by | March 29, 2016 · 7:00 am

My Love for Country Music Remains

Note: This is an example of Blog Post 5, in which you are asked to reflect on different experiences you had over the course of the semester.

Three of the things related to country music that I have done throughout the semester that have shaped my perception of the genre include watching the Dixie Chicks Documentary “Shut Up and Sing,” exploring new featured Country artists in an issue of Garden and Gun Magazine, and attending a Jerry Jeff Walker Concert at Gruene Hall. Each of these things has given me a unique insight into what the world of country music has to offer.

IMG_4021Let me first dive into “Shut Up and Sing” and explain my take on it. To start, you should know that I am a huge Dixie Chicks fan and had never actually done the research to find out why they fell off the face of the planet about 13 years ago. I knew it had to do with slamming Bush but I didn’t know what exactly was said and why it had such a huge effect on their career. After watching the documentary, I can see why their words upset so many people. In short, Natalie Maines, the head singer, expressed that she was ashamed the President was from Texas regarding his decisions on the war in Iraq. Her comment caused radio stations to ban their music from being played as a consequence. This documentary has shown me just how conservative the world of country music is at large.

700-new-outlaws_0Secondly, I have learned more about Country music through my discovery of several artists featured in Garden and Gun Magazine. These include Aubrey Sellers, Parker Millsap, Margo Price, and Andrew Combs. Of these, my favorite is Parker Millsap. He brings a kind of different flavor to the country scene. His music has a country sound with a little bluesy, rock and roll feel. I typically am not a huge fan of genre mash-ups but for some reason Parker Millsap does it for me. Through this discovery, I have broadened my horizons and become more open-minded to different takes on Country Music.

IMG_0011And lastly, my experience at Jerry Jeff’s concert at Gruene Hall has left a lasting impression of why I love Country Music so much. When you look around and not a soul in the crowd is wearing something other than cowboy boots, you know you’re in good company. I have been to several Jerry Jeff concerts in the past but something about Gruene Hall made this one particularly special. It was a two-steppin, singing every word to every song, surrounded by good people kind of night. I can’t think of a better way to see one of the greats do what he does best.

Each of these experiences has shaped my view of Country Music. Whether it clarified a characteristic of the genre, opened my eyes to new aspects, or solidified why I am such a fan, I have learned something from each one. My perception over the course of this semester has been stretched and has grown into a deeper appreciation for the greatest type of music known to man. I am now that much more confident that Country Music is my all time favorite type of music.

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Filed under Austin, Blog Post 5

by | March 24, 2016 · 7:00 am

Great Day to Be Alive

Every young swimmer faces a hard time when they start the dreaded morning practices. The alarm starts ringing early, and life seems to be lived in the dark. When I was fourteen I was moved to the senior group of my home swim club, FAST. This meant that Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I was in the water at 5:30 am sharp.

To be in the water by 5:30 I had to get to the pool by 5:15 which meant getting up at 4:50 to eat. Needless to say it was a hard adjustment for fourteen-year-old me. Getting up wasn’t even the worst part. It was going straight to school from the pool that did me in. Out of the pool at 6:50 we had to be at school by 7:30, which meant leaving the pool at 7:10. With the day entirely planned out we had just enough time for the highlight of the mornings. A warm, almost loving, shower. For a while we would just shower, and watch our time wind down before we had to go make it through school, then come back for another practice. Then country music changed everything.

Armed with a water proof speaker, we were now ready to beat the day. There were about ten of us that would really listen to the music coming out of the speaker, and we had ten different opinions about what should be coming out of the speaker.

Each and every one of the swimmers in the men’s locker room would hear a song and say “NO, NO, NO! We can’t listen to this to start the day! I am not going to have Katy Perry in my head all day.” This constant bickering lead to the demise of our beloved speaker. It stayed away for about a week when two juniors on the team, Jason and Austin, walked in the locker room with the speaker proudly above their heads, and grins stretching across their faces.

These two guys had found a song, so perfect, so right for the start of the day, and so easy to sign along to it would reunite the ten of us in the showers. Hounded with questions they said nothing except “Listen up”

Travis Tritt’s  twangy voice rolled smoothly out of the speaker as he sang “I’ve got some rice cookin’ in the microwave.” The entire locker room audience was hooked as his voice boomed in singing “and im doing all right, and it’s a great DAYYY to be alive.” The coming weeks this song about each day being great was a staple of our locker room listening diet.

10483372_857640514265683_524370407_nI still believe that we liked this song because we could all relate to what he was saying. Even if none of us made homemade stew, or had three day beards that need shaving, we all knew what it was like to be a little down… We were at morning practice for gosh sakes. No matter how down we would get about a hard practice, or a mountain of homework waiting at home we would always know that it was a great day to be alive.

This one song brought us together and it turned into a way of cheering up a friend who was down. If a teammate was obviously upset, all it would take to bring up their spirits was simply saying “Hey man, it’s a great day to be alive.” This had our team sitting as happy as could be.

As Jason and Austin Graduated, we listened to less and less of Travis Tritt in the locker room. He faded away just as Tritt’s voice does in the singing of this song.  Even though “It’s a Great Day to Be Alive,” was no longer a fan favorite at the pool, it’s message would be something that never leaves my mind, and I think that’s something only county music can do to its listeners.

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by | March 23, 2016 · 7:00 am

Hank Williams’ Surprising Influence on the Poet Allen Ginsberg

There is no denying that country music has an influence on society, but sometimes it is surprising how far-reaching that influence goes.  Peter Orlovsky, the life partner of Beat poet Allen Ginsberg, suspects that the name of Ginsberg’s best-known poem “Howl” was influenced by Hank Williams’ song “Howlin’ at the Moon”.  Orlovsky says that he sang “Howlin’ at the Moon” to Ginsberg during one of their many nighttime walks through San Francisco.  Days later Orlovsky saw the first draft of “Howl” on Ginsberg’s desk.  Unfortunately Orlovsky and Ginsberg never actually had a conversation about whether the song influenced the poem and Ginsberg is not alive to confirm or deny Orlovsky’s comments.  Nevertheless, it is extremely probable that Ginsberg heard Williams’ music around the same time he was writing “Howl”.

“Howlin’ at the Moon” is an upbeat, humorous song about a man who is so in love that he is acting like a hound dog.  The song light-heartedly talks about how love can drive us crazy.  “Howlin at the Moon” even includes howling in the background by the fiddler Jerry Rivers.  The song was very successful and was one of eight of Williams’ song to reach the Top Ten on the country music charts in 1951.  Although Williams’ career was taking off in the early 1950’s, his personal life was taking a dark turn.  He struggled with alcohol and drug abuse which lead to divorce, expulsion from the Grand Ole Opry, and eventually death. Ginsberg also did drugs, had a troubled love life, and struggled to fit in. Because of the similarities of the two men, Ginsberg may have felt like he could relate to Williams and might have even considered Williams to be one of the outcasts that he writes about.

“Howl” was written in 1955 and is well known for its long, rhythmic lines that criticize the widespread materialism and suburbanization of society in America in the 1950’s.  “Howl” begins with the famous line “I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked” and goes on to describe the experiences of himself, his friends, and other outcasts of the generation.  “Howl” vividly describes controversial topics like homosexual sex, drug use, and mental illness using profane language which lead to a court case in 1957 to determine if the poem was obscene.  The judge ruled that “Howl” was not obscene and had “redeeming social importance”.  To this day, “Howl” is widely regarded as one of the most important poems in American literature and has a lasting influence on society.

50s_family

So how, if at all, could “Howlin’ at the Moon” have influenced “Howl”? The song “Howlin at the Moon” makes listeners think of a happy couple that is about to get engaged and probably will have a wholesome, suburban family like so many others in the 1950’s.  After marriage, we can assume that the man would stop acting like a dog, become a domesticated family man, and probably stop howling.  Ginsberg might have thought this man was giving up his originality in order to conform to the cookie-cutter lifestyle of the 50’s.  “Howl” suggests that people should continue to “howl at the moon” instead of conforming and that there is something special about those who do not fit in.  Whether or not “Howlin’ at the Moon” actually influenced “Howl” is not known, but we can speculate how country music influences even the most unlikely works.

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Filed under Blog Post 2, Honky Tonk

by | March 22, 2016 · 7:00 am

We’re Goin’ Boot Scootin’

Kendalia-793x526There is nothing more fun than to grab a group of friends on a Friday night, head to your favorite honky tonk, grab a couple of cold ones, and spend the entire night dancing to some of your favorite country hits. If you have never had this experience before; 1). I’m sorry! 2). This post is for you! Think of me as your country fairy-god mother, I’m here to lay out the beginners guide for you!

First things First: Attire!

The best part about going out is the fact that you get to dress up! (Even the guys will admit to it!) Now if you’re going to a western bar you have to look the part.

-Men, put on a pair of your best pair of starched Wrangler jeans (yes your butt looks great), Nicest pair of cowboy boots, an attractive button-down shirt, and your sexiest cowboy hat (don’t take it off because, yes, you do look like a different person without it!) That’s pretty much all you need, you’re all set!

-Now ladies, slay in your hottest dress or most formfitting jeans you own, pair them up with your own amazing boots, killer jewelry, a gorgeous face, and the most teased hairstyle you can come up with (Remember: the higher the hair, the closer to God!) Now you’re ready for a night on the town!

Location, Location, Location

Now that all the prework is done, it’s time to find a place to go for the night! Since I’m located in Austin, I can only give you suggestions of a couple of places around here. I do advise that you do a Google search to find places near you!

1). Broken Spoke– located at 3201 S. LAMAR BLVD.   AUSTIN, TEXAS 78704. This place is known as the “Last of the true Texas Dance halls.” You could enjoy great live music, a friendly crowd of regulars, wonderful food, and cheap drinks. Also, if you have two left feet on the dance floor every Wed.-Sat. lesson are held from 8:30-9:30. Come out and experience a “must” in the Austin area.

2). Dance Across Texas: Formerly known as Midnight Rodeo, this dance hall is located at 2201 E Ben White Blvd. Austin, TX 78741. This is another awesome place known for its tremendous atmosphere to have a good ol’ hoedown. With the “best dance floor in Austin,” you and your friends are sure to have a fun night, not to mention the low prices on drinks. With live music mixed with a DJ I’m sure there is a selection of music for every person.

3). Old Coupland Inn and Dance hall: If you don’t mind the drive this place is located at 101 Hoxie St Coupland, TX 78615 (a 35-minute drive outside of Austin). This isn’t your ordinary “pickup joint,” this place has a family atmosphere where you can enjoy dinner and a night out dancing. Known for its light and fun atmosphere, Old Coupland is really a place to have an old fashion good time.

Practice Makes Perfect:

If you don’t know many of the line dances that are seen in dance halls, fear not; remember I’m here to help! Now for the most part, people are usually nice enough to help you catch on with hands on experience, aka, get out there and fake it till you make it! Which is perfectly fine to do and actually really fun, but if you want to hone your skills I would suggest watching the YouTube videos of Miguel Guzman. He has tutorials of all the great line dances and breaks them down well enough so that anyone could learn. Maybe the week leading up to your outing you could spend a couple of minutes a day learning the steps to some of your favorites. It’ll be more exciting than your homework anyway! That way you could surprise your friends when you’re keeping up with older folks who’ve been doing it for years on the dance floor.

Don’t rock the jukebox:

If there happens to be a jukebox at the place you decide to attend, please I beg you, KEEP IT COUNTRY!!! You are at a dance hall, not a nightclub or a rock concert. There are plenty of hits by George Strait, Brooks & Dunn, and Alan Jackson! Don’t be that person who halts the dance floor and has hundreds of eyes glaring at them all night. DON’T BE THAT PERSON! Enjoy the fun, authentic, Texas experience of a dance hall. Trust me it’ll be something you’ll never forget!

Be back by Midnight… or 2 AM!

As your country fairy-god mother, I have given you pretty much everything you need to have a great night out with friends, it is my hope that you take these nuggets of wisdom and use them well! Now go out, have fun, be great!

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Filed under Austin, Blog Post 4, Honky Tonk, Live Music

by | March 13, 2016 · 11:50 pm

Kenny Chesney: Still Goin’ Strong

LAS VEGAS, NV - SEPTEMBER 18: Recording artist Kenny Chesney performs at the 2015 iHeartRadio Music Festival at MGM Grand Garden Arena on September 18, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images for iHeartMedia)

Without a doubt, Kenny Chesney has transcended the generic success of many country music artists, propelling himself to superstardom. However, the most surprising characteristic of his career is the longevity as well as popularity with new and younger audiences. Unlike many of his contemporaries, such as Toby Keith or George Strait, Chesney shows no sign of slowing down. Having been to one of his concerts, I know first hand the kind of energy and interaction he continues to bring, not leaning on his previous fame for popularity, but instead ensuring the audience has a good time. However, this is nothing new for Chesney, as this can-do attitude was shown even at the beginning of his career.

chesneythrow-x600After spending years performing in the country bars and clubs of Nashville in the early 90s, the Knoxville native finally caught his break when he auditioned for music executive Troy Tomlinson. Commenting on his talent and lyrics, Tomlinson was the first to catch onto his personal drive, stating in an interview, “more than anything there was a kind of this ‘I-will-do-it’ look in his eyes – I was really drawn in by the fact that he was so set on being successful in this business.” It was because of this enthusiasm that Chesney landed his first record deal in 1994 for his album “In My Wildest Dreams,” exactly two decades before his most recent album “The Great Revival” in 2014.

However, Kenny Chesney’s continued relevance is not only attributed to his strong work ethic and success-oriented mindset, he is one of the few country artists from the 90s that has continued to change his sound to match the constantly evolving genre itself. For example, while both “She’s Got It All” (1997) and “Somewhere With You” (2010) topped the country charts in their respective years, it’s clear to see the differences in styles between the two. The former displays the typical twangy tones of old school country while the latter employs a faster pace tempo, incorporating electric guitar riffs and strong chorus’ to tie the song together, a style that is far more popular with the contemporary country music crowd.

One of the more distinctive characteristics of Chesney is the frequency of his tours and album releases. Since 2001 alone, he has released a staggering 12 albums and has gone on over 14 tours with the hottest stars of today, such as Miranda Lambert, the Zac Brown Band, Eli Young Band, and Eric Church. Suffice to say, I doubt there were many critics who believed that the 1998 Country Music Awards New Male Vocalist of the Year would continue to put up successful album after album up, continuing to win awards even up to 2015, with claiming his third Country Music Awards Crystal Milestone Award from the same organization. Overall, it makes me glad to see how an artist so devoted to the craft continues to please the fans and master his art from his discovery in the early 90s to continuing to pump out number 1 hits to this day.

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Filed under Blog Post 3