Lately, the radio station at work has been tuned to a local country station. On occasion I have found myself absently tapping my feet to an upbeat country song. You have no idea how much it pains me to confess to this. Truly.
I am a huge music lover. If you were to conduct a personality test using my CD collection I'm sure you would leave my living room shaking your head in complete bewilderment. You would find Louie Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald and Cole Porter, Great Big Sea, Aerosmith, Little Feat, Pink Floyd, DMX and the Black Eyed Peas. If you looked at my computer library, you would find Anthrax, Barry White, Eminem, Frank Sinatra, Jay Chou, Massari, Mythos, Shine Down, Van Morrison and ZZ Top. Music aside, you'll also find Tibetan Monks chanting and soothing sounds of nature including thunderstorms and calling loons. There's a cornucopia of songs and instrumentals available to me at the push of a button. But country?
If I'm being totally honest, I'll admit that I'd be lying if I said I didn't like country music at all. Fact is, I played a song from Wynona at my wedding and remember buying a cassette when I was a teenager from that guy who sings, "I'm Gonna Love You Forever." I can't remember his name, but I remember that he was a drunk and he got in trouble with the law...but then, that could be any country artist right??? Kidding...kinda. I was also big into Vince Gill when he first hit the music scene and think, even today, that he's a pretty stand-up guy. There's another guy, what's his name...ah gee...he wears a big, black cowboy hat...you know...he dresses mostly in black and white. "We Shall Be Free." That guy. I have one of his CDs too.
Last year, around this time, we went with friends to a concert called the Songwriter's Tour featuring Lyle Lovett, John Hiatt, Joe Ely and Guy Clark. I absolutely loved it. I enjoy folk music because it is often rich with characters and stories and I love a good story. This concert was a lot like that. I was particularly impressed by Lyle Lovett who is a soft-spoken, articulate and intelligent performer who quickly established an easy rapport with the audience. While I came expecting to enjoy John Hiatt, I was surprised by my unexpected interest in Lyle Lovett. John Hiatt was good but he forgot the words to some of his songs. The audience helped him along but it impeded the flow of things. Guy Clark had the most marvelous gravelly voice I have ever heard. After each song, he leaned back in his seat, tipped his cowboy hat down over his eyes and appeared to nap until he was called upon to play again. His song The Cape, struck a chord (pardon the pun) with me. It was so hopeful and playful, I fell in love with it. Joe Ely was my least favourite -- sorry Joe, but someone had to come last. I can't argue his talent as a guitar player but, I wasn't fussy on his songs. His stuff reminded me of old country music played at the local fair where drunks danced with their tolerant wives on floors littered with broken beer bottles and trampled cigarette butts.
I swear though, as I sit here, I just cannot understand my dislike for country music. Perhaps I need to better understand my relationship with music in general before I can truly determine the source of my aversion to this genre. Maybe it stirs memories of growing up in a narrow-minded farming community that escaped into its melody at the end of a week toiling under the hot sun. Maybe it's because there is so much "sameness" in country music when what I value, more than anything, is variety. And perhaps, after now having spent 20 minutes on this topic, it's not even worth my time scrutinizing.
I'm trying. Even if it's mostly because the radio is tuned to a country music station and the antenna is broken so the choice is limited.
AHA - Garth Brooks...
...the guy who dressed mostly in black and white.
It was Garth Brooks.
5 comments:
I used to really like Garth Brooks. Especially his extended version of "The Thunder Rolls". He had a love song or two in there that I enjoyed as well.
He's been getting chubby over the years so I think he should wear more black and less white.
Vince Gill's "Cinderella" is a good song too.
I'm kind of sad that people give country music such a hard time, since it's a direct descendant of folk music, which also indirectly spawned rock and roll, through soul and r&b.
(No, I don't listen to country music all that often. But I used to)
I used to listen to country music all the time when I was younger. There are some decent country artists out there. The problem with my local country radio station is that the djs play the same song over.
Don't give up on country music. Put a few songs that you like on your computer for extra variety. Having Eminem and Vince Gill on your computer will definitely scare someone.
It isn't all good as with all types of music, but country music has a place. Fills a void in a way nothing else can at times. Perhaps you never had that positive association to aquire the taste?
I am a lot like you in that my collection is varied. Country plays a very small part of it. Actually, one CD - Chris Isaac. Pandora.com helps introduce me to new music and I'm always open to pretty much anything.
Recently I have found a few country songs that I love... "Stars Go Blue" and Johnny Cash - "Everyone I Love Goes Away". Both songs make me stop whatever I am doing at the time and remember to be grateful for the breath. Grateful for the moment.
PATIENT FLOSSER
You have all convinced me to keep trying with country music.
Thanks for sending me your thoughts.
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