Gas prices are up, CD sales are down but country music -- as much about bad times as good -- continues to thrive like beer at NASCAR.

"Country can withstand some pretty tough times," said superstar Toby Keith, whose ticket sales are up 11 percent this year. "Country has kept its foot firmly planted in America."

Like such durable industries as liquor, fast food and health care, the genre is arguably recession-proof. Sales of country CDs remain strong and the nation's hottest disc right now is by Sugarland, a country duo that bumped pop/TV supernova Miley Cyrus from the top spot last week as they headed to Minnesota for the annual We Fest in Detroit Lakes.

Despite the gas prices, We Fest -- Minnesota's biggest music festival, which ended Sunday morning -- sold out for the third consecutive year.

About 48,000 country fans made the drive, many in huge RVs. Country star Brad Paisley is the State Fair's hottest ticket for the second consecutive year. Kenny Chesney, who headlined We Fest Friday, has sold more concert tickets this year than any touring act except Bon Jovi.

How does this relative prosperity compute, when the typical country fan -- blue-collar or middle-class -- is likely struggling to make ends meet?

Country music is not only about bedrock values, but offering a good value for the consumer's dollar. Add the fierce loyalty of its audience -- who will Miley's fickle fans be worshipping in three years? -- and you've got the showbiz equivalent of a golden parachute.

"Country fans are more loyal than fans of other genres," said Kyle Young, director of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, where attendance is up 3 percent and merchandise sales up 31 percent this year.

'It's a good deal'

Jay and Karla Schimelfenig of Wahpeton, N.D., were going to save money by skipping We Fest this year, even though he's been to 18 and she's been to 23. She's a bookkeeper, he runs a graphics-arts shop and teaches manufacturing at a community college.

"Then the closer [We Fest] got, I started getting that twitch," she said. They figure they ponied up $800 for the weekend, not including gas for their RV.

Even though We Fest tickets cost them $200 apiece, "it's a good deal" to see so many stars in three days, said Jay, 48, a Tim McGraw-look alike. Added Karla, 50: "You'll spend $125 [for a ticket] for a single show."

In other words, country music understands the mantra for consumers in 2008: "Get more entertainment and travel less," said Academy of Country Music president John Grady, who is a Nashville talent manager.

Concert tickets are a relatively good value, too. "Country acts tend to price themselves more reasonably than their rock brethren," said Gary Bongiovanni, editor of the concert journal Pollstar. Chesney tickets have averaged $75 this year compared with $103 for Van Halen.

Despite off-the-charts gas prices, country fans love to see their stars live. The 15th annual Winstock festival in Winsted, Minn., enjoyed a 15 percent bump in attendance to a record crowd of 15,000 in June. The CMA Music Festival in Nashville, where fans get to mingle with their favorite country artists, also had record attendance this year, up 9 percent from 2007.

The well-heeled stars appreciate the commitment of the fans. "Thanks for buying the exorbitant, overly expensive gas that it took you to drive here tonight," Paisley told the We Fest throng on Saturday night. "We couldn't do it without you."

Artists absorb the crunch

Most country tours were booked months ago, so the big names haven't yet raised their fees -- or ticket prices -- to adjust for the skyrocketing price of fuel for their tour buses and equipment trucks.

"It costs the average artist $1.50 a mile more than a year ago," said Nashville booking agent Tony Conway.

While a top-selling act such as Rascal Flatts -- having their best touring year ever -- can afford to drop $25,000 to $30,000 to refuel their 19 semi-trailers and nine buses, it's tougher for mid-level performers such as Gretchen Wilson, who spends about $12,000 to fill up but draws a much smaller audience.

Still, touring builds a loyal fan base and a stash of cash from souvenir sales. So artists adapt. The three opening acts for Keith's tour that comes to the State Fair Sept. 1 -- newcomers Mica Roberts, Carter's Chord and Trailer Choir -- are sharing one tour bus. Heidi Newfield, the former lead singer for Trick Pony who is just launching her solo career, flies to some gigs when it's less costly than the comfort and freedom of her tour bus. Even red-hot rookie Taylor Swift, 18, has found an affordable alternative for her fans: She's marketing a $10 T-shirt through Wal-Mart -- half of what her shirts cost at her website or concerts.

While superstars are keeping prices for souvenirs and tickets stable, their profit margins are getting slimmer. Many opt for dazzling productions -- "the full glory," as Keith puts it -- so some are taking home less money. "That's cool," said Keith, who has had a profitable ride for a decade. "I've made my money."

Still, he's contemplating other moves. "Alcohol is recession proof," said Keith, who recently turned his hit song "Beer for My Horses" into a feature film. "I've got people trying to get me to do a [new brand of] malt liquor."

Jon Bream • 612-673-1719