"Gone Country"

Some of the fondest memories I have of my father were when I was a kid riding around in his beat up toyota pick up truck listening to country music. Just me and the Pops cruising with the windows down listening to some of the greats- Randy Travis, Alan Jackson, George Straight, George Jones and countless others. As a kid I loved those songs and the feelings they evoked inside of me at such a young age, but somewhere along the line I lost interest. I didn't want anything to do with those "honky tonk", "hill billy" songs anymore I had discovered newer, more exciting things. Thanks to my brothers I began to dabble in the likes of 'Nirvana', 'Red Hot Chili Peppers', 'Pearl Jam' and other early 90's rock groups. At a very early age I wrote off country music.

Flash forward 15 years-right this very moment I'm sitting in my room, typeing on my computer while a copy of Dwight Yoakams "Guitars, Cadillacs, Ect. Etc." spins on my record player, a Kenny Chesney tour hat sits on my desk and a Taylor Swift blanket lies on my bed (that's right, blanket. listen, don't worry about it, it's not a big deal.) Obviously my opinion has changed since I was a young-un! I've grown up and I'd like to think my narrow minded perceptions on music and art in general have disappeared, or atleast lessend as I've aged. I've realized, slowly but surely that in the modern music world, country is one of the most pure forms of music that exists.

I feel like just about everything that is out in the mainstream music industry these days is just all about money, fame, possessions and gimmicks. (Note: I did say JUST ABOUT everything, not everything. There are a lot of amazing musicians and artists out there in every genre, you just might have to look kinda hard to find them.) Where as the majority of country artists sing and write songs about things that matter, things that the average person can relate to, like family,faith, broken hearts, working jobs you hate just so you can pay the bills, and cold beer on a friday night. I understand alittle better now why my dad always listened to it when I was growing up. It's because he felt a connection with the songs, and now I'm begining to feel the same. Don't get me wrong, I haven't turned away from all the other music I've listened to and become attached with over the years. I still listen to all the same stuff I always have I've just broadened my horizons over the past year or so.

Summer is pretty much already here, which means cook outs, pool parties and boom boxes. I know everyone probably already has a favorite summer playlist, which hopefully includes DJ Jazzy Jeff and the fresh prince, Blink-182, the Beastie Boys and of course John Cougar but some where in the midst of listening to the regular summer faves do yourself a favor and pop in alittle Zac Brown band, Tim Mcgraw or maybe even some of the soothing sounds of God's gift to mankind- Taylor Swift.