“I like all music, except for country.”
Some people claim they are open-minded when it comes to music genres, but draw the line at country music. I used to be one of these people. In fact, my best friends from high school had a playlist that they referred to as my “worst nightmare,” which consisted of country songs to play on our car rides home from school.
They were right; many of those songs were not something I could enjoy listening to, even now. But in the past few years, I learned that I didn’t hate country music; I just hadn’t heard any of the good songs yet.
Everyone has their own preferences, and I try (and sometimes fail) not to be a music snob. Like with all genres, some country songs are a complete miss for me. However, others have genuinely changed my life.
It all started when my friends played Megan Moroney, and for once, the music coming from the speakers did not make me want to ban them from using their auxiliary privileges.
Then, I discovered Carter Faith. From there, I learned about Outlaw Country classics and bluegrass music. Finally, I learned about the blues, which, contrary to what I believed, is not the same as R&B music…
Unbelievably uncultured, I know.
Now, I cannot imagine my life without country music. I listen to it at work, on my way to classes, when singing in the shower, while getting ready, and when I need to have a good cry.
George Strait, Zach Top, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Marty Robbins, Hank Snow, Miranda Lambert, Ella Langley, Carter Faith, Mackenzie Carpenter, and Megan Moroney are crazy talented. Amazing in a different way are John Lee Hooker, B.B. King, Robert Johnson, and Muddy Waters, who is my all-time favorite artist. These artists and their songs are on almost every playlist I put together.
I went from gradually starting to enjoy Moroney’s country pop songs to practically worshipping the soul of Mississippi Delta Blues.
Familiarizing myself with country music has allowed me to appreciate some of my favorite genres and bands better than I did before. For example, my love for country and blues showed me that pre-Stevie Nicks Fleetwood Mac is wildly underrated. The rock blues of Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac make it one of my favorite albums, and that is no doubt because of my appreciation for different music than I was used to.
Opening my mind to country music has shown me how important it really is. It inspired me to learn about its history and how it has helped people get through incredibly dark times. Country music is so much more than songs about beer, trucks, and breakups.