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The average Indianapolis 500 party is either held as a theme for someone’s birthday or as a pre-race event before and sometimes during and after the big race. However you can add a dash of country western style and make the party even more interesting and fun, because an additional theme adds a plethora of new activities for guests. Why not open up a dance floor and blast out some good ole’ country music for the guests to dance too? Doing the electric slide sure builds up an appetite and the guests will be craving your delicious BBQ. Of course any party with a country western twist and Indianapolis 500 fans need to have some great BBQ.

For the menu try cooking up some western style spare ribs on the grill. Baked beans are easy to open and add a little beer to for flavor. Mashed taters fit the bill for filling treats, but you may need to make up some gravy for them. If you just want to serve up some appetizers try putting out a large tray of Nachos, western style, with pulled BBQ beef, lettuce and extra sharp cheddar cheese.

To decorate your Indianapolis 500 party you can add a mix of both themes. Use the Indianapolis 500 paper goods, such as napkins and plates and try putting up some wall hangings of racecars and driving teams related posters. You can also pick up some inflatable guitars and country boots to blow up and leave around the room. Play that country music in the background to add to the atmosphere and greet your guests in a cowboy hat and boots for fun. Cheap cowboy hats bought in bulk can make for great party favors to give to the guests.

For entertainment there’s food, line dancing competitions, poker, Texas Holdem and of course the Indianapolis 500.

By: Gail Leino

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Country music was popular amongst the people in rural areas of the west and south. This music evolved from ballads and folk tunes. Country music is commonly referred to as Hillbilly music, country, western music or country and western. It comprises of a wide variety of music. Whether people listen to classic or contemporary country music, the Internet is an excellent source of free country music downloads.

With the development of Internet technology, the music industry has benefited from online music sources. Free Internet resources offer vast collections of country music that can be downloaded by following very simple procedures. The best method to find these searches is to ask around for authentic sites or collect information regarding them from reviews and magazines. Free country music downloads are a popular selection. The time taken to download a song varies and depends on the size of the file and speed of the Internet connection. The downloading procedure is effortless and automated.

Search engines offer a huge list of free country music downloads. Most music collectors prefer to download their music in MP3 format. Free downloads allow people to build their own unique music collections and may even offer classic numbers that are difficult to find elsewhere. Free country music downloads allow choose the songs or albums they want easily, rather than seeking things out that stores may not even have.

When involved in free country music downloads, it is important to keep in mind the legal repercussions of violating copyrights by downloading from a peer-to-peer network. It is advisable to assess authentic websites only as music piracy is a punishable offence.

By: Ross Bainbridge

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Country music is an amalgam of popular musical forms that has its roots in traditional folk music from the South. Country music is a catchall for the Nashville sound, bluegrass, western ballads, swing, Cajun, honky tonk, Appalachian, rockabilly and jug band music.

Although there are various styles of country music, it is unique in the way its style is executed. Many songs are recorded to fit the style of country music and those who sing it. Famous country music singers include Bob Wills, Willie Nelson and George Strait. Country music listeners are mesmerized by the rhythms and the structures of the chords. In fact there are many songs that are adapted to suit the country music style like the Milk Cow Blues tune – an early blues tune composed by Kokomo Arnold. Famous singers like Bob Wills, Willie Nelson, and George Strait have all sung their own versions of the Milk Cow Blues Tune.

It was in 1924, when Vernon Dalhart recorded “The Wreck of Old 97,” that Country music really took off. At that time other singers like Riley Pucket, Fiddling John Carson and Charlie Poole joined the country western scene, further popularizing the music. The popularity of country music continues to grow.

Country music has its share of male and female singers who, through the years, have contributed greatly to the long-standing popularity of this music. They include well-known artists like, Johnny Cash, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Dixie Chicks, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Patty Loveless, Barbara Mandrell, Lonestar, Shania Twain, Dwight Yoakam and many others.

By: Ross Bainbridge

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A country western Christmas should be good fun. You absolutely should have your guests come dressed up in their cowgirl and cowboy gear. There can country western music playing in the background. There are some very good country Christmas songs you can find. And when you answer the door you can say howdy to everyone.

Encourage the guests to dance if you have the space. You could learn the moves to the tootin scootin boogie or the electric slide ahead of time and lead the group in a little dance lesson. Food can be Tex-Mex in style. Your main course can be barbeque pork or beef ribs, with side dishes like grits and fried tortillas.

Decorate the tree in little cowboy boot and hats ornaments. This makes a great activity to keep the kids occupied. Set up an activity table and provide brown, black or tan felt and glue with boot and hat shaped cutouts that the kids can trace. If they are old enough they can cut out the felt by themselves, otherwise you may want someone supervising the table. Supply smaller sections of red and green felt strips so the kids can accent their ornaments with Christmas colors. A hole punch makes a handy little hole for the ribbon to slide through and voila the kids have an ornament they either decorate the tree with or take home.

A good centerpiece for your buffet table is a pair of boots filled with dried flowers and thistle stalks and tied with a piece of ribbon with a cow bell attached. Or an upturned cowboy hat lined with some clean tissue paper and filled with fruit like oranges, apples, and grapes and a few walnuts. This should catch a few eyes and elicit some compliments for your cleverness at the party.

By: Gail Leino

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Undoubtedly, music CDs are one of the most popular ways to record and listen to the country music. New technology has made it very affordable to own a CD player and most avid music fans wouldn’t be caught dead without one. Listening to your favorite country music CD has never been easier or more affordable. You can go to any music store or online music site and order all of your favorite country music.

Unfortunately, CD sales for country music and other forms of music have run into serious problems in the last few years because of piracy. As a matter of fact, in the last three years, the International Federation of Phonography Industry (FPI) reported that every CD that is sold is a pirate copy. The federation has reported that every third CD sold is a pirate copy.

Piracy has made the country music CD sales business more competitive, because if people are going to buy CDs, the prices have to be reasonable enough afford them. It’s seems this is the case, as you can find great deals on Country Music CDs including sets like Time Warners, Classic Country: Great Story Songs for $199. This is an incredible buy considering you are purchasing 30 classic songs on 17 CDs, sung by country and western all time favorite singers.

There are hundreds of online music stores where you will find country and western CDs featuring all of your favorite singers. They usually offer special free shipping if you spend over $25, and they also usually run special daily deals. Many sights also offer you the opportunity to download your favorite music for as little as $.75 a song. Some popular CDs sold on site like http://www.amazon.com and http://www.buy.com include Johnny Cash, Man in black; Tim McGraw’s Greatest Hits; Faith Hill, Fireflies; and Merle Haggard, Live From Austin.

By: Ross Bainbridge

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Sheet music, sometimes called “score,” is the hand-written or printed form of musical notation, or the system that represents aurally perceived music via the use of written symbols. The history of musical notation, and therefore of sheet music, is a long one. There are those who hold that the earliest sheet music known is a fragment of a cuneiform tablet from Nippur, an ancient Babylonian city, and dates from approximately 2000 BCE. While this music was written on a clay tablet rather than paper, it still constitutes sheet music because the term “sheet” merely differentiates music on paper from audio presentation. So although the tablet’s notations are fragmentary and somewhat simple, it is probably safe to say that they represent the earliest recorded melodies in the world.

Anyone familiar with ancient Greek civilization will not be surprised to learn that the sheet music of those people was relatively complex. Ancient Greek musical notation was capable of representing pitch, note duration and, to a limited extent, harmony. It consisted of symbols placed above text syllables and was in use from at least the 6th century BCE until approximately the 4th century CE, a date that coincides with the fall of the Roman Empire.

Sheet music, like Europe as a whole, suffered a major blow when Rome fell. The art of writing music all but vanished during the times that followed, which are commonly referred to as the Dark Ages. However, by the middle of the 9th century, musical notation began to revive thanks to the Roman Catholic Church. The Gregorian chant was a ubiquitous form of worship in those days, and the monks performing it developed specific symbols, neumes, in order to record it on paper.

It is to another style of religious song of this period, the plainchant, that we owe our modern form of sheet music. The original system of writing plainchant did not utilize a staff. Although capable of expressing considerable musical complexity, such a system could not convey exact pitch or time. Sheet music from this genre served mainly as a reminder to a performer already familiar with the tune rather than a means by which a novice might learn a new song. To deal with the problem of exact pitch, a staff was introduced, originally consisting of a single horizontal line but eventually comprised of four parallel horizontal lines, which became the standard. The vertical position of a mark on the staff indicated the pitch at which it was to be sung or played. Anyone who looks at music from this period will easily recognize the roots of modern sheet music.

From the late Dark Ages until the 15th century, western sheet music was written by hand and generally preserved in large, bound volumes of manuscripts. The best known examples of such manuscripts are those of the previously mentioned plainchant, which is a form of monophonic chant. The advent of the printing press in the middle of the 15th century, of course, irrevocably changed how sheet music was created. However, it took several hundred years for printed sheet music to become the norm, and much music continued to exist solely in hand-written manuscripts until well into the 18th century.

By: Victor Epand

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Country music used to be associated with cowboys and cowboy singing ballads under a setting sun. However, all you have to do today is watch one of the thousands of country music videos to realize how the country western image has changed. Country music offers fans all kinds of performing artists like Johnny Cash dressed in black singing about his prison days, or Shania Twain’s sassy, country rock. Country music means a lot of different things to a lot of different people and you can see it all on video.

In the U.S. there are at least three cable network dedicated to the genre of country music. CMT, VH-1 Country and GAC are widely followed by music enthusiasts in the nation. These stations feature country music videos, and they offer entertaining programming that includes the history of country music and the latest gossip about country music stars. One stations featured the Country Music – Music Awards and the best music video of the year went to “As Good As I Once Was,” by Toby Keith, directed by Michael Salomon.

If you ever make you way to the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tennessee you can view live videos in a theater like setting presented by hosts like bill Cody. These videos present artists who have defined country music in the past as well as today. A new show is taped and performed live each week. While visiting this famous landmark, you can also tour the historic RCA Studio B where superstars like Elvis Presley, Chet Atkins, Eddy Arnold and the Everly Brothers once recorded.

By: Ross Bainbridge

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We love to throw a Country Western Party. It gives us a chance to dress up in our finest boots, hats and dress jeans, but when we get tired from line dancing there may not be much to do besides eat great BBQ and what great BBQ, ribs, chicken, surf and turf. All the fixings. Add a Casino theme to that Country Western Party and you’ve got lots of rootin’ tootin’ activities that the guests can really have fun playing.

Set up for this mixed party theme combo is fairly easy. Everyone still comes dressed up for the Country Western Party. You still put up inflatable guitars and paste wall hangings of records to the wall and even play those old mud, blood and the beer songs that Country Bars are most famous for, but you also get to set up some great games and add a few casino decorations to the party area. Put up fuzzy dice. Hang them from the lamps and even put them out on the buffet table. Pick up lots of casino chips and hand out some to each of your guests as they arrive. Tell them that they can turn in their winnings at the end of the party to pick out special treats, which you would otherwise call party favors, but they don’t have to know that. Great gifts are decks of cards, fuzzy dice, light up shot glasses and wine glasses, and even silly items like feather boas.

Also look for some flashing lights or any kind of decorative lights in either a casino or a country western theme. The guests will love to be able to dance or do the electric slide so you’ll want to clear a dance area and this may be just the place to string up your lights for the party.

By: Gail Leino

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Mud On The Tires is the latest release from Contemporary Country Sensation Brad Paisley, and is another winner from this talented musician.

Unfortunately, it’s not everyday that I get a CD from an artist that I can just pop in and comfortably listen to from beginning to end. There is usually a song or two that I just can’t force myself to get through. Not at all the case with Mud On The Tires. Every track is enjoyable and was pretty easy for me to listen to from start to finish.

Mud On The Tires has a nicely varied, mix of 16 tracks that are very well written songs by this clearly talented artist. With many of the songs displaying a lot of the kind emotion that makes for a really great listen. Clearly drawing from what I can only imagine are him own personal experiences. At different points touching on the most real emotions like love, heartbreak, pain, failed relationships and unattainable romance. They’re all here.

Overall Mud On The Tires is an outstanding release. What I call must have music. I give it two thumbs up and is most definitely a worthy addition to any Contemporary Country collection. Truly an outstanding Contemporary Country CD. One of those that is completely void of any wasted time, as each track is simply superb.

While this entire CD is really very good the truly standout tunes are track 1 – Mud On The Tires, track 8 – Hold Me In Your Arms, and track 16 – Farther Along.

My Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 6 – Somebody Knows You Now. It’s a great track!

Mud On The Tires Release Notes:

Brad Paisley originally released Mud On The Tires on July 22, 2003 on the Arista Nashville label.

CD Track List Follows:

1. Mud On The Tires

2. Celebrity

3. Ain’t Nothin’ Like

4. Little Moments

5. That’s Love

6. Somebody Knows You Now

7. Famous People

8. Hold Me In Your Arms (And Let Me Fall)

9. Whiskey Lullaby – (featuring Alison Krauss)

10. Best Thing That I Had Goin’, The

11. Cigar Song, The

12. Make A Mistake

13. Make A Mistake With Me – (TRUE instrumental)

14. Is It Raining At Your House

15. Spaghetti Western Swing – (TRUE instrumental, featuring Redd Volkaert)

16. Farther Along

17. (untitled) – (hidden track)

Personnel includes: Brad Paisley (vocals, acoustic, electric, & 12-string guitar, mandolin, Tic-Tac bass); Alison Krauss (vocals, viola); Redd Volkaert (guitar); Randel Currie (steel guitar); Ron Block (banjo); Jerry Douglas (dobro); Justin Williamson (fiddle); Gordon J. Mote (piano, Hammond B-3 organ); Kevin Grantt (bass); Bernie Herms (piano); Eric Darken (percussion); Ben Sesar (drums); Dan Akroyd, Jim Belushi, Vince Gill, Maddie Sampson, Georgia Claire Varble, Manny Rogers, Charles McCallie, Wes Hightower (background vocals).

Recorded at The Castle, Franklin, Tennessee.

By: Clyde Lee Dennis

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Hillbilly music, country, western music or country and western all refer to country music. This genre of music is diverse. Most modern country music artistes have developed their styles from earlier singers. Whether it is a classic or contemporary tune, for most who are new to country music it would be difficult to understand the different styles. A guide to country music offers comparisons that allow people to identify with inimitable performers. People may read guides to identify with the different instruments that are used to create the styles and rhythms. Since country music is a genre filled with many talented musicians, a number of guides offer details about upcoming artists. They are authentic and allow fans to understand and read about their idols.

People who aren’t terribly familiar with country music may need some help differentiating between the types of music. Guides offer information and help comprehend the varieties included. This includes pop country that is perfected by artistes like Shania Twain. Rebel or rock country music includes songs that are performed by free spirited singers. They are usually independent and use bold rhythms. Texas country has produced singers such as Robert Earl Keen and Pat Green. Old country music is considered to be slow whereas real old country included yodelling. This was the original folk derivation and continues to be popular.

Guides offer an insight into new developments, artists, functions and country music performances. Guides help provide information regarding country music legends and compare modern artistes. These guides discuss a singer’s drawbacks and unique talent. These guides may be written by enthusiasts or critics and may at times reflect only the writers point of view. It is easy to find a country music guide online or in magazines, journals and reviews.

By: Ross Bainbridge

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