Mr Petzal: Even though he was a cross over I would include Conway Twitty in there. Vince Gill is a great pick but I saw him one time in Charleston and I thought I was in a rock concert with some of his guitar solos that he was playing. Still a very talented musician esp. with a mandolin. The current country music is not what I grew up with in the early 80's but I still find myself listening to it just because I have no use for pop music or rap. At least they sometimes still sing about life on a farm!

Give Jamie Johnson a listen - He's the new voice of true country. Got divorced, spent 2 years living in an attic, song writing, told his old label to go blow goats 'cause they were trying to make him too "pop country".
Dave, your variety and originality never ceases to amaze me.
When's your book coming out?

Honest country music is like good blues. To sing it, you've had to live it.

huntnow, that is not necessarily true. In the Dallas area, we have a station that specializes inplaying the lesser known and classic country music with the artists you cited and many more. The station is KHYI 95.3, The Range. It is my first choice when listening to music on the radio.

I can't believe I'm about to do this, but I've got one story in defense of Garth Brooks. I have seen one of his concerts in Nashville, which as a concerts/shows go, was pretty spectacular (note: I'm a long-time rock fan, so big shows are more normal and this was pretty much one of those).

About halfway through the show, someone in the front row picked up her 4-year old daughter and stood her up on the stage with Garth so the little girl could give him some flowers. In return, he took the acoustic guitar off of one of his band members, signed it, and gave it to her right there on the spot. Just sayin'.

Willie Nelson a genius?? Surely not a musical one? I don't think any country musician along with any rock, pop, rap, etc musician is anywhere near being a musical genius or any other kind of genius for that matter. Yes, some of them might be able to hold a tune and might know a few chords on a guitar or piano, but they are far from being musical geniuses. If you want to see examples of music geniuses, then you need to read up on Mozart, Bach and a few others. These modern day musicians are pretty much entertainers and not much else I'm afraid.

I agree Petzal, modern country just doesn't do it for me.

If anyone wants to listen to the very beginnings of country, hunt up some Jimmy Rodgers or the Carter Family. The stuff is hauntingly incredible.....

Dave, you're sounding a little like Bob Segar ("Today's music ain't got the same soul, I like the old time...). IMHO, today's country music is driven by the flash, the glitz, and the dollar sign. As far as talented musicians go, Jethro Burns was recognized by his peers as a great mandolin player, unlike the public who may remember him only as part of the entertainment team of Homer and Jethro.

All of the Texas Country Music is great and you guys are making me remember some of the great ones out there. I did like Pat Green before he went to Nashville and started to sound like everyone else. Nothing can beat Southbound 35 or Texas on my mind. Good stuff, and Roger Creager puts on an awesome show. I saw him in 2007 in Manhattan Kansas in a little dive bar.

Dang, Blackdawgz

That is an old Simon & Garfunkel song ! LOL

I would add Waylon Jennings, but you are right on with Alyson Krauss. My favorite country music these days is almost never played on the radio; it's called BLUEGRASS.

FirstBubba:

Agree with you about Loretta. Would have put Dolly Parton in too, prior to about 1975. She was one of the best songwriters there ever was.

Surprized nobody here mentioned Hank Jr. That boy can play many instruments well. Don't think I would like him much on a personal level but he can really play.
Love Patsy, Johnny, Conway, George, Marty, and a few other country folks. Also like Pink Floyd, Three dog night, CCR, The Stones, and a few others.
I agree current Country and Rock is not worth listening and the hip-hop crap never was.

WAM, Just put an elk pot roast on to cook with onions. We'll see in a couple hours how it turns out.

Dell, I didn't care much for the young Hank Jr. but after falling off a mountain or some such thing, he seemed to mature a lot. The best thing about him is he is a gun nut, preferring single actions and old single shots like Sharps.

FirstBubba, good list.
Forgot Roger Miller, Merle Travis, Roy Clark.
Anyway, to repeat myself, for modern real "Cowboy" music you can't beat Brenn Hill. His first CD "Trail Through Yesterday" can't seem to get out of my player in the truck.
Whoever mentioned Emmylou Harris, hurrah for you. Guy Clark should be in there as well.
Merle Haggard is in a category all his own.
Also, go to Westernjubilee.com, a recording studio in Colorado Springs, that really does authentic cowboy cd's.
Definitely NOT Nashville. And, no, I don't work for them, but every CD I've gotten from them has been great.
Don Edwards, Norman Blake, Cowboy Celtic etc.
Latest was Michael Martin Murphey "Lone Cowboy", some old classics and some newer stuff with just his voice and guitar. Really, really good.

i agree with HIL those are classic like Big John or the Bttle of New orlens or when its spring time in alska its 40 below. or convoy or a boy named sue and many many more....

Bee

Somehow that does not surprise me. LOL!

AND GEORGE STRAIT!!

Let's don't leave out the Sons of the Pioneers. They may not be strictly country, but they are definitely Western.

Willie but no Waylon? That don't make no sense

[Chuckle] I was told in late-60's to make money at music I best sell my LP's for Tele's and a Strat, head for Nashville. C & W made up over 60% of all record sales back then. I don't believe that stat has changed. C & W is the real music game in USA.

I tried my hand at mandolin, but I can't do 64th notes for 12-bars. In fact, I only triple pick when I get lost in a solo and have to eat up time to meet the I-Chord.

I'm from up north, but came down for college and have stayed, so far. One of the things I got put onto was a style called newgrass, which some of you guys might like. The genre itself is, I think, named for its seminal band, Newgrass Revival. I'd recommend checking out "Friday Night in America" and "Saw You Runnin'"

More recently, a newgrass band, Yonder Mtn. String Band, had a cross-over hit, but I noticed it had lost a lot of its grassiness.

I am really suprised that you didn't have George Strait on your list!! There is still good country out there! Yes it's not gonna be the Johnny Cash type sounding because if they did keep it that way country music would die!! Now they're are artist that should not be considered country i.e. Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Darius Rucker, etc.

But there still are good country artist out there. I really like Easton Corbin (he sounds a little like George), Trace Atkins, Jamey Johnson, Tim McGraw, Miranda Lambert, etc.

I would like to suggest Honorable Mention for Loretta Lynn's kid sister, Crystal Gayle, with 18 Number One hit records to her credit, and once voted one of the 50 most beautiful women in the world.

Bee,
did you mean to say K.D. Lang? That gal has a voice.

in response to Quiet Loner, the artist whose name you forgot is james McMurtry. and dave, how could you not have waylon, merle, or george jones on there? others i like are jamey johnson, justin moore, hank williams III, brantley gilbert and the zac brown band.

Can't leave out Chris LeDoux. He was the real deal. World champion bareback rider and he could sing and play the guitar. Met him several times, doesn't get any better.

Well I've got to say "country" music of today for the most part that I've heard, isn't really country at all. Back when I first started high school I was a real metal-head, but then my mom got a bf, real hillbilly straight from the hills in KY. We use to ride around in his truck and he really got me into bluegrass, and from there I was naturally drawn to country. I've listened to most of it, but there's no one like Hank Sr., Waylon, George Strait, or George Jones.
My cousin on the other hand is into Justin Moore, Brantley Guilbert, and others of the like. And yeah, they probably will make their mark, but honestly I'd rather just head to a Kid Rock concert, than listen to those yahoos all night lol.
Also have you guys heard this Hank 3? I told someone I liked Hank Sr. and they asked if I liked him as well. He tries to sound like his granddaddy, in my opinion, but completely lacks the hurt and the heart.

Being a small kid in the late 60s & early 70s in rural Oklahoma, it was Country & Western music. Most of what I grew up on was probably late 50s & early 60s country that my parents had. Excellent stuff! Not available by today's standards. HEE HAW was always a must see!

Billy Joe Shaver is also another of my favorites.

Moe Bandy - "Bandy the Rodeo Clown" / "Cowboys Ain't Supposed to Cry"
Joe Stampley - "Unchained Melody"
Moe & Joe - "Good Ol' Boys"
Did anybody hear that Blake Shelton intended to marry Miranda Lambert? It was going great until Blakey Boy learned she had picked out an engagement ring at the bargain basement price of $150,000!!!! LOL!!! Don't think they are an item anymore.
Blake's an Okie, he's too "redneck" for that! Probably offered her a pull tab off a Coke can that his momma wore!! LOL!!

Bubba

Del, I too enjoy good comedy material but it's got to be visual for me. I need to see it take place for it to register, I guess. My son has the best of John Belushi and Steve Martin on CD's and I can enjoy that. Guess it's sort of like music videos, I can watch a video and enjoy it and not pay much attention to the same song on the radio. "Beer for my horses", "Who's your daddy?", and "Redneck Woman" being examples that come to mind. Regards...........

Hil, I agree with you. Marty Robbins "El Paso" (both of them), were wonders. Dave, you have started one heck of a subject here. I too agree that the "new" stuff is just for the most part (94%) crap. Has no country soul.
Bee, your post was right on. Plus 1 for you and Hil.

Kinky Friedman, who venerates the oldtimers (and Hank Williams Sr. in particular) calls Garth Brooks "The Anti-Hank."

Dave, one more quip in defense of Garth Brooks. When I was much younger and he was in his prime. There was a girl around 10 years old who had lymphoma and was terminal. Somehow this got through to Garth, he called her dad who in turn drove to a concert he was at very near our hometown. Garth came to the home and spent the next two days with her. Mostly at her bedside and playing video games and music with her. He has some rock in him, but I believe a heart that is as big as one could ever be. And when he sings the cowboy song it makes me weepy.

Whoever mentioned John Prine.... probably the best known John Prine song was/is "Illegal Smile" You can find people who remember that one,and it even gets radio airplay here in Ohio.
Hank Jr.
Should be on the list-even though there was a time he wasn't doing so great- mid to late 80's- went to see Hank Jr. he came on stage too drunk to play-which did not go over too good with the crowd,after some time and the promoter agreeing to honor all ticket stubs for a rescheduled show-things calmed down.
The re-scheduled show was one of the best live shows I've ever seen. I lived in NC at the time,and most good shows were in the Hampton Roads Va. area,so it was either there,or in NC. ( just can't remember exactly where right now)
John Fogarty (CCR) was influenced by country,the old country,did a solo album called "Blue Moon Swamp"-that's close to old country,with some blues mixed in.
Gotta count Willie Nelson,Waylon Jennings,David Allen Coe,Jerry Jeff Walker (up against the wall redneck mother),and whoever did the rodeo song,Merle Haggard,
Moe and Joe makin fun of Boy George with "where's the dress"
Every once in a while a song comes out that is close to the old country,not often but once in a while.

I strongly second Jamey Johnson. His music's great, and you might also be interested to know that he is a native of Montgomery, Ala., and served eight years in the USMC. Another interesting factoid: He co-wrote "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk." So, all in all, he has a lot of integrity with what he puts his own name on, but he knows how to suck it up, do what needs to be done and write a pop-country radio song to pay the bills so he can work on his own albums. I like that ethic -- instead of complaining about the Nashville machine, he's figured out how to work it and be modestly successful with his integrity intact.

I also second bluegrass. It's great, there are tons of phenomenal musicians doing it right now, and even the biggest stars are down to earth. Here's a secret: Most NPR stations have at least one bluegrass show, and if you call in and request some of the classics, they will play them. You might not like or agree with NPR's news coverage, but where else on the radio dial these days are you going to hear Bill Monroe, Earl Scruggs or Doc Watson?

I'm a lot more familiar with country music than I actually like country music. I agree with Dave's post for the most part on the difference between "then & now". However, using "Willie Nelson" and "genius" in the same sentance... We'll just say that's some kind of alter reality poetic license on Dave's part.

I do like John Prine, "Sam Stone" is another great song. I suspect the reasons (most) everybody likes Willie is 'cause Willie is who he is, in addition to the music and the songwriting.

I shoulda got the Roy D. Mercer tape out early on! Jeff D. is a fan. too! LMAO

Bee,
I know what you may be getting at but I don't judge anyone, to each his own and it takes more than people like me to make the world go around. I like seeing the other side of life even though I'll never live it. LOL

Smashing two guitars together or stomping puppies on stage just doesn't blow my kilt up!

But with all the musicians listed above including all you can name and think of, there is only one who I truly believe surpassed them all.

Eve Cassidy, February 2, 1963 – November 2, 1996

____________________________

Paul Walters on the Eva Cassidy edition of ABC Nightline

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZYelJeEcSM
________________________

Eva Cassidy Story-Trevor McDonald Pt.1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sfRvXIictA&feature=related
________________________

http://evacassidy.org/eva/

Some here really need to get out of their pickup trucks and listen to some music other than country music, that is for darned sure! Calling Willie Nelson a genius has got to be the funniest thing I ever heard. Does anyone think music conservatories around the world will be studying and analyzing his music 200+ years in the future like they do with music written by some genuine geniuses of music?? I doubt his name is ever uttered in any shape or form when talking about even the simplest of musical compositions written in the last century. In the scheme of musical history, Nelson's music has as much significance as if any one of us put several music notes together to make a tune. It's pretty much as insignificant as it can get.

Personally, I like "Old Timey" music.
If you know what I mean.

Mr. Petzal, I could not agree with you're comments more. There will always be names left out of the true country music all-time greatest, not because they weren't good enough , but many died unknown to but a few. They weren't the most handsome and/or prettiest, looked the best in a cowboy hat and boots, had guitars which cost more than their entire career gross income. They were just common, everyday folks who never became "discovered" by some manager/promoter/career coach who developed and polished their "persona", created their "talent", engineered their "music", then made a video image of country music. My vote is for bluegrass played in a garange hall, school hall, field, band stand, etc., with all the mistakens, wrong words, ad libs, by regular folks on affordable instruments that they actually play. God Bless America!!!

Charlie Daniels is as close as I get to Country.......

Rob - I agree 100% about Jamie Johnson, that guy has some great tunes!

I am also a fan of Bobby Bare, my father-in-law turned me on to him after describing tim him the events that led to my broken wrist a few years ago. Hey, I'm the winner!

Waylon Jennings, lucky. He gave up his seat on Buddy Holly's plane.
David Allen (Alan?) Coe. Considered himself an "Outlaw" but was never accepted by the real Outlaws. Waylon, Willie, Kris and Johnny! If he hadn't come out with "I was drunk, the day my mom got out of prison...." he would have probably ended up right back in the pen.

Bubba

Go to www.generationoutdoors.webs.com

Some of the best times were when I was sitting around a fire listening to vintage country music...the best!!
Shunpiker John