Before I came to the UK, I read a bunch of
different blogs by expats describing what they missed most about the US. One theme I picked up on was the number of
people expressing a yearning for country music – writers who were never huge
fans of the genre before leaving America, but somehow felt homesick without it
streaming across their foreign radios.
American pop music is everywhere. My host sister in Morocco had the biggest
crush on Akon and my students in China knew every single Justin Bieber
lyric. American country music, however, seems to be an acquired taste, limited to the borders of our
50 states. For that reason, it always
comforts this traveling soul whenever I get homesick. Country music just seems like our music –
something you have to be American to understand. Now I know not every American likes it and a
good many absolutely hate it, but I was born where gold was discovered, raised
where the West was won, and educated where the green grass grows – so for me,
country music is home.
I’ll be back in Arizona in three short
weeks. I haven’t been home for a year
now, so it’s safe to say that I’m excited.
I’m looking forward to the ease of listening to country music over my
car radio with the desert sun lighting up the road. Until those mountains and cacti are within my
view, however, I’ve got some of my favorite summertime country songs to keep me
company.
Enjoy.
Brad Paisley, "This is Country Music"
Jake Owen, "Barefoot Blue Jean Night"
Rascal Flatts, "Summer Nights"
Little Big Town, "Pontoon"
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