Interesting Marc. Is it possible that another reason bands went country is because their brand of rock wasn't sellable product anymore and country around the time of Garth and Shania was a viable alternative?

Where I'm coming from:

I grew up listening to a variety of music, Big Band, Sinatra, (mother) Vera Lynn, Patty Page style vocalists, (father) Johnny Mathis, Platters, Soul singers, (brother) and late 50's early sixties top 40. (sisters) I bought a Hank Williams record when I was 10 and Meet The Beatles when I was 11. (there's a jump, although I think Hank had a lot of rock and roll in him)

To-day I have no problem switching from Bach to Metallica to Roy Buchanan to Benny Goodman to Dwight Yoakum-it's all great music, and it was special, unique.
Unfortunately, music is undervalued to-day and certainly not "special"-just the way it is....

I would have liked to have heard you slamming power chords Marc!