone said they’ve gone to a Latin format?). A couple others have closed.
I’ll ask around and see if anyone else remembers other bars. But welcome to the club – country is great music, and the people are fun to hang out with.
Kinda knowledgeble music lass here: George Jones; mmm, pretty much untouchable; he has the pipes, articulation, and amazing song credentials. He can wail out any ditty beyond what the Coen Bros ever dreamed of. George Jones is Ground Zero Grandaddy of Country music at this point. Merle Haggard being the blessed second.
Most of what passes for Country these days just blows idle in the wind, to my mind. Pop Pap, crappy yammering. Don’t doubt the wonderful power of old Country music, though, cause it kicks so muy much for mind, and has done alot to get this gal through Southern travails.
Don’t all music lovers have some genres that they don’t care for? Before wading hip deep in country for my mom, I had Dwight Yoakam, Alison Krause, Lyle Lovett, Vince Gill, Anne Murray, The Eagles, Blue Rodeo, Marty Robbins, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Linda Ronstadt, Randy Travis, Olivia Newton-John, and k.d. lang nestled cheek-by-jowl with Justin Timberlake and k-os in my iTunes. I don’t not listen to stuff just because it’s a particular genre; I prefer to pick and choose what I like on an individual song and artist basis. If given a choice, though, I won’t go to a country bar or listen to a country station on the radio. Come to think of it, I don’t know where I discovered the country music that I do like. 
Featherlou:
As someone who once felt the same way about country (and sometimes still do), let me suggest some great country music that is still very accessible to people who ‘don’t like’ country:
Loretta Lynn - Van Lear Rose. Now, you say you don’t like Loretta Lynn, but please give this a listen. It’s country through-and-through, but it was produced by Jack White from the White Stripes, and he plays smokin’ guitar on it and sings a duet with Lynn, and the collaboration is just outstanding. It’s still the first or second highest rated album on Metacritic.
Willie Nelson - Red Headed Stranger. I’ve always liked Willie, and this is one of his best albums.
John Prine - John Prine - Prine’s more folk/bluegrass than country, but he strays into pure country territory from time to time. But this album is simply phenomenal. It’s not just Prine’s best, it’s really one of the best albums of the 1970’s. The album is just one strong song after another: “Sam Stone”, “Donald and Lydia”, “Hello in There”, “Illegal Smile”, “Paradise”, “Angel From Montgomery”, “Six O’Clock News”… If you’re not familiar with these songs, listen to this album a few times, and you’ll never forget them. There was a time in the 70’s when critics considered Prine to be the ‘next Dylan’, and that judgement was based solely on the strength of this album. It just blew people away when it came out.
O Brother Where Art Thou? - The soundtrack to the film, and it’s mostly bluegrass, but it’s just fantastic. One of the best movie soundtracks ever.
Johnny Cash Live at Folsom Prison - this album just crackles with energy.
Waylon Jennings - * Greatest Hits* - a great collection of songs. Most of Waylon’s albums are a little spotty, with great songs mixed with not-so-great. So the greatest hits collection is the way to go.
If you like Eagles-style country-rock, you have to check out The Jayhawks. Hollywood Town Hall or Tomorrow the Green Grass are excellent starting points.