Stewart wrote:
Thinking about it since I wrote what I did about Bruce, I'm now pretty
much convinced that it's a matter of geography.  Being from the
southwest, I get from country music what others might get from
Springsteen.

I agree completely.  I lived in Philadelphia during the Bruce heyday and I 
think all the references to New Jersey and New York City characters and 
locales just resonated so much more strongly in the MidAtlantic states. 
During this time, I  moved briefly to South Carolina and I can tell you that 
most South Carolinians could have cared less about Bruce and his tales of 
the streets and hanging out at the Jersey shore.  I think they were all 
listening to the Marshall Tucker Band or the Allman Brothers Band!

Mark E.