Tom, Country music – like any type of music – comes in various forms and styles, just as Soul music ranged anywhere from the southern soul sound of Stax to the uptown pop glamor of Motown. Like you, I was never a fan of the old Country & Western. It was [[and still is) just too hokey and twangy for me. In the mid-1980s, however, Country music evolved into what they called the "New Hot Country" whose popularity, along with Country Line Dancing, spread like wildfire. Lasting throughout the 1980's and 1990s and into the early 2000's, it was a whole new sound – a powerful combination of Country and Pop – and, I can assure you, a lot of it was downright soulful, much of it stemming from R&B. That’s the kind of Country music that I collect. Here are just a few samples for you to hear for yourself:
WYNONNA JUDD - "Woman To Woman"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJ-yCCigPks
REBA McENTIRE - "Why Haven’t I Heard From You"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-d7vAbKTmus
KEVIN SHARP - "Let Me Rock You To Sleep"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKGgfnEffYw
BR5-49 - "Too Lazy To Work [[Too Nervous To Steal)"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZBiwLrK7Cw
Tom, your musical tastes and mine run very close. If I love the New Hot Country, which I do, I’m pretty sure that you’ll like it, too. All you need is a little exposure. [[If any of the above videos won’t play, let me know and I’ll see if I can find a replacement video that will.) - Gary