COUNTRY MUSIC'S DIRTY LITTLE SECRET EXPOSED!

Old stars forced to four cause records lon't pay their bills

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COUNTRY music greats are working themselves into the grave as plunging album sales force aging legends to hit the road for grueling tours — just to keep enough cash coming in, sources dish.

Now, The National ENQUIRER is exposing Nashville’s dirty little secret — it simply doesn’t pay to cut records anymore!

Many beloved performers — including Wynonna Judd, 59, Tanya Tucker, 65, and Willie Nelson, 90 — are still touring despite troubling health issues. And industry insiders fear the rigors of the road may be too much for ailing artists! 

Country king George Strait, 71, and many other mainstays have not released a full-length album in more than five years.

And tipsters tattle there’s a low likelihood fans will see many lengthy compilations from their faves hitting the streets!

But there was a time when records made a mint — and country music was king!

In 2003, total CD sales across all musical styles amounted to 685 million. But 20 years later, that figure shrank to just 36 million — with the ten top-selling albums coming from pop princess Taylor Swift or South Korean bands!