> COUNTRY.COM, TNN, DREAMWORKS NASHVILLE & STARWORKS JOIN FORCES TO ISSUE > COUNTRY MUSIC CD-ROM ENCYCLOPEDIA ON APRIL 6 STREET DATE > “Country.com’s Century Of Country” is Interactive Version of Author > Barry McCloud’s “Definitive Country” Encyclopedia... Uh oh. It's too bad they didn't choose the Country Music Foundation's comprehensive, well-researched encyclopedia over Barry McCloud's inferior one. McCloud's Definitive Country features a number of fine entries on early performers from Charles Wolfe and Ivan Tribe, but the other contributors aren't nearly as notable, with McCloud himself being perhaps the most questionable of all. His writing skills leave much to be desired, and too many of his entries read like poorly written fan-club profiles rather than serious encyclopedia summaries. Unfortunately, he contributed more entries than anyone else. Many of the entries from other contributors are also of questionable quality. Thanks to Wolfe's and Tribe's contributions, I still find it handy, but it's an imperfect reference book at best.--don
