Over its eighty year history, country music has evolved from parochial scenes in the U.S. South with little-known local talents, to a multimillion dollar business boasting superstar musicians. This volume examines country music as it developed in regions throughout the U.S., from the first country-music radio broadcasts of the 1920s, to the contemporary Nashville sound. It also includes studies of Country's various subgenres such as bluegrass, honkytonk, and neotraditional music. The book provides an in-depth look at the people and events who have shaped the industry, and identifies the landmark recordings that old and new fans alike will want to add to their collections. It includes a chronology of country music and an extensive chapter of biographical sketches of all the major songwriters, musicians, and people in the industry.