At the risk of getting my Texan card revoked, I am here to publicly admit that I do not like country music. (I also do not own cowboy boots or a cowboy hat, nor have I ever two-stepped, but I digress.) I realize the genre is kind of the soundtrack of the South, but it’s never been music to my ears.
I don’t like twang, I don’t enjoy vocals with a thick drawl, and I’m not a fan of lyrics about guns, pickup trucks and cheatin’ lovers. This does make me somewhat of an anomaly around these parts. I mean, my best friend named her dog Blake Shelton.
However, there are exceptions to just about every rule – my “no twangy country western music” one included. So while the vast majority of country music is about as appealing to me as riding a bucking bronco, I actually love the musical styles that gave birth to modern day country.
Blues, folk and gospel music are the ancestors of country music, and I am a fan of all of them. So while you’ll never catch me boot scoot boogie-ing or singing about my achy breaky heart, you just might hear me humming some of the songs in this playlist.
These are country songs that veer more toward the classic roots of country music. Some are old, some are kind of new, but none of them feature over-the-top twang.
Listen up, and see if you’re down with my choices. And share your “non-country country song” selections with me!
