I used to have “I can’t believe I live in Texas” moments all the time when I first moved here in 2005 (have I really almost been here for four years?) I really couldn’t believe of all places I moved to Texas – I used to see myself living in North Carolina, South Carolina or Colorado but never Texas. Well I guess they say the best surprises are the most unexpected surprises (and by “they” I mean I just said that and I feel like it’s probably true). I love every single thing about Austin and have been trying to get more into country music for a couple years now. When in Rome, right? So I’ve had my eyes opened to so many cool country music experiences and they just keep getting better. A few favorites have been Live at the Grove the first summer I lived here, Roger Creager and Paul Eason at Hills Cafe and front and center on stage at the Backyard with this guy. So last night might of been one of the best yet – Jason Boland at Graham Central Station. First of all, I love his voice and his band the Stragglers are awesome. The fiddle player stole the show although he didn’t look like a country guy. You would’ve thought he was the type to hang out at the skate park rather than play the fiddle in a country band. Anyway, you know how sometimes you’ll hear a song and you just love it right away and you can’t stop listening to it and everytime you hear it it takes you back to the exact place where you heard it? That’s how I feel about Somewhere Down in Texas. DL it. Although it will be hard to explain exactly what it was like when he played it, just picture a huge, honkey tonk kind of bar and listening to the song on the dance floor surrounded by two-steppers.

I can’t wait to buy my first pair of cowboy boots either Maybe I am a country girl at heart…