Most country music you here on mainstream country stations is so closely related to pop music it shouldn't even be called country music. There are alot of americana stations out there that cater to the real country listener. (ex: Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, George Jones) I you want some great older country artists try Ernest Tubb, Lefty Frizzell, and Hank Thompson. A few of the other threads mentioned alt-country. I beleive that is the best radio market out there today. Many of them play traditional country as well as alt-country/country-rock/country singer songwriters. If you like eclectic, americana radio is the way to go. My local station in Dallas is one of the best (KHYI 95.3)(KHYI.com)

If you are a Kelly Willis fan, try her husband Bruce Robison and/or his brother Charlie Robison.

Being a Rock, Alternative fan, I find my self liking country more and more each day. Old and new, plus its the best music to drink to.

Current faves...

Diamond Rio
Kenny Chesney
Tim McGraw
George Strait
Alan Jackson

A few that I can vouch for:

Lucinda Williams - her self-titled album and “Car Wheels on a Gravel Road” are both excellent starting places to get a taste of Lucinda

Kasey Chambers - new Australian singer/songwriter influenced by Lucinda Williams - both her albums are great

Allison Moorer - Simply gorgeous to look at, as well as listen to - both her albums are great, but the darker "The Hardest Part" is my favorite

Danni Leigh – Anyone who says they don’t do honky-tonk like they used to hasn’t been listening to Danni Leigh


Also, I just saw Tift Merrit's video the other night and plan on picking up her new album soon.

Hey, I've got X playing on the cdplayer right now! Yes, they're the type of band that makes me proud to be an American !

Johnny Cash is probably my favorite country artist. As far as newer people, I really like Dwight Yoakem a lot---great modern/old-time hillbilly, honky-tonk sound, and plus he's a really good, intelligent songwriter.

I just recently picked up a cd from The Mavericks, too, and I would definitely recommend them. Sort of country/alt, with a bit of Latin sounds thrown in. Pretty cool.

Thanks yet again to all of you. Looks like I gotta lot of music to work through!

There are a lotta good suggestions (Lucinda Williams, X, Uncle Tupelo, the older artists like Ernest Tubb, the Johnny Cash "Folsom Prison" CD's, Tim McGraw, the Mavericks, etc.). I will definitely start sampling all this stuff, and try to report back.

Thanks, all of you, for helping me out.

Check out some of David Allen Coe's music.

Definite pick for....if you can get into him (some people aren't. He is a flat out racist and believes women are below me, basically -- listen to his underground music for a lot of the above.)

My dad told me a story from his college days about how he went to a bar to see David Allen Coe and women were basically throwing their entire outfits to the stage and humping every guy around. He also said he and his frat brothers basically drunk themselves to passing out....he tells me he barely remembers it, but it is still in his mind...( thanks dad... ) And my dad is a huge redneck, really.

Now if that isn't country...I don't know what is...

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Try Montgomery Gentry. They are a "new" group, but do show their country roots a lot on their albums.
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Willie, Johnny, Conway, Merle, Hank Williams I and Jr, and George Strait are were you really need to begin.

(And I know I am reviving a thread.)


Shania is the ultimate goddess of country-pop. (I do listen to her, sometimes) One of the chicks at school has already burnt her new single (I'm Gonna Getcha Good) and blasted it going down the campus in her car. I like the new single.