Country music is about tradition, yet its simple form lends itself to endless variations on similar themes. Like blues -- the two genres often shared themes, melodies and songs -- country is a simple music at its core. Most of its songs are built around three chords and a plain melody, but these forms are so basic, they allow for many different styles, from the gritty sounds of honky tonk to the jazzy improvisations of Western Swing. Country music grew out of American Southern folk music, both Appalachian and blues, and old-time country was simple and folky, with just guitars and fiddles. As the genre progressed, old time music evolved into the rhythmic guitar-and-fiddle driven traditional country that became the foundation of modern country music, from honky tonk and Western Swing to the pop-oriented Countrypolitan and rock-inflected Bakersfield Sound.

Top Country Albums:

Top Country Artists:

Tex Ritter Lester Flatt Jim & Jesse The Seldom Scene Slim Whitman George Strait Rodney Crowell The Kentucky Colonels Eddy Arnold Bobby Bare

Bill Monroe Dolly Parton Brenda Lee Bob Wills Hank Snow Willie Nelson The Country Gentlemen Red Foley Merle Travis Osborne Brothers

Hank Williams The Judds Sons of the Pioneers Alison Krauss Randy Travis Jethro Burns Don Gibson Jimmy C. Newman Patsy Cline Mac Wiseman

Featured Style: Western Swing

Top Western Swing Artists:

Bob Wills Spade Cooley Tex Williams Milton Brown Cliff Bruner Tommy Duncan Moon Mullican Hank Thompson Leon McAuliffe Rose Maddox

Billy Walker Red Foley Eldon Shamblin Hargus "Pig" Robbins Johnny Gimble Sid King Noel Boggs Tiny Moore Ted Daffan Pee Wee King

Scott Joss Johnny Bush Billy Armstrong Johnnie Lee Wills Bill Boyd Jimmy Bryant Hank Penny The Tune Wranglers The Light Crust Doughboys Tommy Jackson

More Styles Of Country :

Western Swing

Western Swing Revival

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