Why TRND MUSIC Wouldn't Exist Without Country Music

“There might be a little dust on the bottle, But don't let it fool ya about what's inside. There might be a little dust on the bottle, It's one of those things that gets sweeter with time” - David Lee Murphy, 1994

The country tune played once again on repeat, cued up in my grandmother’s basement, on an authentic jukebox, quarter insert removed, and a click button for unlimited credits. It’s one of my favorites, and it has been since I was a kid.

Contrary to what you might believe about me as a young record label owner, I didn’t grow up with musical parents. Nobody in my family played instruments until much later. The single musical influence in my young life was my midwestern grandmother. From George Strait, to Blake Shelton, and absolutely everything in between. Her jukebox was full of all the classics, and her cd case went from wall to wall, 10 shelves high. When putting music onto usb drives was cool, I couldn’t buy enough 64 gigabyte holders. While my mother drove our car in silence, my Grandma had country music playing in every room, morning to night. Country specials were always playing on the TV’s. We spent several weeks each summer with her, and that’s where I think my desire to work in the music industry started.

My Grandmother is bedridden now, after fighting off stage 4 cancer and winning, her body just doesn’t have much energy left. My Papa sat by her bedside this evening, and as Conway Twitty sang the hook of” I’d Love to Lay You Down”, it took a different meaning. And I don’t know if Conway could tell the future, but as the bridge played, I might just be convinced he knew this moment would happen between my two loving grandparents.

“When a whole lot of Decembers are showin' in your face. Your auburn hair has faded and silver takes it's place. You'll be just as lovely and I'll still be around. And if I can I know that I'd still love to lay you down “

Grandma, thank you for giving me a career, a life, more friends than I can ever imagine, and a hopeless romanticism that I know could only come from a childhood of country tunes. Thank you for raising us on country Music Grandma.