State of country music

Just to get this into new answers, I'll say this is a good question - and similar to an idea for a thread I had here

And Anthony, for the love of Christ, can you post the answer please.

Does 'No Depression' have a website?

Country used to be the music of the rural poor. It was used to tell not only stories but to further poltical and social messages. It was a tool of religon and of communcation. Often it was simple as a matter of resources. However recently ( since ther mid 80s )the stuff coming out of music row was designed to sell records. It became pap that abonded its tradtions. About this time a group of people from industrial cities (ie Chi Town) and the deep south returned to the traditions. So there are now roughly two streams. One, a good example is bloodshots label, is nasty and angry and as pure in its intenions as the early country. The second is the stuff you hear on country radio . This is a very loose interpation but i think pop cpuntry will be absorbed into AAA as faith hill is trying to do and Insurgent COuntry will do just that .

For good articles :

its german but not in german
another good site
label that started it all
As well in Print NO Depression Magazine is good
I oversimplified the war on country , not metioning the outlaw movement in the 70s and Some mainstream country artists who are jumping ship (ie George Straight, Allen Jackson, DOlly Parton)

and Dave they do but it is piss poor .

http://www.nodepression.net/

Great article in the Sunday Times Culture section this weekend just gone. So if you can dig that out. Otherwise I'll scan it at some point here in college. Tomorrow maybe if I come in on my wonderful day off.

Nicky D + C&W = unusual combination?

State of Country: FLA