My Addiction To Country Music
I’m not exactly sure when it started, but my fondness for country music definitely began after I turned 30 years old. If you asked me anything about country western music in my younger years I probably would of barfed in response. I hated it. It was too simple, cheesy and full of silly songs that had nothing to do with my life.
But then something happened. A shift in my being began to enjoy the melodic and poppy tones of top 40 country music. I’m not talking about all the cool and classic strummers like Hank Williams Jr, Willie Nelson or Johnny Cash type of stuff. I’m referring to the tunes you hear on modern day country radio. Something about poppy country music puts my soul at ease. It raises the hair on my arms and allows me to connect to my heart in a very peaceful way.
It’s the greatest feeling ever. I’d say it’s almost like a free high but without the side effects of actually doing drugs. The roaming and floating feeling of the pedal steel guitar sound is what usually jolts my feelings and has me fighting back tears.
Yes, I said tears. Admittedly, I think I shed a tear every day that I listen to country music. Either I’ve gone insanely soft, or I’m accessing new feelings and portions of the heart that I’ve always neglected.
As a younger man I was really into progressive music. I liked things that were innovative, complex and hard to figure out. I enjoyed extreme talent and those that exhibited music on a virtuoso type level. Top 40 bubble gum music was the worst of the worst to me. That music was for simpletons for all I was concerned.
However, as I grew older I learned that not everything has to be so intricate and uniquely artistic that it omits 95% of audience who may otherwise enjoy the art. In fact, part of my RV travels to the south were to learn to enjoy the simple things in life. Instead of harboring the belief that the south was full of racist and simple minded folks (and yes I did believe this most of my life) it was my goal to just hang out and witness the things that I did like.
What ended up happening was that I learned there was immense beauty in simple things. While I may not have shared the same political or lifestyle beliefs as most of the people I encountered, I made a conscious effort to not judge anyone in a negative way even if I could find a roster of things I disliked. My trip was to find the things I did enjoy, and blind myself to the prejudices that I’d previously harbored most of my life.
That experience really helped me to have compassion and patience with others even when I may of wanted to shove a boot up their ass. Okay, I haven’t gone so country that I’m wearing boots yet. I’m still rocking the flip flops and skater shoes. Probably always will too unless I get the dopest spurs ever. Can you put spurs on skateboard shoes? I’d rock those!
Anyhow, trying to live each day with a empathetic heart and accepting others ideas and beliefs is something worth trying. I’m nowhere near perfect and still get a bit peeved by stupid people at times, but somehow country music helps me to negate those irate feelings.
Many people are seriously tripped out when they see me listening to country music. It just doesn’t match the California surfer image at all. Truthfully, it has nothing to do with a image or anything like that. It’s all about the emotions that the music and messages evoke.
Country music makes me smile, laugh and cry (in a great way). I guess, I’m a little bit country and a little bit rock n roll.
Lately I’ve been digging on Darius Rucker aka Hootie from Hootie and The Blowfish. He made the transition from being a rock n roll front man to become a country star. His music is pretty simple, yet very catchy. For instance, this song Alright below expresses his content with just having a roof over his head, and the woman he loves laying in his bed.
That’s sounds Alright by me. I can’t think of anything I’d desire more.
