Yes, I’m talking about country music! Who’d have thunk that this New York born, Motown-loving, transplanted Californian would be moved by the rockabilly twang, the slow easy ballads, the humor, the honesty that is now the country music phenomenon.
The truth is my venture into writing began about the same time I found country music on the radio. Tired of the oldies, unable to relate to the new hip-hop sounds blasting the stations nationwide and feeling a little lost — musically and professionally, I knew I needed more of something in my life. I recall hearing Faith Hill on a pop music station
. But it wasn’t just Faith who intrigued me, but the man singing the duet with her, her new husband, Tim McGraw. I knew little of both of them, but thought to investigate this “country music” thing.
I bought a Tim McGraw CD, watched him perform on Jay Leno one night, and as they say, I was a goner. Being a western romance writer, I fell in love with country music from that day on. Tim’s tight jeans, black hat and amazing smile, helped just a little. 🙂 (Met him once and never miss his concerts)
Seriously, the music called to me, beckoning with tunes of lost loves, of heroes found, of sweet smiles and first crushes. The songs tell a complete story in three minutes, painting vivid pictures with impressions that stick in your head, long after the tunes are gone.
I found the music inspiring, the lyrics fresh and honest, the images real. Sometimes humorous and fun, sometimes heart-breakingly sad, sometimes soulful and deep. Those heart-tugging emotions evoked a longing for something else in my life. They inspired me. They moved me. They made me feel.
I can’t say that music solely played a role to help me find my lifelong passion of writing, but those short musical bursts of true life told beautifuly through rhythm and lyrics, with fiddles and drums and guitars and keyboards surely inspired me at a time when I truly needed inspiration.
The same holds true today. Often I’m asked the timeless question writers are asked- where do I get my ideas? My silent answer : From Tim and Faith and Toby and Kenny. From Martina and Brad and Shania. From Rascal Flatts and Brooks and Dunn, to name a few of my favorites.
LYRICS THAT PAINT IMAGES:
Should Have Been A Cowboy…Toby Keith
I bet you’ve never heard ol’ Marshall Dillion say, Miss Kitty have you ever thought of running away
Settling down would you marry me?
If I asked you twice and begged you pretty please. She’d have said yes in a New York minute
They never tied the knot
His heart wasn’t in it
He just stole a kiss as he rode away
He never hung his hat up at Kitty’s place
I should’ve been a cowboy
I should’ve learned to rope and ride
Wearing my six-shooter riding my pony on a cattle drive
Stealing the young girl’s hearts
Just like Gene and Roy
Singing those campfire songs
Oh I should’ve been a cowboy
I might of had a sidekick with a funny name
Running wild through the hills chasing Jesse James
Ending up on the brink of danger
Riding shotgun for the Texas Rangers
Go west young man, haven’t you been told
California’s full of whiskey, women and gold
Sleeping out all night beneath the desert stars
With a dream in my eye and a prayer…
In my heart
LYRICS THAT INSPIRE
Anyway … Martina McBride
You can spend your whole life buildin’
Somethin’ from nothin’
One storm can come and blow it all away
Build it anyway
You can chase a dream
That seems so out of reach
And you know it might not ever come your way
Dream it anyway
God is great, but sometimes life ain’t good
When I pray it doesn’t always turn out like I think it should
But I do it anyway
I do it anyway
This world’s gone crazy and it’s hard to believe
That tomorrow will be better than today
Believe it anyway
You can love someone with all your heart
For all the right reasons
And in a moment they can choose to walk away
Love ’em anyway
LYRICS THAT REACH INTO YOUR SOUL:
Live Like You Were Dying …Tim McGraw (10 weeks at #1)
He said I was in my early forties, with a lot of life before me
And one moment came that stopped me on a dime
I spent most of the next days, looking at the x-rays
Talking bout’ the options and talking bout’ sweet times.
I asked him when it sank in, that this might really be the real end
How’s it hit ‘cha when you get that kind of news?
Man what did ya do?
He said
I went skydiving
I went rocky mountain climbing
I went two point seven seconds on a bull named Fu Man Chu
And I loved deeper
And I spoke sweeter
And I gave forgiveness I’d been denyin’
And he said some day I hope you get the chance
To live like you were dyin’
He said I was finally the husband, that most the time I wasn’t
And I became a friend, a friend would like to have
And all of a sudden goin’ fishin, wasn’t such an imposition
And I went three times that year I lost my dad
Well I finally read the good book, and I took a good long hard look
At what I’d do if I could do it all again
And then
I went skydiving
I went rocky mountain climbing
I went two point seven seconds on a bull named Fu Man Shu
And I loved deeper
And I spoke sweeter
And I gave forgiveness I’d been denyin’
And he said some day I hope you get the chance
To live like you were dyin’
My Top 10 Favorite Country Artists
Tim McGraw
Faith Hill
Martina McBride
Carrie Underwood
Reba
Brooks and Dunn
Josh Turner
Toby Keith
George Strait
So Much More
I could go on and on about country songs that inspire me. The ones that make me laugh out loud. (Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off) The ones that are almost too heartbreaking to listen to (Concrete Angel). The ones that pull at your parental heartstrings(There Goes My Life) and the ones that speak about love and romance. (I Need You)
The stories they tell and rich emotions they evoke all help me develop my characters, create my plots and put those words on the page.
There are too many songs to name and too many artists I enjoy to post here. But I’d love to know if you’re a fan of country music? Are there songs that help inspire you whatever your profession? Who are your favorites?
Post a comment and be entered into a drawing for Harlequin Coupons and a book from my backlist of available titles!
Happy Trails !
UP TOMORROW – GUEST BLOGGER KIM LOUISE !
Everyone has their own way to cope with stress. I know that a good way is to exercise. It really let’s off steam and mellows a person out. Not only does it provide a good release, but it’s great for your heart and tissues and other parts of your body. I’m not one of those people. I exercise because I have to, not because I want to. I do feel good about exercising, but when the chips are down, I don’t think, “Gee, I’ll lift weights and that will make me feel better.”
little older she began putting candles around the tub and softening the lights to take a nice long relaxing bath. I’m not one of those people either. 
change from the grind, fast pace and parking lot traffic, they head to a remote natural setting to unwind. Sounds great doesn’t it? 
I admit, sometimes it’s nice to get away, but if I’m upset or trying to cope, all that idle time only hinders me and makes me think more. 
lost. When my father died, the only thing that helped me was pouring my heart and soul into a story. I remember thanking God that he gave me the gift of writing, because for those few hours each day when I sat at my computer, I coped. I forgot. I slipped into the fantasy world I had created and I could be happy. 
soon, someone will read my book and smile or laugh or cry. 
long drive on a spring day. What’s your “hammock on the beach?” What helps you cope? Do you have a writing/book related form of therapy too?
advanced copy of my November release Bodine’s Bounty.
