They were honky-tonk heroes and coal miners' daughters -- guitar pickers and soulful crooners. They never set out to be stars, but before they were done they'd made some of the greatest music of all time -- and changed American music forever."Classic Country" is a remarkable tribute to the legends that made up the Golden Age of country music. Here are the earliest pioneers, like the Carter Family, Ernest Tubb, and Bill Monroe. And Jimmie Rodgers, the man whose Blue Yodel made him the first million-selling country artist. Here's the haunted, spiritual side of Hank Williams and Patsy Cline, the greatest female singer in country history. Meet the giants of the '60s, like Buck Owens, Loretta Lynn, Johnny Cash, and Merle Haggard. And be there in the '70s when rebels like Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson raised hackles and sold millions of records.Throughout, you'll find hundreds of photographs that tell a story all their own, including many that have never been published anywhere before. Also includes illustrated essays on the different styles of country music, from bluegrass and Western swing to honky tonk and rockabilly.