On the one hand country music is simple and homespun, defined by twangy vocals, mournful guitars and fiddles, and lyrics about dogs, death, mother, and your childhood home in the hills. But erase the cliches and you'll quickly realize that country covers a surprisingly large amount of territory--everything from Hank Williams' honky tonk to the western swing of Bob Wills and Milton Brown; from the slick pop stylings of Faith Hill to the melancholy acoustic songs of Gillian Welch. It's based in old-time rural folk music, some of which date back centuries, but as a genre it came into being during the early 1920s, when both radio and commercial recordings allowed regional artists to suddenly reach thousands, even millions, of new listeners. These days country's got rock, soul, maybe a touch of jazz, and plenty of the blues, but when you're pining for a lost love or yearning for the smell of your mama's cooking, there's nothing like a good country song to bring you back home.

Notable Artists: Jimmie Rodgers, Kitty Wells, Roy Acuff, Dale Watson