[Photo from alanjackson.com]
Tonight I attended an event that I realized provided an excellent crash course in U.S. culture. I would call it "America 101" and it would be high on my list to recommend to foreign visitors wishing to see what the United States is all about. What was this all-American event? Tonight I saw country singer Alan Jackson play at the Ironstone Vineyards Amphitheater in California's gold country.
It's easy for those who don't enjoy country music to write off Alan Jackson or his whole genre as anachronistic. I have found that for the more cosmopolitan or sardonically witted, it is especially easy for them to relegate love of country music to rural hicks or urban country-wannabees. I harbor no negative thoughts having been a country music fan (along with most other genres of music) for many years. But for me, this concert was more than just fancy pickin', twin fiddles and honky tonk bass. It was eye opening to see the crowd laughing, dancing, and crying in places, throughout the evening.
My personal epiphany at the concert was not about the music per se, it was that Jackson's songs told a story about what we Americans want to believe our lives should be. Heaped upon the altar of the American Dream were themes as diverse as the excitement of a pre-teen being taught to drive his dad's boat; the fun of racing cars on a backcountry road and not getting caught; the importance of the love of a good woman; the sadness we all felt about 9-11; and remembering how much simpler life was in days gone by.
Clearly, the stories behind each song pandered to an audience who wanted to hold a romanticized view of American life. But that's where I think the people who dislike country music get it wrong, and where people wanting to learn more about the U.S. could get it right.
It's not a belief that America is all pure, or full of rural simplicity and goodness that is the crux of the songs I heard Alan Jackson play that night. The vision Mr. Jackson and others of his twangy ilk are selling is one of a life that we all secretly aspire to. A life where we are happy, and good to one another, and where we strive for making the most out of the life we have. Rather than being unhappy about constantly missing out on a life we think we should have had which remains elusively out of our grasp.
Call it optimism vs. pessimism, or romanticism vs. realism…what I took away from the Alan Jackson concert was to be thankful for the blessings of life and to make the most of them rather than striving for things that aren't important. To me, America 101 is “ideals first, ideas next” and it would be good for all of us who live here, and the rest of the world who doesn’t, to understand that.
Wonderful - but how can you go from this to an "Obama time capsule"??? Obama is the worst thing to happen to our basic beliefs in 200 years - with the exception of terrorists. there is a tribute that an Alabama boy made for his mother's tea party that is just beautiful I wish I could send you the link -TeaPartyCommercial.wmv
I hope you get a chance to view it - be sure to be on a monitor with sound. Thanks for this opportunity - I love your Presto invention - you seem Very smart.
Donna Inglis
response to your ad for obama capsule
Posted by: Donna Inglis | 08/18/2009 at 04:00 PM