We seem to go through musical phases in this house. For months the playlist was based around the “Dazed and Confused” soundtrack with dozens more from that era of music as well. Then there was a Reggae phase followed by a combination of 70′s rock, Reggae, and Rockabilly. Then there was the 80′s phase which included everything from hair metal to Michael Jackson and Depeche Mode.

Lately, it’s been all about Country music. Bakersfield is roughly neck (some would throw “red” in front of that) deep in country music history. In the 1950s and 1960s, local musicians such as Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, Bill Woods, Tommy Collins, and Wynn Stewart developed a style of country music called the Bakersfield sound, notably featured in the Dwight Yoakam and Buck Owens song, “Streets of Bakersfield”. Today, Bakersfield is only behind Nashville, Tennessee and Texas in country music fame.

I’m not bragging as much as I am explaining why whether people admit it or not, if you are born and bred in Bakersfield, CA you are a little bit more country than you care to admit and that music really is in your blood whether you like it or not. You go to the fair in October and guaranteed there is going to be a country concert and a sea of Stetson Hats and Wrangler rear ends.

I grew up listening to Jerry Reed, Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson. I watched Hee Haw with my grandparents. My first concert was George Strait, followed by Randy Travis. I really have an eclectic taste in music but now and again I go back to what I knew as a kid. The latest trip down memory lane was started by Katie who has gotten into Blake Shelton and Billy Currington. In a flash her dad and I were ripping CDs and downloading old favorites like David Allan Coe’s “You Never Even Call Me By Name” and “The Ride” (yes, that Tim McGraw version is a remake) and we dusted off a lot of Willie, Waylon and Merle.

So now the playlist is filled with a lot of old classics, hits from the 80′s and 90′s as well as current stuff. Then we throw in some Skynrd, Jimmy Buffet, ZZ Top and Brian Setzer just to mix it up a bit. It’s made for some fun evenings in the backyard with a couple of margaritas and some bocce ball with the kids.