Good country music.
 

Just looking for some more country music, I've been downloading stuff when it comes to mind, but I know there is a lot I am overlooking.

Here's what I have as of now:
Toby Keith-Greatest Hits, Vols. I & II
Tim McGraw-Greatest Hits, Vols. I & II(Vol. I>>>>Vol. II)
Johnny Cash-Every album
Garth Brooks-The Hits
Dixie Chicks-Home


Mostly looking for greatest hits, but other stuff is good too. I was into country when when I was about 6-10, so I know a lot of stuff that is between 5-10 years old.

Thanks.

Re: Good country music.
 

I'm partial to Texas Country. Pat Green is the most mainstream of the bunch, but also look into Jerry Jeff Walker and Robert Earl Keen. I also really like Kevin Fowler, but his twang is so pronounced I can understand others being turned off.

Re: Good country music.
 

pat green, kenny chesney, rascal flats, keith urban to name a few. basically look up the top 20 on billboard and start clicking on names.

Re: Good country music.
 

I'm partial to Kris Kristofferson and Waylon Jennings myself

Re: Good country music.
 

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I'm partial to Texas Country. Pat Green is the most mainstream of the bunch, but also look into Jerry Jeff Walker and Robert Earl Keen. I also really like Kevin Fowler, but his twang is so pronounced I can understand others being turned off.

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You're in the wrong town.

I agree on the Texas country. It's much better. To add to RDH's list - Charlie Robison. I like him alot. Also, check out Shooter Jennings (Waylon's son), he's very good.

Re: Good country music.
 

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You're in the wrong town.

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I despise the CMT, Rascal Flatts-type crap. Before I moved here I despised country in general.

Re: Good country music.
 

a common theme here is - avoid most of the "big" artists on country radio now...it's not real country anymore, it's alot more "adult contemporary". if you want real country check into these great artists - and dig deep, they have alot of great songs that arent all on "greatest hits" packages:

merle haggard
waylon jennings
george strait
willie nelson
hank williams jr.
dwight yoakam

to a lesser extent - by this I mean a greatest hits package will do just fine, but dont think that this means that the quality of the music is less than that of the above list - there's just less of it:

joe diffie
mark chesnutt
billy ray cirus
charlie daniels band

*edited for clarity

Re: Good country music.
 

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You're in the wrong town.

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I despise the CMT, Rascal Flatts-type crap. Before I moved here I despised country in general.

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i saw the Rascal Flatts on some award show and my impression was "oh god, it's like a country boy band full of guys who were jocks in high school"

of course, that was based solely on about 30 seconds of airtime and could be completely wrong

edit: try Kathleen Edward or Steve Earle or any of the old alt.country acts like early Wilco, Son Volt, Uncle Tupelo, and Whiskeytown

Re: Good country music.
 

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i saw the Rascal Flatts on some award show and my impression was "oh god, it's like a country boy band full of guys who were jocks in high school" of course, that was based solely on about 30 seconds of airtime and could be completely wrong

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No. I think you've pretty much got it.

Re: Good country music.
 

Get more Garth Brooks, The Hits CD doesnt even come close to having all his great songs. I like all kinds of music, Garth Brooks, Alabama, and Kenny Chesney are the only country artists I really listen to that much though.

Re: Good country music.
 

gillian welch
emylou harris
kathleen edwards
get uncle tupelo's "March 16-20, 1992" record
anything by Johnny Cash
avoid anything on the radio

Re: Good country music.
 

just listen to bluegrass, it's better

Re: Good country music.
 

for a good overview of more obscure artists, listen to Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's "May the Circle Be Unbroken" vols 1 & 3

Re: Good country music.
 

To the author of the first post. How dare you put the dixie chicks and garth brooks in a post and call it "country music," You sicken me!

here are some real country music songs, Outlaw country, all are great (my favorites)

WAYLON JENNINGS SONGS
ive always been crazy
I can get off on you
the wurlitzer prize
honkey tonk heroes
are you sure hank done it this way

MERLE HAGGARD SONGS
im a lonesome fugitive
mama tried
the bottle let me down
sing me back home
swinging doors
if we make it through december

JOHNY PAYCHECK
im the only hell my momma ever raised

CLASSIC OUTLAW COUNTRY ALBUMS
Wanted! The outlaws (classic outlaw country cd)(this is real country music)

Waylon and Willie (another classic Outlaw country cd)

Re: Good country music.
 

I used to despise country, then started to like it. Then I started listening to texas country, and now don't listen to anything else.

Best texas country songs & artists, and some of their famous songs
Pat Green- Wave on Wave, Carry On, Texas on my Mind, If I Was the Devil, George's Bar, South Bound 35
Robert Earl Keen- The Road Goes On (you must download this song if you haven't already, you're not a country fan until you do), Gringo Honeymoon, Down that Dusty Trail, Corpus Christi, Feelin Good Again, Fightin Texas Aggie, College Days, What I Really Mean (yeah, he's popular)
Cooder Graw- State Line, West Texas Wind, Better Days
Jack Ingram-- Beat Up Ford, Keep On Keepin' On, Biloxi, Work This Out
Cory Morrow- Light on the Stage (live), Drinkin' Alone, Gitmo Blues, Songwriter's Lament, Straight to Hell

Re: Good country music.
 

The other important thing, which goes with all music but country especially, is just to listen to what you like. Country seems to attract a lot of snobs who decide that unless you listen to what they specify, you don't like "real" country. Of course, what they specify is really just what some other snob told them to listen to, but whatever.

Listen to what you want, and let them pleasre themselves to their own pretension.

Re: Good country music.
 

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The other important thing, which goes with all music but country especially, is just to listen to what you like. Country seems to attract a lot of snobs who decide that unless you listen to what they specify, you don't like "real" country. Of course, what they specify is really just what some other snob told them to listen to, but whatever.


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We have to be honest with the kid. He asked for good country music. You expect me to suggest to him bublegum pop mainstream modern country music and feel good about it?

Most People don't call old country music "real country" just because it's old. They call it "real" country music because the men that sang it were "real." Merle, Waylon, Hank Williams etc etc, those guys were "real" in terms of having lived the life they sang about. They were cowboys, outlaws, they lived on the edge, they lived the lifestyle. They were much like rappers now in terms of "realness" (rappers having gone through the school of hard knocks, growing up in the ghetto and singing about it).

These days country music is no different from pop music. It is soft, mostly pretty faces but no real hardcore cowboys like those of the old country music.

Re: Good country music.
 

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Alan Jackson yet, get some of that if you haven't yet.

Re: Good country music.
 

[ QUOTE ]
Best texas country songs & artists, and some of their famous songs
Pat Green- Wave on Wave, Carry On, Texas on my Mind, If I Was the Devil, George's Bar, South Bound 35
Robert Earl Keen- The Road Goes On (you must download this song if you haven't already, you're not a country fan until you do), Gringo Honeymoon, Down that Dusty Trail, Corpus Christi, Feelin Good Again, Fightin Texas Aggie, College Days, What I Really Mean (yeah, he's popular)
Cooder Graw- State Line, West Texas Wind, Better Days
Jack Ingram-- Beat Up Ford, Keep On Keepin' On, Biloxi, Work This Out
Cory Morrow- Light on the Stage (live), Drinkin' Alone, Gitmo Blues, Songwriter's Lament, Straight to Hell

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Cory Morrow is probably the best of the Texas Country ilk and not Pat Green. More talented and a better songwriter, though PG is more popular amongst a nationwide base.

Great call with Cooder Graw, Jack Ingram and of course REK.

I am going to add Dub Miller. Intelligent lyrics and great hooks. He even has a famous Dalmation that smokes pot and knows commands in Spanish.

Cross Canadian Ragweed is about as popular as it gets, especially with the college radio and crowd. I am not a big fan but their concerts are incredible, some of the best live country shows you can see (other than Cory).

Roger Creager, extremely talented and sometimes their music doesn't come off nearly as good on their albums as it does live b/c they are basically a "live" band. Even still, their sound is unique which is good when talking about country.

My top 3 are: Cory Morrow, Dub Miller, Cooder Graw.

Re: Good country music.
 

semi country-folk-pop

jewel:

-"you were meant for me"
-"standing still"
-"cleveland"

great songs if you are comfortable listening to a woman sing

Re: Good country music.
 

Joe Nichols is one of my favorites right now... Also Brad Paisley has some great songs.... that's about all the "newer" country I listen to. As for older country, you gotta check out Hank of course, David Alan Coe, Charlie Daniels Band, Willie,and Waylon.

Re: Good country music.
 

Wow oh wow. I don't have the faintest idea how I left off Cory Morrow. He's easily one of the best of the bunch. If you're going to just buy one album, make it his double live CD.

Brag: Cory Morrow played a private show at my frat house in college. I fell in love with his backup singer (unrequited).

Re: Good country music.
 

Damn you guys for beating me to it. Stick with the Texas country. Pat Green (dancehall dreamer is my favorite, but all of his stuff is great), Cory Morrow, Robert Earl Keen, Cross Canadian Ragweed.

Out of Texas country, go with George Strait, Mindy Smith (might get some critics there), Alan Jackson.

If you find that this type of country isn't your thing, try Jimmy Buffett's new stuff, Kenny Chesney, Dirks Bentley, Sugarland, Sara Evans, and Clay Walker.

Toby Keith, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Shania Twain, etc have all sold out too much. It's a shame that they still get recognized by the CMA.

Re: Good country music.
 

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Damn you guys for beating me to it. Stick with the Texas country. Pat Green (dancehall dreamer is my favorite, but all of his stuff is great), Cory Morrow, Robert Earl Keen, Cross Canadian Ragweed.

Out of Texas country, go with George Strait, Mindy Smith (might get some critics there), Alan Jackson.

If you find that this type of country isn't your thing, try Jimmy Buffett's new stuff, Kenny Chesney, Dirks Bentley, Sugarland, Sara Evans, and Clay Walker.

Toby Keith, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Shania Twain, etc have all sold out too much. It's a shame that they still get recognized by the CMA.

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The only thing Toby ever sold out was arenas. For years and years and years nobody gave him any credit, even though he's always been good. Then he recorded a little ditty called "How Do You Like Me Now" and THEN everybody liked him. He gets a bad rap from people these days because of that whole thing with the Chicks, but hey, you can't fault a guy for standing up for what he believes in.

You're right about Faith and Shania, they're basically pop singers, but neither has done a whole lot recently. I'd go with guys like Dierks, Brad Paisley, Keith Urban. George and Alan will be recording probably till I'M dead (and I'm 22...), but they never lose anything. Saw Strait at the Xcel Center with Tracy Lawrence (another awesome singer) and Miranda Lambert. There's plenty of good singers out there if people don't take the haters' "its all pop crap" too seriously.

Re: Good country music.
 

Travis Tritt

Re: Good country music.
 

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The only thing Toby ever sold out was arenas.

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I have nothing to say about Tobey Keith, but that is a cool line.

Dude A: "Hogan's new reality show proves he sold out."
Dude B: "Shut your mouth! The only thing the Hulkster ever sold out was arenas!"

Re: Good country music.
 

Patty Loveless - Long Stretch of Lonesome is a classic
Kelly Willis
Rick Monroe
Clint Black
George Strait
Joy Lynn White

can't go wrong with any of them

Re: Good country music.
 

some of my favorites, in no particular order...

Merle, Willie, Alan Jackson, Ricky Van Shelton, Tom T. Hall, George Jones, Ronnie Milsap, Chris LeDuex, Roger Miller, Don Williams, Charlie Rich, Vince Gill, George Strait,

Re: Good country music.
 

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I'm surprised no one has mentioned Alan Jackson yet, get some of that if you haven't yet.

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Wow knew I was missing something, Alan Jackson is awesome. Thanks.

Thanks for all the suggestions, I'll look into them.

Re: Good country music.
 

When cousins Lester and Earl play, the coons and possums come right up outta the woods to listen.



http://www.spbgma.com/images/flattandscruggs.jpg

Re: Good country music.
 

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some of my favorites, in no particular order...

Merle, Willie, Alan Jackson, Ricky Van Shelton, Tom T. Hall, George Jones, Ronnie Milsap, Chris LeDuex, Roger Miller, Don Williams, Charlie Rich, Vince Gill, George Strait,

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I can't believe it took this long for someone to mention George Jones.

About.com's all-time top 500 country songs.

Doesn't look a ton like my list would, but there is a lot of good songs/artists on there.

Re: Good country music.
 

Not quite 'country' per se, but Allison Krauss is the best Blue-Grass artist i have ever heard. Ralph Stanley also kicks ass

Re: Good country music.
 

Asleep At the Wheel IMO has produced some of the best.

Re: Good country music.
 

It's extremely left field, but the British band 'The Beautiful South' do a sort of country/pop fusion that is pretty damn good.

Re: Good country music.
 

Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys.

Their country hits include,

Ride-em Jewboy,
Get your biscuits in the oven and your buns on the bed,
They don't make jews like Jesus anymore.

Awesome.

Re: Good country music.
 

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Cross Canadian Ragweed is about as popular as it gets, especially with the college radio and crowd. I am not a big fan but their concerts are incredible, some of the best live country shows you can see (other than Cory).



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This is the only one I've heard of. A friend of mine recently got back from a trip to Texas and was introduced to this band. Is the other Texas country music similiar to this?

Re: Good country music.
 

Dwight Yoakam
Chris LeDoux-he has an absolute [censored]-ton of great songs.
Big & Rich
And I don't think you can go wrong with Kenny Chesney no matter if some people think he is a sell-out. He puts on an amazing show.

Re: Good country music.
 

C'mon guys! I am amazed no one has yet said Gram Parsons/Flying Burrito Bros/Byrd's Sweetheart of the Rodeo.

Re: Good country music.
 

Did we seriously get this far without a shout-out for Patsy Cline?

Hank Williams Sr, Marty Robbins, George Jones, Jim Reeves, Flatt and Scruggs, Chet Atkins, Buck Owens, Roy Clark, (you have to overlook the Hee Haw schtick, both were very talented), Emmylou Harris, Johnny Cash, Crystal Gayle, Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, etc.

I am unquestionably old school on this topic.

Re: Good country music.
 

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Cross Canadian Ragweed is about as popular as it gets, especially with the college radio and crowd. I am not a big fan but their concerts are incredible, some of the best live country shows you can see (other than Cory).



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This is the only one I've heard of. A friend of mine recently got back from a trip to Texas and was introduced to this band. Is the other Texas country music similiar to this?

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Cross Canadian takes a "rock" sounding approach to country music. It's a lot different than some of the other guys mentioned like Cory Morrow or REK.