Helloooo Tuesday! I know it is only Tuesday but least it isn’t Monday anymore, right!
Can I just say that I am LOVING writing this blog? I have had the opportunity to be in contact with so many great people! I would like to send a big shout out to The Iceman Show for bringing new artists in to the spotlight. This show has introduced me to so many amazing talents that I normally wouldn’t get to hear on regular radio. You, Sir, are a champ! It is really exciting putting my opinion out in the world. It is also a bit scary because you never know what people will think. I have to be honest; I was a tiny bit concerned when I made a comment about not liking Miranda live last week. But you accepted my opinion with open arms.
I know what you are thinking “Blah, blah, blah, you love writing, blah, blah.” Ok…I get it.
Oh! One more piece of housekeeping. Next week is CCMA week in Halifax, Nova Scotia and my blog posts will be ALL Canadian. If you are Canadian, enjoy! If you are American (or from somewhere else), well, it’s high time you found out what we are all about!
It’s news time.
CELEBRITY NEWS:
When is the last time you heard about Charlie Daniels? Well, you are about to hear about him right here. This year marked the 40th anniversary of the Volunteer Jam, an event held to support U.S. Veterans and their families. This was the first time in 20 years that the event had been held in Nashville and there was country music royalty there to help him mark the occasion. Eric Church, Ted Nugent, Trace Adkins and The Oak Ridge Boys were just a few of the celebrities that came out to celebrate. $300,000 was raised for the cause and Daniels is quoted as saying, “It was good to see an old Tennessee tradition come back to life – all for this great cause.” Charlie Daniels – a true American legend.
Duo Dan + Shay have spoken up on behalf of their fans. On August 29, they posted an open letter on social media to the people who have been selling their autographs online. It seems as though they have been seeing some familiar faces in the crowd who keep repeatedly asking them for their signatures, only to turn around and sell them on EBay for ridiculous prices. The guys are certainly a class act, making their fans a very special offer. The two wrote, “To our fans: we love you and value the time we get to spend with you. If you feel you have been taken advantage of by an EBay seller, let us know, and we will personally invite you to a meet and greet or send you something autographed for free.” A cool move by 2 clearly cool guys.
Season 7 Voice winner Craig Wayne Boyd took to Instagram on August 31 telling the world he is in love. Boyd proposed to girlfriend Taylor Borland and she said yes! It is not clear when the big day will happen as Boyd is facing a hectic touring schedule and is currently playing fairs and clubs right through to the end of November. Congratulations CWB and all the best for a very happy future!
COUNTRY FASHION:
There is really not much better than a pair of jeans that you have worked in and that fit just right. From Levis to Miss Me, jeans are a staple – not only for country folk, but for pretty much everyone. You can dress them up or dress them down, at the end of the day, denim is a “must have” for most people.
When you hear the term “Jeans”, it actually refers to the style of the pant. “Denim” refers to the fabric alone. Denim fabric was created in France and has been used in North America since the late 18th century. The “waist overalls” had become popular with gold miners due to their sturdy construction. There was also the appeal that they did not require much washing – something that lives on in the jeans of today. Where the pants fell short was in the back pockets. Latvian tailor Jacob Davis wrote to his denim supplier with his plight. He, along with Loeb (known as Levi) Strauss patented the idea to add copper rivets to the back pockets, thus reinforcing them for the miners. And it was then that the 501 was born.
Over the years, the iconic pant was worn in silent films, in westerns, by super models and rock stars. They come in all price points and are available to well…everyone. Whether no one can come between you and your Calvin’s, you have a “Fancy Ass” or you are a purist and can’t live without your Levi’s – I don’t believe there is anyone that can say they have never owned a pair of jeans.
COUNTRY MUSIC:
Let’s face facts – Luke Bryan has a sex appeal that even the manliest of men can’t deny. Those eyes, that smile and the fact that he a spokesperson for Cabela’s….amen! This Georgia native released his fifth album “Kill the Lights” in August, 2015. The first release from this album, “Kick the Dust Up” was released in May, 2015 and peaked at number one on country radio.
The second release from this album is “Strip it down”. If you think the title alone is pretty hot, the chorus will leave you wanting more:
…Strip it down/Strip it down/Back to you and me, like it used to be/When it was an old back road, with an old school beat/Cowboy boots by your little bare feet/Let it out, tell me right now/Everything I need/In them white cotton sheets/Dirty dance me slow in the summertime heat/Feel my belt turn loose from these old blue jeans/We both know that we lost it somehow/Let’s get it fast/Strip it down, down, down…
It is plain to see what this song is referring to. But more than being about just sex, it is more about 2 people reconnecting. I love that he makes a modern reference in the song when he croons “I wanna drop the cellphone now/Let it shatter on the ground/They ain’t holding nothing these two hands/Until they’re holding you again”, making a statement about that third or fourth person in a relationship…the mobile phone.
It is clear to see that with “Strip it Down”, Bryan’s rating on the sexy-meter is about to rise once again. But I will let you let you judge that for yourself. Here is the lyric video for “Strip it Down” by Luke Bryan:
Red, White And Country 