Hi Neighbor!
I’m a little bit country! And I’m a lot a bit rock-n-roll!
And this is how it happened:
My love of live music first occurred when I was a kid. I attended my first “concert” randomly in the Catskills at a racetrack one summer. The legendary 70s band Three Dog Night was performing before the day’s races started, and while the group had probably already hit their prime, it was magical to this ten-year old’s ears. My life would never be the same.
Fast-forward to my senior year in college and Bruce Springsteen is hot, hot, hot on his Born in the USA tour. My sister snags some tickets the old-fashioned way – by dialing the phone repeatedly until you get through – and offers to take me. The thunderous roar of a stadium crowd makes me feel one with the nearly 20,000 other fans. I cannot get enough of rock anthem shows.
As an adult living in the suburbs of a city with multiple venues for hearing live music, attending concerts has never been easier, except of course for the ticket price. Still, I do my selective best to see my favorites when they come through town.
Recently, however, I have been exposing myself to different musical genres. My sister is an avid country fan, exposing me to playlists of artists I would not normally listen to. Slowly but surely, I have been adding some country songs intermittently to my own playlists. Heck, I even went to Nashville with her a few years ago and ventured backstage at the Grand Ole Opry!
When she invited me last summer to see first Shania Twain and then Kane Brown, I was a quick yes. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Plus, I like experiencing new things and want to keep an open mind.
Turns out, it is cowboy boots and hats, flannels and denim galore, and passionate fans singing all the words, just like at a Bruce concert. Am I crossing over to country after years of being a rock and pop gal???
Two years ago, I took my young adult sons to see Coldplay perform at Lincoln Financial Field. It was a bucket list item for the three of us, and the band did not disappoint. This year, I was able to purchase some coveted Morgan Wallen tickets at the last minute, not so much because I wanted to see him, but I knew they did, and the experience would be better together. Going into the concert, I only knew one song. It didn’t matter. Music speaks volumes if you allow yourself the opportunity to listen, really listen and feel and become inspired by the message and the shared experience.
Most likely I will be listening to young Morgan Wallen all week, finding inspiration from his lyrics and relishing the memory I created with my boys. I’ve got the music in me, and it’s crossing the line to country.
A little bit country,
Jackie
