From here in the Scottish bit of the UK, I wonder whether 'Country' is only/exclusively an American genre? There is folk music from many countries, but is there such a thing as (for example) 'English country music'? I don't mean people playing American country music or Americana, but people writing songs about the experience of rural living in England/Britain today?

I wonder if, for example, Show of Hands (whom I like hugely, so this is not a criticism) might be better described as 'English alt-country' rather than English folk music. When Tanglefoot were here it struck me that a song like 'When Dad and Uncle Archie Lost the Farm' was 'Canadian country music' although they were playing in a folk club. Are there similar artists in other countries? Perhaps Jimmy Shand might be described as a Scottish Country musician (not being a Scot I'd defer to the opinion of the Scots on that one).

What happens in Ireland, France, Australia, etc?

Interested to know!

Cheers
KP