Shhh…
I have a confession to make. Dont tell anyone, especially my daughter (who would be mortified). I LIKE COUNTRY MUSIC.
Years ago I left rural Missouri. I had always listened to country music; country music was everywhere you went. I watched Hee-Haw with my dad. It wasnt my first choice, but I enjoyed a night two-steppin as much as the next girl. After I got out into the wide-world, I thought my slow, Mid-Western speech made me sound less intelligent. I worked hard to erase any hoosier (hoosier like poor, uneducated white-folks, not basketball playing college students) colloquialisms that I regularly used like all-yall, rootin or foofaraw (I am really embarrassed to admit this – I spelled water warter until the second grade because that was the way it was pronounced). I didnt want to admit I couldnt tell a cappuccino from a bucket of dirty water. I also stopped listening to country music. I dont think I remember how to two-step anymore. After time passed, I didnt recognize any of the artists or the tunes, so it was easier to ignore. I came to appreciate and then really like a lot of other styles of music everything from Nusrat Fateh Ali Kahn to alternative rock to Guns & Roses to ska. But, gosh-dernit, the 38th Annual Country Music Awards played on TV here tonight (I dont know when they played in the States), and I realized I still like country music. I should clarify that I like country music as sung by attractive men with rich voices wearing boots and hats. It is comfortable, like a favorite sweatshirt or mashed potatoes. Country music reminds me of home, sunshine and lush green grass, fields and meadows, woods and streams. I can smell leather and dusty jeans. It still isnt my first choice, but I think I might have to dig Alabama out of the closet.
Y’all come back now…hear?
*smiles* I grew up in the Mississippi of the ’60’s so when I left the state to go to college I tried to erase the negative connotations of my origins by erasing the accent and colloquialisms of my home. I became, as I told people, bi-lingual; I could still sling the cornpone when I was around my racing buddies (wouldn’t want to sound like I was puttin’ on airs, LOL) but when I was (cont’d.)
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(cont’d.) in college or at work I tried to hide my southernness. I eventually matured enough to understand that my southernness was who I was and now I have a bit of a reputation as a repository of southern expressions, which I will use at work to the accompaniment of much eye-rolling among my co-workers. Music? I was raised on country & western, back when there was still (cont’d.)
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(cont’d.) western sounds in country music. My parents listened to Hee-Haw and Lawrence Welk, Dolly & Porter and Southern gospel 4-part harmony. My own tastes run to Springsteen and Buffett, to CCR and Simon & Garfunkel, but I still enjoy hearing a traditional country sound like Alan Jackson or Vince Gill (as opposed to the bad pop that is packaged as “radio country” today. My car (cont’d.)
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(cont’d.) radio is tuned to a station that plays a mix of current and classic country but the CD player has a mix disc I burned with everything from the artists I mentioned before to Johnny Rivers to the Kingston Trio (I have TWO versions of “Midnight Special” on there!) so I can still appreciate all kinds of music. Sorry for the lengthy note, I think you struck a chord (NPI). Tom-
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Although for the most part I’ll say I don’t like country, i do like a few songs here and there and I remember watching Hee haw as a child as my dad likes country and I remember the chick with the hat with the price tag on it, was it Minnie Pearl?
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They played The Blue Note in Columbia, MO. The show was so awesome! yeah just the Tuesday night I went and saw the Civic Tour at the Family Arena in St. Charles. Let me tell ya, every concert gets better! The 25% hearing loss, that kicks ass!!! I still can’t hear quite poperly from Tuesday night. We had some awesome seats and the speakers were RIGHT there, needless to say everything I hear…
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is muffled, and probably will be for the next couple of days. I must say that I don’t really like country music but there are a few songs I don’t mind. I’ve always kinda grown up on it, not to mention it’s on every morning in my parents bedroom.
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RYN: Thanks, i’d love the recipe! Can’t say as country music does much for me in general, but there are some songs i really love.
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I love country music. I think my husband is starting to like it too, though he wouldn’t admit it.
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Hey mery! Country music? I have a secret ambition to be a cowboy. Wanna come for a ride? Ha! Whats new?
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