Topping the country Billboard charts this week is Reba McEntire with “Consider Me Gone,” it’s the music queen’s 34th #1 hit since hitting radio airwaves 26 years ago.
Lady Antebellum’s “Need You Now” snatches the second seat; it’s the first single off their sophomore album. The trio is set to perform at the 52nd annual Grammy awards, alongside Taylor Swift.
And Mr. Luke Bryan holds steady at #3 with “Do I.” The song became his first chart topper in his career only two weeks ago. He’ll follow up his success as Jason Aldean’s opening act in 2010.
But, before I get you lost in country’s noisemakers, I’d like to preface that as a part of my blog-writing agreement, it is my wish to share another side of me you won’t typically find in between reports of Governor Chet Culver’s across-the-board cut in state agencies or the latest corn and soybean summary by the USDA.
So, when I’m not sifting through online news outlets...or when my hands aren’t black from reading the Globe Gazette or the Des Moines Register, nor following Fareed Zakaria’s Newsweek column...my ears are filling up with some of country music’s greats, my eyes are watching CMT Insider, (a program I once worked for as a News Intern), and I’m tracing the latest lyrical notes produced by the Nashville music machine.
Maybe you can’t identify with my sincere obsession with the industry, or perhaps even understand where it began, but since many of you have asked about it, I will oblige. And maybe, just maybe, by the end of my cup of raspberry mocha, you’ll have a better understanding as to why my last five vacations were spent walking the streets of Music City capturing the songs of up and coming artists...you’ll know why I’m eager to descend upon the nearest retailer on Tuesday’s to purchase the newly released albums of Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert and Sugarland...and you’ll know why I think country music will remain a living legend throughout American history.
Growing up in a sleepy Wisconsin town there was at least one event that sure woke folks up. It’s known as “Country Fest,” an annual 4-day camping experience featuring some of the most famous names in the industry. Listening to the likes of Tim McGraw, Doug Stone and Lorrie Morgan throughout that June weekend not to mention year-round, is about as common as mom making meat and potatoes for supper on Sunday after church.
The country fete began 23 years ago -- the same year I celebrated my first birthday. Since 1986, my family and I have attended every year up until 2009 when the so-called “real world” set upon me in Mason City, Iowa. But, over the years, we’ve camped out all night, lawn chairs in hand racing to get a front row seat when the gates opened at dawn. I can recall my parents forcing me to sit alongside them as we watched John Conlee sing “Rose Colored Glasses” from the stage. The moment I remember most vividly is the Billy Ray Cyrus concert; the rain bled my homemade, magic marker sign for the mullet man – whoever thought I could have an ‘achy breaky heart’ at age six.
Later on, the festival grew and we became VIP cardholders. My godparents still to this day own stock in the festival and with that “All Access” backstage passes are the norm. So, growing up I’d spend much of the concerts on the edge of the stage with the band and crew, waiting in lines to meet and greet the stars, as well as capturing a sneak peak of the singer’s tour buses.
Music is a ‘Family Tradition.’
To be continued…
