European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 31, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                From the cover Anga Izolt Center and a group of fellow dancers step out during a line dance at the Galaxy club at Rhein main a Germany. A amps Davo Case country craze continued from Page 1 Stuttgart and Mannheim in Germany and Rota  attitudes and the trappings that go with them Are big business today. For example country music the Lifeblood of the country craze is booming. According to Neal Pond entertainment editor for country America Magazine All country stations Are the fastest growing radio format in the United states outnumbering Rock stations 2 to 1. Country music sales in the United states topped s1.87 billion in 1993, up from $630 million the year before according to Cable news network. And More country acts Are taking their shows to Europe led by Garth Brooks and his recent european tour. In Hollywood country is making a comeback on the screen. Movies such As dances with wolves and Young guns set the stage for a resurgence in horse operas. Now Wyatt Earp Tombstone bad girls and Geronimo fight for screen time with updated Western fare like 8 seconds and the Cowboy Way. On television westerns Are returning As Well. Lonesome Dove the critically acclaimed miniseries of five years ago seemed to show that television viewers want the simple values of a Western hero to watch each night so the networks Are scratching the pastel clothes and mtg techno beat cop shows for Western oriented fare like Walker Texas Ranger and or. Quinn Medicine woman. The country craze seems to have gone deeper than wearing boots and listening to Dwight Yoakam on the radio. It has become a Way of life for Many americans including those caught in the draw Down whirlwind in Europe. A a it a a Calmer safer More trusting Way of life a said air Force sgt. Rick Wheeler who works in Wiesbaden Germany. A to me being country Isnit a bad thing. Its about a simple Way of life in which people Are Good to each other.�?�. / was country when country wasn7 Cool. A Barbara Mandrell i was country when country Wasny to Cool Tammy Pederson is living proof that you can take the girl out of the Small town but you can to take the Small town out of the girl. As a teen Ager in Monticello wis., Pederson rebelled against country and All the things that go with it. She started listening to Rock a no Roll and scrapped her Cowboy boots for Tennis shoes. A when i went to College i swore i would never be country a Federson now a teacher in military overseas schools said As she sipped a Beer at the Wiesbaden Rod and gun club. A i listened to Rock a no Roll and wore the styles of the  but As she grew older and the world grew colder Pederson turned Back to the simple lifestyle she lived As a child. A with society the Way it is people Are looking for More Security out of life a Pederson said. A people want to get out of the cities or at least get out of the City Frame of  Walt Mcclean a civilian working for the army in Wiesbaden waited until he was nearly 30 years old before he went country. More than 15 years ago my clean was a Rock a no Roll Loving Middle class Macri can Yankee from new York when he got fed up with the Hustle and Bustle of modern living. A country is a very easy lifestyle a said Mcclean 43. A your word is your gospel. A handshake is a contract. You can be comfortable with yourself and your friends.�?�. Though they claim to be country Many people Haven to Fofe Saken other lifestyles either. For example Wheeler does no to listen to country music As he drives to work each morning. The radio is usually tuned to talk radio while his cassette Box holds tapes from Aero Smith Lynyrd skyward and other rockers. A country Isnit about the boots or the music a Wheeler said. A a it a about the  i was drunk the Day my a got out of prison and i went to pick her up in the rain. But before i could get to the station in my pickup truck she got runner Over by a damned old train. A David Allen Coe you never even called me by name ask anyone what launched the current country craze and they will inevitably Point to country music. A a it a More than just a coincidence that the country craze is on at the same time that country music is hot a said country americans Pond. A music provides the appropriate soundtrack to a  country music according to Pond has Long been saddled with the a country and Western Label. For years that meant whining fiddles a amp Al guitars and songs about drinking divorce and pickup trucks. In 1980, the movie Urban Cowboy spawned a huge country movement. People rushed out to buy boots Cowboy Stylc shirts and hats. They flocked to hear the twangy a country Lite sound of Nashville s stars Pond said. A the music was Frothy and without any sense of soul or value a Pond said. A a Urban Cowboy was a Low Point for country  in the past five years country music propelled by Young singers raised on the Arena Rock and Folksy sounds of the �?T60s and �?T70s, started making music they wanted to hear. A now country music is More optimistic More about values and sound traditions a said Pond the magazines senior entertainment editor. Now coup try Onusic is hot and clubs in Europe Are reflecting their audiences growing appreciation of the music. For example Rocco Benevento counts on country music to keep his Hanau Rod and gun club going. Along with numerous country nights throughout the week Benevento offers country dance lessons and a totally country environment. A this is the music for most Hanau people Coli Benevento said. A anything else would be a bust  at the Rainbow club in Darmstadt Germany country music rings Cash registers two nights each week said manager John Waterman. Although he would t discuss How much Money the club makes he did say country music on saturday nights far out Page 4 sunday july 31,1994