So help me, I'm starting to actually LIKE some country music in my old age!

[El Chuxter]

Not all of it, of course. 99% of what's called country still sucks.

But for the past week or so, I've been listening almost exclusively to Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, and Hank Williams Sr. Man, I don't care what label you want to slap on 'em, those dudes can tell a story! And Willie has to be the most underrated guitarist in history.

The good stuff (read: the stuff that doesn't get played on "country" stations) isn't really all that distinguishable from great blues or folk music.

I don't believe there's been any line in music history as bluntly powerful as Johnny's "I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die." Unless maybe it's Johnny's "If I hadn't-a shot poor Delia, I'd-a had her for my wife."

Seriously, if you're going to bash country, pick up (at least) American Recordings by Johnny Cash. One of the best albums ever!

[James Boba Fettfield]

I went through a similar experience. Except it was with Merle Haggard. There was a little Hank Sr. and some Johnny Horton and Statler Brothers and some Elvis...

I blame those Classic Country cd's. I was going through them recently and rediscovering my favorites.

Too bad most everyone else does not know the good country, just the bad Toby Keith stuff. So when I hear someone bash country I think of only how ignorant they are. There's more to country than that Shania Twain garbage.

"I turned 21 in prison doing life without parole"

[Rocketboy]

You're lucky El Chuxter...I thought you meant modern country music.
Johnny Cash was the man.

[slovak34]

Not all new stuff is bad. Well the stuff that t hey play on the radio is. I'd try checking out Robbie Fulks. http://www.robbiefulks.com

Plus there are a lot of alt.country bands that are pretty good. Jayhawks, Wilco, Lucinda Williams, etc.

[Kidhuman]

Heck J. Cash was the man. Aint nothing wrong with it. I listen to Garth Brooks once and awhile.

[stillakid]

The only way I listen to country is if the artist is a hot babe. So I'm superficial...sue me.

[2-1B]

I enjoy some Buck Owens and as a kid I took in some of the old greats like Hank, Waylon, Willie, Merle, Johnny, et. al.

Kenny Rogers, Oak Ridge Boys, Statlers, Alabama, all those bands from back in the day were all on my parents' "play list" (Casette and 8 Track )

Today it's not too much of my cup of tea but I won't knock it, there are some great tunes in there for sure.

I have to agree with Jaymz though in as much as I HATE some of that stuff today. I'm not even talking about the hot chicks or whatever, because that's a given, but all these neo-country dudes like Toby Keith, Kenny Chesney, others etc etc etc I just despise. Garbage.

[El Chuxter]

Caesar, Garbage is more techno-pop than country.

I first discovered Cash right after Unchained came out, about 7-8 years ago. I'd heard "The Wanderer," "Delia's Gone," and "Drive On" and thought he had a great voice, and then I read somewhere that his backing band was Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. I've always been a huge Tom Petty fan, so I had to check it out. I think I played it nonstop for a few days at the time, then shortly after picked up American Recordings, which is even better.

Willie came shortly afterwards, and for several years those were the only two country artists I ever listened to. Then it dawned on me about a year ago that Cash's "Why Me," Willie's "The Pilgrim (Chapter 33)," and Janis Joplin's "Me and Bobby McGee" were all written by one guy and found out Kris Kristofferson is (although a bit more limited as a singer) one of the best songwriters America's produced. I've been trying to branch out from that point.

I'm not as familiar with Merle Haggard or Waylon Jennings as I know I should be.

I always try to be open to any musician if they're good at what they do. And like I said before, when you get down to it, the labels "blues," "country," "folk," and "rockabilly" can all be used to describe the same thing. And, unfortunately, a lot of how artists are classified is based on their skin color. Like how Jimmie Rodgers wrote songs that were structured like blues numbers, but he's considered the father of country music. Or Mississippi John Hurt, who sounds nothing like any other "blues" musician (except maybe Taj Mahal or Keb Mo, when they're trying to emulate him decades later). It's all music. Unless it's Toby Keith. Then it's poop.

[Jedi_Master_Guyute]

Wilco? I thought they were rock.

I think the only time i can really get into country is when i'm
A. depressed.
B. Intoxicated
That being said, i'll agree that 99% of new country sucks, but i'll stick with the classics: Johnny, Waylon, Hank and co. The new stuff blends the lines of pop and rock too much that it really isn't country.

[Kidhuman]

What happens when you play a country song backwards?



















You get your dog back, your car back, your wife back....