>I'm painfully aware that this is generally a refined, urbane
Doesn't mean you can't like country. But I think McMurtry is too heavy-handed. Something like John Prine's Sam Stone is just better and I don't think there's any comparison in terms of artfulness. It's not a country city thing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tafy0RVXNOo&feature=related