When I was young I was mainly into folk music and barely knew who Merle Haggard was. Just this year a YouTube mix had one of his songs and I've been listening to him every day since. He has such a huge body of excellent work, that wonderful voice, and best of all -- what you just mentioned, that fantastic band.
Early in my life, I liked folk music, then rock music, and I still like both, although it's rare for anything that came out since the 1970s to catch my attention. In my 40s, I realized that country music wasn't all that bad, and that some was pretty good, really. Like rock music, I don't know if much of the newer stuff is worth listening to, though. There's some pop music that I like, and there are hymns, boy's choirs, bluegrass, and ragtime. But, although I probably don't listen to enough of it to know, I don't think I care for modern country music or modern rock, if they even make rock music anymore.
I agree except I like to dance to Ice,Ice Baby. And think Jim Carie doing a parady of it is funny. The original Carie is making fun of,
Rock? Maybe so. Rock sung with a clothespin on your nose holding a pebble in each cheek? Sorry, not hating on corn tree, lots of it I like and I was raised on it. Just haven't been an aficionado ever.
Oh, I don't deny that. But carnival showmanship has taken center stage in the genre. I was raised around this stuff, and artists weren't doing exaggerated knockoffs of bad impressions of the Clampetts back then. I doubt my memories are unique. I suppose few here would have memories of the weekly TV show "The Green Valley Jamboree" out of Kalamazoo, Michigan's Channel 3 WKZO.
I got turned off right away hearing his song about "he's a lost cause", the guy is terribly depressed, most likely his weight is a big problem, but I don't find him that good a singer either. I only heard the one song, but I have other country singers I listen to. I really think he may have gotten the pity-vote which is not good for CMAs at all.
Other than opera, classical, and bluegrass, I think that's a pretty universal statement. I used to go to "concerts." Now they are "shows."
Reminds me of another song, Bread and Butter. Beth everything now is backwards , anything customary is gone.