mostly no, because the country i grew up in had nothing to do with urban drunks, which so called country music seems to have overly much associated itself with. there are, however, absolutely wonderful exceptions, to everything. its also that phony 'twang' thang 'country' singers affect, or used to, maybe, hopefully they're getting away from that now. it still bothers me, the mislabeling of what most of it is about, as having anything to do with wilderness of even non-urban environments. (celtic music i like, but that's a totally 'nother universe)
Not sure how different those universes really are... 1. Singers with a sometimes-affected accent? Check. 2. Fiddles? Check. 3. Songs celebrating moonshiners? Check. 4. Songs celebrating bandits? Check. 5. Environment favoring beer and whiskey? Check. 6. (More recently) Rapping about horses while objectifying women? Check. (Compare - Big & Rich "Save a Horse" vs. Rubberbandits "Horse Outside")
Seems to me country has an identity problem, which style is in this week? Just saw "Old Town Road" with LilNasX, is that Country?
It is contemporary country. It retains enough country elements for my taste. Billboard got it wrong. If you removed all the country elements, then it would cease to be country. Case in point:
I am an old school country guy. I call todays country bubble gum country. It has no heart, no soul. give me some Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Barbra Mandrell, Charlie Pride, Waylon Jennings & Conway Twitty. i am stilla fan of country from the 80's and some 90's But You can Keep the Dixie chicks & taylor Swift.
Calling Taylor Swift country is just wrong. Pop is the word. Vapid and boring pop. But that's what people want!
Have you heard anything by The Raphaels? 2000-ish Nashville band fronted by STUART ADAMSON (Scottish rocker extraordinaire known for Big Country and The Skids). They had an awesome American-Scottish-Country-Rock-crossover sound which I'm convinced could've ushered in a new genre if not for the tragedy of Stuart's passing the following year. As for me & country music in general, I'm a big fan of Johnny Cash, and Dean Martin's country albums, but nothing else really does it for me.
i love that --- it cracks me up and the part they had of it in the super bowl commercial with Sam elliot was too funny