I'm just curious... I've started listening to country lately, partly because I keep brushing up against it in FOLCdom -- music videos, mostly, but also some song-inspired stories. So, it got me wondering how many country FOLCs there are

PJ

Well, for a long time I said I'd listen to just about any music *except* country. Twangy slide guitars and all that - ick. <g> However, these days, I wouldn't rule it out. Just like any musical genre, there's good and bad stuff, and anyway, I prefer to choose my music based simply on whether I like it or not rather than what category someone says it should fit into.

So I guess I'm saying I'm not likely to rush out and start buying a load of C&W CDs, but I'll keep an open mind to anything that I happen to hear on the radio or TV.

Yvonne

I answered yes, I like country music and always have. Two of my favorite songs right now are Johnny Cash's rendition of "Hurt" (although Johnny Cash anything is good) and Alison Krauss' "The Lucky One".

I always get annoyed with my friends who say they don't like country music (or opera or rap or any other unpopular genre). How do you know you don't like any country music? Have you listened to every country song?

Sometimes I get the feeling my friends dislike the image you get from country music or being a country music fan rather than the actual music.

I love country music! I listen to it exclusively . I hate Alan Jackson, and Daryl Worley, and the 9/11 patriotic songs and pro-war songs, but I love all of the sweet, romantic songs. I love annoying my roommate and her boyfriend with my music . My mom (a professed country music hater for most of her life) has actually recently started listening to it -- and now I noticed that she has her car radio set to 99.5 -- the country station .

Oh, and my sister -- the hardcore rap/brittany spears girl -- now listens to country, too. After she started working at Lonestar Steak House, she realized that she, too likes country! She even owns CDs now, and she's been to a ton of concerts -- Tim McGraw 3 times, Faith Hill, The WGAR Country Fest 3 times, Dixie Chicks 3 times, Alan Jackson, and I can't even remember some of the others! I think the fact that Jenny listens to it should show once and for all that even long time country music haters might eventually like it if exposed long enough .

- Laura

I use to hate country, but then this guy that I was dating really liked it and I was forced to listen to it. I actually started enjoy it. Even though we're not together anymore, I still listen to country and I can't imagine not listening to it.

Melisa

I chose other.

Growing up I always said I hated country music. Though it was always around. Not until a few years ago I actually started hearing some songs I liked that were country. I don't own any country CD's just what I've found on the net...and well that's only a little. I only have 1 CD full. On there, there are Dixie Chicks, LeAnn Rimes, ... oh my goodness I forgot their names...... Dena Carter (please excuse my spelling).
I like the song 'Valentine' since it came out and I just found the LnC video featuring that song a couple of weeks ago - thank you!!!!!!!!
In the past few months, I've heard other but have no idea who they are by. I actually have had the Canadian Country Music Channel on for a couple of afternoons. If any of my close pals knew....oh dear. LOL. I hold this secret close to my heart. Just like LnC!!!!!!!!!!! LOL

Two months now since I started listening to the local country station regularly. Know what the problem is? Awfully hard to drive when your eyes are leaking . . .

Well, I chose other because I have a fickle nature when it comes to music and am quite capable of liking some bits of any genre and not others, so can't really claim to be a fan of any of them. <g> Same goes for bands and singers. Don't necessarily like everything they do.

For country music I tend to like the more modern stuff rather than the Tammy Wynette brand. Half the time I don't even know who I'm listening to though. I used to like popping into CMTV on cable now and then, but they discontinued it a few years back. So, many of the singers I consider to be country might not be, officially. I have no clue.

I've recently been making up a new CD of songs I've discovered on the net these past few weeks and grown to love. Among them are two songs which I'd consider country. When You Come Back To Me Again (or maybe it just seems like it's country because it's by Garth Brooks) and I Wanna Love Somebody Like You by Keith Urban.

So...short answer among all that ramble...yeah, I wouldn't dismiss it from my playlist if I liked the song.

LabRat (now in the mood to hear those songs again and ambling over to her CD player...)

I always disliked country music, until I discovered Garth Brooks. Just fell in love with his stuff and even bought a couple of his CDs. But still, I never would tune-in to a country music radio station.

But my husband does like country, so by process of osmosis, it's kind of grown on me. I still don't "choose" it, but there are several songs that will make me stop and smile, and I even know the words to a few that aren't top-40 cross over hits. I'm all for a "kick-butt" patriotic song now and again <g>. And who doesn't love Shania Twain turning down Brad Pitt?

The biggest turn-off for me about country music is how often the songs make me cry. Nothing like listening to lyrics about a boy who's momma died and his dog got one leg gone and his woman done up and left him to bring a tear or two. Or actually, it's the song about daddies and their kids that really smack me in the heart.

Lynn

I've never really liked country music, apart from some Marty Robbins that I was exposed to when I was MUCH younger

But when I started making L&C Music videos, fans kept recommending country western singers and I really enjoy the songs that I've used in music videos.

I grew up in NY, where we NEVER listened to country music.

Now, I live in Puerto Rico, and I cannot recall ever hearing a single song of country music on any radio station the entire 25 years I've been here.

I probably know 3 country musicians by name, and even then, if you played one of their songs, I wouldn't recognize who the artist was.

However, I was in Alabama a few years ago, and the only thing on my car radio was country. To my surprise, I liked it! Quite a lot, actually.

So, I voted Option 1 - Yes.

- Vicki

I guess I should expand on my comments, too... I always assumed I wouldn't like country music, all that stuff about how the wife left and the dog died and the truck broke... but my mother-in-law listens to it sometimes, so I heard bits of songs there, which I liked... and then there were the FOLC music videos (Faith Hill, Garth Brooks, Shania Twain) with songs that I liked... and these last two years, I've admired the unashamed patriotism that shows up in some of the songs. So I figured I'd try listening, and learned two new things: this was also a genre (at least in my area <g> ) that has no problem talking about God and Jesus... and that there was a surprising amount of humor (not all in the same song, you understand ) And I like a lot of the music. Obviously there are some songs I like better than others -- maybe singers, too, but I haven't been listening long enough to tell which singers I might not like.

But it's the first time in years I've listened to a music radio station on any kind of regular basis.

PJ

I voted "other" because I love, love, LOVE vintage country such as Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn...
I don't really listen to much modern country. But I'm not against it, and will admit to enjoying a few songs by Garth Brooks or Alan Jackson. But I don't have any country CDs.
-Wanda

I don't know if I am narrow-minded or ingnorant or what, but when I hear "country music" I picture a cowboy with a guitar.

Of course, I do know that is far away from being the truth.

I think the only country I ever heard was that CD Julie Andrews recorded once, with Love Me Tender and some other songs. Of course, if you say that Faith Hill and Shania Twain are country singers, I heard some of their songs, too.

Julie

I think it is kind of funny that the two elements I despise about country music -- God and Jesus, and rampant (millitant) patriotism -- are two elements that Pam likes about it . I prefer songs where Earl had to die .

See, that just goes to show you that there is something for everyone in the world of country music . I feel like I am trying to sell country music -- like when I was in the sorority and it was rush season.

- Laura

Actually, I'll bet that's true... there's a stereotype of country music that's strongly related to stereotypes of "rednecks," one of the few ethnic groups in America that you're allowed to make merciless fun of. And I think the genre's changed a lot in the past few decades (just like every other genre of pretty much everything has! ) I told my husband I was trying out country music, and his first reaction was to remember his mother playing it when he was a kid, and he went into a little lecture about country music being the "white man's blues" -- I told him that didn't begin to cover it

One of the other things I like is how many songs there are about family -- when I listened to pop, I can't remember many songs about wives and children <shrug> That matches where I am in life, so that appeals to me.

There are some songs that make me cry, but there are at least as many that make me laugh.

Caveat -- I'm listening to a country station in "the south" (my local area is pretty blue, but NC is very much a red state, if you know what I mean...) so the song mix might be a little different in other parts of the country

PJ

I don't know if The Dixie Chicks are considered 'Country' but if they are, I surely like listening to their music!

Carole

When I was a kid, I used to scream and dive for the dial whenever I came across a country station. Then I got into my teens, and was forced to listen to it for 6 weeks every summer, and realized it wasn't so bad. Now, I pick and choose. In my playlist, I have artists like Reba, Garth, Blake Shelton, and Alabama. I've also got a few Leann Rimes in another folder. However, if there's too much "twang" or anything sounding like banjos, I'll usually switch the station. Considering I live a few short hours from where Deliverence was filmed (western North Carolina!), it's a little too spooky.

Hrm, reminds me, I need to get the rest of the Maverick soundtrack. I already have my favorite song from the album (Amazing Grace by the Maverick Choir -- a lot of country singers), but there's a few other songs on there I like.

Well, yes and no <g> They started out "country" but last year they made some anti-Bush remarks while touring in London, and there was a huge backlash against them in country music fan circles... of course that's political commentary, not musical but I think that with their country audience dwindling at alarming rates, they might have changed over to pop/rock...

PJ
(who thinks it might have been a *little* over the top when that radio station in Texas arranged for a bulldozer to crush all the Dixie Chicks albums that their listeners had thrown away in disgust, but hey, it's a free country )

(out of curiousity, I googled "dixie chicks controversy" and found what looked like a pretty fair summation of it here .)

The Chicks are still considered country... Haven't you been watching CMT? Their music is too bluegrassy and country these days not to be. (Listen to their Home CD to see what I mean.) I grew up on it. I love listening to the kiss off songs, the broken heart songs, the love songs... Heck, most of the pop love songs these days are just remakes of country ones. <G> Some rock bands even use country riffs in their stuff. (Listen to "Sweet Home Alabama" and tell me it's not country, I *dare* you.)

I grew up listening to the greats. In fact, my frist conscious appreciation of the genre came from watching Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson on the Muppet Show singing "Ghost Riders In The Sky". Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, Willy Nelson, Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, The Judds, Travis Tritt, Randy Travis, Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, Lonestar, Montgomery Gentry, Joe Nichols, Blake Shelton, The Dixie Chicks, Toby Keith, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Reba, Tricia Yearwood... well, you get the idea.

Laura

WOW! Thanks for the link Pam, interesting!

They bulldozered DC's CDs?? Why didn't they just send one my way! <jk, well...>

Laura,

CMT? Should've tried it while in the US, but I'm back 'home' now so, I guess the anwser's a flat 'no' But I must admit I like "Sweet Home Alabama " a lot. Listened to it over and over this last three weeks and it's totally awesome.

Pretty much, but thanks for freshening up my shattered Country memory.

Carole

I voted other because I like Faith Hill and the Dixie Chicks - but they're great singers despite being in the country genre.

I moved approximately every 3 years for 37 of the first 41 years of my life and have been exposed to many different types of music, but only Faith and the Chicks could ever overcome my aversion to 'them twanging gee-tars'. My tastes were formed in the era of Motown, Bubblegum, and Disco,

Totally, me too.

I'm lucky if I remember the names of songs and singer. Half the time I hear a song and never find out who created/sung....whatever...it.

I love the Dixie Chicks I think it is cool that they live in a country where they can express their thoughts and musical talents safely and where their fans and non-fans can do the same.

I used to groan when I'd hear country music. I still do if it is too twangy. I only like maybe 20 to 25% of it. Maybe that's too high, or to low.. ..no too high..... .....no just right! Still don't know.

I love country music. I think part of it stems from the fact that I spent four years in Texas, on the border of Mexico, where the only radio stations were hard rock, country, and Spanish. Since I hated hard rock and didn't know Spanish...I listened to country for four years.

However, I don't like all country. I agree with the anti-twangy stance. I can't stand the really old stuff. And even within the new stuff, there are certain songs that make me immediately change the channel. Not to mention every time the dee-jay starts to talk... (Our station has some of the worst dee-jays I've ever heard.)

I love the family songs, and the patriotic songs. I like songs like Lonestar's "Front Porch Looking In" and Alabama's "Down Home", which celebrate relationships, committment, real love (rather than selfish indulgence), family -- the things I hold important, too. And they do it with music I like, too.

Country isn't the only thing I listen to, by no means. But as a genre, overall, I love it.

Bethy

Do you know what happens when you play a country music CD backwards? You get your woman back, you get your car back, you get your horse back, you get your house back and your dog doesn't die.

I live two hours from Music City (that's Nashville for the uninitiated) and am on the waiting list to see "Nashville Star" live. That's like American Idol for country music. My sister and I went to the Grand Ole Opry for the first time last summer and it was fun. There were no big-name contemporary stars performing that night but Porter Waggoner, Bill Anderson and Little Jimmy Dickens were there. As I said, it was just a lot of toe-tapping, hand-clapping fun.

When my brother went off to Vietnam in '67 he trusted his 8-year-old sister to take care of his much-beloved album collection (and vinyl was fragile). I remember that besides the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Rolling Stones he had Aretha Franklin, the Temptations, the Supremes, Al Hirt, and Herb Alpert so I guess I could equate them with patriotism, since my brother was going off to fight for this country.

The only songs I personally think are patriotic (not just making a buck) are the National Anthem, The Battle Hymn of the Republic, God Bless America, and the military songs, i.e., The Army Song - The Cassions Go Rolling Along. And some of those have been used to make a little money too - remember Whitney Houston?

Growing up in the '60s and '70s, my own experience with country music was seeing it as the music of choice of a lot of people who were against diversity and inclusion. But I buy and play Faith and the Dixie Chicks because they are talented artists, despite their genre.

For the most part, I really don't want to listen to country music. And yes, I'm from Texas and Alabama, so I can say I've sat down and listened to it. I'll listen to a handful of random songs, but that's it. I just don't run across many lyrics that I like in this genre of music. I'm not into the sweet love songs, and I'm not into the my dog died, I broke up with my girlfriend, my truck has a flat tire stuff. Oh, and I'll listen to Sweet Home Alabama just so I can play along with it. The guitar is awesome. So while I think there are some talented artists in this country world, it's just not my taste in music.

I will admit that another part of it somewhere in there is that I hate the redneck stereotype that goes along with country music.

JD