what happened to country

well i maybe the only one here who appreciates country but i mean nowadays only a few good country singers remain i mean Johnny cash died and many other good ones like the statler bros. now gretchen wilson and big&rich have come are they really even country it's almost more like some weird new style of music mix of hip hop and country whadda you think

i dunno, i never really thought of johnny cash as country. i guess he is tho, still cracks me up that he covered a nine inch nails song.

Country became the slick american New Country.

For Me :

Country & Western = Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, maybe some Dolly Parton and Patsy Cline or Tammy Wynette.( The Country Outlaws, Hard drinkin and Hard Druggin)

Country rock = Gram Parsons, The Byrds, The Band. Little Feat