Country music: the choice of trailer trash?

Ask someone what kind of music they're into andone of the greatest love songs ever written, "Folsom
nine times out of ten, the response will be: "I like allPrison Blues" tackles the themes of redemption and
kinds… except country…". Most peopleregret perfectly and signature tune "The Man In
think country means songs in which women moanBlack" is an inspiring manifesto, pleading for an end to
about their husbands walking out on them and theirsocial injustice.
forty children, or songs in which fully grown men cryA little bit of research into Cash's contemporaries
about having their horse stolen.leads to such names as Wilson Nelson, Merle Haggard
To the younger generations, country means thatand Hank Williams. Nelson, who it seems hasn't aged
weird old music that only parents (or grandparents)in around thirty years, and Haggard came to
listen to, and it's not hard to see where they'reprominence during the rise in popularity of outlaw
coming from; as children, we rummage through ourcountry in the 1970s, a movement that saw a trend
parent's album collections only to discover bizarretowards songs about jail, drinking, drugs and hard
record covers with cheesy, old fashioned pictures ofworking men. Williams meanwhile left a legacy in
men dressed in rhinestone suits with leather cowboycountry music when he died aged 29 after
boots; country music was lurking.overdosing on Morphine. During the 1950s, Williams
The country genre became associated with Billy Raywas a pioneer of the honky-tonk style, which Elvis
Cyrus' awful novelty record "Achy Breaky Heart" andPresley later adopted and became a global superstar
the resultant line-dancing craze, and it also spawnedin the process.
the over-played radio-friendly MOR of Shania TwainAll of the above, including Elvis, are inductees of the
and Sheryl Crow. All are great reasons to be put offCountry Music Hall of Fame, which was founded in
country music for life.1962. Located in Nashville - 'music city USA', the
But in this sea of country music crass, a king wasCountry Music Hall of Fame doubles as a museum of
born; Johnny Cash, a man with a deep, disturbingall things country, including hand-written lyrics sheets
voice, who dresses all in black like a real rock starand instruments used by legendary artists including
and tells the most wonderful stories through hisCash; and there's plenty of rustic country hotels in
songs.Nashville available for anyone wishing to pay the Hall
Take a listen to songs like "A Boy Named Sue" andof Fame and its many inductees a visit.
"One Piece At A Time" and you'll realise that thePaul McIndoe is an online, freelance journalist and
ridiculous tales country artists come up with are morekeen hillwalker. He lives in Edinburgh with his two
often than not told with tongue very firmly in cheek.dogs.
He did serious stuff too, of course. "Ring Of Fire" is