Isbell would say he is rock and roll and does at every concert of his I have attended. Simpson did make an ass of himself, but not by showing up like he did and for his initial intent. Face it he was right, there was no real country music in that building other than Stapelton. It was what he said afterwards that made him look like an ass.
I would love to read some quotes from Jinks about his views. I've never seen him say anything about who is and isn't real country. I would also disagree that he is a hack. I would be surprised to hear him say anything since he was a part of the "country" festival/jam that he was on tour with this summer.
Alan jackson was there. Church was there. Paisley was there. If sturgill really believes that statement then he's FOS and his own worst enemy.
I guess where I'm at now with this stuff is - who made them God to decide? They are as much of a deviation from hank or no show jones style as church or aldean. You could say the same with cash. He had some very very different stuff that didn't remotely sound like anything bill Monroe or hank would have recorded. It evolves.
Now I get that Garth, Carrie and Sam Hunt are just plain Ferkin terrible. But I have to disagree with the "that ain't real mommy partree" crowd on church and paisley. Even kenny has written some good stuff here and there. There's a lot of rock influence in the country guys our age - we were all exposed to Springsteen, gnr, etc. So I get it. I just think the "anti establishment" guys have gone too far in the other direction.
It's like how we talk about some in the libertarian circles. They are some of the most dogmatic you'll see. I'm seeing similarities now in the "anti" crowd in country music. Hell, I saw one page bashing Alan jackson. That's pretty hardcore.