My Parents Have Joined a Cult

Maybe it's not really a cult. But they've definitely gone over to the dark side.

They've started listening to country music.

How this happened suddenly, right smack in the midst of their 50s, I do not know but I'm going to blame it on my brother and his move to Nashville.

Mom was actually trying to lure me into the cult by way of a song about ticks. Now, I don't like the great outdoors anyway. I certainly don't know what she was thinking trying to get me interested by way of a parasite.

I'm sure both my folks think I'm being snobbish for not liking country music and I have a sneaking suspicion that's what my sister-in-law thinks as well. She cannot fathom a person from WV who doesn't like country music. Well, pay attention as I set the record straight.

I can appreciate many genres of music and there is some country music I DO like. I love Willie Nelson's Red Headed Stranger album and also "The Ballad of Pancho and Lefty." There's something so wistful and melancholy about it, though I'll admit that I'd rather hear my father-in-law play and sing it.

I love Dolly Parton's "She's an Eagle," Sawyer Brown's "The Long Walk," "You're the One" by Dwight Yokum, "Anymore" by Travis Tritt, and most anything by the Dixie Chicks. Those girls have flair. And guts. But all those songs are deeply, deeply emotionally satisfying.

Patsy Cline's "Crazy" and "Walkin' After Midnight" are in permanent rotation in my singing-in-the-shower ouvre along with some Shania Twain and that one awesome song off the Pulp Fiction soundtrack called "Love is a Red Dress" by someone I forget. And which might not actually be a country song either, now that I think of it.

Johnny Cash is fabulous too, though I'll admit to loving his latter day covers of rock songs like "Hurt" much more than "A Boy Named Sue."

There are good songs in any genre if you care to look, or listen, for them. Though I'd gladly pummel Toby Keith to a pulp and then stomp his stupid hat for good measure. I'd even confess to being a big snob if liking country music means you must like Toby Keith. I hate that guy.

And it looks like that ends whatever goodwill I might have had today for the genre of country music. I know it's a highly debatable topic. Feel free to add your own thoughts!