| "Country music" is a term that | | | | of the easiest ways to enjoy it is via |
| means different things to different | | | | the Internet.The number of country radio |
| people. One fan's country music may not | | | | stations with live streaming audio feeds |
| sound at all like another's.Contemporary | | | | has become uncountable. But here are a |
| country music is one of the most popular | | | | couple of suggestions:To plug into the |
| genres on the radio. It is truly | | | | most important country music station of |
| mainstream popular music, with an appeal | | | | all time, go to the WSM Web site at |
| that cuts across all demographics. Its | | | | This is the pioneering Nashville station |
| mega-stars regularly fill the seats at | | | | that brought the Grand Ol' Opry to |
| the largest venues. Indeed, as someone | | | | America's airwaves and established the |
| has observed, country has replaced rock | | | | careers of so many country stars over |
| as the main face of American pop | | | | the course, literally, of decades. The |
| music.Only slightly less noticeable is | | | | WSM site provides a prominent |
| the surge of interest in what is called | | | | "click to listen" button for |
| old-time music, a choice of material and | | | | picking up the live broadcast stream any |
| style of playing that hearken back to | | | | time day night.A more recent happy |
| the genre's early days when it emerged | | | | discovery is Classic Heartland, an |
| from the hills and hollers of | | | | online-only station headquartered in |
| Appalachia, and other rural pockets of | | | | Branson, Missouri. Rather than try to |
| the American South, to claim a niche on | | | | describe what you'll hear there, let the |
| the then-new medium of radio, as well as | | | | Web site tell it: "Classic |
| in the burgeoning recording industry of | | | | Heartland features |
| the 1920s and 30s. For an excellent | | | | independently-produced programs by |
| crash course in the old-time music | | | | volunteers who love this music as much |
| revival, give a listen to the "Oh | | | | as you do. In between these programs is |
| Brother, Where Art Thou?" album | | | | our unique blend of classic country, |
| (the soundtrack to the movie of the same | | | | western, bluegrass and alternative |
| name).Bluegrass music has a large and | | | | country music."A recent Sunday's |
| devoted following all its own. | | | | playlist included stirring country |
| Bluegrass festivals and competitions are | | | | gospel, some old-time tunes played by |
| numerous throughout the United States | | | | contemporary artists, and a few genuine |
| and even in many other parts of the | | | | gold nuggets from the country music |
| world.Somewhere between the original | | | | archives, including "North to |
| old-time country music of the early 20th | | | | Alaska" by Johnny Horton and |
| century, and contemporary country as it | | | | "They're Gonna' Put Me In the |
| developed from about the 1970s or '80s | | | | Movies" as rendered by Buck |
| onward, you'll find honky | | | | Owens.Classic Heartland Radio may be |
| tonk--exemplified by the great Hank | | | | found at seeing as how everyone's taste |
| Williams--and the other pre-mainstream | | | | in country music is different, the best |
| traditions and artists of the 1950s and | | | | suggestion for finding the ideal |
| '60s. These gave way for a short time | | | | countrified audio stream is to browse |
| to "outlaw" country, | | | | one of the directories of live radio |
| associated with the likes of Willie | | | | stations on the Web. Outstanding is |
| Nelson and Waylon Jennings.Then, | | | | Mike's Radio World, which categorizes |
| reaching way back, there are people who | | | | 3,000+ stations by genre as well as |
| love playing the old recordings of the | | | | location. One whole page is devoted to |
| earliest country stars, such as Uncle | | | | country music stations. You can start |
| Dave Macon and the Carter Family. And | | | | here: Smith is a radio and music junkie |
| let's not forget the cowboy singers who | | | | who writes on those and other subjects |
| rode high in the saddle in the '40s, and | | | | for the Solid Gold Info Writers |
| the Western swing bands, and | | | | Consortium. Recently, he has written an |
| ..."Country music" means all | | | | extensive review of new software that |
| these things and more. It's truly a | | | | anyone can use to capture music audio |
| diverse genre. We're fortunate to live | | | | streams from Internet radio broadcasts |
| in an age when so much of country | | | | and break them up into individual mp3 |
| music--it's rich legacy as well as its | | | | song files--a legal way to download |
| living embodiment in today's | | | | virtually free music. |
| performers--is readily accessible. One | | | | |