When Ray and I take a long road trip we tune into the XM radio channel Outlaw Country. This features old time country music such as Merle Haggard, Carl Perkins, Willie Nelson, Bob Wills, Patsy Cline, etc.
I love all kinds of music: symphonic, rock and roll, jazz, folk, big band, reggae, bluegrass, you name it, but I must admit I have a special spot in my heart for old time country. Emmylou Harris singing “If I Needed You” by Townes Van Zandt just brings a smile to my face or Hank III wailing out “Thunderstorms and Neon Signs” makes me admire evocative songwriting by Wayne Hancock. My favorite songwriters are Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, Steve Earle, Ray Wiley Hubbard, and Billy Joe Shaver. Talk about fine storytellers…
Here’s Emmylou Harris:
I tend to be open and accepting of most people, but those who categorize country music as “lowbrow” and dismiss it as only for the unwashed and uneducated get a big black mark in my book. I immediately assume they have never really listened or else they wouldn’t hold that opinion. I do give them that benefit of the doubt.
So, if you’d like a treat, tune into Outlaw Country if you have XM. You’ll find yourself tapping your foot even if you don’t mean to while you listen to country greats share story after story of the American experience.
Here is Hank III singing the song written by Wayne Hancock, Thunderstorms and Neon Signs.
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