My Confession

I'm just going to come out and say it.

I love (some) country music. With all my heart. Forever and ever.

You know that very stereotypical country music about dying dogs and broken pickup trucks? I'm not talking about that kind of country music. I love country music sung by musicians who have, at one time or another, been a great chanteur or chanteuse of any other genre of music. The musicians who can blend a little jazz or a little rock into slide riffs and bent notes hold a special place in my heart and on my playlist.

When I was a kid, my dad would play Willie Nelson on repeat. When he bought a car with a functioning stereo, his Willie disc was permanently lodged in the CD tray. There was no need for a 5 disc changer, because there was only one worth listening to. Sure, he would try out some other music every now and then. But it only seemed to last a few songs before the disc would be removed and the car would, once again, be filled with that soothing voice of Mr. Nelson. I always felt that he was not singing into a microphone, but instead that he was having a very personal conversation with me in which he divulged all of his deepest personal secrets. I loved his jazzy phrasing and sophisticated chord choices in the context of whining guitars and the occasional honky-tonk backbone. My love affair with blended country music began with Mr. Willie Nelson's rendition of Blue Skies.

This week, I listened to a YouTube video of Norah Jones and Bonnie Raitt singing Tennessee Waltz by Pee Wee King and Redd Stewart. While I am not a big fan of the original, nor many of the dozens of covers, Norah's version had a strong jazz and blues influence, while Bonnie's licks were 100% country flair. I adore the blend of genres. This video reignited my passion for quasi-country. I searched on YouTube, and much to my delight, Norah Jones and Willie Nelson have also sung duets, including The Wulritzer Prize and Baby, It's Cold Outside (ok, that song is a little more jazz than country. It's still amazing.) If you ask me, it's a match made in heaven.