Hoping For Rain

This week has just been one of those weeks. Nothing has gone right. I've been extremely busy and stressed out and haven't had any time to just sit back for a while and enjoy life. While all the things that I needed to get finished today were running through my head on my way into work, "When It Rains" by Eli Young Band came on the radio. I immediately turned the volume up and sang along with the song, hoping that maybe the sky would open up and just storm. I guess on days when things just seem too stressful, it feels like the weather should match your mood, rather than being sunny and bright like it was today.

It's funny how a song can come on and suddenly the lyrics seem to point out directly how you're feeling at the moment. I guess music is just like that though; relatable to life and everyday instances. There is always some song that can make you feel a little bit better about what you're going through, relieve a bit of the stress that is weighing you down. Today, that song was definitely "When It Rains" for me. When it came on I stopped worrying for the three and a half minutes it was on and just sang along.

Crazy Girl

I remember the very first country music concert I went to was Eli Young Band. It was before they were well-known or on iTunes, and I had definitely never heard any of their music. (It was also my first 4th of July concert at Possum Kingdom Lake.) I remember listening to them and dancing around on the grass with all my best friends thinking that life couldn't get any better. We were all just living in the moment, enjoying the music that resonated so well with us because it was all about escaping small towns, growing up and getting away.

Since that summer, Eli Young Band has grown to be one of the bigger Texas country bands, with their newest music video for "Crazy Girl" making it on CMT.com, and mentions in many different country music blogs such as the Taste of Country blog. I know since it's release in early May, my little sister and I have jammed out to "Crazy Girl" on repeat several times. There is just something about Eli Young Band that makes me want to roll the windows down, drive down a long & open highway singing my heart out. If you haven't listened to their newest single, "Crazy Girl" yet, you should definitely check it out.

On another note: My song of the moment - Jake Owen "Barefoot Blue Jean Night"

More Cows Than People

As I was driving back to Austin yesterday a song came on XM Radio that cracked me up. The song was by Ashton Shepherd (who I had never heard of before) about a tiny town where there were literally more cows than people. As I've mentioned several times before, my town is very small...so listening to this song literally reminded me of the humor of small towns.

Cause there ain't much of nothin' out here
Just a bunch of fence and pasture
Grain elevators and a couple old tractors
Little bitty church, big ole steeple
Ain't no noise, no red lights
Ain't no buildings messin' up my moonlight
Ain't no doubt, why I live out where there's more cows than people
   -Ashton Shepherd "More Cows Than People"


If you have never been out of the "city" to where pastures take up more area than the tiny town they surround, then you're really missing out. One of my friends who was from Houston said it best..."If you blink, you'll probably miss it, but once there it's kind of fun!"  This really describes my hometown.  


Lately, as I've grown closer to graduating i've become sentimental about Graham and moving permanently away from there.  Because many of the Texas Country songs have lyrics which bring back special moments from my childhood and high school that I have long forgotten, I have begun to really listen to the lyrics rather than just the beats. It has brought around the knowledge that yes, most Texas country songs are about drinking, but some actually have a few lines which have some deep meaning. 

While Fires Wreck Texas Land, Texas Country Music Artists Create Hope

It's amazing what music can do to heal not only people, but the land as well.  Recently, fires rampaged through my hometown of Graham and PK Lake, destroying thousands of acres of land and devastating any residents near by. From these fires, though, came a little bit of hope.  Texas Country artists held a concert in the nearby town of Graford which raised money for the local and area fire departments. These stations are usually volunteer-based and rarely have the means to control smaller fires, much less the wild fires that brought in fire-figheters from several states.

While the tickets for the concert were $100 a piece, there were big names present (such as Pat Green) who played for free and all that was raised went directly to the fire fighters and stations. I was extremely upset I couldn't attend (hey, I'm a broke college student), but I heard that the concert was an absolute blast and that each band was uplifting in their support of all the fire stations, while putting on a really great show.

This concert shows how much the Texas Country artists care about their state, and are always there to put in a helping hand when it comes to their fellow Texans. This is just one instance why I continue to follow and support the Texas Country music scene.

A 4th of July Surprise

Josh Abbott Band - Road Trippin' - via YouTube

Almost my entire life I have spent the 4th of July at Possum Kingdom Lake (which is 15 minutes from my hometown), enjoying boat rides, fireworks, time with my friends, and over the past few years, a small Texas Country Concert. This past 4th of July was no different, except that I just couldn't get excited about Josh Abbott Band being the main show. No matter how many times I have listened to his new CD "She's Like Texas," I have not been able to grasp the reason why so many of my friends like it. The lyrics seems awkward, and the songs just aren't all that catchy. Also, I had seen Josh Abbott band before after the release of his first album, and was not impressed by his live performance at all. So, needless to say, I was kind of dreading attending the concert with all my friends who were extremely excited to see him play.

When we first arrived at the concert, Charla Corn, a young, beautiful country artist who I had never heard of was playing. It was pure torture listening to her upbeat and girly songs, and I assumed this was how I was going to feel for the rest of the night. So, when Josh Abbott band finally came on, I was pleasantly surprised that not only did he play a lot of his first album, which I enjoyed, but his sound had greatly improved.

I still can't recommend that anyone buy or even really listen to the album "She's Like Texas," but I can say that I truly enjoyed Josh Abbott's live performance and was caught by surprise by how much I enjoyed the "Road Trippin'" music video. The song itself is really not that great, but all the lake scenes depicted remind me directly of all my summers spent at PK Lake and some truly great memories.

Gone Country....

Growing up in a small Texas town where there is barely a venue large enough to hold our high school graduation, I have been deprived of the enjoyment of the live music scene. Graham, Texas, is a place where rock music is still seen as the "devil" and there are more churches in the area than people. To say I've been sheltered is an understatement. 


What I can say is that even after moving to Austin, where there are more live shows than a person can even imagine, my love for Texas country has only grown. I have definitely broadened my musical horizons, but can honestly say that there is nothing like two-stepping to Randy Rogers Band at Wild West in Lubbock, Texas.  Because of this love, I have decided to explore the Texas Country music scene, as well as explore the smaller artists that are not as well known as people such as Pat Green, Casey Donahew, or Josh Abbott. 


Because blogging about music is something very new to me (I have blogged about pop culture and fashion) I feel that it's important to stick to a genre I know and love, but ask that you stick with me if I fall back into my country roots and say "y'all" a few too many times. I guess it goes with the genre, though.