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Top Legends of Country Music: A Nostalgic Journey

Line dancing to country music Frank Markesteijn

Growing up I listened to mostly country music. As a teenager of course I listened to some rock and roll, but my heart belonged to Country. As Barbara Mandell sang “I was country before country was cool”.

There were so many great songs and albums that I am not sure I can pick just one album. Loretta Lynn was definitively a big favorite but then she paired up with Conway Twitty. That duo was dynamic in country music. And I loved everything that the pair of them sang, together or separately. I miss those two.

Another favorite combination was George Jones and Tammy Wynette. Like Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn, together or separately these two were an awesome duo.

Other legends in country music:

  • Donna Fargo 1970s
  • Hank Williams Sr and Hank Williams Jr
  • Charlie Pride
  • Johnny Cash
  • Dolly Parton
  • Patsy Cline
  • Kenny Rogers
  • The Statler Brothers
  • Oakridge Boys

All of these were favorites of mine and all are legends of Country music. As for my favorite album, it’s just too tough to choose just one. My favorite album would be any collection featuring the greatest hits from any of these legends.

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Valuable Life Lessons from a Poor Upbringing

I wish I had learned that all people have value. Even those like me who think they don’t have value.

I was raised in a large but poor family. One very important lesson that I have learned in life is that I might have come from a poor family. However, I had a much better life than younger generations who are given everything they want. We had a stay at home mother and a hard working father. They both loved us very much. Today, I still have five living and loving siblings. I have often said that our family very closely resembled the Television show (The Waltons). I loved that show.

There is another story I would like to share. Dolly Parton had a big hit song with her song (Coat Of Many Colors) that her mother made for her. I can also relate to that. My mother was a good seamstress and she made me a coat. Now my coat was nice. My mother got a lot of compliments on that coat. It was all blue denim but she made it with love for me.

Being poor did have bad influences on me. I didn’t even know I was poor until another girl in third grade brought me an Easter egg. She said that my family was poor and I probably didn’t get anything for Easter. She was right. It was then that I started to notice that my clothes weren’t as nice as the other girls. My hair was cut by my mother and wasn’t stylish. I came to think I wasn’t as good as other children.

My self esteem suffered. I started to stay in the background trying not to be noticed. This pattern of behavior followed me throughout my school years. I decided against college because I felt we couldn’t afford the cost. I had started working in my junior year and I enjoyed having money of my own. I enjoyed being capable of affording some new store bought clothing. Years later, I did return to college. I wish I had done that when I was young enough to have enjoyed the experience.

But I didn’t always appreciate my large family. I hated that we were poor. But we survived and made better lives for ourselves and our children. But looking back, the one lesson I wish I had know was how terribly valuable everyone, including myself, is. The second lesson I wish I had know, was how valuable family is.

Daily writing prompt
Share a lesson you wish you had learned earlier in life.