Country and western is mostly neither one now. It's American Idol Country. There's no room anymore for good singers in rap or hip hop which almost totally dominate the music sales, so young singers who are American Idol winners do "country" music, over-singing the crap out of the song as if they were channeling Ethel Merman. The have good voices, but every number has to be a showstopper. There are a couple of country programs on tv that play rootsier, less plastic stuff where I occasionally see someone who is fresh and original. There's always Allison Krause (not exactly vintage country, but not American Idol stuff, etiher.) Currently, I like Reckless Kelly who sound like Steve Earle if he was a band. Ragged as the road I'm on is a classic in the making for me. The young women who are doing country are mostly cookie-cutter leggy blondes with long hair who all sound the same to me, other than Taylor Swift who is fighting for the Myley Cyrus crowd. Sweet singers, singing about issues that are critical to 13 year old girls with their first school boy crush.

You want grumpy, Dan?

Fooey on plastic country.

Dolly Parton, ironically, comes off as good ole; country. As she sings, she's a Backwoods Barbie.

Jerry