My memory may deceive me Martin, but I remember country music in Chicago as early as the 1950s (which is about as far back as my memory goes) turning up on 50,000 watt WLS' Barn Dance. Now, thats not to say it was "big" up north, but it was available. I remember one of my musical idols, Jethro Burns, commenting about it being one of his first long-running gigs, back when he was half of Homer and Jethro.

I don't recall if that show lasted long enough to include folks like Waylon, although by then I probably was off into acid rock and god knows what else. And Jonnie's right about Willie. He was the road into country music for alot of listeners of my era.