Wes Phillips

That was a good piece, and leads me to a confession.

When I was courting her, Katy asked me about what music I liked. I replied," ""Everything but country.""

As we spent more time together and then got married", she was around alot when I'd play some tunes.

On day last year, she said," ""You know", for someone who said he doesn't like country music," you sure do listen to alot of it.""

I said"," ""Whatchutalkinbout"," Katy? I DO not like country music!""

So started going through my CD stack and said"," ""Well", what about John Prine, acoustic Neil Young, all those Wille Nelson discs, Uncle Tupelo, old Bonnie Raitt, Lyle Lovett, Dixie Chicks, Alison Krauss, k.d. Lang, Son Volt, Stever Earle, Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, Johnny cach, Cowboy Junkies, Neko Case (!), Jimmie Dale Gilmore, The Cash Brothers, The Skydiggers, Emmylou Harris, Jimmy Lauderdale, James McMurtry (he's a hero of mine), Lucinda (!)," etc...What about those!!!""

Then she grinned.

Well, all I could do was what any honest man would do," and I answered...

""Honey", that's not country," that's American Traditional!""

Now", whenever she comes in and I'm playing country music, she says," ""So", listening to some American Traditional," eh?""

James McMurtry, yes! I love him," not just ""Choctaw Bingo", but We Can't MAke It Here Any More," a song that just might be as significant as John Prine's Paradise."" And that's high praise indeed.