Song of the Day: The River, Garth Brooks

Every word of this song mirrors how I feel about following my dreams.

The time to act is now, it's today.

I'm not satisfied, I want to chance the rapids and dance the tide.

Anything worth pursuing is going to be scary, but nothing will be more rewarding than living the dreams my heart desires.

Lyrics:

You know a dream is like a river
Ever changin' as it flows
And a dreamer's just a vessel
That must follow where it goes
Trying to learn from what's behind you
And never knowing what's in store
Makes each day a constant battle
Just to stay between the shores...and

I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry
Like a bird upon the wind
These waters are my sky
I'll never reach my destination
If I never try
So I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry

Too many times we stand aside
And let the waters slip away
'Til what we put off 'til tomorrow
Has now become today
So don't you sit upon the shoreline
And say you're satisfied
Choose to chance the rapids
And dare to dance the tide...and

I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry
Like a bird upon the wind
These waters are my sky
I'll never reach my destination
If I never try
So I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry

There's bound to be rough waters
And I know I'll take some falls
But with the good Lord as my captain
I can make it through them all...and

I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry
Like a bird upon the wind
These waters are my sky
I'll never reach my destination
If I never try
So I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry

Yes, I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry
'Til the river runs dry

DJ Miller

I've hit the jack pot on this find.
DJ Miller is from Idaville Indiana, he's 21 years old and he's working his way up the country star ladder one rung at a time.
His father, Darryll Miller, was in a country band when DJ was a little boy.
Often times he would accompany his father on stage.
His microphone was a toilet plunger with a microphone duct taped to the handle.
Talk about a glamorous start!

The first time I saw DJ Miller was at a Mark Wills concert in the summer of 2011.
He opened the show and had such an amazing presence.
He knows how to own a stage, that's for sure.
Miller believes that the ability to entertain a crowd is the single most important thing when it comes to a live show.
I absolutely agree with his philosophy.
He loves getting involved with the crowd, running around the stage, and singing love ballads to his female fans.

“You can’t be the only one having fun,” Miller explains. “You have to interact with the crowd. You want them to be wondering what’s gonna happen next. If you just stand there and sing your songs and play your music, you might sound really good, but if you don’t give your fans a real show, then they may not have a reason to come back and see you again.” -DJ Miller

Miller grew up watching Garth Brooks concerts on his TV set and has been strongly influenced by his high-energy-guitar-smashing shows.
He also grew to appreciate Brad Paisley's guitar shredding solos, which has had an effect on DJ Miller's live show.

“I would tape the Garth Brook's live concerts on television as a little kid and then watch them over and over,” he remembers. “I saw him do all these crazy things on stage, but the crowd loved every minute of it, and I recognized that. It was at that point that I decided I wanted to go into Country music.” -DJ Miller

DJ got started at a young age. He would play where ever he could; state fairs, talent shows, you name it.
Things really started taking off for him when he met producer Jonny Morris in 2009.

Every fan has a place in DJ's heart and he wants everyone to have an exceptional experience at one of his concerts.

“It’s always important to make that person in the front row feel special,” he says, “but to me, the real key is making that person in the back row feel just as special.” -DJ Miller

Don't take my word for it though, hear it from DJ himself.
He will steal your heart like he did mine with this video.
Everything he says about country music is how I feel about it, it's real.

Listen to "Between Sundays".
Visit his website.
Here is another fun video to help you get to know him better.
DJ live.
Facebook.

I hope y'all enjoy him and his music as much as I do!

Charley Jenkins

Every time I find an artist that I think is amazing I get super excited and do a little research on them.

I think where people come from and their story is so important because often times it influences their music greatly.

What's really cool is Charley Jenkins is from my mom's hometown, and without knowing him I can recognize some of his influences because I know that land.

I know those people.

When he singings the words "A helping hand is just a stone's throw away. You're standing on solid ground when you're standing in this town. Love thy neighbor; it's all about, round here" I can relate to that.

I have memories of being a little girl and visiting my granddaddy's farm and helping people or visa versa.

I have personally been touched by that place.

I love that there is a song that captures the feeling of that town.

When Roosevelt's very own Charley Jenkins made his first album "Round Here" neighbors, friends, and family teamed up to raise $15,000 to help him record it.

Charley Jenkins was on a tv show called Nashville star (the same show Miranda Lambert got her start.)
Charley made it to the top 12.

His accomplishments in country music go on.
He as three albums out "Round Here" "Ridin" and "Hold On".
He has joined the following artists on stage:
Taylor Swift

Jason Aldean

Lady Antebellum

LeAnn Rhimes

Kellie Pickler

Emerson Drive

and many others.

His career is just starting.
I'm on the fan train with no return ticket!
I hope you will give him a listen because if you do, you too, will be ready to board this one way train.

Click here to listen to "Hold On"

                                           

Due West

Last night I went to a musical performance at the tabernacle in Salt Lake City.

It was spectacular.

Billy Dean, Thurl Bailey, Due West, Nashville Tribute Band, David Osmond, and many others sang and shared their musical talents.

I met a wonderfully kind woman there, her name was Nancy and she introduced me to the members of the Due West band.

They were so kind and humble.

I love their music.

Matt Lopez is from Wyoming and his song writing abilities helped him break into the the music business. He helped write the song "Love's Lookin' Good on You", which the popular Country band Lady Antebellum picked up.

Brad Hull's roots are in Arizona. He started learning to play the guitar when he was eleven years old. He studied the music business a lot and learned what to look for in a songwriter and about songs and how they make money.

Tim Gates was born and raised in Utah. He started out as a social worker and made his way into the music business. He feels that music is another way he can help people.

They all work hard on their music, and they bring real emotions to the people who listen to them.

I, personally, go my first laugh line last night. I didn't stop smiling the whole time they were on stage.

Help support them in their endeavor.

Read about how their band got together here. {It's a great story!}
Get a feel for their music here. {You won't stop listening!}
Find them on Facebook here. {And like 'em!}

They perform all around Utah, they are great live, you need to see them.

Billy Dean and me

Ang, me, Jason Deere, and Kenzie

Ang, Brad Hull, me, and Kenzie 

Ang, me, Matt Lopez, and Kenzie

fuzzy picture of us with Diamond Rio's Dan Truman

Dyer Highway

I know it's been awhile since I've written.
I've been meaning to share my new find, Dyer Highway.
I've been so excited to write about them, but every time I try to I have no words.
So I will stutter and stumble through this and hope it conveys what I feel.
Sometimes things are felt with the heart and nearly impossible to say with words.

On December 19, 2011 my family and I went to Wheeler Farm to see a Charley Jenkins concert.
The excitement in the air was tangible and I knew something great was about to take place.
The concert was in the barn, it was comfy cozy, and since it was a Christmas concert I couldn't help but think about the birth of Christ.
He was born in a stable and I thought the setting of the concert was perfect.
The lights dimmed and the first band was announced.
Dyer Highway, a young family band from Delta Utah.
I sat back in  my chair ready to take it all in.
Tel Dyer (lead singer and guitarist) and his sister's Tiann Dyer (bass)  and Mady Dyer (fiddle) started singing acapella.
Their voices mixed perfectly. I was instantly intrigued.
I was no longer relaxing in my chair, I was sitting on the edge of my seat and smiling.
I couldn't stop.

Good sound and good lyrics make a band good.
What takes a band beyond being good is if they can create emotion in their listeners.
If you can make the people in the crowd feel something you're golden and you've done your job as an artist.
This band did just that.
They are better than good; they are what Country music is all about.
I was blown away with their performance.

Tiann Dyer shredded the fiddle.
She was truly amazing; there is no other way to say it.
She has a beautiful voice that is captivating; I could have listened to them play for hours.
At the young age of 16 she has the opportunity to play with Charley Jenkins band.

Mady Dyer is 14 and played the bass.
She was a ton of fun to watch.
She had a spunky personality that seeped through onto the stage with her performance.

Tel Dyer is 19 and is a phenomenal entertainer.
Being an entertainer is more than singing a few songs to some people and calling it good.
It is making the audience feel like they are a part of something more.
Making them feel included, which he did with his witty comments and fun presence.
I had the chance to meet him and shake his hand after the show; he was a real gentleman and very kind.

The Dyer's are all very talented and I believe they're going places with their music.
Join me and jump on the fan wagon.

Again my words do no justice...
You need to discover them for yourself.
Click here to visit their web site.
Click here to watch their music video "Very Last First Time"
They wrote this song while they were waiting outside the recording studio in Nashville this summer.
Click here to like them on Facebook.
You can see them live New Years Eve. They will be performing with the Nashville Tribute Band, click here for more info :)

The band

The ticket

The barn

A tribute to Charley Jenkins coming up next so keep checking in to find great new bands :)

Katy McAllister

isn't country but I heard about her last night and I can't stop listening to her. This girl has a very unique and beautiful voice. Click here to hear Jupiter {no pun intended}. She has an array of original songs that will knock your sockies right off, so when you have a minute give them a listen. You can go to her Facebook page here.

In Fall of 2009 Katy made the decision to pursue her musical dream. She recently got together with musician/producer Tyler Ward to record her debut single, "Here's To The Heartbreakers" 

"This girl is going to be the next Colbie Caillat or Taylor Swift," says Tyler. "Her song writing is unreal and her voice is incredibly unique". (McAllister Facebook).

Support her cause Two Hands For Kenya.


Works Cited:

McAllister, Katy. "Katy McAllister." Facebook. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Dec 2011. <http://www.facebook.com/KatyMcAllisterMusic?v=info

Falling for Country

I grew up listening to 90's Country music. I loved Mark Wills, Blackhawk, Martina McBride, Tim McGraw, Jo Dee Messina, Kenny Chesney, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, and my idols were the Dixie Chicks. I would set up a stage made of bars stools and coffee tables in my living room and sing for my mom. I thought I was the fourth member of the Dixie Chicks. When I was five I knew all the words to "When You Were Mine". I remember I would sing it to my neighbors, bless their good hearts. I loved them so much that when everyone started boycotting them, I hid my tapes and CD's and claimed that I didn't know where they were. I was scared someone was going to take them from me and throw them in the waste bin. My 9 years old self wasn’t going to let that happen.

But when I hit the 6th grade I became the ruler of the school. With that new title I had a reputation to uphold. I wanted to be independent and listen to my own style of music. It was Pop Rock for me. I didn't really pay much attention to Country again until my junior year of High School when I met a boy named Trent Ingram. To this day he is the world's BIGGEST country fanatic, in a good way of course. He would try to get me to listen to Garth Brooks and I would laugh and change the song. One time he reset all the channels in my car to Country stations, I was too stubborn to learn how to fix it {it was a 21 year old car and the process was much different than the newer cars. Don't judge} so I tolerated the music and listened to it on my drives to and from dance lessons. I caught myself singing along to old familiar songs and tapping my foot with the beet. My inner child came alive and I couldn't stop listening to it. I got home from lessons one day and put all my old Country CD's on my iPod.

A few weeks later Trent had convinced me to give good ol' Garth Brooks {basically the king of 90's Country, I have no idea how that fan train passed me up} a listen to. I distinctly remember where I was when I listen to "Every Now and Then". I was driving alone in my car, it was dark outside and the music flowed from the speakers and into my heart. Tears welled up in my eyes and I was horrified that a song could make me feel so sad. It was the best awful song I'd ever heard. I was feeling raw emotion in its purest form. I pulled over, stopped the car, and gave Trent a ring. I was gonna give that boy a piece of my mind. When he answered I'm sure I sounded upset and I demanded why he would let me to listen to that terrible song. I told him I hated it, it was so heartbreaking. I asked him endless questions about why those two people couldn't be together. They clearly were perfect for each other. His reply was simple and kind he chuckled a little at how upset I was and said, "Tami, it's just a song. Plus, that's why I love Garth Brooks and Country music so much. It makes you feel something real." After that I listened to Garth Brooks almost daily. I fell in love with the emotions his songs created in me. Music had never made me feel that way before. It turned into a passion, a wild fire burning out of control. I started going to concerts as much as I could and I would hang on to every word that artists would say. My favorite things is when they talk to the crowd and share something personal, like what inspired a specific song.

I wasn't really a big dreamer until all this happened, and I can't put my finger on the exact moment it triggered. In fact I don't think it was one moment. I think it was a cluster of moments. It was being a Dixie Chick in my living room as a child, getting my first Blackhawk CD, going to my first concert, meeting Trent, getting my heart broken by Garth Brooks, and it was the first time I picked up a pen to write my emotions down on paper. Those moments changed me. They shaped me. It truly is the small and simple things in life that make all the difference. Thank you mamma for bringing Country music into our home, thank you Aunt Reeda for giving me your Blackhawk CD just because I loved it, thank you big sister for taking me to my first concert. Thank you Garth Brooks for following your dreams, but most of all thank you Trent Ingram for coming into my life and sharing your passion with me.