Category: texas

America, Humor, Politics, Story, texas4 Comments

Oh, Canada…

Gary Furr

I am utterly opposed to Canada becoming the 51st state. I have several reasons for this. First of all there will be nowhere left for us to get away from our own country, especially during those times like now, when we are constantly arguing about which one of us is the real WE THE PEOPLE. Canada was always a happy getaway, where people were polite, the food was pretty good, and the weather in the summer was wonderful. Besides, we are likely to ruin your environment, destroy most of those beautiful glaciers, and put condominiums and ugly strip malls everywhere. You’ll … Continue reading Oh, Canada…

Blues, Country Music, Creativity, Culture, Folk, Jazz, Literature, Modern Life, Music, Rock and Roll, Songwriting, Songwriting, texas, Texas music, Writing2 Comments

Everything’s Bigger in Texas: the Oxford American 2014 Music Issue

Gary Furr
The Oxford American Music Issue

For many years, a member of my church who knows my weird tastes in music (if most people have never heard about it, I might have; if mass media doesn’t write about, I will) gives me the annual Oxford American Southern Music Issue.  Given my roots and rootlessness around and on the edges of this bizarre and wonderful region (politics=absolutely bizarre; unelected people generally fascinating and gracious; land, music and layer of cultue—wonderful), he knows it lines up with my interests.

The OA is a journal with as colorful and eccentric history to match the region it writes about, but plenty has been written about it elsewhere.  Just a few lines to mention the music issue, which isn’t cheap ($12.95) but well worth it.  Every year, a particular state’s rich heritage of famous and not-so-well-known songwriters and performers are showcased.  Continue reading “Everything’s Bigger in Texas: the Oxford American 2014 Music Issue”