December 2012 Country Mix

Some call country music simple. But those people have small minds. If your soul runs deep – there’s a spot for a fiddle to reverberate. Steel guitars are tuned to tug at heartstrings. Real emotion is attached to the lyrics of down home sound. From the sadness of a Hank Williams tearjerker to George Strait’s salt of the earth catalog of songs – country music loads life on a hayride and hits every bump. Sometimes you hoot and holler, sometimes you just need a hug.

In addition to the monthly journal-style playlists, I also make a country mix. The rules are just a little different: 1) The mix must fit in a 120 minute CD. 2) A band, musician and/or song must only be used once every six months. In addition, I make a cover for each CD featuring Cowboy Artists of America Hall of Famer Jack Swanson. His art is fully in-sync with the rhythm and emotion in these playlists. In sharing this part of my life with you, my hope is that you will comment on songs on these playlists that move you, and maybe you’ll be inspired to make this a habit, too. If so, please use the comment box below each post to share your CD with us. Of course, feel free to make up your own rules as you go. Now let’s get to it… December 2012.

1. Ward Davis – Expecting Champagne
2. Aaron Lewis – What Hurts the Most (Live)
3. Shane Gamble – Turn My Way
4. Brantley Gilbert – More Than Miles
5. Jake Owen – The One That Got Away
6. Shooter Jennings & George Jones – 4th of July
7. Randy Houser – How Country Feels
8. Justin Moore – Til My Last Day
9. Kip Moore – Beer Money
10. Jack Ingram – Barefoot and Crazy
11. Pat Green – Take Me Out to a Dancehall
12. Mindy McCready – Guys Do it All the Time
13. Pistol Annies – Takin’ Pills
14. Pam Tillis – Shake the Sugar Tree
15. Tracy Lawrence – Alibis
16. Doug Stone – In a Different Light
17. Charlie Worsham – Could it Be
18. Restless Heart – When She Cries
19. Steve Azar – I Don’t Have to Be (‘Til Monday)
20. Ryan Bingham – Sunrise
21. John Denver – Sunshine on My Shoulders