Loved this post. I went through a phase in my 40s with LeeAnn Womack, especially the song I Hope You Dance. Many years laters, in 2020, my son surprised me at his wedding when that played for the Mother and Son dance. I cried ugly and joyful tears.
From the time that I was five years old until my grandpa died when I was seven, every Saturday night I would sit at his knee and listen to the Grand Ole Opry. Roy Acuff, Minnie Pearl, and Ernest Tubb were my heroes. After that Hank Williams came along and I loved his music, but he died young and I became a drifter in my musical tastes. In 1955 I went to my first concert -- ELVIS, and I was bl own away! Then came Buddy Holly and all the rest and country music became a thing of the past until one night in 1960 while in the Navy I was drinking a beer in a Washington D.C. bar and a guitar player came in and began to play and sing those old country songs. It brought a tear to my eye and when he took a break he allowed me to play his guitar and sing. I played Hank and Johnny Cash and the crowd loved it. From that day until this country music has been my favorite although I still have a place in my heart for Buddy and Elvis.
I loved this one, Kori. I love that your dad gave you space to explore the genre. My oldest has started listening to some of the music I listened to in high school, and it is special to share that with him even if some of the songs bring up moments I’d rather forget. It’s like there is something there—a connection from my youth to his. I wasn’t always middle-aged and graying—I was young and liked quality music!!
I can definitely sympathize with your dad. Music can transport us in time and place to a similar emotional state. It is hard to rewrite that reaction. And beautiful that he learned to make new relationships to the music with you.
On a side note, I listened to country music briefly in elementary school almost completely because it annoyed my older brother. I found it hard to listen to all the sad songs like Don’t Take the Girl. I bawled every time.
“He tried to raise you better, but his pleading you denied.” 😁 Great piece.
😆😆😆😆
Loved this post. I went through a phase in my 40s with LeeAnn Womack, especially the song I Hope You Dance. Many years laters, in 2020, my son surprised me at his wedding when that played for the Mother and Son dance. I cried ugly and joyful tears.
From the time that I was five years old until my grandpa died when I was seven, every Saturday night I would sit at his knee and listen to the Grand Ole Opry. Roy Acuff, Minnie Pearl, and Ernest Tubb were my heroes. After that Hank Williams came along and I loved his music, but he died young and I became a drifter in my musical tastes. In 1955 I went to my first concert -- ELVIS, and I was bl own away! Then came Buddy Holly and all the rest and country music became a thing of the past until one night in 1960 while in the Navy I was drinking a beer in a Washington D.C. bar and a guitar player came in and began to play and sing those old country songs. It brought a tear to my eye and when he took a break he allowed me to play his guitar and sing. I played Hank and Johnny Cash and the crowd loved it. From that day until this country music has been my favorite although I still have a place in my heart for Buddy and Elvis.
I loved this one, Kori. I love that your dad gave you space to explore the genre. My oldest has started listening to some of the music I listened to in high school, and it is special to share that with him even if some of the songs bring up moments I’d rather forget. It’s like there is something there—a connection from my youth to his. I wasn’t always middle-aged and graying—I was young and liked quality music!!
I can definitely sympathize with your dad. Music can transport us in time and place to a similar emotional state. It is hard to rewrite that reaction. And beautiful that he learned to make new relationships to the music with you.
On a side note, I listened to country music briefly in elementary school almost completely because it annoyed my older brother. I found it hard to listen to all the sad songs like Don’t Take the Girl. I bawled every time.