I grew up thinking there was just one thing - music. I didnt know types. I lsat with my Dad and listened to Johnny Horton, Hank Williams, the Beatles, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles.
to me it was all the same. As I grew up I got into blues, metal and heavily into jazz. While studying jazz, my teacher was a record collector and we talked for hours about early country players, much of the music I grew up on. I dont like today's country or most country made in the last 30 years or so. The old stuff featured fantastic hook song writing, excellent musicianship. these guys were raised on blues, swing, rockabilly and folk music and it was refeclted in there music. The best part is, they didnt require studio effects and major producing, they sounded great live. The steel pedal kills me.So have an open mind, and check these out. Some of my all time favorites.
List to the musicianship, song writing and harmonies.
Buck Owens - Don Rich, inventing the "twang" of a tele
Johnny Horton - you know his tunes