Pickin' and Grinnin': Country Radio On the Web

"Country music" is a term that meansaccessible. One of the easiest ways to enjoy it is
different things to different people. One fan'svia the Internet.The number of country radio
country music may not sound at all likestations with live streaming audio feeds has
another's.Contemporary country music is one ofbecome uncountable. But here are a couple of
the most popular genres on the radio. It is trulysuggestions:To plug into the most important
mainstream popular music, with an appeal thatcountry music station of all time, go to the WSM
cuts across all demographics. Its mega-starsWeb site at This is the pioneering Nashville station
regularly fill the seats at the largest venues.that brought the Grand Ol' Opry to America's
Indeed, as someone has observed, country hasairwaves and established the careers of so many
replaced rock as the main face of American popcountry stars over the course, literally, of
music.Only slightly less noticeable is the surge ofdecades. The WSM site provides a prominent
interest in what is called old-time music, a choice"click to listen" button for picking up
of material and style of playing that hearken backthe live broadcast stream any time day night.A
to the genre's early days when it emerged frommore recent happy discovery is Classic Heartland,
the hills and hollers of Appalachia, and other ruralan online-only station headquartered in Branson,
pockets of the American South, to claim a nicheMissouri. Rather than try to describe what you'll
on the then-new medium of radio, as well as inhear there, let the Web site tell it: "Classic
the burgeoning recording industry of the 1920sHeartland features independently-produced
and 30s. For an excellent crash course in theprograms by volunteers who love this music as
old-time music revival, give a listen to themuch as you do. In between these programs is
"Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?" albumour unique blend of classic country, western,
(the soundtrack to the movie of the samebluegrass and alternative country music."A
name).Bluegrass music has a large and devotedrecent Sunday's playlist included stirring country
following all its own. Bluegrass festivals andgospel, some old-time tunes played by
competitions are numerous throughout the Unitedcontemporary artists, and a few genuine gold
States and even in many other parts of thenuggets from the country music archives, including
world.Somewhere between the original old-time"North to Alaska" by Johnny Horton
country music of the early 20th century, andand "They're Gonna' Put Me In the
contemporary country as it developed fromMovies" as rendered by Buck Owens.Classic
about the 1970s or '80s onward, you'll find honkyHeartland Radio may be found at seeing as how
tonk--exemplified by the great Hank Williams--andeveryone's taste in country music is different, the
the other pre-mainstream traditions and artists ofbest suggestion for finding the ideal countrified
the 1950s and '60s. These gave way for a shortaudio stream is to browse one of the directories
time to "outlaw" country, associatedof live radio stations on the Web. Outstanding is
with the likes of Willie Nelson and WaylonMike's Radio World, which categorizes 3,000+
Jennings.Then, reaching way back, there arestations by genre as well as location. One whole
people who love playing the old recordings of thepage is devoted to country music stations. You
earliest country stars, such as Uncle Dave Maconcan start here: Smith is a radio and music junkie
and the Carter Family. And let's not forget thewho writes on those and other subjects for the
cowboy singers who rode high in the saddle in theSolid Gold Info Writers Consortium. Recently, he
'40s, and the Western swing bands, andhas written an extensive review of new software
..."Country music" means all thesethat anyone can use to capture music audio
things and more. It's truly a diverse genre. We'restreams from Internet radio broadcasts and
fortunate to live in an age when so much ofbreak them up into individual mp3 song files--a
country music--it's rich legacy as well as its livinglegal way to download virtually free music.
embodiment in today's performers--is readily