Happily for about 12,500 fans on hand to witness the proceedings, you couldn't have asked for two more appropriate parties to participate. On the one side was pop-country chanteuse Martina McBride. On the other, New Traditionalist Alan Jackson.

Old-school sourpusses would no doubt point out that it's all a million miles away from Kitty Wells and Loretta Lynn. But McBride presents an irresistible package of catchy tunes and a social conscience (she's an advocate on behalf of abused women, a cause that occasionally crops up in her music). The Kansas native also got a great set of pipes that impressed on her performance of Somewhere Over the Rainbow.

Next up was headliner Jackson. While you can picture the versatile McBride singing everything from rock 'n' roll to Broadway show tunes, Jackson's rich Georgia twang pretty much leads him to a life of only singing country songs.

A philosophical debate of sorts was held Saturday on the stage of the Ford Amphitheatre.

The subject? How to define mainstream country music.

Happily for about 12,500 fans on hand to witness the proceedings, you couldn't have asked for two more appropriate parties to participate. On the one side was pop-country chanteuse Martina McBride. On the other, New Traditionalist Alan Jackson.

Opening act McBride looked simultaneously casual and glamorous as she made her entrance rising up through the floor of the stage in a lacey, ivory-colored top, silver scarf and blue jeans. She and her band wasted no time getting the audience revved up with a rousing rendition of When God Fearin' Women Get the Blues.

From there on out, most of her one-hour set was one smiley smash after another, all chiming guitar chords and giant pop hooks. Wild Angels, My Baby Loves Me, Happy Girl, I Love You and others are all irresistible toe tappers and McBride performed them all with an infectious sense of energy and fun.

Old-school sourpusses would no doubt point out that it's all a million miles away from Kitty Wells and Loretta Lynn. But McBride presents an irresistible package of catchy tunes and a social conscience (she's an advocate on behalf of abused women, a cause that occasionally crops up in her music). The Kansas native also got a great set of pipes that impressed on her performance of Somewhere Over the Rainbow.

Besides, pop-country is one of those very rare market niches where a female recording artist over the age of 35 can maintain a multiplatinum career. Say what you will about the 38-year-old McBride, 37-year-old Faith Hill and 39-year-old Shania Twain - remove them from your FM dial and radio would be in far worse shape than it already is.

Next up was headliner Jackson. While you can picture the versatile McBride singing everything from rock 'n' roll to Broadway show tunes, Jackson's rich Georgia twang pretty much leads him to a life of only singing country songs.

Lucky for us. The 46-year-old Jackson can sometimes sound lost when he sings the sometimes-mawkish ballads that pop up on his albums now and then. But the man has few contemporary peers when it comes to straight-forward honky tonk.

And while he's boxed himself in to the stylistic constraints of traditional country, Jackson's too smart a guy not to deliver his music with a an occasional knowing wink. Indeed, he started out his set on Saturday with Gone Country, his hilarious hit about music scenesters looking to jump on the country bandwagon. "I hear down there it's changed, you see/They're not as backward as they used to be," goes one devastating line.

Jackson's terrific performances of I Don't Even Know Your Name, Livin' On Love and, most of all, Don't Rock The Jukebox all made compelling arguments for his traditional brand of country.

But, at least for one evening, the what-is-country debate ended with everyone being a winner.

Louis Hau can be reached at (813) 226-3404 or hau@sptimes.com.