What's Country to You

Number 1

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To me country music will always and forever be Garth Brooks. Seeing him in concert on my tv was what pulled me toward country music. He was a fanatic, all over the stage, electrifying, energetic, and I thought put on the best show I’ve seen. And that was on tv. Seeing him in concert is an entirely different thing. My friend Bethany and I went to see Garth live in Minnesota. It was by far the best concert I have ever been to. My husband would disagree, as I bought him tickets to see Tim McGraw and Faith Hill for his birthday. He loves Faith Hill. She is not only beautiful but does a knockout job in concert also. She has a beautiful voice; it seems she is beautiful and talented inside and out.  

I Run

Since I am a runner, I have an iPod, country music will be what you hear when you listen to my music. I shouldn’t say that specifically because I do have some Alice Cooper, Van Halen, and Nelly on it also. But my mainstay, my go-to is country. There are so many different artists and so many different sounds. Never tiring of listening as my run takes me along gravel roads, farms, creeks, and trees.

Kelsey Ballerini is also one of my favorites, along with Miranda Lambert. I also have Luke Bryan, Eric Church, and Jason Aldean.

Is New Country Really Country

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Country music has changed with the times. My husband Gary says it isn’t country music anymore. It’s country-rock. He loves the older stuff, The Statler Brothers, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, etc. Don’t get me wrong, I love Dolly Parton and her music. Coat of Many Colors, and Jolene are two of my favorites of hers. That being said, some of the older country songs and artists are not my thing. I love the new music. To each his own. Gary listens to Moose Country radio, as I am a B95 kind of girl.

There are those artists stuck in the middle not older nor with the young. Alan Jackson comes to mind, as well as Toby Keith. Both have a lot of great songs we all should listen to. 

Be a Swiftie

There is such a thing as out with the old and in with the new in this world. Many times, the younger you are the more popular you become. One person comes to mind a young girl who started her career in country music but then switched over to pop. Taylor Swift, and what a journey she has had. She did the correct thing as far as I can see. Apparently, she thought she could reach a broader group of people. She has far exceeded all of our expectations, perhaps even her own. She writes all her own songs and is an incredible talent. Her songs are parodies of her life. Something happens in her life, and she writes about it. I can relate as I do the same thing. Only not with music. She is a huge talent, and her concerts draw big crowds. Sold out. I’m told she puts on quite a show.

New Artists

Luke Combs is another new artist. It seems as if he jumped right in and started winning awards. Love his music also. My son is a big fan and sang one of Luke's songs at his wedding. What a tribute. Jeremy has a great voice and does the song justice. 

Give Me Some Martina

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Martina McBride is another great singer. Gary and I saw her at the Northern Wisconsin State Fair, and she did not disappoint. Wishing we would have had better seats; we were stuck right in the middle and couldn’t really see her all that well. We could hear her though. For such a little girl she has a great big booming voice. Independence Day is one of my favorites of hers.

Always Dolly

Back to Dolly Parton, her song Jolene is such a great song. The first time I heard it, it wasn’t actually Dolly singing it. It was a new very young artist. She did such a beautiful job with the song, I listened to it time and time again. Dolly is such a figure in country music, she is one of the greatest country singers of all time. She not only sings but is in movies also. She has her own theme park called Dollywood. Her duets are legendary with Porter Wagner, Kenny Rogers, Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson, etc. I could go on and on. She outlasts and outlives them all. She will tell you if you want to listen about her many plastic surgeries and why she feels the need to have them. Her life is an open book, she loves it that way. The only private thing about her is her husband. He is never in the limelight with her, and I suppose he prefers it that way. As long as she comes home to him. It works for both of them.

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Say what you want about country music but it’s here to stay, and I for one am glad of it.

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