Great country recording

Here are a few of my favorite country albums that all sound pretty fantastic too....

Steve Earle - "Guitar Town" 
Willie Nelson - "Willie and Family Live" - Sounds fantastic and a great performance
David Ball - "Thinkin' Problem"
Alison Krauss + Union Station - "New Favorite"

But the winner for performance and sound quality is

Chip Taylor and Carrie Rodriguez - "Live at the Ruhr Triennale" - Stellar performances by Chip, Carrie, Bill Frisell, David Piltch, Greg Leisz and Buddy Miller. I think this was released on CD only and it is not on Spotify or YouTube. I see the CD on Discogs. It's worth a chance if you like Country, Alt-Country, Americana or just want a fantastic sounding recording to show off your system.

Willie Nelson Teatro with Emalou Harris is great. Willie's guitar work is magic. The Stardust Album is always in my rotation. Cornell Hurd live in a fun and the stories, his Fruit Shack Album is good.

George Strait
 Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys
Haggard
Willie
Ian Tyson
Dale Watson
Guy Clark
Jimmy Lafave
Cash
Waylon
Vince Gill
Hank Williams Sr.
Asleep at the Wheel
Hank Thompson
Lyle Lovett
George Jones
Loretta Lynn
Dan Roberts
Chris Ledoux
Garth Brooks (first 2 albums only)
Pat Green
Mark Chestnut
Alan Jackson

Time-Life sold a subscription-format of CDs back in the late 80s-early 90s that covered popular country from around 1950 through 1972. Each CD covered one year. The set does a very fine job of presenting that period in popular country music. I think the CDs can be found quite often on eBay. 

Current country as played on the radio is horrible and should be mostly avoided. That is a true statement extending back for about 15-20 years (other than any artists listed above still recording).

I neglected to include Jerry Jeff Walker.

Also, the following wouldn’t necessarily be categorized as country but are some of my favorites (who would likely be considered what’s called Americana music):

James McMurtry
Todd Snider
Fred Eaglesmith 
Ray Wylie Hubbard
Hayes Carll

More Americana than country but one our greatest songwriters. Guy Clark "Workbench Songs".