PopcornTreeCt

I'm looking for good country songs. I just want to listen to some good stuff. I don't have any preference for artist or year. Any suggestions?

The Bus

Johnny Cash
Lucinda Williams
Hank Williams
Byrds - Sweetheart of the Rodeo

No Use For A Name

Not sure if they're considered outright country, but how about Uncle Tupelo.

yojimbo44

for a more mainstream country music choice you can't beat George Strait and this is a great primer



oh, and i should give a plug to a great local band - Nudie and the Turks - Pawn Shop is an amazing song...

http://www.myspace.com/nudieandtheturks

wendersfan

Early period Buck Owens.

atlantamoi

Buddy Miller
Dwight Yoakam

DaveWadding

Absolutely. Personally, I'm a huge fan of the "New Traditionalist" movement of the 80's and 90's. People that came out of that era that I enjoy:

Garth Brooks
Clint Black
Alan Jackson
John Michael Montgomery
Toby Keith
early Tim McGraw
Alabama
Randy Travis
Trisha Yearwood
Reba McEntire
Mary Chapin Carpenter


Hope this helps.

woofman

Old Merle Haggard & Dolly Parton, although her recent blue grass stuff is good too.

atlantamoi

Every one of these acts, save maybe Mary Chapin Carpenter, is the reason I'm thankful that someone like Dwight Yoakam exists.

foofighters7

Johnny Cash.



Shouldnt someone close this thread now? Its been answered.


Finding good country music is like trying to find a Veal lover at a Peta convention...might be done but it aint gonna be easy.

DJLinus

I'm not a HUGE fan of the genre, but I tend to like older and twangier country music (hey, if I'm going to listen to country music, I want it to sound like country and not pop with slide guitars), although there are a few contemporary artists that I like. Very few, though.

In addition those already mentioned:

Kasey Chambers
Robbie Fulks
Hank Williams III
BR5-49
Jack Ingram
Lyle Lovett (he can be all over the place, stylistically)

And then there's the "alt country" folks, which I've really been into lately:

Clem Snide
Gerald Collier
Old 97s
Amy LaVere
early Wilco
Tim Easton/Haynes Boys

wendersfan

I've never understood the fairly recent fad that makes the late, great Mr. Cash the end-all and be-all of country and western. Hank Williams towers over him, in both talent and legacy.

riotinmyskull

true country: hank williams, loretta lynn, patsy cline, johnny cash, willie nelson

alt. country: neko case, uncle tupelo, whiskeytown, wilco, kathleen edwards, lucero, drag the river

foofighters7

That statement is odd at best..."Fairly recent FAD"? Hmm what an odd thing to say. Cash IS it when it comes to many peoples idea of what good country is. To say that Hank Williams "Towers" over him, is to me, an idiotic statement at the least. You say "Talent", just what does that mean? Writing ability? Because Cash destroys him in writing ability. Musical Ability? Again I have heard nothing from Williams that stands out musically speaking over Cash. Legacy, perhaps so. The era that Williams was in, and the draw he had was quite aparent, but not so much as to say it "Towers" over Cash's Legacy.

I was being flippant when I said it is over after you say Cash, I do think Hank Williams is good, IF you can tolerate his sound, Patsy Cline, some Loretta Lynn, and a few Willie Nelson all rate highly.

In fact I think Nelson's 'You Were Always On My Mind' is one of the best songs ever written, although I find most of his stuff unlistenable.

The fact he did that piece of SH$% song with that bastard Toby Keith "Whiskey for Horses" makes me want to put him away for along time though.

Possibly the Worst Country 'thing' of all time would have to go to Toby Keith. How can anyone argue against that? Hmmm? hehe


I dont really put Neko Case in the 'Country' Catagory but I do dig her alot..

DVD Josh

Although they are more pop-country, I do like some Brad Paisley and Big and Rich.

atlantamoi

Hank was definitely important and he's a huge influence, but I don't believe he towers over Cash. Recent fad?

wendersfan

Yeah, since around the time Beavis and Butthead declared him the "coolest dude ever" and it became de rigueur to have a poster of the photo of Cash with the middle finger raised on your dormroom wall. Hank almost literally wrote the book on C&W. The number of classic songs he wrote is awe-inspiring, and I consider him one of the half-dozen giants of 20th century American music, along with people like Elvis, Sinatra, Cole Porter, Miles Davis, and Bob Dylan. Cash wrote some good songs and had a great image.

terrycloth

i never really got into country since growing up thats all my dad listened too and being a badass rebel i refused to listen and then never had an urge until maybe about 3 summers ago i was working on my car and my friend had a mix cd of old classic rock then Johnny Cash's one piece at a time played and i loved it and then realized how awesome cash was.

which led me to be more open to actually listening to country when my friend played it on the radio. some of my favorites are cash, willie, hank, hank III, the guy who sang i think private malone, Kenny Chesney, and Trace Atkins. i dont buy cds il just listen to the radio or my friends makes memix cds of songs so if i spelt or said a name wrong my bad yo

JJE-187

How about David Allan Coe, 1 of my all time faves.
For newer country I personally like Luke Bryan & Miranda Lambert

TimJS

Uncle Dave Macon smokes Hank's ass.

PreWar country >Uncle Dave Macon, Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers

Western Swing >Bob Wills

Bluegrass >Bill Monroe, Stanley Brothers

Honky Tonk through Countrypolitan >Hank Williams, Ray Price, George Jones, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, Louvin Brothers, Connie Smith

70's Outlaws, etc. >Emmylou Harris, Jerry Jeff Walker, Waylon Jennings, Hank Williams II, Willie Nelson, Rodney Crowell, Joe Ely, Billy Joe Shaver, David Allan Coe, Dolly Parton, Townes Van Zandt

Modern(?) Elizabeth Cook, The Dixie Chicks, Miranda Lambert, Jeff Black, The Mavericks, Dwight Yoakam, Lyle Lovett

nodeerforamonth

Larry Pierce.

jediwicz

Hank Williams III, Wayne "The Train" Hancock and The Supersucker's "Must've Been High" are really good as well. Maybe even try some Bob Log III (one man hillbilly blues) with classics like "Boob Scotch" and "I Want Your Shit On My Leg".

bigjim25

Randy Travis
Alan Jackson
Dwight Yoakam
Hank Williams, Jr.
Johnny Cash
Waylon Jennings
George Strait
Kenny Rogers
Dolly Parton
Trisha Yearwood
Kathy Mattea
Patty Loveless
Terri Clark
and just about anybody else except Kenny Chesney

tommyp007

You're up my alley here. For traditional country, try

Conway Twitty
Oak Ridge Boys
Statler Brothers
Waylon Jennings
John Anderson
Cash
Merle Haggard
Dolly Parton
John Conlee
Ronnie Milsap
Mel Tillis

Newer stuff...

Alan Jackson
Brad Paisley
Alison Krauss
George Strait
Daryle Singletary

pezsoup

Good stuff that has not been mentioned....at least I dont think

The Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash
Cross Canadian Ragweed
Reckless Kelly
Kasey Chambers