Well, being a simple Londoner, that being in South East England, that being Europe...

I have to say I never, ever, ever listen to Country. The only real country tracks I'm ever exposed to are the MTV Jackass theme (which I got recently, it's great to listen at parties) and ones in American films.

There is just no call for that great American epitaph that is Country music; can you see a London commuter (bowler hat, cane umbrella and all you stereotypists :P) slappin' his thigh to a rip-roarin' to a high yokelin' country track?

Or me, an art student in London, where i'm mostly exposed nowadays to Depeche Mode, Morrisey and New Order (I don't know why, but London art students love 80s new wave) - I have no clue about where to start listening to country.

how about US city dwellers? I'm guessing that you must hear the odd bit of country, but i couldn't imagine many New Yorkers (some badass in Queens) listening to country?

that's interesting bluey. when I grew up in hongkong, John "BORING" Denver was pretty big there. I think they considered him as a folk singer, instead of a country singer. either way, BORING! a lot of radio DJs in hongkong like to play boring ass music...

I didn't get exposed to country music until I went to Kansas.

Like no other genre country has its crap and its great music. The country that people are exposed to through the mainstream media is more offen than not really bad and thus many people write off country as being a bad genre of music.

Three of my favourite artists of this genre include

"slim cessna's auto club" who are on Jello Biafra's record label "alternative tenticles"

Fred Eaglesmith check out his album "lipstick lies and gasoline"

Hank III who is hank williams grandson, he has actually done work with the melvins and other alternative rock legends.

Lucinda Williams is also a more traditional artist that I really think is awesome.

Casey Chambers has some great stuff as well

I don't care for any "new country", but I do like some of the older stuff like Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson.

I must say I'm inclined towards the country slant - Tom House, The Palace Brothers, Lampchop, Ramblin' Jack Elliott...The themes of this genre appeal to me - life, love, death, redemption, loneliness, drinking too much...

I didn't "get" Country until I worked a summer construction job in High School. I rode around in a truck all day with a guy who kept the radio on nothing else. One day it just kinda clicked..I understood the appeal. I still don't get opera, but I'd like to. I think it's my loss. Maybe I need to ride around in a truck with a guy who listens to opera...how gay would that be?

I think the idea of liking Opera is more intriguing to me than actually listening to Opera. I need more Opera education I guess. Don't you think Opera would be great fun when it clicks, algernon? All those shrieking histrionic women and bad, bad men. I like goody-baddy stories, and it seems that most Opera is something along the lines of that? I don't know? Maybe I am just intimidated by shrieking histrionic women.

i only recently started to listen to country when i downloaded a cover version of the U2 song 'one' by Johnny Cash, after that i was hooked on the guy.

Thanks for pointing that out!...I've been surrounded by shrieking, histrionic women all my life and I've had a belly full! I shall cease my attempts to delve further into opera!

the thing that gets me about country is the singing.
George Jones, Merle Haggard...
those guys can REALLY sing.