Rich, good points.
I do recall well when my daughter 'discovered' Simon & Garfunkel when she was about twelve. She absolutely loved them, and told me, 'Come listen to this, it's great!' She was astounded that I knew all the words to all the songs.
She also loves the old ballads, with all the melodrama, and likes them done unaccompanied. She can bellow out shanties with the best of them too. These interests do not detract in the slightest from her enjoyment of current country songs.