Monthly Archives: September 2015

by | September 15, 2015 · 11:00 am

Texas is a State of Mind

John Steinbeck once said, “Texas is a state of mind.” Whether you are from Texas or not, I think we can all agree that the pride from The Lone Star State is greater than any other state pride. It definitely creates a sense of community, and although it is a large one, I definitely feel connected. We like to do our own thing and when it comes to country music, of course we have to stray from the mainstream.

One band that I think represents this community, and I have seen live about seven times, is Josh Abbott Band. They love to sing in their twangy voice about Texas and small towns and, while I am not from a small town, I can relate to the beautiful scenery described in songs such as “She’s Like Texas.” He uses similes to compare a girl he likes and Texas. He talks about the “Padre Island sun” and “hills that surround Austin” (which is where I am from). Every place he mentions in the lyrics are places I have been and are what Texas is known for. Not only does he discuss the different areas, but also gives values, such as God and family, that associate with the ideal Texas girl.

53775_10152613691885552_276132377469913890_oWhen I was little I never realized that this sub-genre of Texas country was a thing. I assumed every country music fan knew the songs of Charlie Watson, Aaron Watson, and Cody Johnson. Once discussing it with out of staters, especially Tennessee natives, I soon realized that the reason for the difference in the pop sound and traditional sound was regional, creating the line between Nashville and Texas. Texas country bands are driven by live performances and a fan base that is dedicated to their favorite songs. With more tour dates, most of them in Texas,  than the average pop country artist, it allows the dedicated fan base to stay loyal.

While I still respect and enjoy Nashville music, I love listening to songs about Texas with my friends and family because of the sense of community I feel. We can blast CD’s that have all the songs with the word “Texas” in it and go to a small, outdoor venue to two step. Thank you Willie and Waylon for paving the way.

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Filed under Blog Post 1, Texas

by | · 7:00 am

The Country in Fort Worth

As told from Urban Dictionary, “Fort Worth is the craziest dopest place in Texas”. From a different perspective, Urban Dictionary also says, “Save yourself some time and just move to Dallas.” Twenty years ago, I was born in Fort Worth, Texas and with every passing year, the love for my city grew. The people I familiarized myself with, including my family, friends, peers, etc., all felt the same way. When people ask where I am from, I simply say I am a Fort Worthian, or I originate from the Worthiest of Forts. Living in this great city for my entire life has led me to build a permanent and meaningful community. Those who are Fort Worth bred are proud and share a unanimous collective effervescence. This mutual feeling was accumulated most prominently in schools, where kids would share their ideas and family customs. The Fort Worth public school I attended allowed us to listen to our iPods during recess, and some teachers let us listen to them during class or passing periods. Music is one of the things that enabled me to bond with my fellow classmates. A wide array of genres was also blasted at McLean Middle School. One of the more prominent types of music blared was country music. Growing up in Fort Worth has inadvertently exposed me to the world of country music. Texas is teeming with country music, whether you think it or not. Living in Fort Worth supported the introduction to this type of music. One event that endorsed country music was the Fort Worth Stock Show. At the end of every January and beginning of every February, the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo comes to life. The promotion of livestock, horse and bull riding, petting zoos, roller coasters, and country music all coincide into a dollop of fun. This is just one of the factors that constructed my outlook on country music. When high school rolled around, more and more of my friends started going to country concerts at Lone Star. Mardi Gras Texas Style was the one country concert that every kid from Fort Worth and Dallas attended. Bands such as Randy Rogers Band, Turnpike Troubadours, Cody Johnson Band, and more, play their music. Being involved in the Fort Worth community really and truly helped formulate my outlook and perspective on country music. A song that everyone loved in middle school and high school, probably even today, is Chicken Fried by Zac Brown Band. This song was huge in Fort Worth. Radio stations including 99.5, 95.9, and 96.7 all repeatedly played this at the same time, almost as though they planned it. Listening to Zac Brown automatically lifted any dark clouds and always put my friends and me in a good mood.

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Filed under Austin, Blog Post 1, Class work, Texas

by | September 14, 2015 · 11:00 am

Meeting My Texas

People from across the nation and even people across the globe have certain stereotypes regarding Texans. Whether it is, “everyone rides horses to school,” or “everyone owns a cowboy hat,” every Texan can relate to the stereotype of Texas as being “country” or “redneck”.

As a native Texan for over 19 years, I am proud to be able to identify myself with this community. I am fortunate enough to see some of the most beautiful sunsets, eat some of the most delicious food and surround myself with good friends. Being a Texan I am able to relate to tons of country music songs because a lot of the lyrics reference this sense of community I feel every day.

UnknownOne particular song that I am able to relate to is a song by The Josh Abbott Band called “My Texas”. Josh Abbott refers to Texas as a person. Abbott states different things to do in Texas and if you have not done these things, then you haven’t “met his Texas yet”. In the second verse of this song, he references floating down the Frio River, hearing red dirt music on your radio and eating Cooper’s in Llano. He then ends by saying if you haven’t done these things then you haven’t “met his Texas yet”. I relate to this song and the community of being a Texan because I grew up going to Concan, Texas, which is located on the Frio River. I cannot count how many times I have floated down it- too many to remember! I also grew up listening to red dirt music, including artists such as Mike McClure band, The Great Divide, Cross Canadian Ragweed and many, many more. Most of my road trips consist of blaring “Texas Moon” by the talented, and one of my favorite red dirt artists, Stoney LaRue. The verse ends by mentioning eating Cooper’s in Llano. Although I have never had Cooper’s Barbeque in Llano, there is a Cooper’s Barbeque in New Braunfels, my hometown. My mother can always count on Cooper’s barbeque to save the night for dinner after a long day at work. Out of the 24 references he makes about Texas, I’ve done, seen or can connect to 20 of them. I say with confidence that I have met “his” Texas!

Being able to relate to this song in particular has given me a deeper sense of being in the Texan community and also helped me shape my outlook on country music. I am able to appreciate it more because I am able to relate to many of the lyrics included in many country songs.

Let’s see if you’ve met Josh Abbott’s (and my!) Texas yet!

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Filed under Blog Post 1, Texas

by | · 7:00 am

Have You Met My Texas Yet?

What exactly does it mean to be part of a community? It means feeling like you are a part of something that makes a whole. It means contributing to something others can relate to. Luckily for me, my sense of community is strong. I am born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas and if someone were to ask me who I am, the first thing that comes to my mind is Texan. Yes, I take that very seriously. Being a Texan is something that people think of as the southern hick stereotype. For example, I grew up going to summer camp in Missouri and every year without fail I would be asked, “Oh you’re from Texas? Does that mean you ride your horse to school?” No, I drive a car because there are roads in Texas!

When people think of Texas, they usually imagine deserts and horses and not much else. However, if non-Texans listen to “My Texas” by Josh Abbot Band, it is obvious that Texas has much more to it than cowboys. Josh Abbot Band lists events and destinations that a true Texan should complete within their lifetime. One could say that real Texas pride can be determined by the amount of things you can check off from Josh Abbot Band’s list. I can say for myself that I have successfully completed 16 items off the Texas bucket list. Some of these include, “floating down the ole Rio, been to the Houston rodeo, sang ‘Carry On’ at a Pat Green show, seen an Abilene sunset, [and] been somewhere where they call you friend” (Josh Abbot Band). I encourage anyone who doesn’t completely understand what it means to be a Texan to listen to this song and give me your feedback.

Being a Texan makes you feel like you belong to an exclusive group. No one truly understands Texas until they live there. That being said, the majority of people within the United States are naïve as to what being a Texan is all about. Each person’s identity belongs in his or her specific city, county or suburb within Texas, but all of these areas make up one big state of mind. Part of my identity belongs to Fort Worth. No, not Dallas, not Dallas-Fort Worth but just Fort Worth. If you listen closely to Josh Abbot, you will notice that Dallas is not mentioned. That is a whole different story.

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Filed under Blog Post 1, Lists, New Country, Texas

by | September 13, 2015 · 5:00 pm

Country Music: California’s Forbidden Fruit

Where I grew up in southern California, country music is like a forbidden fruit. If you think about it, talk about it, or listen to it (God forbid), you’re inevitably evil. No one in their right mind would find country music pleasant to listen to. If you ask your average civilian from my hometown what their favorite type of music is, it would likely go something like this: “Uhm I’m in to rap, hip hop, indie…I mean I love a little bit of everything…oh, except country, of course”.

Of course.

Similarly, my dad always jokes that if it isn’t about trucks, beer, breaking up with girls, or your dog dying, “it ain’t country”. This is a reasonable observation, but it hurts my heart a little nonetheless.

Despite the lack of country music enthusiasts within the area I grew up, I can’t complain about much else. Surrounded by palm tress, in-n-out, and the beach, I feel very fortunate to consider myself a part of the southern California community. But living here for 18+ years has definitely had an impact on the way I view this genre of music.

For example, it’s considered common courtesy to ask the passengers in your car if they like country music before tuning your radio to the one country station that’s available. I cut people a little slack though, because up until the summer before my junior year of high school, I was the same way. The genre had no appeal to me whatsoever and I just didn’t like the way it sounded. It took stumbling on the playlist “Country Favorites” on 8tracks to get me hooked.

The playlist features artists such as Luke Bryan, Chris Cagle, and Gary Allen. I found every song to be incredibly catchy and evoke this positive feeling of nostalgia that I had never experienced with other types of music. The collection of songs touched on everything I dreamt of about the perfect summer: having a boy fall hopelessly in love with me, driving down a long road and singing at the top of my lungs, staying up and watching the stars, making memories with lifelong friends, and whatever else I thought was cool when I was 16.

Jake Owen’s “Barefoot Blue Jean Night” was the epitome of this summer dream I had. He discusses the feeling of invincibility that many experience when they’re a teenager. Many young people long to “never grow up” and feel as if “[they’re] comin’ alive” as Owen sings.

It’s possible that the negative connotation southern Californians generally associate with country music is due to the fact that the genre tends to be associated with Southern culture. They may assume it doesn’t relate to their own lifestyle or beliefs. However, many of the ideas surrounding growing up, feeling on top of the world, and falling in love are universal, and therefore completely compatible with the lifestyle of a typical southern Californian.

tumblr_nfneiv8TdB1rcrcdeo1_1280In the next few years, I am hopeful that more country artists will begin sprouting up from the west coast, and more people will start to love the genre as much as I do. And maybe, just maybe, Jake Owen will eventually change his lyrics to “a southern California summer, barefoot blue jean night”.

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Filed under Blog Post 1, Class work, New Country