As “wokeness” invades multiple facets of American life, from Hollywood stars bailing out rioters to pushes for critical race theory in public education, people across the nation have been finding it hard to avoid. The country music industry is no exception. Despite being founded by Christian Irish, Scottish, and English immigrants in the early 1900s, there is a recent push to develop specific acts based on sexual preference and ethnicity, and not just on stage but behind the scenes as well. Country music has also been pressed to leave behind its Christian and European roots for more mainstream trends. Country-rap and other sub-genres are now driving Nashville’s lineups. Corporate interests have been called out as a main issue in what some stars are considering Nashville’s monopoly on country music. It is for this reason that some are turning to Branson, Missouri, for country entertainment instead of Nashville. In Branson, bluegrass dominates the country music scene. Known for a more recognizable semblance to the …