Traditional country music's roots were born in rural American folk and blues. Inspired often by personal heartbreak, Traditional Country is a variation on the Blues. The style's artists are less united by a common sound -- though the twang in the voice and unmistakable pedal steel are common hallmarks. From the pure honky-tonk of Hank Williams, to the rambling songs of Jimmie Rodgers, to Bakersfield's Buck Owens, traditional country artists sing and play music that reflects the lives, loves and losses of Middle America's country-folk.