I'm just having some fun and looking for some songs to listen that would the way country used to be. I feel I have had pretty great exposure to it, and listened a lot, but I'm not going to pretend to know everything there is to know...not by a LONG shot.
So, what are some GREAT songs you would recommend...and what should I be listening for? What do you hear that you feel makes it a great song?
Thanks for any help with this. Just lookin' to expand a bit. I have some driving coming up and it's fun to do this kind of thing. It makes long trips exciting
Chad (Hope that makes it easier)
TEMPO TANTRUM: What a lead singer has when they can't stay in time.
Assuming you're not Gender-Specific, too - for me, Country Music came to an end in about 1982. YMMV, but after about that time, Country Music became "Rock/Pop with a twangy vocalist". I paint with a broad brush, and there are exceptions, but...
Check out Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Loretta Young, Johnny Cash, maybe Crystal Gayle (near the End of Days, but still valid), Rosanne Cash, and for God's sake, don't hit the road without EmmyLou Harris.
After the passing of "real" country, investigate Mary Chapin Carpenter. She is an absolute must-listen of the '90's.
Hallmarks of the "classic" Country genre are minimalistic arrangements, devoid of pretense (though never eschewing the device of a Bad Pun), and tasteful guitar / steel guitar arrangements. "Shredding" did not really exist, in the Golden Age.
As a male artist, I've never been a fan of overly-aggressive female vocal parts... and if you're that way, don't listen to entire albums by one artist. That reveals "pandering", when in one song the vocalist is tender and sweet, and the next she's a snarling assertive $#2&, but again that's just my opinion.
I'm not so sure that good Country has ended. More is that it has evolved, just like every other music style alongside it.
Johnny Tillotson had some great "Country style" songs. Things like: It Keeps Right On A Hurtin Talk Back Trembling Lips Send Me The Pillow You Dream On
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
Without overloading you..... country music is exemplified in these artists.
Hank Williams Sr, & Jr.
Willie Nelson
Waylon Jennings
George Jones
Merle Haggard
Patsy Cline
Loretta Lynn
Buck Owens
and that's just a very small starting place. If you didn't grow up on these artists, I'd suggest hitting YouTube and look them up and listen.
A bit more modern but still solidly rooted in country would include:
Alabama
Brooks & Dunn
Emmy Lou Harris
Garth Brooks
Trisha Yearwood
Lacy J Dalton
Reba MacIntire
There are so many other artists and groups who were instrumental in the history of country music.... the more you dig, the more you will find.
edit to add: and don't forget the classic duet combo's.... Conway & Loretta, Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers and Dottie West<<< YOU GOTTA HEAR THAT. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlcRqPG1OeQ George Jones and Tammy Wynette. Every one of those are country classics.
Last edited by Guitarhacker; 02/08/1703:46 AM.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.com Add nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.
The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
Any suggestions on WHAT to be listening for. I know how I would listen to it, but want to know what YOU would listen for. If we had a listening session in the same room, what would you point out?
Thanks!
Chad (Hope that makes it easier)
TEMPO TANTRUM: What a lead singer has when they can't stay in time.
If you listen to Country music across the decades, starting with the Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers, you will find two concurrend streams: 1. Country music that reflects the pop music trend of its time and 2. Music that has more the feel of "it could have been in a living room on a farm". (Even if it is amplified.)
ad 1: 1930s: Bob Wills, Spade Cooley and all the other Western Swing bands played Jazz; 1940s: The Delmore Brothers, Arthur Smith and others played Boogie Woogie style music. 1950s: Even Eddy Arnold recorded Rockabilly songs, Country music's adaption of Rock 'n' Roll. And there were others like George "Thumper" Jones, Hank Snow, Johnny Cash and many, many more. 1960s: Sound carpets by very large string orchestras enhanced Country music to have it have an easier access to the pop charts. and so on... the reason to invent outlaw country music, you know Jennings, Nelson, and their friends.
ad 2. All the music that is seen as "real" country music including all the other sub-genres like bluegrass or gospel music for instance.
Back in 2003, NPR did a great multi-part segment called "Honky Tonks, Hymns, and Blues". It is definitely worth a listen. You'll hear traditional country music, as well as interviews with respected entertainers. I recorded it off the radio and created CDs to listen to at my leisure.
John
Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 12TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 12TB SATA
Lots did it including Hank, but Karens' version was always a favourite.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
FJ, what a wonderful collection of tunes. Now, don't take this the wrong way, but I swear I hear a bit of you in all of them! They must have been listening to your music for a long time to pick up bits and pieces of that unique phrasing and smooth vocals combined with story telling lyrics. You should be very proud that such a distinguished group has been paying attention to your music.
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 11 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2026 and Higher!
XPro Styles PAK 11 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 (and higher) is here with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 31 RealTracks/RealDrums!
Guess who’s back again? That’s right! It’s our XPro Styles PAK’s triumphant return with the 11th edition in this series! 100 new styles are coming your way spread across the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres. And this edition's wildcard genre explores the immense and far-reaching catalogue of electronic music! The included 31 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
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XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2026 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
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Xtra Styles PAK 22 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2026 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
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No Xtra Styles PAK is complete without the classic rock & pop, jazz, and country volumes you know and love, and we’ve got plenty to share, with 150 styles spread across too many genres to list! Of course, it also wouldn’t be complete with our special wildcard volume to add a little spice and pizzazz to the mix. This year, because we loved it so much the first time, we’ve decided to make the second iteration of our SynthMaster volume, full of new sounds, interesting genres, and 50 engaging styles, all making use of the diverse SynthMaster plugin! Here you can find genres such as airy yacht rock, sultry electrotango, and even some synth soca funk. Don’t wait, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 22 today!
In this PAK you can find: dulcet folk ballads, funky gospel country, Brazilian jazz fusion, upbeat 1980s pop, classic Americana, a plethora of breezy bossa novas, indie singer-songwriter, scintillating synthwave, exuberant electronica, and many, many more!
Special offers available until August 31st, 2026!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1-22 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 22 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 22 requires the 2026 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 11 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2026 and Higher!
XPro Styles PAK 11 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 (and higher) is here with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 31 RealTracks/RealDrums!
Guess who’s back again? That’s right! It’s our XPro Styles PAK’s triumphant return with the 11th edition in this series! 100 new styles are coming your way spread across the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres. And this edition's wildcard genre explores the immense and far-reaching catalogue of electronic music! The included 31 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Special offers available until August 31st, 2026!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1-11 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2026 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 22 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2026 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 22 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2026 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
It’s time to celebrate! Xtra Styles PAK 22 for Band-in-a-Box® is here, and we've got 200 brand-new styles coming your way!
No Xtra Styles PAK is complete without the classic rock & pop, jazz, and country volumes you know and love, and we’ve got plenty to share, with 150 styles spread across too many genres to list! Of course, it also wouldn’t be complete with our special wildcard volume to add a little spice and pizzazz to the mix. This year, because we loved it so much the first time, we’ve decided to make the second iteration of our SynthMaster volume, full of new sounds, interesting genres, and 50 engaging styles, all making use of the diverse SynthMaster plugin! Here you can find genres such as airy yacht rock, sultry electrotango, and even some synth soca funk. Don’t wait, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 22 today!
In this PAK you can find: dulcet folk ballads, funky gospel country, Brazilian jazz fusion, upbeat 1980s pop, classic Americana, a plethora of breezy bossa novas, indie singer-songwriter, scintillating synthwave, exuberant electronica, and many, many more!
Special offers available until August 31st, 2026!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1-22 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 22 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 22 requires the 2026 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
zplane recently interviewed Peter Gannon, the founder and creator of Band-in-a-Box, about the software's early days, what sets it apart from AI, how zplane's audio algorithms are used in Band-in-a-Box, and more!
Special thanks to the team at zplane for their continued support.
Last Chance! The Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® Special Ends Today (May 31, 2026) at 11:59pm PDT!
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Another exciting new addition is the amazing new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. View the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to transcribe an entire track or transcribe specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
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Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Special Offers Extended Until May 31st!
Good news- we've extended our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® special offers until May 31, 2026!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 is packed with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can transcribe an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, and much more!
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