I've played all styles, and most of the guys I know that play country now came from the rock bands first. Take a look at most of the bands for today's country acts. They are all rock & rollers that found out they could make a lot of money playing country. I personally know a few of them that play in Nashvegas.
I saw an old EVH video where he was on Letterman and was struggling with the Paul Schaeffer Band. EVH was revolutionary with the stuff he did with his music, but he doesn’t jam so well on other people’s stuff. He was interviewed and even admitted this weak point of his.