Better than Taylor Swift?

Taylor Swift's career launch took the country music industry by the horns, and has ever since.   From a songwriter perspective it‘s pretty cool to see someone put their thoughts and feelings into a melody of words and watch the world unintentionally memorize them.   While I am certainly no Taylor Swift, I did enjoy watching exciting things happen over the year while launching my music career.  As this year comes to an end, I reflect on how gratifying it was to perform concerts in unfamiliar towns and see a few singing along to every song.  It’s those moments that I feel I might be able to rid myself of my rodeo addiction.

I haven’t ridden bareback bronc’s for a few years now, but it “still hits me every spring.”  There are so many similarities between the music and rodeo businesses.  I hope my rodeo experience will help me move quicker through the music business learning curve.  I am definitely getting a lot more comfortable with everything.  I remember being so comfortable with rodeo that the adrenaline wouldn’t hit until I nodded my head, and then was gone as soon as the buzzer rang.  I felt comfortable nodding my head even when everything wasn’t perfect,  as I had learned sometimes things just can't be perfect…  you have to adapt to the situation your are in. 

I remember the last time I rode at the Utah State Fair in SLC.  I drew a Bar T bucking horse named, “Betty Sue.”  Things weren’t that great in the chutes, but we got out quick and things were great in the arena.  I went 79pts, which was the high mark of the night and ended up 3^rd overall.  I hadn’t been back until this year when I sang the National Anthem for my first time publically at the Saturday night performance of that sold-out PRCA rodeo…  an incredible experience with just as much adrenaline as before.    

It is so invigorating to combine my love of rodeo and music where I can.  My band and I performed a concert to kick off the College National Finals Rodeo in June.  Again, a rodeo I hadn’t attended since I was riding in it.  Just after our performance I received a compliment that I can say with certainty is the highlight of my music career, thus far.  A little girl, who was probably 4 or 5 years old and accompanied by her mother, came up to me in her little cowgirl outfit to get a poster signed.  Before bashfully running away, she announced, “You’re better than Taylor Swift!” 

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!