[Glice]

There's lots of things been said already, much of it correct. I have a personal distaste for crock, and I've never got the appeal of Neil Young... a lot of that stuff just sounds like white boys trying to sound like rednecks (not that I'd know, being British)

Hank Williams is, to my mind, the utter perfection of short, simple songwriting. I've got the complete Hank Williams boxset, and there is literally two songs on there that aren't brilliant. The Hank Williams as Luke the Drifter stuff is among the most perfectly moribund music committed to wax.

I'm a bit biased on this, I don't have much interest in 'alt country', to my mind country doesn't need an alternative. I'd thoroughly recommend Laura Cantrell and, as previously mentioned, Neko Case. Not alt, just good.

The thing with a lot of it is, for my money, that if you're not into it, you're not going to get a lot out of the Kenny Rogers/ George Jones side of things, but it's really your loss.

For my money a lot of this new country comes from the evil that is Garth Brooks. Fucking insipid, lifeless bollocks. I quite like a few Dixie Chicks tunes, but they can go from fun and good to horrific bollocks.

Charlie Pride comes highly recommended, although avoid his 'there's a little bit of Hank in me', it's rank. Can't go wrong with Dolly, Patsy and Loretta as previously mentioned. I'm not near my record vaults, but I'll post back here with a few lesser-known names in a few days, if I remember.