That's not exactly what we're talking about here. I feel that pop chords have no place in country unless the writer deliberately puts them in (as in the Major 7th chords in Lookin' For Love). Country music has a harmonic purity that for the most part can only be achieved with the use of major and minor and dominant 7th chords, and when you start thowing in jazz chords, it ruins it.<SMALL>When I did work in a country band,I didnt dare play any pop chords if wanted to keep my job.</SMALL>
However, we are not so much talking about the use of altered chords, so much as chord progressions that go all over the place. And here I say it depends on the song.
As Donny says, "clutter is clutter."
Writing a complicated progression for it's own sake doesn't make for great music. But there are also many wonderful songs with complicated progerssions.
My favorite song to jam on is "Killin Me Softly" I think it's just beautiful. But unless you know the song well, you can't play it. It's not the kind of thing a steel player can throw at the house band at a show. The progression os way too compliocatred for somebody to just sit douwn and wing it. Nevertheless, I think it's a wonderful song, and it works quite well on the steel.
