Ya Got Know When to Hold 'Em, Know When to Fold 'Em (Life Lessons From Country Music?)

I admit I watched Oprah this past Friday.  (When did we start to feel like we have to sound apologetic when watching Oprah?)   However, my lifelong guardian angel, friend & favorite down home Diva Dolly Parton was the guest and I would sit my ass down in front of the TV with a tornado directly outside my front door if Dolly was on.   Near the end of the show Oprah "surprised," the audience by bringing Dolly's longtime friend and sometime duet partner, Kenny Rogers out to sing Kenny & Dolly's big duet hit, Islands in the Stream.  Dolly had to do a lot of fancy vocal gymnastics to cover for Kenny's aging vocal chords.   To spite Kenny's obvious struggles vocally their on stage chemistry was undeniable and was shining brighter than ever.   You can tell they just love playing in the same sandbox together!   After some sit down and chat time following the "surprise," duet, Oprah asked Kenny to close the show with his biggest hit, The Gambler with Dolly and Oprah doing backup.   Thankfully Dolly's vocal gymnastics were able to completely cover up Oprah's singing, if in fact she was singing.   Unfortunately not even Dolly could cover up Oprah's Whitney Houston like attempt at trying to dance/move to the music.   I feel so uncomfortable when Oprah feels the need to even sway to the music let alone (clearing throat)....ummmmmm........dance.

Kenny begin to sing and his aged growly vocals actually added a good ole Hollywood Old West feel that gave the hit, The Gambler, another layer, a spicier note.   Although I know every word of this old hit by heart it seemed for the first time I really heard it.  Maybe it was the influence of listening to Oprah for an hour; but I thought, my lord above The Gambler sure does have a lot to say about life.   If we can acknowledge that life is ultimately a gamble then like the Gambler we start to know there are times we stay and sweat it out then there are times we know we have to walk away.   In the best case scenario we can only hope to break even in this life.

I will admit that I am not a "New Country," fan.   So my love of Country Music comes from what I consider the classics like:  Dolly Parton (of course!), Hank Williams (Sr.), Loretta Lynn, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Tammy Wynette, Kitty Wells, Patsy Cline, George Jones, Barbara Mandrell, Kenny Rogers, Willie Nelson, Jim Reeves, and Marty Robbins.   To me, what is considered "new country, " is not unlikable, but just not dynamic or necessarily very creative.   All the new ladies of country sound the same and it seems all the men are just singing about big butts and happy hour.   The songs of new country don't tell a story, the vocals all run together.   When Dolly or Patsy comes on the radio you know who it is immediately within the first note.   The same with George or Willie.  Their voices were distinct and their songs all told stories, words you can remember.

There are few exceptions to my disdain for "new country."  First of all I do think that Martina McBride and Allison Krause who are not really "new country,"  have, however come along within the last twenty years which doesn't really qualify them for "classic," or "legend," status yet, however they do echo some of the same amazing qualities and distinct voices that will last and emerge as classics and legends in years to come.   I don't necessarily like Taylor Swifts music because I'm older and so the teenage voice in which she writes her music is a bit too immature for me; but she is poised to last a long time because she does possess one of those distinct voices and she does have talent in writing lyrics.   Brad Paisley stands out as a distinct voice and clever lyrical guy.   Beyond that, unfortunately, the new country has the same problem as pop music has right now in which it all tends to blend and fade into itself because after a while they all start to sound the same and say the same things.

When Carrie Underwood pleads for Jesus to take the wheel, I don't feel much and I feel like even the good Lord above sighs a heavy sigh and rolls his eyes.   When Dolly talks of Jesus and Gravity I hear her struggle between ego and humble confession to basic human weakness.   When Loretta warns : "women like you are a dime a dozen you can buy 'em anywhere for you to get to him I'd have to move over but I'm gonna stand right here it'll be over my dead body so get out while you can, 'cause you ain't woman enough to take my man," let me tell you I think even forty something years later cheating husbands and bleach bottled husband stealing sluts all cringe and look for the nearest cellar to hide in.   There are truths and dare I say life lessons to be gleaned from a classic country song.   Words mean something in any good song and a good song becomes a legendary hit when that those words speak to someone's heart or to a time, place, an era.   And when you continue to learn something from a seemingly simple song like Kenny's Gambler of Dolly's Coat of Many Colors it becomes more than just a legend to the individual that is touched, moved, inspired, or all three.   I can promise I didn't learn anything from Trace Atkin's "Bedunky Dunk," and the only movement it caused within me was of nausea inducing proportions; but thanks to Kenny's Gambler I can know when to walk away or run when a bad song comes on.