Why I play country music...

[Mark C]

Originally Posted by icehog3

That being said, I do have a good collection of Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, etc....

'Outlaw Country' is a whole different ballgame. I love those guys, wish there were more around that still sang/wrote like that.

But 'country' is sort of a catch-all now, including the likes of The Eagles and Bruce Springsteen among others. It's become a haven for anyone who plays an instrument and sings, at least reasonably well, without too many fancy guitar effects, voice effects, and loud drums.

I generally enjoy the whole spectrum, from old school bluegrass like Bill Monroe, to the aforementioned 'Outlaws', and on to the newer generation. Some of the best songwriters are still in the country music business. There's a lot of fluff and other crap out there, but there are a lot of songs that seem to come straight from the heart and soul of the performer. Maybe that's because it's all pretty simple music, not too much flash, not lyrical genius, just a good honest story that a simple guy like me can understand. A lot of the newer country doesn't follow the old 'three chords and the truth' saying, but a lot of it still does.