This can't be happening...

[Creole Ned]

I just realized something.

I kind of like country music.

I grew up in Dunan, B.C. (http://www.city.duncan.bc.ca/), which was a town built around two things: logging and country music. We had one radio station, CKAY AM 1500, "Your voice of the Cowichan Valley". Oh sure, they would play the biggest pop hits (you could not get away from "Love Will Keep Us Together" in 1975) but their bread and butter was steel guitar and fiddle.

Now, I'm not saying I am ready to declare Charlie Daniels my new music god but as I watched Brokeback Mountain a few weekends ago, it occured to me that the soundtrack, entirely country music save for the spare acoustic score itself, was actually kind of enjoyable.

I always took pride in having broad musical tastes, so I'm claiming that this is simply a further broadening and not a sign that I am officially getting old.

Someone please affirm this. :nod:

[Paladin]

Actually, Charlie Daniels is quite good. Check out the song "Uneasy Rider", and of course, "The Devil Went Down To Georgia". I think that one is about Dg.

Personally, I started listening to Trace Atkins last year after he did a couple of gigs on Emeril Live (yes, the cooking show). "Every Light In The House" is one of my favorites.

All that said, I live smack dab in the middle of Dixie, and there isn't much in the way of country music I can stand. But, as it goes more towards classic Southern Rock and less towards Conway Twitty, the better I like it. And some of it is downright funny ("Tequilla Makes Her Clothes Fall Off", "As Good As I Once Was").

[armerius]

being a lover of Charlie Daniels music does not a country music lover make.... do not worry.

You have picked out one of the 2 or 3 best of country music (in my opinion)... it is always better to stick with the ones that truly draw you in if you are worried about age being a factor...

just remember.. if the song has anything to do with a shot dog or a tractor, you've let your curiosity of country draw you in a touch too far.

[Circuit]

Ned, I think you should instead say "I kind of like a few good country songs". I grew up being forced to hear country music all the time and I never liked it. As someone who also has an extremely varied taste in music, I cannot proclaim that country music as a whole is good. There are some talented artists who are actually great singers/musicians, but the majority of it is awful. It's even worse now than it used to be because they've been going through a phase in the last several years where they think they need to be "hip" to get more young people into it. The last time I saw anything on CMT, I never would've guessed the guys with frosted, spiked hair and grunge clothing were playing country if the volume on the TV was muted. We won't even talk about the country/rap crossover bands. Reminds me of the commercial on the Simpsons. "Peanuts and gum, together at last!"

So I think you should just chalk this up as just you being someone who likes good music, regardless of the source, and stop worrying. If you start wearing boots and cowboy hats and chewing tobbacco, however, then you can be scared.

[Creole Ned]

By the way, Charlie Daniels was just the first name that came to mind, for some reason. If I had mulled it over a bit more I probably would have named Willie Nelson instead. Or if I had really thought about it, I could have scored geek cool points by naming the currently hip (albeit dead) Johnny Cash.

Like any form of popular music, most of country is crap. I've always liked a few country artists but never enough to actually buy a CD or anything. As for the getup, I did spend a large part of one summer vacation wearing a cowboy hat while in the southwestern U.S. But hey, I was 15 at the time.

I also spent several *years* wearing a toque when I was even younger, but as a Canadian, that's permitted and sometimes expected.

[Medic]

I also spent several *years* wearing a toque when I was even younger

What's a toque?

[Creole Ned]

Toque (http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery;jsessionid=48ck1jq3odt2d?method=4&dsid=2222&dekey=Tuque&gwp=13&curtab=2222_1&sbid=lc04b&linktext=toque%20or%20tuque)

[Kermit]

Toque... Made funny by Dave Thomas and Rick Morranis playing Bob & Doug MacKenzie from Strange Brew (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086373/) and SCTV Network 90 (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081925/) in their radio version of the 12 days of Christmas.

"5 golden toques!"

Hilarious!

[FoeKilla]

in short: a beanie

[Creole Ned]

No. And you'll never be let into Canada with an attitude like that, mister!

[Medic]

does your toque have a pompom?

[Creole Ned]

I am currently sans toque but in the past I enjoyed wearing the pom-pom variety.