Southern-fried Tuneage: The South does it again

I was raised on country music.  I was raised on it enough that I could work in my late teens as a country DJ at a popular AM radio station, in a prime weekday afternoon drive time slot, and I knew what I was talking about.  I think I appreciate the songs I grew up with and used to play back then a lot more these days.

I appreciate the sounds of a steel guitar and some good fiddle playing and some fine guitar pickin'.  I don't go so much for the "cheatin' songs," although they tell true-life stories that many people can relate to, which is part of their appeal.

That hat you see me wearing off to the right side of this blog page in my profile ... well, that's not just for show.  That's a part of my attitude as well.  When my mood's right, I'll pull out one of my hats -- felt or straw -- that I asked to be styled as much as possible like ones that Charlie Daniels would wear himself, and I'll place it on my head with pride.

Deep down, I'm a long-haired country boy, one who loves country music for its genuine, down-to-earth qualities.  I also love hearing it when I'm in a more rowdy mood and I feel like having a good time.

I love those country songs that are about the South, or make you think about the South one way or another.  They're songs with that Southern attitude, that Southern flair.

They're states of mind.