| "Country music" is a term that means | | | | accessible. One of the easiest ways to enjoy it is |
| different things to different people. One fan's | | | | via the Internet.The number of country radio |
| country music may not sound at all like | | | | stations with live streaming audio feeds has |
| another's.Contemporary country music is one of | | | | become uncountable. But here are a couple of |
| the most popular genres on the radio. It is truly | | | | suggestions:To plug into the most important |
| mainstream popular music, with an appeal that | | | | country music station of all time, go to the WSM |
| cuts across all demographics. Its mega-stars | | | | Web 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 has | | | | airwaves and established the careers of so many |
| replaced rock as the main face of American pop | | | | country stars over the course, literally, of |
| music.Only slightly less noticeable is the surge of | | | | decades. 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 back | | | | the live broadcast stream any time day night.A |
| to the genre's early days when it emerged from | | | | more recent happy discovery is Classic Heartland, |
| the hills and hollers of Appalachia, and other rural | | | | an online-only station headquartered in Branson, |
| pockets of the American South, to claim a niche | | | | Missouri. Rather than try to describe what you'll |
| on the then-new medium of radio, as well as in | | | | hear there, let the Web site tell it: "Classic |
| the burgeoning recording industry of the 1920s | | | | Heartland features independently-produced |
| and 30s. For an excellent crash course in the | | | | programs by volunteers who love this music as |
| old-time music revival, give a listen to the | | | | much as you do. In between these programs is |
| "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?" album | | | | our unique blend of classic country, western, |
| (the soundtrack to the movie of the same | | | | bluegrass and alternative country music."A |
| name).Bluegrass music has a large and devoted | | | | recent Sunday's playlist included stirring country |
| following all its own. Bluegrass festivals and | | | | gospel, some old-time tunes played by |
| competitions are numerous throughout the United | | | | contemporary artists, and a few genuine gold |
| States and even in many other parts of the | | | | nuggets 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, and | | | | and "They're Gonna' Put Me In the |
| contemporary country as it developed from | | | | Movies" as rendered by Buck Owens.Classic |
| about the 1970s or '80s onward, you'll find honky | | | | Heartland Radio may be found at seeing as how |
| tonk--exemplified by the great Hank Williams--and | | | | everyone's taste in country music is different, the |
| the other pre-mainstream traditions and artists of | | | | best suggestion for finding the ideal countrified |
| the 1950s and '60s. These gave way for a short | | | | audio stream is to browse one of the directories |
| time to "outlaw" country, associated | | | | of live radio stations on the Web. Outstanding is |
| with the likes of Willie Nelson and Waylon | | | | Mike's Radio World, which categorizes 3,000+ |
| Jennings.Then, reaching way back, there are | | | | stations by genre as well as location. One whole |
| people who love playing the old recordings of the | | | | page is devoted to country music stations. You |
| earliest country stars, such as Uncle Dave Macon | | | | can start here: Smith is a radio and music junkie |
| and the Carter Family. And let's not forget the | | | | who writes on those and other subjects for the |
| cowboy singers who rode high in the saddle in the | | | | Solid Gold Info Writers Consortium. Recently, he |
| '40s, and the Western swing bands, and | | | | has written an extensive review of new software |
| ..."Country music" means all these | | | | that anyone can use to capture music audio |
| things and more. It's truly a diverse genre. We're | | | | streams from Internet radio broadcasts and |
| fortunate to live in an age when so much of | | | | break them up into individual mp3 song files--a |
| country music--it's rich legacy as well as its living | | | | legal way to download virtually free music. |
| embodiment in today's performers--is readily | | | | |