There's a big difference between country and western music, actually, and there's even a "Western Music Association" now, to counteract the "Country Music Association" that gives beaucoup awards to the musicians you see on country music videos these days. Check out the website, http://www.westernmusic.org

The roots of the music are different, and though they converged for a while, there's a fairly active movement afoot these days to un-converge them. Country music is more "pop" music these days. Western music is more concerned with the American West than the terrain of the broken heart or the lover-done-wrong.

And, by the way, some of us who grew up in the American West and love its history could do without the condescension that so often accompanies discussion of this music. It's roots music, just the same as the way-cool, way-trendy "Celtic" music that y'all embrace. (which I also love, although I'm not certain that calling any music that so much as dipped the nail of its little toe in Ireland "celtic" is exactly descriptive of a genre ... )

I agree with Kim C that Western music is a bit too country these days for what now passes as "Country" music. It tends to be more concerned with the wide open spaces than the corner booth in a bar ...

WyoWoman, whose handle gives away her biases