Audiophile grade country

Zac Brown band, Dixie Chicks, Alan Jackson and Bonnie Raitt have that honky tonk feel to much of their music. I find that they are on good labels and have very good sonics and musical content.

Surprised no mention of Johnny Cash, whose later releases are especially good; we use his "Wayfaring Stranger" to demo.

Tom, which Dixie Chicks recording do you like? I find "Home," which has very good music, a "classic" modern recording: edgy, forced and shrill.

John

I agree with you jdoris, I have a couple of dixie Chicks albums and while I respect their obvious talent, the CD's are nearly unlistenable for any length of time. Shame

IMO, comming from one who doesn't like country a lot, a good recording and fun easy to listen to music for me and others who i have shared it with is Willie Neilson and Wynton Marsallis 'two men with the blues'.

Anyone who listens to country music should listen to Emmylou Harris. She's not old school honky tonk but she is definitely country and not country-pop or whatever it's called.

Her early albums were remastered by Rhino Records and all her work has good sound if not Audiophile grade.

She released a box set "Songbird" a few years ago, subtitled, "Rare Tracks and Forgotten Gems." I think this set probably has the best sound. Production credits note that the set was Mastered in Analog by Brian Ahern and Donivan Cowert. It may not be the best place for someone to start their Emmylou collection but the music on it is an excellent sampling of her work.

I'm not a fan of her "Wrecking Ball" album and I think her voice has declined since then. I'd check out anything prior to "Wrecking Ball" first.