Don Henley described Americana as an evolving musical home for singer-songwriters with roots in country, folk, blues and rock. His remarks matter because they highlight the difficulty of defining a genre that draws on many traditions while remaining closely associated with American regional culture and storytelling.

Speaking in 2015 around the release of his first album in 15 years, *Cass County*, Henley said he wanted to return to the Eagles’ country-rock and Americana beginnings. Raised in East Texas, he joked that Americana was becoming “country music for smart people”, arguing that urban music scenes were shifting towards cities while singer-songwriters moved towards the American interior; he also noted Nashville’s growing bohemian scene.