Im probably gonna get nor replies but i really need some advice on picking some good country music

im trying to broaden my influences,
and i've gotten to like some country

i just really don't know where to start

johnny cash, loretta lynn, tammy wynette and willie nelson are some good old skool places to start.

Luv4oneanotha said:

I would start with Old School Country Stars like Waylon Jennings, Glen Campbell, Merle Haggard, B.J. Thomas. I don't like that Pop shit that out today b/c its not like the stuff I grew up with.

On top of the other worthy suggestions, get thee to Hank Williams (the first and only) for real heart-wrenching country and western, and also to Elvis' album 'Elvis Country', his only concept album (oh yes). Also, Dolly Parton deserves more respect than she sometimes gets, especially for her recent-ish bluegrass albums, and the peerless 'Jolene'. And then there's Alison Kraus and Union Station - lovely stuff.

If you're more into country rock, why not try Gram Parsons and the Flying Burrito Brothers, or Emmylou Harris' great old '70s stuff, or even the Eagles? Country often gets a bad press round here and beyond, but if you like good music and don't care about labels, there's loads to explore. There's also a few good guidebooks around that give a decent overview of the history and major artists of the various strands of country. For everyone you won't like, there'll be 3 or 4 you will. Enjoy!

Country music starter kit:





The Essential Johnny Cash
Patsy Cline - The Definitive Collection
George Jones - The Definitive Collection 1955-1962
Loretta Lynn - Van Lear Rose
The Essential Dolly Parton Volume Two
The Essential Tammy Wynette
Hank Williams - The Ultimate Collection

any of the "essential" compilations are great primers to classic country music.

also, the closer you get to mountain music, the better off you'll be. the recent "pop" country stuff is really just lite rock performed by people in cowboy hats. the only possible exception i'd make to that criticism is shelby lynne, whose first album "i am shelby lynne" is just freakin' phenomenal. i've heard good things about her latest album, too.

Get the first several kd lang albums. She's dreamy.

All of the 'classic' artists mentioned above are worth your time - in particular, I really love Merle Haggard. There are several excellent budget-priced Haggard comps that make for a terrific introduction to his music, and if you choose to pursue it any further, he has one of the deepest and most consistent catalogues of any artist regardless of genre of the last 40 years.

I'd also like to recommend checking out some albums by Jimmie Dale Gilmore. He released a series of terrific 'cosmic-country' (Gilmore is Hindu and pretty devout about it, apparently) albums in the late eighties and early nineties. I particularly like Spinning Around the Sun, but After Awhile and 'Jimmie Dale Gilmore' are great too - pure country records with sparse, elegant arrangements and tremendous vocals.

And I can't mention Jimmie Dale without mentioning the Flatlanders. The Flatlanders consisted of Gilmore, Joe Ely and Butch Hancock, all of whom went on to have influential careers reinvigorating traditional country music (though Ely also came to be closely associated with the punk movement, mostly because he toured with the Clash and often played his songs at a breakneck pace live). Their one and only album was only released on the eight-track format in the early seventies and quickly fell out of print. The album became a word-of-mouth grassroots legend, and finally was re-released in the early nineties with some very nice bonus tracks. Very traditionalist country with only acoustic guitars and the odd bit of musical saw for colour.