The Houston Livestock and Rodeo is one of the most prominent events every spring in Houston. Every March I bring out my cowboy boots and look forward to three weeks of entertainment and Texas culture. Growing up, my dad was always very involved with the Rodeo and still is today. Those who are involved in the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo are a family, and it is a community that will always remind me of country music.
The Rodeo embraces country music of every sub-genre. George Strait, Eric Church, Luke Bryan, Florida Georgia Line, Alan Jackson, Blake Shelton, and Miranda Lambert can all play within the same three weeks and be equally appreciated and enjoyed.
One of my favorite country songs is an underappreciated Luke Bryan song from one of his first albums. This is a song long before the “Country Girl Shake It” days. “What Country Is” is a catchy but adamant tune.
The song follows the tradition of many mainstream country singers in the present day by putting out a song that speaks against typical country music stereotypes. Every time I hear this song I am reminded of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo community.
I am reminded of the Houston Rodeo for two different reasons. It reminds me what the Houston Rodeo can do for a young, aspiring entertainer. Four years ago, Luke Bryan was a relatively unknown country artist.
The Rodeo took a chance on him, and his success one Saturday afternoon helped propel him to where he is now, a two-time Entertainer of the Year. At the same time, the Rodeo honors and appreciates more traditional country singers like Brad Paisley, George Strait, or Rascal Flatts.
The song “What Country Is” also argues against the stereotypes thrown at country music. The Houston Rodeo itself faces stereotypes from those who know little about the extravaganza. The song describes how country music is not a “rebel flag you bought at the mall,” referencing how people who listen to country music can be unfairly judged.
At the end of the song, he talks about how a love for country music is something that cannot be bought, but “it’s something you’re born with”. As a Texan and a Houstonian, I grew up immersed in the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo community.
Being involved in this community has introduced me to the different facets of country music and culture, and overall made me a more open-minded and appreciative person of everything country music has to offer. I see country music, whether old or new, representative of American values that are celebrated and cherished, especially during those special three weeks in March.
I really enjoyed this post. I’ve always heard about the Houston Rodeo being a huge event every year but I’ve never actually attended (which I totally want to, especially after reading this). I’m from Fort Worth so our stock show and rodeo is always a big deal but never with cool musical acts. I did not know any of this information about Luke Bryan and was fascinated to find out that he started by playing shows at the Houston Rodeo. I think it’s so interesting to look at the background of an artist and see how far they’ve come. I’m a huge Taylor Swift fan and I still watch the video of when she won Entertainer of the Year for the first time. It’s pretty magical; they start playing tiny shows in little venues and suddenly they’re racking up all the awards. “What Country Is” is a song I had never heard before and listening to it I gained some more respect for Luke Bryan. Thanks for sharing!
This post was very relatable to me because I live in Houston, Texas. While my family is back home in Houston, there are times I miss it. I moved to Texas when I was in 6th grade, and they sure didn’t have this type of rodeo in Arkansas. The first year I went to the Houston Rodeo was amazing. I remember the rides, the showing of the livestock and of course how great Rascal Flatts was. As the years have gone by, I’ve become more use to the rodeo become a part of living in Houston. Last year was the first year I was unable to go, and I was very upset. Everyone there has friendly faces and seems like a family. I had also never heard this Luke Bryan song, so it was cool to hear something new to me.
I have never been to the Houston rodeo, and I would love to go at some point. This is one of my favorite songs, and I agree that it really is an unappreciated tune. This song came before Luke Bryan moved more in to the Nashville mainstream and I think this song carries a great message and is one of his more authentic songs. I like the background you gave on the Houston Rodeo accepting all sub-genres of country music, the history of Luke Bryan’s career a little bit and the power that an event like the Houston Rodeo has to really propel someone like Luke into the national spotlight. I think it’s awesome that the Rodeo is so accepting of all types of country, especially since there seems to be such a dislike for Nashville country in Texas. Overall, it was great to read about your rodeo experiences and the sheer power the Houston Rodeo has on the country music industry.
I really loved this song, I’d never heard it and it actually made me feel like maybe I should give Luke more credit than I typically do. this is a MUCH better example of quality country music than I expected it to be. My mom is a Breeder Greeter’s lifetime committee member and her involvement in the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo definitely influenced my feelings towards country music, I could get into every show for free and I dare you to find someone with that opportunity that doesn’t love country music. That being said, my favorite part of about the Rodeo will always be the fried food, sorry George Strait.
This article completely hits home for me. Ever since I moved to Houston in the sixth grade, I have been to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo every single year. I saw Taylor Swift’s debut at the Rodeo, which ended up being one of her favorite memories and the biggest audience she had performed for up to that point. I watched upcoming artists like Lady Antebellum and Luke Bryan. I saw some of country’s best artists like Brad Paisley and Blake Shelton. I even got the incredible opportunity to see George Strait’s very last performance at the Houston Rodeo two years ago. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo holds several great memories of mine throughout my adolescence. Every year without fail, I manage to gain weight over those 3 weeks from eating an enormous amount of meat and fried Oreos. And I look forward to doing it all again in March!
When I saw that you referenced this song by Luke Brian, it really caught my attention. Not many people know this song by him so I think it is so cool that you do. I really like this song in particular because it does try to stray away from all the stereotypes that country music gets. I think it also relates to the average person. A lot of the things Luke Bryan talks about in this song, I am able to relate to. I agree with you that this song goes hand in hand with something that would remind you of the Houston Stock Show and Rodeo. So fun!