What Country Means To Me….
By Annette Gibbons
To say Country Music has changed my life seems pretty dramatic… But it has!
It all started in the early 1990’s when I was flicking through the music channels on cable TV, I came across a young man called John Michael Montgomery singing “Be My Baby Tonight”
followed by a young lady called Martina McBride singing “My Baby Loves Me” that channel was CMT Europe and from that moment I was hooked.
In 1995 my husband and I set of on a round the world trip, first stop Nashville, Tennessee. I fell in love with Nashville and met a lovely couple from Illinois in the Wild Horse Saloon, we chatted and agreed to send post cards. Over 20 years on that gentleman, John is a huge part of my life (sadly we lost Marilyn a few years ago) and his daughter and grandchildren are like a second family to me.
Throughout the 90s and early 00s, I was often ridiculed for liking ‘Country and Western’ but I still kept buying the CDs listening to Country Music where I could and going to as many gigs as I could. But I still felt an outcast! I may have even taught line dancing in a bar (The Country Music Café in Croydon for a while)
A few things then changed for me, I got to live my dream and attend CMAFest in Nashville and started using social media to follow music and find like minded people.. suddenly I wasn’t the only Country Music fan in the UK.
One highlight was seeing Garth Brooks play in Nashville
“Friends in Low Places” is one of my all time favourite songs and last year i got to meet the man that wrote it Earl Bud Lee
It was such a joy to chat to other people who actually knew the artists I was talking about and not have people shouting Yee-Haw every time I mentioned a song. I did write for another country website for a short while, but I really wanted my own, so Think Country was founded, just before Country to Country in 2014.
I originally started Think Country as a hobby, that I hoped would one day in the far of future would become a business. Well it all happened a little quicker than I imagined and I have to say, I love every minute of it.
I have had the most amazing opportunities to interview some fantastic artists, go to one off shows (attended CMA Awards & ACM Awards) and some fabulous parties, but more importantly I have been able to share my love of country music with literally thousands and thousands of people.
I have recently found a love for The British Country scene, something I didn’t know much about and that has lead me to working with Dexeter and other great artists.
Country Music has given me many opportunities, the chance to live my dream, share my passion and travel the USA. But the main thing country music has given me, is the chance to make so many new friends from all over the world.
I have a country song for every occasion.. Happy, Sad, Party, Drinking or just chilling!!
We would love to hear “What Country means to you…..” email Annette@ThinkCountryMusic.com
