For the past couple of weeks, I've been using Harper Valley PTA as the gateway into a conversation

about hit country songs. Shelby Singleton showed us what a real promo person will do behind the scenes

to make a hit happen. Genie C. Riley showed us plenty of the downsides to being used as the

pretty face for a hit. How roughly the business can put you back down after it's lifted you so high.

The writer of Harper Valley PTA, Mr. Tom T. Hall, I think he can show us some things about how

most fans experience hit country songs, country music radio. One reason this podcast will never

do an episode on someone who wasn't impacting country music before the year 2000 is that it's

impossible to tell who won a war until after the war is over. Every generation of country music

radio has been a war. Those of you old enough to be paying attention in the 70s, 80s, even the 90s

know how much perspective on the genre is gained with the passing of time.

What is this real country music? Can anyone define what it sounds like?

I'm sure many of you remember in the 90s, older country artists talked a lot of trash about what

was being played on the radio. Wayland Jennings may never have really used that extremely vulgar

similarly to describe Garth Brooks music, but he did say very critical things about Garth Brooks.

Now you go listen to the trash Luke Bryan puts out and tell me that doesn't make Garth Brooks

sound like Buck Owens. Well that's not what a lot of fans of real country music thought in the 90s

when Garth Brooks ruined country radio.

Always first to late, cause when it comes to hard eggs I'd rather give them to be seen.

I've never cried in my self sleep just prays now in Peru. I've never lost in love not

in it. Or in the 80s when Urban Cowboy ruined country radio.

Or in the 70s when Olivia Newton John won a CMA award for most promising female vocalist of the year

and a bunch of traditional country acts like Porter Wagner and Conway Twitty all got together at

...