Covenanter said:
I was lucky enough to be have the opportunity to drive Route 66 from Chicago to Los Angeles a few years ago and I listened to a lot of country music en route as particularly in the mid-West that's what the radio stations play. I can't say that I grew to love it but I did grow to appreciate the genre and to understand that it has its merits.
Chris
Only driven bits of this road, no further East than the New Mexico state line, must have been fun.
Country music is truly huge in the US and like any mass market musical genre it obeys the 80% - 20% rule.
I originally came to country through the country rock movement of the late 60s early 70s. At that time rock music was very heavily influenced by the folk music of black america, much less so than the folk music of white america, though the influence was quite clear on some bands.
If you are interested and are unfamiliar with them try early recordings by The Band, "Big Pink", "The Band", and of course the The Byrds tour de force, "Sweethearts of the Rodeo". I have plenty of more up to date examples should you, or anyone, be at all interested.
Edited for spelling.