I grew up on a farm seven minutes from a small town. One of those towns where if you blink as you drive through it, you'll miss it. Most people pass through small towns without a second thought, not realizing that for some people, it's their whole life. Some country music artists have really nailed what it feels like to live in a small town. While there are millions of songs out there that highlight country livin', here are just a few of my favorites that bring out this taste of small town life.
1. "More Trucks Than Cars" by Craig Morgan
Even just the title highlights the feeling of a redneck, rural setting. It's one of those small things you take for granted, and then realize as soon as you leave. His catchy tune is highlighting the many small quirky things that make the laid back atmosphere of a lazy small town life. Simple things, like the constant rivalry between Ford and Chevy owners and the small friendly hometown "where the waitress calls you baby."
2. "Small Town USA" by Justin Moore
This one kind of speaks for itself. With an "old dirt road and I'll be just fine," Justin Moore highlights some of the easy going weekends experienced in a small town. He highlights that some people just can't wait to leave it, while others wouldn't imagine having it any other way. His song points out that it's the simple things in life that become the most important things and make us what we are.
3. "Where I'm From" by Jason Michael Carroll
The quarterback of the high school team who dated the homecoming queen, mom and dads were high school flames and "the front pew of a wooden white church" all sound like the setting of Mayberry. What Jason Michael Carroll captures the feel, the small town, the homegrown feel of what matters the most. How some people don't even need to leave the town they were born in to have an incredible life story.
4. "My Town" by Montgomery Gentry
Speaking of towns, Montgomery Gentry hit the nail on the head with the rebellious child who couldn't wait to get out, only to come right back home, because that's where "I was born, where I was raised." The song beats true with hometown pride and the people in the town who leave lasting memories on the town.
5. "Meanwhile Back At Mama's" by Tim McGraw
With his infamous hit song, Tim McGraw captures that welcoming southern hospitality, as well as "those small town routes, walkin' around in muddy boots, the sound of rain on an old tin roof..." He brings in the feel, to a point where you can imagine the soft breeze, the sunny day, the dusty road and the slow going town. This easy going song is a reminder of what we left behind, but what we can always count on going back to.
