Queen Esther’s point may be a little broad, but I think it’s essentially right.

Modern (from around 1929 on) has 3 foundations: Celtic songs (via Appalachian settlers), and African-American blues. If you took a typical country song, e.g. Hank Williams' “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” and somehow filtered out any of the 3 influences, it would still sound like country music without the Celtic and parlor music heritage but not without the blues.

The strength of classic country music is its eclecticism — blending elements from Hawaiian, jazz, even polka into a constantly reinventing tradition. We should celebrate this diversity while still acknowledging the central importance of African-American blues.