Country music: a steel guitar, a soulful voice, and some good old twang. What is there not to love? According to a majority of my peers... a lot. But I stick to my guns and hold fast in my deep-seated appreciation and love of a good country song.

1. It is the music I was raised on.

Dappled throughout my childhood memories are songs by Dolly Parton, George Jones, Roger Miller, and Lynn Anderson. My mama always kept their anthems on as I played, and we always sang to them in the kitchen.

2. There's a song for every mood I am in.

Whether I am in the mood to dance to the Talkin' Song Repair Blues by Alan Jackson or to cry with A Good Year for the Roses by George Jones, there is a song that picks up on every mood I can find myself in.

3. I am a sucker for a steel guitar.

I cannot tell you what it is about a steel guitar that makes my heart melt, but it never fails. Just listen to that sweet sound.

4. It is super easy to dance to.

Whether it is a line dance to Good Time or a slow dance to some sweet love song, Country music always gets my up to move my feet.

5. When Country music meets Gospel, it is something to behold.

I must say that some of the best renditions of hymns are done by country singers. One of my personal favorites is Johnny Cash's rendition of Peace in the Valley. I am not always in the mood for Christian Rock, but I can always be in the mood for a gospel track by a Country singer.

6. There are some nuggets of wisdom to be found in the twangy lyrics.

There is something about a Country song that can speak to my soul and speak to my morals. Being raised on the stuff, I have come to appreciate certain things about American morals. How relationships are equal work. How to earn your keep. How to play as hard as you work. How friends can be the best family you ever had and how family can be your best friends. How to keep faith at the core of everything you do. And how family comes before absolutely anything.

7. And speaking of twang... It is the literal best.

Taking aside how wonderful a bit of twang makes your life. When you are singing along with your favorite song, you can sing along to the songs with or without it. And if you try to sing along with the twang, you either can get it easily, or you can laugh at how ridiculous you sound. So, I think it is a win-win for everyone.

All in all...

To me, after a long day of life, there is nothing that can make me feels as good as a country song. For these reasons, Country music will always be held in a special part of my heart; the part with cowgirl boots, denim, and a smile.