Does anyone like country

"I also like a lot of country rock oriented acts like, ALlman Brothers, Skynyrd, New Riders, Little River Band, NItty Gritty DIrt Band, Outlaws, Diamond Rio, and many others."

Country Rock? Really Mapman, you've got to be kidding. It is obvious you are not from the South, there is nothing "country" about the Allman Bros., Skynyrd, The Outlaws, Southern Rock and Blues all the way, or at least to their fans that generally abhor country, or so they say, or for that matter Little River Band. As a fan of all those groups less the Outlaws who I saw in concert in the mid 70's and had some country elements. Nitty Gritty's "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" IS country with a list of serious country artists including Bill Monroe and the Carter Family, can't get more grass roots that that. New Ryders have country elements as well but Little River Band? They're Australian how can they be country? I'm thinking but can't recall a tune that would give me a clue but they were an eclectic mix of musicians so it must be there somewhere:)

How about Marshall Tucker, Flying Burrito Brothers, Charlie Daniels, Buffalo Springfield, Poco and early Eagles in the Country Rock genre?

I hear a lot of country flavor in the music of the Allmans and Skynyrd. Even pre-country folk/bluegrass sounds. Something about the use of the major pentatonic scale, IMO, which is used heavily by the 70's Southern rock groups.

Just my two cents' worth.

Not a huge fan of the genre, but for whatever reason, I REALLY like Dwight Yoakam. Except for a couple of minor releases, I've got every cd or lp he's issued. When George Jones died I was listening to NPR's coverage of his life and it piqued my curiosity. I bought a couple of his mid-career classics and I have to admit, he was a really, really good singer. The three or four Chet Atkins releases I own are also good. IMO, the Americana/country school of Lyle Lovett, Steve Earle, etc. is a hybrid too far removed to be called "country" in the classic sense of the term.

Tostadosunidos the 5 note pentatonic scale is quite prevalent in music and not limited to country, blues and folk. Surely these groups being from the South were influenced directly or not from country music but what I find remarkable is that they seem so removed from the genre to the extent they are considering the fact they were likely surrounded by it in their youth. Their influences to my ears seem primarily blues based with a Southern rock twist which is unique. I suppose one could get some Country elements out of the music but I have never picked up on it personally. But having lived in the South as long as I have I just don't equate, particularly Skynard or the Allman Bros. to a country variation of rock but more a rock variation of blues, at least the Allman Bros, less so Skynard maybe.

I've always dug the country/bluegrass side of the genre by artists like Ricky Skaggs, Jerry Douglas, Allison Krause & Union Station. A few years ago I heard Vince Gill on Eric Clapton's 1st(?) Crossroads Festival DVD. Always thought he was just another country rocker but when I saw the DVD I shook my head sayin' "DAYUM, this boy can PLAY!". Since than he's made a few records but one absolutely stands out; 'These Days'. Released in 2006, it's a reasonably priced 4-disc set, each disc embracing a different TYPE of country music. Acoustic Bluegrass, Rockin' Country, Traditional Country & Western, and a kind-of ballads disc. Tellyawhat, this is a great record for someone that doesn't own much country music, it's an excellent dissertation on the genre. Amazing musicianship, impeccably recorded, great tunes, and guest musicians of the highest caliber. This should be considered one of the great country recordings, it is in my book!