There are many gradations and portrayals of ‘Country Music’.
One interpretation I’ve always enjoyed was from Patsy Cline and her interpretations of other writers music. I don’t know a lot about her. Some of my favorites by Patsy are’
Tennessee Waltz, I Fall to Pieces and the Willie Nelson song; Crazy.
>> There are many gradations and portrayals of ‘Country Music’ <<
Yes, indeed. Couldn’t agree more.
And thank goodness I can still tune in every night to WSM 650AM and hear the classic versions!
The author is talking about a particular gradation/portrayal (that he likes) that has its roots in bluegrass/folk:
“The country I love is what it was before it was even called country music. It was first known as hillbilly or mountain music, or just traditional music, born of its roots in Appalachia where families would sit around taking turns in ensemble singing and playing. “
Then he goes on to cite:
“...Lyle Lovett, Nanci Griffith, Highway 101 and Dwight Yoakam, ... They rocked but they also had swing, great melodies, harmonies and, yes, fiddles, pedal steel and banjos. It also had great story songs. Paradise by John Prine... George Jones, Merle Haggard, Gram Parsons, Guy Clark...”
“To my ears there’s nothing more beautiful than Emmylou Harris’s voice but others such as Lucinda Williams – a sort of female Steve Earle – Iris DeMent and the peerless, contemporary champion of traditional music, Gillian Welch, all showcase vocals in a way rock simply can never do.”
A good album is Nanci Griffith’s “Other Voices, Other Rooms” where she does covers with the original songwriters.
Good stuff.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7Gv7UNX2X4